Puzzle at a Glance
| |
|---|---|
Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29761 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, August 23, 2021 | |
Setter
Campbell (Allan Scott) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29761]
| |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
pommers | |
BD rating
| |
| Difficulty - ★★ | Enjoyment - ★★★★ |
Falcon's experience
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ | |
|
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
| |
Introduction
I found today's puzzle a bit more challenging than the two stars awarded by pommers. However, I whole-heartedly agree with his assessment of four stars for enjoyment—I thought this was possibly the most enjoyable Campbell puzzle I've ever had the pleasure to solve. My favourite clue might well have been the one that needed some electronic assistance to decipher had it not been "outstripped" by 6d.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 | |
|
|
| Click here for further explanation and usage examples of markup conventions used on this blog. | |
Across
| 1a | Theft /of/ tin at church (6) |
Snatch[10] is British slang for a robbery ⇒
a diamond snatch.
| 4a | Head of Equity therefore has journalists in /for/ coffee (8) |
Scratching the Surface
| |
|---|---|
| In the UK, US, and several other countries, Equity[5,7] is a trade union which represents professional actors and other artists working in the entertainment industry. Unlike its counterparts in the US
and Canada, British Equity represents performers and other artists
working across the live* and recorded entertainment
industry. In the US[7] and Canada[7], Equity represents only those working in
the world of live theatrical performance in theatre, opera and dance
with those working in radio, television and film being represented by other
unions.
* including radio, television and film |
| 10a | Change // bodice hard to be ignored (5) |
| 11a | Romantic film // -- overtly, so fanciful (4,5) |
Love Story[7] is a 1970 American romantic drama starring Ali MacGraw and Ryan O'Neal. The film was written by Erich Segal, who also authored the best-selling 1970 novel* of the same name.
* The novel, written while the film was in production, is based on the film script. Released before the film, it became a bestseller on its own in advance of the film.
| 12a | Direction-finder/'s/ range (7) |
| 13a | Overwhelming disaster /as/ taxi reversed left into river (7) |
The Dee[5,7] could be any of several rivers in Scotland and England — not to mention Ireland and Australia, the most prominent being:
- a river in northeastern Scotland, which rises in the Grampian Mountains and flows eastwards past Balmoral Castle to the North Sea at Aberdeen
- a river that rises in North Wales and flows into England, past Chester and on into the Irish Sea
Scratching the Surface
| |
|---|---|
Reverse[5] is used in what I would deem to be a chiefly British sense meaning to move backwards ⇒ the lorry [truck] reversed into the back of a bus. |
| 14a | Female employee must be expecting to get this (9,5) |
| 17a | How chess players play each other // at every level? (6-3-5) |
| 21a | Table includes league side initially // made up of celebrities (3-4) |
An altar[5] is a table or flat-topped block used as the focus for a religious ritual, especially for making sacrifices or offerings to a deity.
The abbreviation for league[1,11,12,15] is l or l.*
* although not specified, the abbreviation may apply to league[5] as a former measure of distance by land equal to three miles
Another Perspective
| |
|---|---|
| In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, pommers interprets the indicator "initially" to apply to both "league" and "side". However, as the letter "l" is a recognized abbreviation for "league", I have chosen to consider "initially" as applying only to the latter word. |
| 23a | College // dance, one round end of April (7) |
Balliol College[7] is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is one of Oxford's oldest colleges, having been founded around 1263.
| 24a | Nothing written about leg cut, // second-to-none (9) |
"leg " = ON [cricket term]
In cricket, the leg[5] (also called leg side) is another name for the on[5] (also known as on 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).
hide
In cricket, the leg[5] (also called leg side) is another name for the on[5] (also known as on 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
| 25a | Flash // Gordon's original material (5) |
Lint[5] is a fabric, originally of linen, with a raised nap on one side, used for dressing wounds ⇒
he smeared ointment on a strip of lint.
Scratching the Surface
| |
|---|---|
| Flash Gordon[7] is the protagonist of a space opera adventure comic strip created by and originally drawn by American cartoonist Alex Raymond (1909–1956). First published in 1934, the strip was inspired by and created to compete with the already established Buck Rogers adventure strip. |
| 26a | Series of notes calling for an answer? (8) |
| 27a | Brief // film, western, shown inside (6) |
Brief[5] is an informal British term for a solicitor or barrister ⇒
it was only his brief's eloquence that had saved him from prison.
Down
| 1d | Succeeded having deployed her mace? // I have no idea (6,2) |
| 2d | A copper climbing around top of tower to aim loaded // weapon (9) |
As an anagram indicator, loaded[5] is being used in the informal, mainly North American sense of drunk.
| 3d | Pirate/'s/ reportedly crude manner (7) |
Corsair[5] is an archaic term for a pirate.
| 5d | Rescued, thanks to caller? (5,2,3,4) |
I would say the entire clue as a cryptic definition in which the a precise definition is embedded.
| 6d | Causing laughter, // stripper at last able to be seen topless (7) |
| 7d | Endless criticism involving old // philosopher (5) |
Stick[5] is an informal British term denoting severe criticism or treatment ⇒
I took a lot of stick from the press.
