Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29766 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Saturday, August 28, 2021 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29766 – Hints]Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29766 – Review] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Gazza (Hints)Rahmat Ali (Review) | |
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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As this was a Saturday "Prize Puzzle" in Britain, there are two entries related to it on Big Dave's Crossword Blog — the first, posted on the date of publication, contains hints for selected clues while the second is a full review issued following the entry deadline for the contest. The vast majority of reader comments will generally be found attached to the "hints" posting with a minimal number — if any — accompanying the full review.
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Introduction
This is a gentle midweek diversion for us although in the UK it was a weekend romp.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 | Don't promote // record, our era (10) |
| 6a | Big // English film (4) |
| 10a | Capital // music broadcast (5) |
Seoul[5] is the capital of South Korea. (show more )
Situated in the north-west of the country on the Han River, it was the capital of the Korean Yi dynasty from the late 14th century until 1910, when Korea was annexed by the Japanese. Extensively developed under Japanese rule, it became the capital of South Korea after the partition of 1945.
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Situated in the north-west of the country on the Han River, it was the capital of the Korean Yi dynasty from the late 14th century until 1910, when Korea was annexed by the Japanese. Extensively developed under Japanese rule, it became the capital of South Korea after the partition of 1945.
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| 11a | Pay a second visit, // eh? (4,5) |
| 12a | Primate, // person taking exercise (8) |
The mandrill[5] is a large West African baboon with a red and blue face, the male having a blue rump.| 13a | Time saved by European // poet (5) |
Dante[5] (1265–1321), full name Dante Alighieri, was an Italian poet. (show more )
His reputation rests chiefly on The Divine Comedy (c.1309–20), an epic poem describing his spiritual journey through Hell and Purgatory and finally to Paradise. His love for Beatrice Portinari is described in Vita nuova (c.1290–4).
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His reputation rests chiefly on The Divine Comedy (c.1309–20), an epic poem describing his spiritual journey through Hell and Purgatory and finally to Paradise. His love for Beatrice Portinari is described in Vita nuova (c.1290–4).
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| 15a | Public scoffing enormous apples initially -- have too many? (7) |
I take the entire clue to be a cryptic definition in which the wordplay is embedded.
| 17a | Bird, // female swan, arm hugging one (7) |
A female swan is called a pen[5].
| 19a | Poker is ripe /for/ duplicitous comments (7) |
As an anagram indicator, ripe[10] is likely being used in the sense of fully developed. I had thought it might be used in the sense of spoiled or rotten (thereby emitting a foul odour) but I found that sense listed in no British dictionary and in only one US dictionary[3].
Pork pie[10] (often shortened to porky) is mainly British and Australian rhyming slang (show more ) for a lie [in the sense of an untruth].
Rhyming slang[5] is a type of slang that replaces words with rhyming words or phrases, typically with the rhyming element omitted. For example, butcher’s, short for butcher’s hook, means ‘look’ in cockney* rhyming slang.
* A cockney[5,10] is a native of East London [specifically that part of East London known as the East End[5]], traditionally one born within hearing of Bow Bells (the bells of St Mary-le-Bow[7] church). Cockney is also the name of the dialect or accent typical of cockneys, which is characterised by dropping the aitch (H) from the beginning of words as well as the use of rhyming slang.
While one commonly sees only the shortened form of rhyming slang, pork pie is one of those cases where both the full expression and the shortened version seem to be in general use.
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Rhyming slang[5] is a type of slang that replaces words with rhyming words or phrases, typically with the rhyming element omitted. For example, butcher’s, short for butcher’s hook, means ‘look’ in cockney* rhyming slang.
* A cockney[5,10] is a native of East London [specifically that part of East London known as the East End[5]], traditionally one born within hearing of Bow Bells (the bells of St Mary-le-Bow[7] church). Cockney is also the name of the dialect or accent typical of cockneys, which is characterised by dropping the aitch (H) from the beginning of words as well as the use of rhyming slang.
While one commonly sees only the shortened form of rhyming slang, pork pie is one of those cases where both the full expression and the shortened version seem to be in general use.
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| 21a | One day // he was wise (7) |
Solomon[10] (10th century BC) was a king of Israel, son of David and Bathsheba, credited with great wisdom.
Delving Deeper
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| In the Bible, the Judgement of Solomon[5] is the arbitration of King Solomon over a baby claimed by two women (1 Kings 3:16-28). He proposed cutting the baby in half, and then gave it to the woman who showed concern for its life. |
| 22a | Wanderer // runs by (5) |
"runs " = R [cricket notation]
| 24a | Joint business // rebranded Schubert (8) |
This joint business is not a pot shop.
