Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29794 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, September 30, 2021 | |
Setter
RayT (Ray Terrell) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29794]
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Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
StephenL | |
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 Friday, December 31, 2021 edition of the National Post. | |
Introduction
This puzzle proved to be a slow, steady solve with the quadrants falling one by one. The northwest held out the longest.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 | Vet // show on television? (6) |
| 4a | Street along with a road // guide (8) |
| 9a | Metal containing iron /is/ green, perhaps (6) |
The symbol for the chemical element iron is Fe[5] (from Latin ferrum).
| 10a | Runs into delays /so/ gets off Eurostar? (8) |
"runs " = R [cricket notation]
Eurostar[5] (trademark) is the name of the high-speed passenger rail service that links London with various European cities via the Channel Tunnel.
| 12a | Crazy outfit with nearly every single // song (8) |
Rig[5] is used in the sense of a person’s costume, outfit, or style of dress ⇒
the rig of the American Army Air Corps.
| 13a | One captures image // originated by artist (6) |
"artist " = RA [Royal Academician | Royal Academy]
| 15a | Excitedly augment encore /giving/ cheer (13) |
| 18a | Strangely, dessert in diet /is/ neutral (13) |
| 22a | Shock dropping resistance for power cut (6) |
"resistance " = R [symbol used in physics]
| 24a | Plot // in coarse ground (8) |
| 26a | Part includes old time // turn (8) |
"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
| 27a | Regretted describing hip /being/ damaged (6) |
The word ''describing" is used as a containment indicator. (show more )
The use of the word "describe(s)" (or variations thereof such as "describing" or "described by") as either a containment indicator or a hidden word indicator is a common cryptic crossword device which relies on describe[1,2,12] being used in the sense of to trace out or delineate ⇒
* Although, to be precise, it is the tracks left by the skaters' blades that describe the circles.
hide
The use of the word "describe(s)" (or variations thereof such as "describing" or "described by") as either a containment indicator or a hidden word indicator is a common cryptic crossword device which relies on describe[1,2,12] being used in the sense of to trace out or delineate ⇒
skaters describing circles on the ice*.
* Although, to be precise, it is the tracks left by the skaters' blades that describe the circles.
hide
| 28a | Possibly one employed by great church (8) |
The entire clue provides both wordplay and definition.
Minster[5] is a British term for a large or important church, typically one of cathedral status in the north of England that was built as part of a monastery ⇒
York Minster.
| 29a | Incredibly remote // extraterrestrial object (6) |
Down
| 1d | Solitary soldier without a // grave (6) |
| 2d | Scrutinise skirt /getting/ forward? (9) |
| 3d | Sad // English member upset CIA (7) |
| 5d | Tackling Romulan Empire Kirk starts // journey (4) |
Scratching the Surface
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| James T. Kirk[7] is a fictional character in the Star Trek franchise. As the captain of the starship USS Enterprise, Kirk leads his crew as they explore "where no man has gone before". The Romulans[7] are an extraterrestrial race in the American science fiction franchise Star Trek. |
| 6d | Tell // made a bolt lifting speed (7) |
Scratching the Surface
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| William Tell[5] was a legendary hero of the liberation of Switzerland
from Austrian oppression. According to legend, Tell[7] was an expert marksman with the crossbow who assassinated Albrecht Gessler, a tyrannical reeve of the Habsburg dukes positioned in Altdorf, in the canton of Uri. Tell's defiance and tyrannicide encouraged the population to open rebellion and to enter a pact with neigbouring cantons Schwyz and Unterwalden against the foreign rulers, marking the foundation of the Swiss Confederacy. A bolt[5] is a short, heavy arrow shot from a crossbow. |
| 7d | Active // US soldier with bitter exterior (5) |
"US soldier " = GI
A GI[5] is a private soldier in the US army ⇒
Origin: Contrary to popular belief, the term apparently is not an abbreviation for general infantryman, but rather derives from the term government (or general) issue (originally denoting equipment supplied to US forces).
hide
A GI[5] is a private soldier in the US army ⇒
she went off with a GI during the war.
