Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29795 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Friday, October 1, 2021 | |
Setter
proXimal (Steve Bartlett) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29795]
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Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Deep Threat | |
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
{Placeholder Text}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 | One next to bay five picked up // nuts and bolts (6) |
| 4a | Cadet in conflict with our // teacher (8) |
| 10a | Tax // shelter protecting a politician in France of the time (5,4) |
"politician " = MP
"in France of the " = DU
Stamp duty[10] is a British tax on legal documents, publications, etc, the payment of which is certified by the attaching or impressing of official stamps.
| 11a | Addition to music // player disco regularly used (5) |
| 12a | Start to blanche more nuts without opening // heated container (7) |
| 13a | Herald /from/ distant Spain after lover (7) |
| 14a | Learner very exuberant over game (5) |
"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.
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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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"very exhuberant " = OTT
Depending on the dictionary, lotto (in addition to being another term for lottery) is either the former name for[1,2] or a game similar to[3,4,5,10,11,12] bingo.
| 15a | Breaking out // innocent revolutionary with little noise (8) |
| 18a | Obtain dram on vacation enjoying // Canadian city (8) |
Dram[5] is a Scottish term for a small drink of whisky or other spirits ⇒
a wee dram to ward off the winter chill.
The phrase "on vacation" is an indication to remove the contents (interior letters) from the word "E(njoyin)G". Vacation[10] is used in the sense of the act of departing from or abandoning property, etc. Thus the setter would seem to be suggesting that the interior letters pack up and leave.
| 20a | Flexible // times to secure result (5) |
| 23a | Reindeer // around ridge, four overlooking edges (7) |
The caribou[10] is a large deer of Arctic regions of North America, having large branched antlers in the male and female. It also occurs in Europe and Asia, where it is called a reindeer*.
* I must say that it came as quite a surprise when I first discovered that reindeer and caribou were one and the same animal!
| 25a | Ace // graduate redesigned store (7) |
| 26a | Respond // about facts lacking in case (5) |
| 27a | Grease smeared on greyish brown // garment (9) |
Here and There
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| The term dungarees has a different meaning in Britain than it does on this side of the Atlantic. In Britain, dungarees[5] are a garment consisting of trousers with a bib held up by straps over each shoulder, made of denim, corduroy, or heavy cotton and worn as casual or working clothes*. * The North American term for such a garment is overalls[5] — another term which has a different (or, at least, broader) meaning across the pond. In Britain, overalls are a one-piece garment with trousers to cover the legs and either a bib top (as in North America) or a top with sleeves (coveralls[2] to North Americans). In North America, dungarees[5] is a dated name for blue jeans, trousers made of blue denim. |
| 28a | Drunk shortly embracing English // boozer (8) |
In Britain, boozer[5] is not only an informal term for a person who drinks large quantities of alcohol but also an informal term for a pub or bar.
Hostelry[5] is an archaic or humorous term for an inn or pub ⇒
Being born in a pub, and not unknown to frequent his local hostelry for a shandy or two, the writer is eminently qualified to be the author of his latest volume on county watering-holes.
| 29a | Against // Hoovers using bags (6) |
As a containment indicator, bag[5] is used as a verb meaning to put (something) in a bag.
Scratching the Surface
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In the UK, despite its US origins, hoover[5] (a genericized form of the trade name Hoover) means:
The Hoover Company[7] started out as an American floor care manufacturer based in North Canton, Ohio. It also established a major base in the United Kingdom and for most of the early-and-mid-20th century, it dominated the electric vacuum cleaner industry, to the point where the "hoover" brand name became synonymous with vacuum cleaners and vacuuming in the United Kingdom and Ireland. |
Down
| 1d | Babe's smashed everything /in/ this sport (8) |
One might, as does Deep Threat in his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, consider the entire clue to be the definition in which the wordplay is embedded. However, I have chosen not to mark it that way as I believe it also works as a standard clue with wordplay and definition.
