Thursday, March 31, 2022

Thursday, March 31, 2022 — DT 29859


Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29859
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, December 15, 2021
Setter
Jay (Jeremy Mutch)
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29859]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
2Kiwis
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 found this puzzle to be a mite on the tricky side and needed a gentle electronic nudge across the finish line.

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 Investigates tense gangster /finding/ religious office (10)

" tense " = T [t or t.[1]; grammar term]

6a Emperor // penguins ultimately eaten by sailor (4)

"sailor " = TAR

Tar[5] is an informal, dated nickname for a sailor. The term came into use in the mid 17th century and is perhaps an abbreviation of tarpaulin, also used as a nickname for a sailor at that time.

hide



A tsar[5] (also czar or tzar) was an emperor of Russia before the revolution of 1917.

Scratching the Surface
The emperor penguin[5] is the largest penguin, which has a yellow patch on each side of the head and rears its young during the Antarctic winter.

10a Recall // almost always covering fine (5)

11a Strange about European Community penchant /for/ lying (9)

Rum[5] is a dated informal British term meaning odd or peculiar ⇒ it’s a rum business, certainly.

"European Community "  = EC

The European Community was the predecessor of the European Union.

Achieving European Union occurred in three stages.

Stage 1: The European Economic Community[5] (abbreviation EEC), an institution of the European Union, is an economic association of western European countries set up by the Treaty of Rome (1957). The original members were France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

Stage 2: The European Community[5] (abbreviation EC) is an economic and political association of certain European countries, incorporated since 1993 in the European Union. The European Community was formed in 1967 from the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the European Economic Community (EEC), and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom); it comprises also the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the European Court of Justice. Until 1987 it was still commonly known as the EEC. The name ‘European Communities’ is still used in legal contexts where the three distinct organizations are recognized.

Stage 3: The European Union[5] (abbreviation EU) is an economic and political association of certain European countries as a unit with internal free trade and common external tariffs. The European Union was created on 1 November 1993, with the coming into force of the Maastricht Treaty. It encompasses the old European Community (EC) together with two intergovernmental ‘pillars’ for dealing with foreign affairs and with immigration and justice. The terms European Economic Community (EEC) and European Community (EC) continue to be used loosely to refer to what is now the European Union. The European Union consists of 28 member states, 19 of which use the common currency unit, the euro.[7]

hide

12a Walk /to find/ answer during journeys east (7)

13a Bizarre /and/ stupid quarrels with no origin (7)

14a Engineers search new posts /for/ public transport facilities (7,5)

"engineers " = RE [Royal Engineers]

The Corps of Royal Engineers[7], usually just called the Royal Engineers (abbreviation RE), and commonly known as the Sappers[7], is a corps of the British Army that provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces.

hide



Request stop[5] is a British term for a bus stop at which the bus halts only if requested by a passenger or if hailed.

18a Fiercely // sound horn, confronting worker with arrest (5,3,4)

21a Artists // young reporters will entertain first (7)

A Cubist[14] is an artist working in the style of Cubism[10], a French school of painting, collage, relief, and sculpture initiated in 1907 by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, which amalgamated viewpoints of natural forms into a multifaceted surface of geometrical planes.

23a Obsessions /of/ German chap holding dog back? (4-3)

Hans[7] is a German masculine given name*. It was originally short for Johannes (John), but is now also recognized as a name in its own right for official purposes.

* In terms of popularity of German names in Crosswordland, I would say it ranks just behind Otto.

A pug[5] (also pug dog) is a dog of a dwarf breed like a bulldog with a broad flat nose and deeply wrinkled face.

24a Small fruit with fresh // flavour (9)

" small " = S[5] [clothing size]

25a South American chain oddly missing // this dish (5)

26a Shops starting to employ // attention-seeker (4)

27aPerson whose work may be forged (10)

Down

1d Rather // small-minded about the centre of Perth (6)

Scratching the Surface
Perth[5] is a town in eastern Scotland, at the head of the Tay estuary. The administrative centre of Perth and Kinross, it was the capital of Scotland from 1210 until 1452.

