Wednesday, January 5, 2022 — DT 29796

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph DT 29796
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph Saturday, October 2, 2021
Setter Unknown
Link to full review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29796 – Hints] Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29796 – Review]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by Gazza (Hints) crypticsue (Review)
BD rating
Difficulty - ★	Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's experience ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘
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
Notes
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.

Introduction

In her review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, crypticsue awards this puzzle a mere single star for difficulty. I think most solvers on this side of the pond will find it more of a challenge given the number of terms which have a different meaning here than in the UK.

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
"//" - marks the boundary between wordplay and definition when no link word or link phrase is present "/[link word or phrase]/" - marks the boundary between wordplay and definition when a link word or link phrase is present	"solid underline" - precise definition "dotted underline" - cryptic definition "dashed underline" - wordplay "wavy underline" - whimsical and inferred definitions
Click here for further explanation and usage examples of markup conventions used on this blog.

Across

1a	County // suit under discussion (5)

Herts.^[5] is the abbreviation for Hertfordshire^[5], a county of southeastern England, one of the so-called "Home Counties" surrounding London.

Say Again

When pronounced in a non-rhotic accent (show explanation ) typical of dialects found in many parts of Britain (especially southeastern England), "Herts." would sound identical to "hearts"—as you may be able to tell from this speech sample for "heart"  (although the second speech sample is for "heart" rather than "hearts", you should still be able to judge the equivalence). 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. hide

4a	Skill in fraud // on its way (8)

10a	Second rotten // reprimand (4,3)

Tick^[5] is an informal British term for a moment ⇒ (i) I shan’t be a tick; (ii) I’ll be with you in a tick.

Off^[10] (said of food or drink) means having gone bad, sour, etc. ⇒ this milk is off.

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Here and There
Across the pond, the term "tick off" has quite a different meaning than it does in North America. Whereas, here, to tick someone off[5] means to make someone annoyed or angry ⇒ Jefferson was a little ticked off, but he’ll come around, in Britain it means to reprimand or rebuke someone ⇒ (i) he was ticked off by Angela; (ii) he got a ticking off from the magistrate.

11a	Beams // following in empty rays (7)

12a	Egyptian monarch with posh // skirt (4)

Tutankhamen^[5] (also Tutankhamun) (died c.1352 BC) (colloquially known as King Tut^[7]) was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, reigned c.1361–c.1352 BC. His tomb, containing a wealth of rich and varied contents, was discovered virtually intact by the English archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922.

13a	Sign /there's/ tooth decay, first one pulled (5)

In astrology, Aries^[10] (also called the Ram) is the first sign of the zodiac, symbol ♈, having a cardinal fire classification, ruled by the planet Mars. The sun is in this sign between about March 21 and April 19.

14a	Large /and/ neat (4)

17a	Do as I do facing queen: /that's/ child's play! (6-2-6)

"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.

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^* 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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Follow-my-leader^[10] is the British name for a children's game in which the players must repeat the actions of the leader.

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North American equivalent: US and Canadian (as well as Irish) name follow-the-leader

19a	Unpleasant sensation, // those things coming to a point? (4,3,7)

22a	Tiniest bits of crumbs adorning squalid tool // shed (4)

Cast^[3] (verb) is used in the sense of to shed or molt ⇒ the snake cast its skin.

23a	Irritation /in/ summit that's audible (5)

24a	Faint, not very // fit (4)

"very " = V [context uncertain]

The abbreviation^* v (or v.)^[1,2,5,10] stands for very.

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^* Although this abbreviation is found in most of my British dictionaries, it does not appear in any of my American dictionaries. Unfortunately no explanation is given as to the specific context in which one might encounter this usage. One possibility is when combined with G as a grade of VG (very good) on school tests or assignments. A second might be in the grading scale for numismatic coins where VG and VF are the codes for 'Very Good' and 'Very Fine' respectively.

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27a	Substance in meat // to ripen bananas (7)

28a	Decay -- as might stew? (2,2,3)

I think one has to consider this clue to be a cryptic definition. I don't believe the latter part stands independently in its own right as either definition or wordplay.

29a	Dodgy deal with assistant /in/ Antipodean city (8)

Antipodean^[5] is a term (used by inhabitants of the northern hemisphere) to denote, as a noun, a person from Australia or New Zealand and, as an adjective, relating to Australia or New Zealand.

