Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29752 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, August 12, 2021 | |
Setter
Giovanni (Don Manley) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29752]
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Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Miffypops | |
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
I struggled a fair bit in the northeast quadrant but perseverance paid off and I managed to finish unaided. I did recognize quite early that the puzzle might be a pangram and that knowledge actually proved useful.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 | Investigate // report of European getting made public (5,3) |
| 5a | In reduced circumstances, // suffering in purdah (4,2) |
Scratching the Surface
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Purdah[5]
is a state of seclusion or secrecy ⇒ He has barely been seen or heard in the media since he went into purdah in the wake of the donation revelations. Origin: The term purdah[5] comes from the practice in certain Muslim and Hindu societies of screening women from men or strangers, especially by means of a curtain. In Britain, purdah[5] is the name given to the period leading up to an election, during which government departments generally refrain from making any new announcements ⇒ it is very difficult at the moment with the election on and the government in purdah. |
| 9a | Maiden maybe initially anxious getting married -- being this? (8) |
I see the entire clue as a cryptic definition in which the wordplay is embedded.
"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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| 10a | Girl /has/ nasty time with love restricted (6) |
"love " = O [nil score in tennis]
In tennis, squash, and some other sports, love[5] is a score of zero or nil ⇒
Although folk etymology has connected the word with French l'oeuf 'egg', from the resemblance in shape between an egg and a zero, the term apparently comes from the phrase play for love (i.e. the love of the game, not for money).
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In tennis, squash, and some other sports, love[5] is a score of zero or nil ⇒
love fifteen. The resemblance of a zero written as a numeral (0) to the letter O leads to the cryptic crossword convention of the word "love" being used to clue this letter.
Although folk etymology has connected the word with French l'oeuf 'egg', from the resemblance in shape between an egg and a zero, the term apparently comes from the phrase play for love (i.e. the love of the game, not for money).
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| 12a | Something that's left after death /in/ car? (6) |
Making a Wrong Turn
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| I was delayed in the northwest quadrant by entering LEGACY (a midsize car built by Japanese automobile manufacturer Subaru). |
In the UK, estate[5] is short for estate car[5], the British name for a station wagon[5].
| 13a | A bishop is performing at back of hotel /as/ member of a group (8) |
George Harrison[5] (1943–2001) was an English rock and pop guitarist, the lead guitarist of the Beatles.
Ancient History?
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With tongue firmly planted in cheek (or maybe not), Miffypops in his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog comments that this clue requires the solver to know a minor member of a an obscure group of Liverpool musicians who split up over fifty years ago. |
| 15a | Two pints had with hesitation? Half a pint would be such a fraction of that! (7) |
Another case where the entire clue as a cryptic definition in which the wordplay is embedded.
| 16a | Food item // fly has left momentarily (4) |
Brie[5] is a kind of soft, mild, creamy cheese with a firm white skin.
| 20a | Wine /creates/ bewilderment -- head goes (4) |
Hock[5] is a British term for a dry white wine from the German Rhineland.
| 21a | Good run /makes one/ happier (7) |
In Britain, ladder[5] denotes:
- (noun) a vertical strip of unravelled fabric in tights or stockings ⇒
one of Sally’s stockings developed a ladder
- (verb) with reference to tights or stockings, to develop or cause to develop a ladder ⇒ (i)
her tights were always laddered
; (ii)they laddered the minute I put them on
| 25a | Models // talk -- 'news' with no content (8) |
| 26a | Way // someone good hugs oak? (6) |
| 28a | Give out // audible greeting to old lover (6) |
| 29a | A bit of office equipment // where Mickey lives? (8) |
Split the solution (5,3) to get the residence of this iconic Disney cartoon character.
| 30a | Some French revolutionary had // to calm down (6) |
"some French " = DES
The French partitive article* des[8] means 'some''.
* Reverso identifies des as a determiner; a partitive article is a quantifier which is a subclass of determiners. [Note: Determiners have traditionally been classed as either adjectives or pronouns; however, modern theorists of grammar prefer to distinguish determiners as a separate word class.]
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The French partitive article* des[8] means 'some''.
* Reverso identifies des as a determiner; a partitive article is a quantifier which is a subclass of determiners. [Note: Determiners have traditionally been classed as either adjectives or pronouns; however, modern theorists of grammar prefer to distinguish determiners as a separate word class.]