"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.
hide
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.
hide
A Stoic[5] is a member of the school of Stoicism[5],
an ancient Greek school of philosophy founded at Athens by Zeno of
Citium. (show more )
The school taught that virtue, the highest good, is based on knowledge; the wise live in harmony with the divine Reason (also identified with Fate and Providence) that governs nature, and are indifferent to the vicissitudes of fortune and to pleasure and pain.
hide
The school taught that virtue, the highest good, is based on knowledge; the wise live in harmony with the divine Reason (also identified with Fate and Providence) that governs nature, and are indifferent to the vicissitudes of fortune and to pleasure and pain.
hide
| 8d | Element /of/ cunning required with female lacking information (6) |
Gen[5] is an informal British term for information ⇒
you’ve got more gen on him than we have.
| 9d | Under pressure, a girl cuts nose badly -- // one may be required to operate (7,7) |
I think it is fair to read the entire clue as a cryptic definition with an embedded (more or less) precise definition.
| 15d | Likelihood /of/ six having talent? (9) |
| 16d | Devotee // I party with afterwards (8) |
"party " = DO
Do[5,12] is an informal British[5] or chiefly British[12] term* for a party or other social event ⇒
* Although one US dictionary (Webster’s New World College Dictionary[12]) supports the contention by Lexico (Oxford Dictionary of English)[5] that this usage is at least chiefly British, two other US dictionaries[3,11] do not.
hide
Do[5,12] is an informal British[5] or chiefly British[12] term* for a party or other social event ⇒
the soccer club Christmas do.
* Although one US dictionary (Webster’s New World College Dictionary[12]) supports the contention by Lexico (Oxford Dictionary of English)[5] that this usage is at least chiefly British, two other US dictionaries[3,11] do not.
hide
| 18d | Refugee /found in/ exposed shed (7) |
Cast[5] is used in the sense of to shed (skin or horns) in the process of growth ⇒
The male roe deer casts its antlers every winter.
| 19d | Peculiar oblong American // sausage (7) |
The word "American" could have formed part of the definition had it not been needed in the wordplay.
From a British perspective, bologna[5] is a North American term for a large smoked sausage made of bacon, veal, pork suet, and other meats.
| 20d | Queen and king under British // flag (6) |
Anne[7] (1665–1714) was Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland from 1702 to
1707 and Queen of Great
Britain and Ireland from 1707 until her death. (show more )
She became Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Acts of Union, two of her realms, the kingdoms of England and Scotland, united as a single sovereign state, the United Kingdom of Great Britain. She continued to reign as Queen of Great Britain and Ireland until her death.
Anne was plagued by ill health throughout her life, and from her thirties, she grew increasingly ill and obese. Despite seventeen pregnancies she died without surviving issue and was the last monarch of the House of Stuart.
hide
She became Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Acts of Union, two of her realms, the kingdoms of England and Scotland, united as a single sovereign state, the United Kingdom of Great Britain. She continued to reign as Queen of Great Britain and Ireland until her death.
Anne was plagued by ill health throughout her life, and from her thirties, she grew increasingly ill and obese. Despite seventeen pregnancies she died without surviving issue and was the last monarch of the House of Stuart.
hide
"king " = R [Rex]
In the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms*, Rex[5] (abbreviation R[5]) [Latin for king] denotes the reigning king, used following a name (e.g. Georgius Rex, King George — often shortened to GR) or in the titles of lawsuits (e.g. Rex v. Jones, the Crown versus Jones — often shortened to R. v. Jones).
* A Commonwealth realm[7] is a sovereign state that is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and shares the same person, currently Elizabeth II, as its head of state and reigning constitutional monarch, but retains a crown legally distinct from the other realms. There are currently sixteen Commonwealth realms, the largest being Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom with the remainder being smaller Caribbean and Pacific island nations.
hide
In the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms*, Rex[5] (abbreviation R[5]) [Latin for king] denotes the reigning king, used following a name (e.g. Georgius Rex, King George — often shortened to GR) or in the titles of lawsuits (e.g. Rex v. Jones, the Crown versus Jones — often shortened to R. v. Jones).
* A Commonwealth realm[7] is a sovereign state that is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and shares the same person, currently Elizabeth II, as its head of state and reigning constitutional monarch, but retains a crown legally distinct from the other realms. There are currently sixteen Commonwealth realms, the largest being Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom with the remainder being smaller Caribbean and Pacific island nations.
hide
| 22d | Stroke new // material (5) |
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
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.