2d Descriptive line /from/ Boris, upset about article? (6)

In meteorology, an isobar[5] is a line on a map connecting points having the same atmospheric pressure at a given time or on average over a given period.

The word "descriptive" relates to describe[10] being used in the sense of to draw a line or figure, such as a circle.

Scratching the Surface
Boris Johnson[5] is a British Conservative statesman, prime minister of the United Kingdom since 2019. (show more )

A former journalist, Johnson was Mayor of London 2008–16 and Foreign Secretary 2016–18.

hide

3d Expensive case of lemonade drinks /for/ jumpers (14)

A steeplechaser[10] is a horse or rider who takes part in steeplechases. Today, we know a steeplechase[5] as a horse race run on a racecourse having ditches and hedges as jumps. Originally, however, it was a cross country race in which a steeple marked the finishing point.

4d Capital rugby player, // a buffoon! (9)

A Harlequin is a member of the Harlequins[7] (officially Harlequin Football Club), a professional rugby union club that plays in Premiership Rugby, the top level of English rugby union. Their home ground is the Twickenham Stoop, located in Twickenham, south-west London.



A harlequin[10] is a clown or buffoon*.

* In theatre, harlequin[10] (sometimes Harlequin) is a stock comic character originating in the Italian commedia dell'arte; the foppish lover of Columbine in the English harlequinade (a play or part of a pantomime in which harlequin has a leading role). He is usually represented in diamond-patterned multicoloured tights, wearing a black mask.

5d Comes a cropper holding up // killers (5)

Orca[5] is another term for killer whale.

Scratching the Surface
Come a cropper[5,10] is an informal British term meaning:
  • to fall heavily ⇒ he came the most appalling cropper—I think he knocked himself out
  • to fail completely

7d Key // frame? (8)

8d Criminal hustlers // showing no pity (8)

9dBrass-rubbers* may be so described /as/ artists (14)

I would call this clue a cryptic definition consisting of a loose or whimsical definition and a precise definition.

A brass rubber* is a practitioner of brass rubbing[10], the taking of an impression of an engraved brass tablet or plaque by placing a piece of paper over it and rubbing the paper with graphite, heelball (a black waxy substance used by shoemakers to blacken the edges of heels and soles), or chalk.

* Although puzzles appearing in The Daily Telegraph are supposed to use spelling found in The Chambers Dictionary, this term is spelled without a hyphen in my edition of The Chambers Dictionary.

An impressionist[5] is a painter who is an exponent of impressionism[5], a style or movement in painting originating in France in the 1860s, characterized by a concern with depicting the visual impression of the moment, especially in terms of the shifting effect of light and colour.

15d Fake // copy finally found in battered tin chest (9)

16d Robs // drink, depressed by criticism (6,2)

"drink " = SUP

As a verb, sup[5] is a dated or Northern English term meaning to take (drink or liquid food) by sips or spoonfuls ⇒ (i) she supped up her soup delightedly; (ii) he was supping straight from the bottle.

As a noun, sup[5] means
  • a sip of liquid ⇒ he took another sup of wine
  • (in Northern England or Ireland) an alcoholic drink ⇒ the latest sup from those blokes at the brewery
hide

Stick[5] is an informal British term denoting severe criticism or treatment ⇒ I took a lot of stick from the press.

17d Line crossed by Aussie mates /is/ absolute nonsense (8)

" line " = L [l.[5]; in textual references l. 648]

In Britain, mate[5]—in addition to meaning a person’s husband, wife, or other sexual partner—can also be an informal term for a friend or companion ⇒ my best mate Steve.

Cobber[5] is an informal Australian and New Zealand term for a companion or friend (often used as a form of address between men) ⇒ G'day cobbers!



Cobblers
[10] is British slang for rubbish or nonsense ⇒ a load of old cobblers; cobblers[10] is also British slang for balls (testicles).