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| 31a | Number about to be trapped by beast -- // not the type gentlemen prefer? (8) |
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (in full Gentlemen Prefer Blondes: The Illuminating Diary of a Professional Lady[7])* is a comic novel written by American author Anita Loos published in 1925.
* The first edition of the book has the title Gentlemen Prefer Blondes: The Intimate Diary of a Professional Lady on the front jacket. However, the book cover, spine, and interior title pages state the title as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes: The Illuminating Diary of a Professional Lady. Reprints feature the latter title. [Note: I would think that the title on the book itself would take precedence over the title on the dust jacket—especially given that it is the title used on reprints of the book. Thus, contrary to Wikipedia, I have cited this latter title.]
The book was adapted into a 1949 Broadway musical and a 1953 film adaptation of the musical starring Marilyn Monroe.
Gentlemen may prefer blondes but ...
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| ... they seemingly do not marry them - at least, according to the title of the author's follow on work, But Gentlemen Marry Brunettes[7], published in 1927. |
Down
| 1d | Divided // group of women -- fifty granted entry (6) |
| 2d | Australian territory featured in leading woman's // book launches maybe (6) |
Northern Territory[5] (abbreviation NT[5]) is a state of north central Australia. (show explanation )
The territory was annexed by the state of South Australia in 1863, and administered by the Commonwealth of Australia from 1911. It became a self-governing territory in 1978.
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The territory was annexed by the state of South Australia in 1863, and administered by the Commonwealth of Australia from 1911. It became a self-governing territory in 1978.
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"leading woman " = EVE
In the Bible, Eve[5,10] is the first woman, mother of the human race, fashioned by God from the rib of Adam, companion of Adam and mother of Cain and Abel* [Gen 2:18-25].
* not to mention Seth and her other sons and daughters [Gen 5:4]
Disobeying God, Eve[7] succumbs to the serpent's temptation to eat the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and shares the fruit with Adam. As a result, the first humans are expelled from the Garden of Eden.
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In the Bible, Eve[5,10] is the first woman, mother of the human race, fashioned by God from the rib of Adam, companion of Adam and mother of Cain and Abel* [Gen 2:18-25].
* not to mention Seth and her other sons and daughters [Gen 5:4]
Disobeying God, Eve[7] succumbs to the serpent's temptation to eat the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and shares the fruit with Adam. As a result, the first humans are expelled from the Garden of Eden.
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| 3d | Mark out ground in which to place hospital /in/ capital (8) |
As an anagram indicator, ground is used as the past tense or past participle of the verb grind[5]. An anagram indicator is typically a word that denotes movement or transformation. Grind denotes transformation, for example, in the sense of grain being ground into flour.
Khartoum[5]—much in the news lately—is the capital of Sudan, situated at the junction of the Blue Nile and the White Nile. (show more )
In 1885 a British and Egyptian force under the command of General Gordon was besieged in Khartoum for ten months by the Mahdists, who eventually stormed the garrison, killing most of the defenders. It remained under the control of the Mahdists until they were defeated by the British in 1898 and the city was recaptured by General Kitchener.
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In 1885 a British and Egyptian force under the command of General Gordon was besieged in Khartoum for ten months by the Mahdists, who eventually stormed the garrison, killing most of the defenders. It remained under the control of the Mahdists until they were defeated by the British in 1898 and the city was recaptured by General Kitchener.
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| 4d | Employer // you serve 'heartily' (4) |
| 6d | Owl in here? // A change is needed to accommodate one (6) |
The clue begins with a cryptic definition for 'a place where an owl might be found'.
| 7d | So rudely misbehaving, // creating the wrong impression (8) |
Delusory[5] (another term for delusive[5]) means giving a false or misleading impression ⇒
Yes, it is illusory and delusory, and yes we know that, but we must continue to live in it.
| 8d | It's obvious having journalist // registered (8) |
| 11d | Female stops collecting silver // pieces of little value (3,4) |
Fag end[5] is an informal British expression meaning the last part of something, especially when regarded as less important or interesting ⇒
the fag end of the Indian cricket season.
