Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29804 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, October 12, 2021 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29804]
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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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Notes
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This puzzle appears on the Monday Diversions page in the Saturday, January 15, 2022 edition of the National Post. | |
Introduction
As a number of comments on Big Dave's Crossword Blog suggest, this "Tuesday" puzzle is pitched more at a Monday level—so it seems quite appropriate for it to make an appearance today.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 | Most nasty // blokes circling area in front of estate (7) |
The abbreviation for Estate (in addresses, etc.) is Est.[1]
| 5a | Notable // person from Belgrade cut debts? (7) |
Belgrade[5] is the capital of Serbia and formerly of Yugoslavia, situated on the River Danube; thus a person from Belgrade—or anywhere else in Serbia—is a Serb[5].
| 9a | Hawk grabbing river // fish (5) |
Tout[10] means to to solicit (business, customers, etc) or hawk (merchandise*), especially in a brazen way.
* As tout[5] (or ticket tout) is also the British term for scalper[5] (a person who buys up tickets for an event to resell them at a profit), hints for clues involving the term will often specifically mention tickets as the merchandise. However, the term can apply to the brazen selling of any sort of merchandise.
| 10a | Authentic // old Spanish coin -- is it brought back with cents? (9) |
The real[5] was a former coin and monetary unit of various Spanish-speaking countries [among them, Spain].
| 11a | New Tory visit embraces upper-class // flair (10) |
"upper-class " = U
In Britain, U[5] is used informally as an adjective (in respect to language or social behaviour) meaning characteristic of or appropriate to the upper social classes ⇒
The term, an abbreviation of upper class, was coined in 1954 by Alan S. C. Ross, professor of linguistics, and popularized by its use in Nancy Mitford's Noblesse Oblige (1956).
In Crosswordland, the letter U is frequently clued by words denoting "characteristic of the upper class" (such as posh or superior) or "appropriate to the upper class" (such as acceptable).
hide
In Britain, U[5] is used informally as an adjective (in respect to language or social behaviour) meaning characteristic of or appropriate to the upper social classes ⇒
U manners.
The term, an abbreviation of upper class, was coined in 1954 by Alan S. C. Ross, professor of linguistics, and popularized by its use in Nancy Mitford's Noblesse Oblige (1956).
In Crosswordland, the letter U is frequently clued by words denoting "characteristic of the upper class" (such as posh or superior) or "appropriate to the upper class" (such as acceptable).
hide
| 12a | Mark // slinging every other character out (4) |
| 14a | Wife leaving when cot light's off? // Sleeper may want these on (12) |
| 18a | Spies man with lash developing // flogging skill (12) |
| 21a | Rally // vehicle going west then east (4) |
| 22a | Steady partner /for/ person in the same club (10) |
| 25a | African plain // almost peaceful -- get idealistic at first (9) |
The Serengeti[5] is a vast plain in Tanzania, to the west of the Great Rift Valley. In 1951 the Serengeti National Park was created to protect the area’s large numbers of wildebeest, zebra, and Thomson’s gazelle.
| 26a | Scoundrel taking head off // freshwater mammal (5) |
Rotter[5] is a dated informal British term for a cruel, mean, or unkind person ⇒
Rosemary had decided that all men were rotters.
| 27a | Evident eating a cold // ham might do this (7) |
| 28a | One puts gear on // sideboard (7) |
Gear[5] is used in the sense of clothing, especially of a specified kind ⇒
designer gear.
What did he say?
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In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Mr K hints that the "gear" in question is otherwise known asClobber[5] is an informal British term for clothing, personal belongings, or equipment ⇒clobber. I found all his clobber in the locker. |
Here and There
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| In the UK, a dresser[5] is not a chest of drawers as in North America. Rather, it is
a sideboard* with shelves above for storing and displaying plates and
kitchen utensils. |
Down
| 1d | Reason // I vote differently after Macron's summit (6) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Emmanuel Macron[5] is a French statesman who has been president of France since 2017. |
| 2d | Sailor with paddle departs // on a boat? (6) |
"sailor " = AB [able seaman]
In the Royal Navy, according to Lexico (Oxford Dictionary of English), able seaman[5] (abbreviation AB[5]), is a rank of sailor above ordinary seaman and below leading seaman. On the other hand, Collins English Dictionary tells us that an able seaman[10] (also called) is an ordinary seaman, especially one in the merchant navy, who has been trained in certain skills.
hide
In the Royal Navy, according to Lexico (Oxford Dictionary of English), able seaman[5] (abbreviation AB[5]), is a rank of sailor above ordinary seaman and below leading seaman. On the other hand, Collins English Dictionary tells us that an able seaman[10] (also called) is an ordinary seaman, especially one in the merchant navy, who has been trained in certain skills.
hide
| 3d | Fan // his aunt set spinning (10) |
| 4d | Spells // words (5) |
| 5d | Catches up with a chapter on American // slave (9) |
Spartacus[5] (died c.71 BC) was a Thracian slave and gladiator. He led a revolt against Rome in 73 BC, but was eventually defeated by Crassus in 71 BC and killed in battle.
| 6d | Weak female leaves // bar (4) |
| 7d | Completely // incorrect? Correct! (8) |
Out[5] is used in the sense of mistaken or in error ⇒
he was slightly out in his calculations.
Outright[5] is used as an adverb meaning wholly and completely ⇒
logging has been banned outright.
| 8d | Smooth-tongued learner ignored head/'s/ complaint (8) |
"learner " = 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.
hide
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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Scratching the Surface
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| In Britain, head[5] is short for headmaster*, headmistress*, or head teacher. |
| 13d | Telephone some hotel instead of small // caravan (6,4) |
Mobile[5] (short for mobile phone) is a British term for a cell phone[5] (short for cellular phone) ⇒
we telephoned from our mobile to theirs.
| 15d | The man on craft considered // sincere (9) |
| 16d | English Signal Officer initially concealing urge /for/ drink (8) |
| 17d | Adult ordered a claret // according to individually priced menu (1,2,5) |
"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.]
hide
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.]
hide
| 19d | Insect -- // chap's holding it up (6) |
"chap " = MAN
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'.
hide
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'.
hide
The mantis[5] (also called praying mantis) is a slender predatory insect with a triangular head, which waits motionless for prey with its large forelegs folded like hands in prayer.
| 20d | Tense mistake /creating/ fear (6) |
| 23d | One left enthralled by friend/'s/ physique (5) |
From a British perspective (as Rabbit Dave is quick to point out at Comment #2 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog), bud[5] is an informal North American friendly form of address from one boy or man to another. However, judging by the discussion that ensues at Comment #3 prompted his remark, it would appear that the terms "buddy" and "bud" have become well-established in the UK, in fact having "been around for decades". A later comment places its use as early as the 1940s, so perhaps it is a term introduced to Britain by North American servicemen in World War II.
Origin: abbreviation of buddy
| 24d | Spain callously captures // member of ancient empire (4) |
An Inca[5] is a member of a South American Indian people who were living in the central Andes before the Spanish conquest.
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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