Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29743 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, August 2, 2021 | |
Setter
Campbell (Allan Scott) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29743]
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Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Falcon | |
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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Introduction
This puzzle, which I reviewed on Big Dave's Crossword Blog in August when it appeared in The Daily Telegraph, was still fresh enough in my mind that the second solve was much easier than the first.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
| 8a | Round fired by every gun in wood -- screech heard, // exposing game (5,10) |
The rather cryptic definition alludes to a game in which the uniforms are very skimpy.
| 9a | Mother and daughter, // very angry (3) |
| 10a | Favourite student -- // young Frank Sinatra, perhaps? (4-4,3) |
Blue-eyed boy[5,10] is an informal, mainly derogatory British term* for a person highly regarded by a person or group and treated with special favour ⇒
the problem that managers may favour their blue-eyed boys.
* Usual US equivalent: fair-haired boy
Frank Sinatra[5,7] (1915–1998) was an American singer and actor. His many hits include ‘Night and Day’ and ‘My Way’. He won an Oscar for his role in the film From Here to Eternity (1953). His bright blue eyes earned him the popular nickname "Ol' Blue Eyes".
| 11a | Poem /in/ English on ending of slavery (5) |
"on " = LEG [cricket term]
In cricket, the on[5] (also known as on side) is another name for the leg[5] (also called leg side), the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) away from which the batsman’s feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball ⇒
The other half of the field is known as the off[5] (also called off side).
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In cricket, the on[5] (also known as on side) is another name for the leg[5] (also called leg side), the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) away from which the batsman’s feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball ⇒
he played a lucky stroke to leg.
The other half of the field is known as the off[5] (also called off side).
hide
| 12a | Rearrange an overdue // attempt (9) |
The Story Behind the Picture
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| The picture I use to illustrate my review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog shows English actor John Thaw[7] (1942–2002) in the role of Detective Chief Inspector Endeavour Morse[7] from the British television series Inspector Morse[7]. The programme, produced between 1987 and 2000, is based on a series of detective novels by
British author Colin Dexter (1930–2017). Morse is a senior CID (Criminal
Investigation Department) officer with the Thames Valley Police force
in Oxford, England. John Thaw was a heart-throb of Kath, a fellow blogger on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, who has been absent from the blog for some time following a stroke. |
| 15a | Team overcome, losing a // wager (4,3) |
"team " = SIDE
Side[5] is a British term for a sports team ⇒
* Note that, in Britain, a player is said to be "in a side" or "in a team" rather than "on a team" as one would say in North America.
In North America, the term side[3] is used in a very general fashion that can denote one of two or more opposing individuals, groups, teams, or sets of opinions. While this same general usage is also found in the UK, the term side[5] is also used there in a much more specific sense to mean a sports team, as we can clearly see from the following usage examples ⇒ (i)
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Side[5] is a British term for a sports team ⇒
there was a mixture of old and young players in* their side.
* Note that, in Britain, a player is said to be "in a side" or "in a team" rather than "on a team" as one would say in North America.
In North America, the term side[3] is used in a very general fashion that can denote one of two or more opposing individuals, groups, teams, or sets of opinions. While this same general usage is also found in the UK, the term side[5] is also used there in a much more specific sense to mean a sports team, as we can clearly see from the following usage examples ⇒ (i)
Previous England rugby sides, and England teams in many other sports, would have crumbled under the weight of such errors.; (ii)
They'll face better sides than this Monaco team, but you can only beat what's put in front of you.
hide
A side bet[5] is a bet over and above a main bet, especially on a subsidiary issue.
| 17a | Old sailor's weapon // nicked by young woman (7) |
| 19a | French football club, // Reims, all upset about base (9) |
In mathematics, e[5] is the transcendental* number that is the base of Napierian or natural logarithms, approximately equal to 2.71828.
* A transcendental number[5] is a number such as e or π that is real but not a root of an algebraic equation with rational coefficients.
Olympique de Marseille[7], also known as OM or simply Marseille, is a professional men's football [soccer] club based in Marseille, France. Founded in 1899, the club plays in Ligue 1 (the top tier of French football).