Scratching the Surface
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| Babe Ruth[5] (1895–1948) was an American baseball player; born George Herman Ruth. He played for the Boston Red Sox (1914–19), the New York Yankees (1919–34), and the Boston Braves (1935). He set a record of 714 home runs which remained unbroken until 1974. |
| 2d | Sugar, maybe, fed to group -- // that fills a gap (7) |
Alan Sugar, Baron Sugar[7] would seem to be Britain's answer to Donald Trump. A billionaire business magnate, media personality, author, politician and political adviser, Sugar is the host and "Boss" for the BBC reality competition series The Apprentice which is based upon the popular US television show of the same name, featuring the American entrepreneur Donald Trump.
It would seem that he holds many of the same political views as his American counterpart and is similarly adept at courting controversy.
| 3d | Sign /of/ company, with navy south of island (9) |
Capri[5] is an island off the west coast of Italy, south of Naples.
In astrology, Capricorn[10] (also called the Goat or Capricornus) is the tenth sign of the zodiac, symbol ♑, having a cardinal earth classification and ruled by the planet Saturn. The sun is in this sign between about December 22 and January 19.
| 5d | Enjoyed daft mug shot /in/ divine accounting event (3,2,9) |
Day of Judgement[5] (another name for Judgement Day[5]) is the time of the Last Judgement[5], the judgement of humankind expected in some religious traditions to take place at the end of the world.
| 6d | One indicating ratio /of/ emigrant group without base (5) |
| 7d | In casual footwear, the Queen goes to north // land (7) |
"the Queen " = ER [regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth]
The regnal ciphers (monograms) of British monarchs are initials formed from the Latin version of their first name followed by either Rex or Regina (Latin for king or queen, respectively). Thus, the regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth is ER[5] — from the Latin Elizabetha Regina.
* A cipher[5] (also cypher) is a monogram[5] or motif of two or more interwoven letters, typically a person's initials, used to identify a personal possession or as a logo.
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The regnal ciphers (monograms) of British monarchs are initials formed from the Latin version of their first name followed by either Rex or Regina (Latin for king or queen, respectively). Thus, the regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth is ER[5] — from the Latin Elizabetha Regina.
* A cipher[5] (also cypher) is a monogram[5] or motif of two or more interwoven letters, typically a person's initials, used to identify a personal possession or as a logo.
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Although the wordplay could hardly be simpler, for the life of me I could not see it before reading Deep Threat's hint on Big Dave's Crossword Blog.
| 8d | Early locomotive // leaves (6) |
Stephenson's Rocket[7] was an early steam locomotive designed by English railway engineer Robert Stephenson in 1829. (show more )
Though the Rocket was not the first steam locomotive, it was the first to bring together several innovations to produce the most advanced locomotive of its day.
It is the most famous example of an evolving design of locomotives by Stephenson that became the template for most steam engines in the following 150 years. The locomotive was preserved and is now on display in the Science Museum in London.
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Though the Rocket was not the first steam locomotive, it was the first to bring together several innovations to produce the most advanced locomotive of its day.
It is the most famous example of an evolving design of locomotives by Stephenson that became the template for most steam engines in the following 150 years. The locomotive was preserved and is now on display in the Science Museum in London.
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Rocket[5] (also garden rocket or salad rocket) is the British name for an edible Mediterranean plant of the cabbage family whose leaves are eaten in salads. In North America, this plant is known as arugula.
What did he say?
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In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Deep Threat attributes the Rocket toGeorge Stephenson[7] (1781–1848) was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who is renowned as the "Father of Railways" (he was also the father of Robert Stephenson). His chosen rail gauge, sometimes called 'Stephenson gauge', was the basis for the 4 feet 8+1⁄2 inches (1.435 m) standard gauge used by most of the world's railways.George Stephenson. Pioneered by Stephenson, rail transport was one of the most important technological inventions of the 19th century and a key component of the Industrial Revolution. Built by George and his son Robert's company Robert Stephenson and Company, the Locomotion No. 1 was the first steam locomotive to carry passengers on a public rail line, the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825. George also built the first public inter-city railway line in the world to use locomotives, the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, which opened in 1830. However, it was his son Robert who designed and whose company built the Rocket. |
| 9d | Burger that's 25p? (7-7) |
In Britain's current decimal currency system, a penny[5] (plural pennies [for separate coins] or pence [for a sum of money]) is a bronze coin and monetary unit equal to one hundredth of a pound. The abbreviation for penny or pence is p[5] ⇒
a 10p piece.