Origin: from rhyming slang* cobblers' awls ⇒ balls

* Rhyming slang is formed by rhyming a phrase (in this case "cobblers' awls") with a word (in this case "balls"); the rhyming word in the phrase is then typically dropped (with the result, in this case, being "cobblers").

In a usage note, Collins English Dictionary informs us "The use of cobblers meaning 'nonsense' is so mild that hardly anyone these days is likely to be offended by it. Most people are probably unaware of its rhyming-slang association with 'balls', and therefore take it at its face value as a more colourful synonym for 'nonsense'. The classic formulation 'a load of (old) cobblers' seems to be particularly popular in the tabloid press."

By the way, balls[10] itself is a (more universal) slang term for nonsense.

In a usage note pertaining to the word balls, Collins English Dictionary informs us "Both its anatomical senses and its various extended senses nowadays have far less impact than they used to, and seem unlikely to cause offence, though some older or more conservative people may object."

19d Unusually impulsive VIP missing // breakfast? (6)

The "?" indicates this is a definition by example; that is, we are looking not for a synonym for "breakfast" but for an example of breakfast.

Muesli[5] is a mainly British term for a mixture of oats and other cereals, dried fruit, and nuts, eaten with milk at breakfast.

What did he say?
In Comment 3 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, {reviewer} writes Isn’t the convention for 19d to require a secondary anagram indicator where the letters to be removed (in this case VIP) don’t appear in the source word in the same order?.
If not a convention, it is certainly a common practice. However, not one that is used today.

20d Book // one's first-class -- that's a surprise (6)

"first-class " = AI [originally a ship classification (A1)]

A1[4][5] or A-one[3] meaning first class or excellent comes from a classification for ships in The Lloyd's Register of Shipping where it means equipped to the highest standard or first-class.

hide



Isaiah[5] is a book of the Bible containing the prophecies of Isaiah* and, it is generally thought, those of at least one later prophet.

* Isaiah[5] was a major Hebrew prophet of Judah in the 8th century BC, who taught the supremacy of the God of Israel and emphasized the moral demands on worshippers.

22d So far // yet // not moving (5)

This clue is a triple definition (which escaped the 2Kiwis in their review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog).

In a double or triple definition, the definitions in the clue should not be synonyms of each other. While "so far" and "yet" are synonyms and mean still in the sense of up to this point in time, "yet" can also mean still in a couple of other senses which are not synonymous with "so far":
  • even (used to emphasize increase or repetition) ⇒ snow, snow, and yet more snow
  • in spite of that or nevertheless ⇒ ‘every week she gets worse, and yet it could go on for years


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: 

  [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

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Wednesday, March 30, 2022 — DT 29858


Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29858
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, December 14, 2021
Setter
Unknown
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29858]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Mr K
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 found this puzzle to be both challenging and highly enjoyable.

It is a bit eerie to watch the video accompanying Mr K's hint for 22a on Big Dave's Crossword Blog of the Foo Fighters with 11-year old Nandi Bushell behind the drum kit given the death less than one week ago of the band's drummer Taylor Hawkins.

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 Shorten // a game (7)

5a Coming // right after a competitor (7)

9a Tutor group encapsulating university // place of debate (5)

The setter has seemingly used "tutor group" as a loose description of a group in which students are taught.

In Britain, a form[5] is [or, perhaps more correctly,was] a class or year in a school, usually given a specifying number. This is somewhat similar to the North America concept of a grade although the numbering system for forms and grades are vastly different. (show more )

The term "form" seems to have become passé as Miffypops in his review of DT 28163 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog refers to "sixth-former" as "What a schoolchild would be during the year before university back in the old days. This would now be known as year 13 or 14." Furthermore, Wikipedia (see table below) characterizes the term "form" as an "alternative/old name".

A form[7] is a class or grouping of students in a school. The term is used predominantly in the United Kingdom, although some schools, mostly private, in other countries also use the title. Pupils are usually grouped in forms according to age and will remain with the same group for a number of years, or sometimes their entire school career.