Delving Deeper
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| Knowing that fag[5]
is an informal British term for a cigarette and fag end[5]
is an informal British term for a cigarette end (which we would call a 'cigarette butt'), I supposed this would be the origin of the expression fag end as used above. But no, I discover it actually happened the other way around. The expression fag end (meaning 'remnant') predates the arrival of tobacco in Europe. Thus, at the time, one would naturally have referred to a cigarette end as a fag end just as one would the remnant of any other item. In turn, the term fag meaning cigarette arose through an 'elliptical' back formation from fag end. |
| 14d | Idler drifting around an // island (7) |
| 17d | Flower arrangements // fellows placed around rented accommodation (8) |
"fellow(s) " = CHAP(S)
Chap[3,4,11] is an informal British[5] or chiefly British[3] term for a man or boy — although a term that is certainly not uncommon in Canada. It is a shortened form of chapman[3,4,11], an archaic term for a trader, especially an itinerant pedlar[a,b].
[a] Pedlar is the modern British spelling of peddler[14] which, in most senses, is considered by the Brits to be a US or old-fashioned British spelling. The exception is in the sense of a dealer in illegal drugs which the Brits spell as drug peddler.
[b] The current meaning of chap[2] dates from the 18th century. In the 16th century, chap meant 'a customer'. The dictionaries do not explain how a shortened form of 'chapman' (pedlar) came to mean 'customer'.
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Chap[3,4,11] is an informal British[5] or chiefly British[3] term for a man or boy — although a term that is certainly not uncommon in Canada. It is a shortened form of chapman[3,4,11], an archaic term for a trader, especially an itinerant pedlar[a,b].
[a] Pedlar is the modern British spelling of peddler[14] which, in most senses, is considered by the Brits to be a US or old-fashioned British spelling. The exception is in the sense of a dealer in illegal drugs which the Brits spell as drug peddler.
[b] The current meaning of chap[2] dates from the 18th century. In the 16th century, chap meant 'a customer'. The dictionaries do not explain how a shortened form of 'chapman' (pedlar) came to mean 'customer'.
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Let[5] is a British term for a property available for rent ⇒
an unfurnished let.
A chaplet[5] is a garland or circlet for a person's head ⇒
In the Middle Ages young women wore wreaths of gold and eventually gave way to chaplets.
| 18d | Caledonian revolutionary had /to be/ frustrated (8) |
Caledonian[10] is a literary term for a native or inhabitant of Scotland*.
* Caledonia[10] was the Roman name for Scotland. The term is now used poetically and, sometimes, humorously.
"revolutionary " = CHE [Guevara]
Che Guevara[7]
(1928–1967) was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author,
guerrilla leader, diplomat, and military theorist. A major figure of the
Cuban
Revolution, his stylized visage has become a ubiquitous countercultural
symbol of rebellion and global insignia within popular culture.
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Che Guevara[7]
(1928–1967) was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author,
guerrilla leader, diplomat, and military theorist. A major figure of the
Cuban
Revolution, his stylized visage has become a ubiquitous countercultural
symbol of rebellion and global insignia within popular culture.hide
| 19d | Junk // is not moving at bottom of stream (8) |
| 22d | Fervent participator // in craze -- a lottery (6) |
| 23d | Lower classes see // one ruling cruelly (6) |
This clue alludes to the NRS social grades[7], a system of demographic classification used in the United Kingdom. The categories were originally developed by the National Readership Survey to classify readers, but are now used by many other organisations for wider applications and have become a standard for market research. They were developed over 50 years ago and achieved widespread usage in 20th Century Britain. The classifications, which are based on the occupation of the head of the household, are shown in the following table.
| Grade | Social class | Chief income earner's occupation |
|---|---|---|
| A | upper middle class | Higher managerial, administrative or professional |
| B | middle class | Intermediate managerial, administrative or professional |
| C1 | lower middle class | Supervisory or clerical and junior managerial, administrative or professional |
| C2 | skilled working class | Skilled manual workers |
| D | working class | Semi and unskilled manual workers |
| E | Those at the lowest levels of subsistence | Casual or lowest grade workers, pensioners and others who depend on the welfare state for their income |
| 24d | Filling food // set out -- stray dog gets stuck in (6) |
Stodge[2,5] is an informal British term for food that is heavy, filling, high in carbohydrates and, usually, fairly tasteless ⇒
she ate her way through a plateful of stodge.
| 27d | Number // in favour announced (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
I like your term "dulusive" Makes me think of some politicians.
ReplyDeleteOops -- little typo there!
Delete