Thus 25p is a quarter of a pound.
| 16d | Old volunteers watch out carrying large // dishes etc (9) |
"old volunteers " = TA [Territorial Army, former name for the Army Reserve]
| 17d | Outline // is horse climbing in sunless void (8) |
| 19d | Reportedly where Colossus overlooked harbour // raids (7) |
The Colossus of Rhodes[5] was a huge bronze statue of the sun god Helios, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Built c.292–280 BC, it stood beside the harbour entrance at Rhodes for about fifty years.
* The port city of Rhodes[5] is the capital of the island of Rhodes, a Greek island in the south-eastern Aegean, off the Turkish coast, the largest of the Dodecanese Islands and the most easterly island in the Aegean Sea.
| 21d | New treats prepared /for/ rabbits (7) |
Rabbit[5] is an informal British term meaning:
- (noun) a conversation ⇒
we had quite a heated rabbit about it
- (verb) to talk at length, especially about trivial matters ⇒
stop rabbiting on, will you, and go to bed!
The term is Cockney rhyming slang arising from the expression
"rabbit and pork"[5]. (show more )
Cockneys[5,10], the natives of that part of East London known as the East End[5], speak a dialect (also known as cockney) that is characterised by dropping the aitch (H) from the beginning of words as well as the use of rhyming slang.
In Cockney rhyming slang, a word (in this case, "talk") is replaced by a phrase with which it rhymes (in this case, "rabbit and pork"). Although the entire rhyming phrase may sometimes be used, it is more often the case that the rhyming word (in this case, "pork") is dropped leaving the slang word (in this case, "rabbit"). Thus, through this process, "talk" becomes "rabbit".
The word "pork" , when pronounced in a non-rhotic accent* typical of dialects found in many parts of Britain (especially southeastern England), more or less rhymes with "talk" .
* Non-rhotic accents omit the sound < r > in certain situations, while rhotic accents generally pronounce < r > in all contexts. Among the several dozen British English accents which exist, many are non-rhotic while American English (US and Canadian) is mainly rhotic. This is, however, a generalisation, as there are areas of Britain that are rhotic, and areas of America that are non-rhotic. For more information, see this guide to pronouncing < r > in British English.
As for the expression "rabbit and pork", apparently it is common practice to combine these two meats in a dish (as a Google search for 'rabbit and pork recipe' will quickly prove). One recipe I found sheds some light on why these meats often appear together: "Rabbit can be dry some times so here it is cooked with belly pork and cyder [archaic spelling of cider] to create a warming substantial casserole".
hide
Cockneys[5,10], the natives of that part of East London known as the East End[5], speak a dialect (also known as cockney) that is characterised by dropping the aitch (H) from the beginning of words as well as the use of rhyming slang.
In Cockney rhyming slang, a word (in this case, "talk") is replaced by a phrase with which it rhymes (in this case, "rabbit and pork"). Although the entire rhyming phrase may sometimes be used, it is more often the case that the rhyming word (in this case, "pork") is dropped leaving the slang word (in this case, "rabbit"). Thus, through this process, "talk" becomes "rabbit".
The word "pork" , when pronounced in a non-rhotic accent* typical of dialects found in many parts of Britain (especially southeastern England), more or less rhymes with "talk" .
* Non-rhotic accents omit the sound < r > in certain situations, while rhotic accents generally pronounce < r > in all contexts. Among the several dozen British English accents which exist, many are non-rhotic while American English (US and Canadian) is mainly rhotic. This is, however, a generalisation, as there are areas of Britain that are rhotic, and areas of America that are non-rhotic. For more information, see this guide to pronouncing < r > in British English.
As for the expression "rabbit and pork", apparently it is common practice to combine these two meats in a dish (as a Google search for 'rabbit and pork recipe' will quickly prove). One recipe I found sheds some light on why these meats often appear together: "Rabbit can be dry some times so here it is cooked with belly pork and cyder [archaic spelling of cider] to create a warming substantial casserole".
hide
| 22d | Goodness in school/'s/ roast (6) |
Cor[5] is an informal British exclamation expressing surprise, excitement, admiration, or alarm ⇒
Cor! That‘s a beautiful black eye you’ve got!.
| 24d | Wash // black article after another (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
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