Puzzle at a Glance
| |
|---|---|
Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29815 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, October 25, 2021 | |
Setter
Campbell (Allan Scott) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29815]
| |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Falcon | |
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
| |
Introduction
I see from my review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog that this was a "fairly quick solve" on my first encounter with it—and it was likely even quicker on meeting it for a second time.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 | |
|
|
| Click here for further explanation and usage examples of markup conventions used on this blog. | |
Across
| 1a | Calamity /resulting from/ Diana's bloomer (8) |
Without a doubt, Diana[7] (often appearing in its diminutive form Di) is the most popular female name in Crosswordland.
A bloomer[10] is a plant that flowers, especially in a specified way ⇒
a night bloomer.
An aster[10] is any plant of the genus Aster, having white, blue, purple, or pink daisy-like flowers.
Scratching the Surface
| |
|---|---|
Bloomer[5] is a dated informal British term for a serious or stupid mistake ⇒ But the government has its pride; it is yet to admit that it had committed a bloomer which needs to be rectified posthaste. |
| 5a | Quietly, the man occupies young // relative (6) |
| 10a | Bulletin about split /in/ Foggy Bottom (5,10) |
Foggy Bottom[5] is an informal name for the US State Department.
Origin: From the name of a riverside area of Washington DC where the department is based.
| 11a | Brave // face social worker put on (7) |
Face[5] is used in the informal sense of impudence or effrontery.
"worker " = ANT
The terms "worker" and "social worker" are commonly used in cryptic crossword puzzles to clue ANT or BEE.
A worker[5] is a neuter or undeveloped female bee, wasp, ant, or other social insect, large numbers of which do the basic work of the colony.
In crossword puzzles, "worker" will most frequently be used to clue ANT and occasionally BEE but I have yet to see it used to clue WASP. Of course, "worker" is sometimes also used to clue HAND or MAN.
hide
The terms "worker" and "social worker" are commonly used in cryptic crossword puzzles to clue ANT or BEE.
A worker[5] is a neuter or undeveloped female bee, wasp, ant, or other social insect, large numbers of which do the basic work of the colony.
In crossword puzzles, "worker" will most frequently be used to clue ANT and occasionally BEE but I have yet to see it used to clue WASP. Of course, "worker" is sometimes also used to clue HAND or MAN.
hide
| 12a | Answer's to be found in proven and reliable // political publication (7) |
Hard[5] is used in the sense (in respect to information) reliable, especially because based on something true or substantiated ⇒
hard facts about the underclass are maddeningly elusive.
Hansard[5] is the official record of debates in the British, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, or South African parliament.
| 13a | Swinger /having/ choice about dancing nude (8) |
| 15a | Culinary herb // helping to make healthy meal (5) |
| 18a | Large curved structure /in/ wood (5) |
" large " = L[5] [on clothing labels]
The larch[5] is a coniferous tree with bunches of deciduous bright green needles, found in cool regions of the northern hemisphere. It is grown for its tough timber and its resin (which yields turpentine).
| 20a | Idol with magic formula /in/ musical (8) |
Godspell[7] is a 1971 off-Broadway musical structured as a series of parables, primarily based on the Gospel of Matthew. The parables are interspersed with music set primarily to lyrics from traditional hymns, with the passion of Christ appearing briefly near the end of the show.
| 23a | List must include ordinary // farmyard bird (7) |
"ordinary " = O [British academic qualification]
Historically, in the UK (with the exception of Scotland), O level[5] (short for ordinary level[5]) was a qualification in a specific subject formerly taken by school students aged 14-16, at a level below A (advanced) level. It was replaced in 1988 by the GCSE[5] (General Certificate of Secondary Education).
hide
Historically, in the UK (with the exception of Scotland), O level[5] (short for ordinary level[5]) was a qualification in a specific subject formerly taken by school students aged 14-16, at a level below A (advanced) level. It was replaced in 1988 by the GCSE[5] (General Certificate of Secondary Education).
hide
| 25a | Explore underground // pool, with most of them swimming (7) |
Pothole[5] is a British term meaning to explore underground caves* as a pastime.