Forms are normally identified by a number such as "first form" or "sixth form". A form number may be used for two year groups and differentiated by the terms upper and lower [in general, this would seem to apply primarily for the sixth form]. Usually the sixth form is the senior form of a school [although this apparently does not hold true for New Zealand where they would appear to have a seventh form]. In England, the sixth form is usually divided into two year groups, the lower sixth and upper sixth, owing to the 3-year English college/university system. In Scotland or North America, the 6th form is usually a single year, owing to the 4-year college/university system. If there is more than one form for each year group they will normally be differentiated by letters, e.g., "upper four B", "lower two Y". Schools do not follow a consistent pattern in naming forms [in the foregoing quotation witness Miffypops' reference to "year 14",  a term which does not appear in the table below].

Wikipedia would appear to be at best ambiguous and at worst inconsistent on the relationship between the British and American systems of naming school years. The article from which the table below is excerpted shows that the British first form is equivalent to the American 6th grade. On the other hand, the article cited above states "In North America, the 1st Form (or sometimes 'Form I') is equivalent to 7th Grade." However, this latter statement may in fact be a comparison between the few North American schools to use the form system and the vast majority of North American schools that don't rather than a comparison between British and American schools.

Naming of School Years (British System vs American System)[7]
 Age RangeBritish SystemAmerican System
NameAlternative/Old NameName
11-12Year 7First form6th grade
12-13Year 8Second form7th grade
13-14Year 9Third form8th grade
14-15Year 10Fourth form9th grade
15-16Year 11Fifth form10th grade
16-17Year 12Lower sixth form11th grade
17-18Year 13Upper sixth form12th grade

hide

10a Laws from grand old Democrat /producing/ unavoidable catastrophes (4,2,3)

G as an abbreviation for grand is one North American usage that the Brits would appear to have embraced (show more ).

While the abbreviation G for "grand" is deemed by British dictionaries to be an Americanism, it seems to be one that is well known to Brits — undoubtedly from American gangster films. It is frequently seen in British crossword puzzles and never seems to garner the abuse that usually greets the appearance of American terms.

Grand[5] is an informal term for a thousand dollars or pounds he gets thirty-five grand a year. While the term "grand" itself would seem to be commonly used in the UK, the informal abbreviation G[5] meaning grand appears to be regarded as a North American usage I was up nine Gs on the blackjack tables.

G is defined in various British dictionaries as follows:
  • Oxford Dictionaries: (North American informal) abbreviation for grand, a thousand dollars)[5].
  • Chambers 21st Century Dictionary: (North American slang) abbreviation for a grand, 1000 dollars[2].
  • Collins English Dictionary: (mainly US slang) a symbol for grand (a thousand dollars or pounds)[4,10].
hide

" old " = O[12] [linguistics; OFr (Old French), OE (Old English)]

" old " = O[12] [linguistics; OFr (Old French), OE (Old English)]

11a Great hotel plastered // completely (10)

As an anagram indicator, plastered is used in the sense of drunk.

12a Cutting remark /from/ hairdresser with no sign of hesitation (4)

14a Pavlova perhaps // bland mixed with treacle (6-6)

Anna Pavlova[5] (1881–1931) was a  Russian ballet dancer, resident in Britain from 1912.

Scratching the Surface
Pavlova[5] (named for the dancer) is a dessert consisting of a meringue base or shell filled with whipped cream and fruit.

Treacle[3,11] is the British name for molasses.

18a Force-fed Roth novel // in private (3,3,6)

Scratching the Surface
Philip Roth[5] is an American novelist and short-story writer. He often writes with irony and humour about the complexity and diversity of contemporary American Jewish life. Notable works: Portnoy’s Complaint (1969), Zuckerman Bound (1985), and American Pastoral (1997).