Origin: Contrary to popular belief, the term apparently is not an abbreviation for general infantryman, but rather derives from the term government (or general) issue (originally denoting equipment supplied to US forces).
hide
Bitter[5] is a British name for beer that is strongly flavoured with hops and has a bitter taste ⇒ (i)
a pint of bitter; (ii)
the company brews a range of bitters.
| 8d | Loathing // endless calamity installing team's leader (8) |
| 11d | Football team rose /and/ improved field? (7) |
Manchester United Football Club[7], commonly known as Man U, is an English professional football [soccer] club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League (the top level in the English football league system).
What did he say?
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In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, StephenL tells us we needthe colour of the rose which represents the county in which the club sits.
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| 14d | Detailed sign accepting of French // accent (7) |
In astrology, Cancer[10] (also called the Crab) is the fourth sign of the zodiac, symbol ♋, having a cardinal water classification and ruled by the moon. The sun is in this sign between about June 21 and July 22.
| 16d | Finish university career keeping new // resolution (9) |
Giving the Game Away
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In the his hints on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, StephenL inadvertently gives the game away by including the answer in his hint. I'm sure he mean to write ... and a synonym of career .... |
| 17d | Mao dirge changed // Chinese character? (8) |
Scratching the Surface
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Mao Zedong[5] (also Mao Tse-tung and commonly referred to as simply Mao)
(1893–1976) was a Chinese statesman; chairman of the Communist Party of
the Chinese People’s Republic 1949–76; head of state 1949–59. (show more )
A cofounder of the Chinese Communist Party in 1921 and its effective leader from the time of the Long March (1934–35), he eventually defeated both the occupying Japanese and rival Kuomintang nationalist forces to create the People’s Republic of China in 1949, becoming its first head of state. At first Mao followed the Soviet Communist model, but from 1956 he introduced his own measures, such as the brief period of freedom of expression known as Hundred Flowers and the economically disastrous Great Leap Forward (1958–60). Despite having resigned as head of state Mao instigated the Cultural Revolution (1966–76), during which he became the focus of a personality cult. hide |
| 19d | Cancels // practically recent openings (7) |
| 20d | Large number certain /to see/ crop circle? (7) |
Crop[5] is used in the sense of a hairstyle in which the hair is cut very short.
A tonsure[5] is a part of a monk's or priest's head left bare on top by shaving off the hair ⇒
his hair is thinning up there—soon he'll have a tonsure like a monk's.
| 21d | Criminal cheat with never-ending // bird (6) |
The condor[5] is a very large New World vulture with a bare head and mainly black plumage, living in mountainous country and spending much time soaring on massive outstretched wings. There are two species: the Andean condor of South America, and the California condor. They are the largest flying land birds in the Western Hemisphere[7].
| 23d | God /of/ sex raised cane (5) |
"sex " = 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").
hide
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").
hide
In Classical Greek mythology, the Titans and Titanesses[7]
were members of the second order of divine beings, descending from the
primordial deities and preceding the Olympian deities. (show more )
Based on Mount Othrys, the Titans most famously included the first twelve children of the primordial Gaia (Mother Earth) and Uranus (Father Heaven). They were giant deities of incredible strength, who ruled during the legendary Golden Age, and also composed the first pantheon of Greek deities.
hide
Based on Mount Othrys, the Titans most famously included the first twelve children of the primordial Gaia (Mother Earth) and Uranus (Father Heaven). They were giant deities of incredible strength, who ruled during the legendary Golden Age, and also composed the first pantheon of Greek deities.
hide
| 25d | Endured // tedious person in pub? (4) |
I suppose the question mark is indicating that a pub is just one of many places where one might encounter this tedious person.
Perhaps not so extraneous
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| On first glance (as I alluded above), the words "in pub" might seem unnecessary. However, the wording of the clue is an allusion to the expression pub bore, a solitary drinker in a pub who importunes others with lengthy reminiscences or other tedious monologues. |
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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