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Root: The Antipodes^[5] is a term used by inhabitants of the northern hemisphere to refer to Australia and New Zealand.

Adelaide^[5] is a city in Australia, the capital and chief port of the state of South Australia.

30a	Underwear // of poor quality (5)

Here and There

In Britain, the word pants[5] generally does not mean trousers* as it does in North America. Rather, it refers to underwear — specifically men's undershorts or women's panties (the latter otherwise known as knickers[5] to the Brits). * Then again, this may not have always been the case or may not be true in all parts of the UK as evidenced by the following observation made by Lincoln Latic in a comment on my review of DT 28909 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog: I didn’t see this [pants used as a synonym for trousers] as an Americanism. I grew up in the northwest of England (before the big influx of Americanisms into the language) and ‘pants’ was the usual term for trousers. You had short pants as a real youngster then progressed into long pants as you got older which for most of us was when you were nearly at the end of primary school probably around aged 9 or 10. What most people consider ‘pants’ refers to now, were called underpants because they went under your pants. Despite the foregoing, Brits use the terms sweatpants[5] and ski pants[5] in the same sense as we do in North America to mean trousers worn as sportswear or leisurewear.

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Pants^[5] is a British informal term meaning rubbish or nonsense ⇒ (i) It's not art - it's pants.; (ii) I thought I'd give it a go. Unfortunately, I'd not looked at the opinions of others..........boy, do I wish I had! It's pants. It really is a poor programme.

Down

1d	Excellent thing, // tea or coffee perhaps? (3,5)

A double definition, the second of which is a definition by example.

2d	Little movement arising in actual // performance (7)

3d	Witness // jumpers being lifted (4)

Here and There

While the word "jumper" is the name of an article of clothing on both sides of the Atlantic, it is quite a different piece of apparel across the pond where it  denotes a sweater rather than a dress. (show more ) In Britain, a jumper[5] is a knitted garment typically with long sleeves, worn over the upper body (in other words, a sweater). The dress that North Americans call a jumper[5] is known to the Brits as a pinafore[5]—defined as a collarless sleeveless dress worn over a blouse or jumper [sweater]. Thus, if a British lass were to wear a pinafore over her jumper and a North American gal were to wear a jumper over her sweater, they would be dressed identically. hide

5d	Foreign words /aimed at/ a Tuareg gal, gent translates (6,8)

A target language^[5] is:

• the language into which a text, document, or speech is translated
• a foreign language which a person intends to learn

6d	Collar // estimated, by the sound of it (4)

7d	Break down /in/ tears initially: see, I'm upset (7)

8d	Bubbly // guy gutted to admit halfwit (5)

9d	Previously referred to // a figure heard and acknowledged (14)

15d	Amount paid to secure a // cruise (5)

16d	Part of church beginning to leak -- // something contemplated? (5)

The nave^[5] is the central part of a church building, intended to accommodate most of the congregation. In traditional Western churches it is rectangular, separated from the chancel by a step or rail, and from adjacent aisles by pillars.

18d	Boss eats horribly // toxic substance (8)

20d	Stonier rocks // coming soon (2,5)

21d	Stage before drive /shows/ cricketing skill (3,4)

In cricket, leg spin^[5] (noun) is a type of spin^* bowling which causes the ball to deviate from the leg side^** towards the off side^*** after pitching. As an adjective, it is spelled leg-spin^[1] (a leg-spin type of delivery).

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^* Spin^[10] means to to bowl, pitch, hit, or kick (a ball) so that it rotates in the air and changes direction or speed on bouncing, or (of a ball) to be projected in this way.
^** The leg side^[5] (also called leg) is another name for the on side^[5] (also known as on), the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) away from which the batsman’s feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball.
^*** The off side^[5] (also called off) is the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) towards which the batsman's feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball.

22d	Drink // beginning to cheer up dad (5)

Cuppa^[3,4,11] is an informal British term for a cup of tea.

25d	Take a punt on a // Greek character (4)

Punt^{[2,3,4,5,10,11]} is a chiefly British term which means:

• (verb) to gamble or bet, especially against the bank (as in roulette and some card games such as faro) or on horses or other sporting events
• (noun) such a gamble or bet

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Beta^[5] is the second letter of the Greek alphabet (Β, β).

26d	Stair // hamsters perhaps will climb (4)

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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 )

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Signing off for today — Falcon