Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29714 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, June 29, 2021 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29714]
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Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Mr K | |
BD rating
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| Difficulty - ★★ | Enjoyment - ★★★ |
Falcon's experience
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ | |
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Legend:
█ - solved without assistance
█ - incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools
█ - solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools
█ - solved with aid of checking letters provided by puzzle solving tools
█ - solved but without fully parsing the clue
█ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's Crossword Blog
█ - solved with aid of checking letters provided by solutions from Big Dave's Crossword Blog
█ - reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's Crossword Blog
█ - yet to be solved
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Notes
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This puzzle appears on the Monday Diversions page in the Saturday, September 11, 2021 edition of the National Post. | |
Introduction
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Mr K writes "No surprises in today's puzzle – it is pretty much what we've come to expect on this day of the week." I certainly can't disagree with that assessment.I invite you to leave a comment to let us know how you fared with the puzzle.
Notes on Today's Puzzle
This commentary is intended to serve as a supplement to the review of this puzzle found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, to which a link is provided in the table above.
| Markup Conventions | |
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| Click here for further explanation and usage examples of markup conventions used on this blog. | |
Across
| 1a | Loved // novel I'd read about maiden (7) |
"maiden " = M [scoreless over in cricket]
In cricket, a maiden[5], also known as a maiden over and denoted on cricket scorecards by the abbreviation m.[10], is an over* in which no runs are scored.
* An over[5] is a division of play consisting of a sequence of six balls bowled by a bowler from one end of the pitch, after which another bowler takes over from the other end.
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In cricket, a maiden[5], also known as a maiden over and denoted on cricket scorecards by the abbreviation m.[10], is an over* in which no runs are scored.
* An over[5] is a division of play consisting of a sequence of six balls bowled by a bowler from one end of the pitch, after which another bowler takes over from the other end.
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| 5a | Relative following soldiers heading west then east /to get/ vengeance (7) |
Nemesis[5] is used in the sense of retributive justice ⇒
Nemesis is notoriously slow.
* In Greek mythology, Nemesis[5] is a goddess usually portrayed as the agent of divine punishment for wrongdoing or presumption (hubris).
| 9a | Somewhat alarmed, I called // doctor (5) |
| 10a | A goddess intended heartless // fun (9) |
In Greek and Roman mythology, the Muses[5] are the nine goddesses, the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who preside over the arts and sciences. (show more )
The Muses are generally listed as Calliope (epic poetry), Clio (history), Euterpe (flute playing and lyric poetry), Terpsichore (choral dancing and song), Erato (lyre playing and lyric poetry), Melpomene (tragedy), Thalia (comedy and light verse), Polyhymnia (hymns, and later mime), and Urania (astronomy).
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The Muses are generally listed as Calliope (epic poetry), Clio (history), Euterpe (flute playing and lyric poetry), Terpsichore (choral dancing and song), Erato (lyre playing and lyric poetry), Melpomene (tragedy), Thalia (comedy and light verse), Polyhymnia (hymns, and later mime), and Urania (astronomy).
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| 11a | Study of the population/'s/ pay her dogma almost spoiled (10) |
| 12a | Appeal for help by old // pedestrian (2-2) |
"old " = O [linguistics]
In linguistics, O[12] is the abbreviation for Old ⇒ (i)
However, a second entry from this same source shows o (lower case) meaning old (not capitalized) suggesting that the use of this abbreviation may not necessarily be confined to the field of linguistics.
Another possibility arises from the British abbreviation OAP[5] standing for old-age pensioner.
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In linguistics, O[12] is the abbreviation for Old ⇒ (i)
OFr[Old French]; (ii)
OE[Old English].
However, a second entry from this same source shows o (lower case) meaning old (not capitalized) suggesting that the use of this abbreviation may not necessarily be confined to the field of linguistics.
Another possibility arises from the British abbreviation OAP[5] standing for old-age pensioner.
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| 14a | Firm // arrangement (12) |
Organisation is an alternate British spelling of organization.
* While British dictionaries show the principal spelling of words such as organize as ending in -ize, many Brits will argue vehemently that this is an American spelling and the word should end in -ise. As I understand it, such words come from Greek and that is where the z originates—not America. The -ise spelling comes from French, so perhaps this British propensity to use it is a long-lasting carry over from the Norman invasion of 1066.
| 18a | Prisoner's fast // run in Greek hunt is fantastic (6,6) |
"run " = R [cricket notation]
| 21a | Speed // limit in Antwerp? First-rate (4) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Antwerp[5] is a port in northern Belgium, on the Scheldt. By the 16th century it had become a leading European commercial and financial centre. |
| 22a | In favour of helping // balance (10) |
| 25a | Switched onto email, // excited (9) |
| 26a | Out of bed and ready /for/ trouble (5) |
| 27a | A patient finally brought into that place? (7) |
This is an &lit. clue[7] (or, as they prefer to call it on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, an all-in-one clue), a clue in which the entire clue is both wordplay (according to one reading) and definition (under a different reading). In this case the latter is a cryptic definition of a place where a patient would be treated by a surgeon.
| 28a | Flat // leads to tenancy excuses, difficulties and debts (7) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Flat[5] is the common British term for what would be called an apartment[5] in North America. |
Down
| 1d | A river disturbed a // large group of vessels (6) |
| 2d | Married a French lady -- // this is how to greet her (6) |
In the wordplay, interpret the pronoun "her" to be replaced by its antecedent "a French lady".
Dame[8] is a French word meaning 'lady'.
Madame[5] is a title or form of address used of or to a French-speaking woman, corresponding to Mrs.
Origin: literally ma (my) + dame (lady)
| 3d | Startle fish then study // where the blooming things go? (4,6) |
The gar[2] (another name* for garfish[2,10] or garpike[2,10]) is a slim fast-swimming fish with a long beak-like mouth containing many sharp teeth.