* A pothole[5] is a deep natural underground cave formed by the erosion of rock, especially by the action of water. Potholer[5] is a British term for someone who explores such formations.
| 26a | Significant changes covering court/'s/ antisocial work periods (9,6) |
| 27a | Stream of abuse /from/ one stuck in traffic (6) |
" one " = I[2] [Roman numeral]
| 28a | Absurd article describing new // instrument (8) |
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 [in other words, form a boundary around] ⇒
* 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 [in other words, form a boundary around] ⇒
skaters describing circles on the ice*.
* Although, to be precise, it is the tracks left by the skaters' blades that describe the circles.
hide
Down
| 1d | Condescend to take on board son/'s/ plan (6) |
| 2d | Things of no importance in glass? (5,4) |
Small beer[5] is a British expression denoting a thing that is considered unimportant ⇒
even with £10,000 to invest, you are still small beer for most stockbrokers.
| 3d | After fuss, difficult dismissing hotel's // sommelier, perhaps (7) |
A sommelier[10] is a wine steward in a restaurant or hotel.
| 4d | Level prior to tense // incident (5) |
| 6d | No longer active, // former leader of Conservatives put in shade (7) |
| 7d | Any he shot /brings/ scavenger (5) |
The hyena[5] (also hyaena) is a doglike African mammal with forelimbs that are longer than the hindlimbs and an erect mane. Hyenas are noted as scavengers but most are also effective hunters.
| 8d | Absented oneself // and sketched (8) |
| 9d | Made sense of // Fahrenheit in Germany (8) |
" Fahrenheit " = F[5] [temperature reading]
| 14d | Member, before holiday, /gets/ delivery (3,5) |
A delivery[5] is an act of throwing, bowling, or kicking a ball, especially a cricket ball.
In cricket, a leg break[5] is a ball which deviates [breaks] from the leg side towards the off side (show more ) after pitching [striking the ground]* ⇒
* In cricket and golf, pitch[5] denotes (of the ball) to strike the ground (in a particular spot) ⇒ (i)
The leg[5] (also called leg side) is another name for the on[5] (also known as on side), 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 other half of the field is known as the off[5] (also called off side).
‡ Pitch[5], in this case, refers to the specially groomed strip of ground between the two sets of stumps ⇒
hide
O'Reilly bowled medium-paced leg breaks.
* In cricket and golf, pitch[5] denotes (of the ball) to strike the ground (in a particular spot) ⇒ (i)
It is possible to plot where the ball pitched, and where the batsman's shot went, allowing all those graphs to be drawn; (ii)
The ball pitched 15 feet from the hole, bounced three times and dropped in.
The leg[5] (also called leg side) is another name for the on[5] (also known as on side), 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 ⇒
he played a lucky stroke to leg.
The other half of the field is known as the off[5] (also called off side).
‡ Pitch[5], in this case, refers to the specially groomed strip of ground between the two sets of stumps ⇒
both batsmen were stranded in the middle of the pitch.
hide
| 16d | Tuna /in/ foil, newly prepared (9) |
The yellowfin[5] (also yellowfin tuna) is a widely distributed, commercially important tuna that has yellow anal and dorsal fins.
| 17d | Nothing left /in/ safe? (3,5) |
| 19d | Powerful chief, // fiery type (7) |
| 21d | Baseball player, // parking it, caught that woman (7) |
"caught " = C [cricket notation]
| 22d | Make fun of star's second // service (3,3) |
| 24d | Elated, // being broadcast (2,3) |
| 25d | Cycle // ultimately crashed entering ring (5) |
References
Sources referenced in the blog are identified by the following symbols. The reference numbers themselves are hyperlinks to the entry in the source being referenced. Click on the number to view the source.
Key to Reference Sources:
Key to Reference Sources:
[1] - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
[14] - CollinsDictionary.com (COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary)
[15] - CollinsDictionary.com (Penguin Random House LLC/HarperCollins Publishers Ltd )
Signing off for today — Falcon
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.