Scratching the Surface
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| Reims[5] (also Rheims) is a city of northern France, chief town of Champagne-Ardenne region. It was the traditional coronation place of most French kings and is noted for its fine 13th-century Gothic cathedral. |
| 20a | Marvellous // agent, American, returned (5) |
| 21a | Do // brief amendment (5-6) |
Do[5] is an informal British term meaning to swindle ⇒
It was only after travelling to Amsterdam and meeting the fraudsters that she became suspicious and contacted police, who told her: ‘Sorry, but you've been done.’.
| 24a | Have // nothing with last of gin (3) |
| 25a | Before anything else, /see/ leading article inside (2,3,5,5) |
Down
| 1d | Electronic sensor /has/ nurse full of foreboding (4,6) |
| 2d | Carol's first partner, // plump (6) |
| 3d | Massive // memorial overlooking a lake (10) |
| 4d | Armada with no time // to escape (4) |
| 5d | Sort on pitch // always given similar roles? (8) |
Scratching the Surface
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In Britain, pitch[5] is another term for field[5] in the sense of an area of ground marked out or used for play in an outdoor team game ⇒ a football [soccer] pitch. |
| 6d | Chatter about right // clothing (4) |
| 7d | Actor, // drama queen? (6) |
"queen " = ER [regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth]
The regnal ciphers (monograms) of British monarchs are initials formed from the Latin version of their first name followed by either Rex or Regina (Latin for king or queen, respectively). Thus, the regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth is ER[5] — from the Latin Elizabetha Regina.
* A cipher[5] (also cypher) is a monogram[5] or motif of two or more interwoven letters, typically a person's initials, used to identify a personal possession or as a logo.
hide
The regnal ciphers (monograms) of British monarchs are initials formed from the Latin version of their first name followed by either Rex or Regina (Latin for king or queen, respectively). Thus, the regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth is ER[5] — from the Latin Elizabetha Regina.
* A cipher[5] (also cypher) is a monogram[5] or motif of two or more interwoven letters, typically a person's initials, used to identify a personal possession or as a logo.
hide
| 8d | Deliveries, // unusually large close to Christmas (7) |
A delivery[5] is an act of throwing, bowling, or kicking a ball, especially a cricket ball.
In cricket, bumper[5] is a dated term for a bouncer[5], a ball bowled [delivered] fast and short so as to rise high after pitching*.
* In cricket and golf, pitch (said in reference to the ball) means to strike the ground in a particular spot ⇒
the ball pitched, began to spin back, and rolled towards the hole.
Delving Deeper
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| In cricket, most deliveries bounce although only a ball bowled in the specific manner described above is called a bouncer. As the website Cricket Explained puts it "When the ball is bowled to the batsman, it's okay for the ball to bounce off the ground before it reaches the batsman. In fact, this is preferred. A ball that doesn't bounce on the ground before reaching the batsman (called a "full-toss") is too easy to hit." |
| 13d | Court order: // one in residence affected (6,4) |
In English law, a decree nisi[5] is an order by a court of law stating the date on which a marriage will end unless a good reason not to grant a divorce is produced.
| 14d | How goods may be dispatched // in van poor pal damaged (2,8) |
The phrase on approval[5] denotes that the goods to which it refers are supplied on condition that they may be returned if not satisfactory.
| 16d | Rest /of/ British more readily accepting lead from Europe (8) |
| 18d | Odd // stone on practice area (7) |
The stone[5] (abbreviation st[5]) is a British unit of weight equal to 14 lb (6.35 kg) ⇒
I weighed 10 stone.
| 19d | Young lady, not entirely suitable -- // a square peg in a round hole, maybe (6) |
| 20d | Guide/'s/ phrase in need of translation (6) |
A Sherpa[5] is a member of a Himalayan people living on the borders of Nepal and Tibet, renowned for their skill in mountaineering. They often act as guides for mountain climbers in the Himalayas.
| 22d | Swear-word // used in set-to at home (4) |
| 23d | Natural successor, // that woman touring India (4) |
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
Cricket terms always stump me (pun intended)
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