Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29780 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, September 14, 2021 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29780]
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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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Introduction
The Australian weapon proved elusive as I tried to use an incorrect parsing.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 | Bouquet // for every female with only 50 per cent of volume (7) |
| 5a | Bill with hat stuffed with old // paper (7) |
"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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| 9a | Dance /from/ African country with different ending (5) |
The conga[5] is a Latin American dance of African origin, usually with several people in a single line, one behind the other.
| 10a | They could be blooming // nice vegetables (5,4) |
Scratching the Surface
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In the surface reading, 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. |
| 11a | Legal // student, for example, with sex appeal I partner (10) |
"student " = L [driver under instruction]
The cryptic crossword convention of L meaning learner or student arises from the L-plate[7], a square plate bearing a sans-serif letter L, for learner, which must be affixed to the front and back of a vehicle in various jurisdictions (including the UK) if its driver is a learner under instruction.
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The cryptic crossword convention of L meaning learner or student arises from the L-plate[7], a square plate bearing a sans-serif letter L, for learner, which must be affixed to the front and back of a vehicle in various jurisdictions (including the UK) if its driver is a learner under instruction.
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| Automobile displaying an L-plate |
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"sex appeal " = IT
It[2,5] (usually written in quotation marks, "it") is an informal term for sex appeal* or sexual intercourse ⇒ (i)
* Chambers 21st Century Dictionary considers this sense to be an "old use" (Chambers' terminology for archaic, obsolete or old-fashioned).
"It"[7] (written in quotation marks) is a term that has come to mean sex appeal — although, in its earliest manifestation, it seems that the term pertained more to personality than to glamorous looks. Despite having been used as early as 1904 by Rudyard Kipling, the term was popularized in the 1927 film It starring Clara Bow (who became known as the "It Girl").
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It[2,5] (usually written in quotation marks, "it") is an informal term for sex appeal* or sexual intercourse ⇒ (i)
the only thing I knew nothing about was ‘it’; (ii)
they were caught doing ‘it’ in the back seat of his car.
* Chambers 21st Century Dictionary considers this sense to be an "old use" (Chambers' terminology for archaic, obsolete or old-fashioned).
"It"[7] (written in quotation marks) is a term that has come to mean sex appeal — although, in its earliest manifestation, it seems that the term pertained more to personality than to glamorous looks. Despite having been used as early as 1904 by Rudyard Kipling, the term was popularized in the 1927 film It starring Clara Bow (who became known as the "It Girl").
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| 12a | Clothes // to show off about (4) |
| 14a | By chance // I had to interrupt speech by friend (12) |
| 18a | Gas // oven I can sort out (12) |
| 21a | Farmer casually comes back, fencing // area of land (4) |
| 22a | Let down // daughter and sip a Pinot, drunk (10) |
| 25a | Criminal embargo on // returning weapon (9) |
Post Mortem
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| I went wrong by trying to parse this as an anagram of (criminal) EMBARGO + a reversal of (returning) ON. Note that the definition is "returning weapon" —a point Mr K has missed in his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog. |
| 26a | Competition // still tense (5) |
An event[5] is each of several particular contests making up a sports competition ⇒
he repeated the success in the four-lap, 600 cc event.
| 27a | Headless chickens are following new // trap (7) |
| 28a | Built // European court with grass planted outside (7) |
"European " = E [as in E number]
E[1,2] is the abbreviation for European (as in E number*).
* An E number[1,4,10,14] (or E-number[2,5]) is any of various identification codes required by EU law, consisting of the letter E (for European) followed by a number, that are used to denote food additives such as colourings and preservatives (but excluding flavourings) that have been approved by the European Union.
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E[1,2] is the abbreviation for European (as in E number*).
* An E number[1,4,10,14] (or E-number[2,5]) is any of various identification codes required by EU law, consisting of the letter E (for European) followed by a number, that are used to denote food additives such as colourings and preservatives (but excluding flavourings) that have been approved by the European Union.
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Down
| 1d | Perhaps relish // crisis (6) |
| 2d | Renounce // green reforms surrounding energy (6) |
| 3d | Single // aunt acted wildly, embracing husband (10) |
| 4d | Where you'll see races // keep so many gathering (5) |
Epsom Downs[7] is a Grade 1 racecourse near Epsom, Surrey, England*. (show more )
The course is best known for hosting the Derby Stakes (popularly known as the Epsom Derby), the United Kingdom's premier thoroughbred horse race — a Group 1 competition for three-year-old colts and fillies, over a mile and a half (2400m). It also hosts two other Group 1 events, the Oaks Stakes (popularly known as the Epsom Oaks) for three-year-old fillies and the Coronation Cup for horses aged four years and upwards over the same distance.
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* The "downs" referred to in the name are part of the North Downs, a ridge of chalk hills in south east England.
The course is best known for hosting the Derby Stakes (popularly known as the Epsom Derby), the United Kingdom's premier thoroughbred horse race — a Group 1 competition for three-year-old colts and fillies, over a mile and a half (2400m). It also hosts two other Group 1 events, the Oaks Stakes (popularly known as the Epsom Oaks) for three-year-old fillies and the Coronation Cup for horses aged four years and upwards over the same distance.
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* The "downs" referred to in the name are part of the North Downs, a ridge of chalk hills in south east England.
| 5d | Maybe present chaps ahead of time /for/ medical care (9) |
| 6d | Flipping go // mad (4) |
Scratching the Surface
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Flipping[5,10]
(adjective
or adverb) is an informal British term used for emphasis or to express mild annoyance ⇒ (i) are you out of your flipping mind?; (ii) it’s flipping cold today. Origin: a euphemism for the taboo word f**king |
| 7d | Everyone wearing extra small // clothing (8) |
Here and There
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| In the UK, the term overalls[2] is used not only for the garment with a bib top known by that name in North America but also for a similar garment having a top with sleeves (the latter known as coveralls[2] in North America). |
| 8d | Defies // old boy very regularly in Norfolk town (8) |
"old boy " = OB
In Britain, an old boy[5] (abbreviation OB[2]) is:
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In Britain, an old boy[5] (abbreviation OB[2]) is:
- a former male student of a school or college ⇒
an old boy of Banbury County School
- a former male member of a sports team or company ⇒
the White Hart Lane old boy squared the ball to present an easy chance from 12 yards
‘Look here, old boy,’ he said.
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Diss[7] is a market town in Norfolk, England close to the border with the neighbouring East Anglian county of Suffolk.
| 13d | Feeling // blue (10) |
The blue[5] is a literary term for the sky or sea, or the unknown.
| 15d | Provoke // cuckoo teasing it (9) |
| 16d | Game // starts to slide, creating unruly crowd (8) |
| 17d | Huge // resistance after one picked up tailless rodent (8) |
"resistance " = R [symbol used in physics]
| 19d | Spades I loaned // mum (6) |
| 20d | Small and tasteless articles, editor // said (6) |
The small from 7d makes a return appearance.
Tat[5] is an informal British term for tasteless or shoddy clothes, jewellery, or ornaments ⇒
the place was decorated with all manner of gaudy tat.
| 23d | Row, /getting/ fit around river (5) |
| 24d | Massive // precious stone lifted by adult (4) |
"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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Mega[5] is an informal term that would seem to see more use and have a broader range of meanings in the UK than in North America:
- (adjective) very large or huge ⇒
he has signed a mega deal to make five movies
- (adjective) excellent ⇒
it will be a mega film
- (adverb) extremely ⇒
they are mega rich
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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