Joint[5] is a British term* for a large piece of meat cooked whole or ready for cooking ⇒
a joint of ham.
| 27a | Liberal reforms blocked by a Tory originally // affecting both parties (9) |
As in Canada, Liberals (show more ) and Tories (show more ) are political parties in Britain although the British Liberals are virtually extinct.
The Liberal Party[5] in Britain emerged in the 1860s from the old Whig Party and until the First World War was one of the two major parties in Britain. In 1988 the party regrouped with elements of the Social Democratic Party to form the Social and Liberal Democrats, now known as the Liberal Democrats.
However, a small Liberal Party still exists (founded in 1989 by members of the original Liberal Party opposed to its merger with the Social Democratic Party) although it has never held a UK, Scottish or European parliamentary seat, though it has had representation on local councils.[7]
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The Liberal Party[5] in Britain emerged in the 1860s from the old Whig Party and until the First World War was one of the two major parties in Britain. In 1988 the party regrouped with elements of the Social Democratic Party to form the Social and Liberal Democrats, now known as the Liberal Democrats.
However, a small Liberal Party still exists (founded in 1989 by members of the original Liberal Party opposed to its merger with the Social Democratic Party) although it has never held a UK, Scottish or European parliamentary seat, though it has had representation on local councils.[7]
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A Tory[10] is a member or supporter of the Conservative Party in Great Britain [or, for that matter, in Canada].
The Conservative Party[5] is a major right of centre British political party promoting free enterprise and private ownership that emerged from the old Tory Party* under Sir Robert Peel in the 1830s and 1840s.
* Historically, a Tory[10] was a member of the English political party that opposed the exclusion of James, Duke of York from the royal succession (1679–80). Tory remained the label for subsequent major conservative interests until they gave birth to the Conservative Party in the 1830s.
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| 28a | Sound feature, // I accepted (5) |
| 29a | Dutch ball // fluffed, a Mexican nets (4) |
Edam[5] is a round Dutch cheese, typically pale yellow with a red wax coating.
| 30a | Beat learned, bad /for/ Glenn Miller perhaps? (10) |
Glenn Miller[5] (1904–1944) was an American jazz trombonist and bandleader. He led a celebrated swing big band, with whom he recorded his signature tune ‘Moonlight Serenade’. He died when his aircraft disappeared over the English Channel during World War II.
Down
| 1d | Hurry // a little (4) |
| 2d | Genre also difficult /for/ advertising worker (9) |
| 3d | Covered in grease // like cooked eggs, surface wiped (5) |
| 4d | Proof of purchase, // bit held up by those starting rail trip (7) |
| 5d | Good, simply adjusted, // schoolgirl's garment (7) |
Gymslip[5,10] (or gym slip[1,2]) is a British term for a sleeveless belted tunic or pinafore dress [British term for jumper] reaching from the shoulder to the knee, formerly worn by schoolgirls.
| 7d | Ordinary // type of transport discussed (5) |
| 8d | Dealing with // worrying (10) |
| 9d | Red // number (8) |
| 14d | Approach unfinished story /that's/ similar (10) |
| 16d | Defect perhaps /in/ gear, item fixed (8) |
| 18d | Single // drum in ear, vibrating (9) |
| 20d | Southern Spain and Portugal, generally // cold place (7) |
Iberia[10] is another name for the Iberian Peninsula, comprising the countries of Spain and Portugal.
Siberia[5] denotes an extremely cold, barren, or inhospitable place.
Origin: Siberia[5] is a vast region of Russia that extends from the Ural Mountains to the Pacific Ocean and from the Arctic coast to the northern borders of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and China. Noted for the severity of its winters, it was traditionally used as a place of exile; it is now a major source of minerals and hydroelectric power.
| 21d | Guided underneath badger's burrow, // made oneself at home (7) |
A sett[5] (also set) is the underground lair or burrow of a badger.
| 23d | House // eleven in Aston (5) |
Eleven[5] (often appearing as a Roman numeral XI) is the number of players in* a cricket[7] side [team] or an Association football[7] [soccer] team — and is frequently used as a metonym for such a team ⇒
at cricket I played in the first eleven.
* Note that, in Britain, the words "side" and "team" are synonymous and 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.
Aston Villa Football Club[7] is an English professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of the English football league system.
| 25d | Turn // into something else (5) |
Turn[1,12] is used in the sense of to hinge, be contingent or depend (on or upon).
| 26d | Look // dance up (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
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