* It seems that, depending on species and location, various European, North American and Central American fish go by one or the other or all of these names.
Scratching the Surface
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Blooming[5] is an informal British term used to express annoyance or for emphasis ⇒ (i) of all the blooming cheek!; (ii) a blooming good read. |
| 4d | Drink before a // crisis (5) |
Dram[5] is a Scottish term for a small drink of whisky or other spirits ⇒
a wee dram to ward off the winter chill.
| 5d | Ruder // upsetting article that's disgusting couple, right? (9) |
| 6d | Satisfied, swallowing ordinary // wine (4) |
"ordinary " = O [British academic qualification]
Historically, in the UK (with the exception of Scotland), O level[5] (short for ordinary level[5]) was a qualification in a specific subject formerly taken by school students aged 14-16, at a level below A (advanced) level. It was replaced in 1988 by the GCSE[5] (General Certificate of Secondary Education).
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Historically, in the UK (with the exception of Scotland), O level[5] (short for ordinary level[5]) was a qualification in a specific subject formerly taken by school students aged 14-16, at a level below A (advanced) level. It was replaced in 1988 by the GCSE[5] (General Certificate of Secondary Education).
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Moët[5] is a trademark for: a brand of champagne produced by French winery Moët & Chandon.
| 7d | One way to get rid of a creepy-crawly? // Shake a leg (4,2,2) |
The first part of the clue is a possible literal interpretation of the idiomatic expression that is the solution to the clue.
| 8d | Poet hints about dropping hearts // when one wants an ace? (3,5) |
In tennis and other sports, a set point[5] is a point which if won by one of the players or sides will also win them a set ⇒
his brilliant ace denied Sampras the set point.
Did anyone notice ...
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| ... that the solution to 8d is an anagram of the solution to 7d? |
| 13d | Experience // support with stadium (10) |
Here and There
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Ground[5] denotes an area of land, often with associated buildings and structures, used for a particular sport ⇒ (i)
a football ground; (ii) Liverpool’s new ground is nearing completion(show more ). Although this usage of the word ground is not exclusively British, it does seem to be a usage that has fallen into disfavour in North America. In North America, it would be much more likely for such a venue to be called a field or a stadium. Collins COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary says that a ground[14] is an area of land which is specially designed and made for playing sport or for some other activity. In American English grounds is also used. ⇒ (i) the city's football ground; (ii) a parade ground. I know of only two instances of this usage for sports facilities in North America (although there are undoubtedly others). The Wanderers Grounds[7] is a sports field in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Polo Grounds[7] was the name of three stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used mainly for professional baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963. As the name suggests, the original Polo Grounds, opened in 1876 and demolished in 1889, was built for the sport of polo. It was converted to a baseball stadium in 1880. In baseball, the stadium served at various times as the home of the New York Giants (now San Francisco Giants), the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets. In football, it was home to the New York Giants (NFL) and New York Jets (AFL). Shea Stadium opened in 1964 and replaced the Polo Grounds as the home of the Mets and Jets. The Polo Grounds was demolished that year and a public housing complex built on the site. hide |
| 15d | A second American turned up and maintained church/'s/ authority (9) |
Authority[5] is used in the sense of the confidence resulting from personal expertise.
Assurance[5] is used in the sense of confidence or certainty in one's own abilities.
| 16d | Delivery /from/ trendy blokes in street (8) |
| 17d | Story -- // one acted out (8) |
| 19d | Female is tackling adult about Oscar/'s/ mess (6) |
"adult " = A [former British film classification]
The A (Adult) certificate is a former film certificate[7] issued by the British Board of Film Classification. This certificate existed in various forms from 1912 to 1985, when it was replaced by the PG (Parental Guidance) certificate. [Despite its demise in the real world, it continues to find widespread use in Crosswordland.]
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The A (Adult) certificate is a former film certificate[7] issued by the British Board of Film Classification. This certificate existed in various forms from 1912 to 1985, when it was replaced by the PG (Parental Guidance) certificate. [Despite its demise in the real world, it continues to find widespread use in Crosswordland.]
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| 20d | Links // university with atheism, regularly (6) |
Uni[5] is an informal (originally Australian) short form for university ⇒
he planned to go to uni.
| 23d | Plan to restrict one // trial episode (5) |
| 24d | Ancient Scot // chose to be heard (4) |
The Picts[5] were an ancient people inhabiting northern Scotland in Roman times. (show more )
Roman writings of around 300 AD apply the term Picti to the hostile tribes of the area north of the Antonine Wall. Their origins are uncertain, but they may have been a loose confederation of Celtic tribes.
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Roman writings of around 300 AD apply the term Picti to the hostile tribes of the area north of the Antonine Wall. Their origins are uncertain, but they may have been a loose confederation of Celtic tribes.
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Key to Reference Sources:
[1] - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
[2] - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
[3] - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
[4] - TheFreeDictionarycom (Collins English Dictionary)
[5] - Lexico (formerly Oxford Dictionaries Online) (Oxford Dictionary of English)
[6] - Lexico (formerly Oxford Dictionaries Online) (Oxford Advanced American Dictionary)
[7] - Wikipedia
[8] - Reverso Online Dictionary (Collins French-English Dictionary)
[9] - Infoplease (Random House Unabridged Dictionary)
[10] - CollinsDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
[11] - TheFreeDictionary.com (Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary)
[12] - CollinsDictionary.com (Webster’s New World College Dictionary)
[13] - MacmillanDictionary.com (Macmillan Dictionary)
[14] - CollinsDictionary.com (COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary)
[15] - CollinsDictionary.com (Penguin Random House LLC/HarperCollins Publishers Ltd )
Signing off for today — Falcon
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