21a Arrogant // American swallowing French wine? On the contrary (4)

The phrase "on the contrary" is an inverted logic indicator. (show more )

An inverted logic indicator tells the solver to invert (or reverse) the logic or meaning of the statement immediately preceding it. Doing so leads one to reinterpret the wordplay as "French wine swallowing American".

hide

" American " = A[1]

22a Lack of ability // in role (10)

25a Theme // of title I'm adapting (9)

A leitmotif[5] (also leitmotiv) is a recurrent theme throughout a musical or literary composition, associated with a particular person, idea, or situation.

26a Run scored in cricket // over (5)

In cricket, an extra[5] is a run scored other than from a hit with the bat, credited (in most cases) to the batting side rather than to a batsman. The types of extra[7] are no ball, wide, bye, leg-bye, and penalty runs.

Scratching the Surface
In the surface reading, over[5] is misleading used in the cricket sense of a division of play consisting of a sequence of six balls bowled by a bowler from one end of the pitch, after which another bowler takes over from the other end.

27a Get greater // mixture of letters in general (7)

28a The French yell, 'Attack!' (4,3)

"the French " = LA

In French, the feminine singular form of the definite article is la[8].

hide

Down

1d Half of freaky, odd characters leaving // fight (6)

2d Fish circling river -- it/'s/ not a common thing (6)

" river " = R [R or R.[2]; on maps]

3d Gary hoped desperately to welcome maiden // studying this? (10)

"maiden "  = M [scoreless over in cricket]

In cricket, a maiden[5], also known as a maiden over and denoted on cricket scorecards by the abbreviation m.[10], is an over* in which no runs are scored.

* An over[5] is a division of play consisting of a sequence of six balls bowled by a bowler from one end of the pitch, after which another bowler takes over from the other end.

hide



I see the latter part of the clue as a loose definition of a field of study. In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Mr K sees things a bit differently.

4d Behave after former lover/'s/ demand (5)

5d Real // gold in that case -- it's up on top of cabinet (9)

"gold " = AU [chemical symbol]

The symbol for the chemical element gold is Au[5] (from Latin aurum).

hide

6d Cross // Germany with little jumper on (4)

"Germany " = D [IVR code]

The International Vehicle Registration (IVR) country code for Germany is D[5] (from German Deutschland).

 
German Licence Plate Format
(The IVR code is on the left below the EU flag emblem)

hide

The term "little jumper" denotes a shortened name for an animal that jumps.

Roo[5] is an informal Australian term for a kangaroo.



A rood[2] is a cross or crucifix, especially a large one set on a beam or screen at the entrance to a church chancel*.

* The chancel[5] is the part of a church near the altar, reserved for the clergy and choir, and typically separated from the nave by steps or a screen.

7d Virginia with cold year following relative/'s/ homelessness (8)

"Virginia " = VA

Not only is VA[5] the abbreviation for the US state of Virginia in official postal use, but Va[5] is a common abbreviation for Virginia in other contexts as well.

hide

" cold " = C [c or c.[1]; symbol found on water taps]

Gran[5] is an informal British term for one's grandmother*.

* While I am surprised to see it considered to be a British term, it is not found in most of my US dictionaries.

8d Hen possibly // spotted insect (8)

Ladybird[5] is the British name for a ladybug[5].

13d Lear's ready to change // verse recited by them? (3,7)

In the Anglican Church, a lay reader[5] is a layperson licensed to preach and to conduct some religious services, but not licensed to celebrate the Eucharist [Communion].



The latter part of the clue is a loose definition of people who, among other things, read verses from the Bible.

Scratching the Surface
Edward Lear[5] (1812–1888) was an English humorist and illustrator. He wrote A Book of Nonsense (1845) and Laughable Lyrics (1877). He also published illustrations of birds and of his travels around the Mediterranean. His best-known piece is likely the poem "The Owl and the Pussy-Cat"[7].

15d Picked up in market ten Grolsch // glasses (9)

A lorgnette[3,4,11] is a pair of eyeglasses or opera glasses mounted on a handle.

Scratching the Surface
Grolsch Brewery[7] (Koninklijke Grolsch N.V. - "Royal Grolsch"), known simply as Grolsch, is a Dutch brewery founded in 1615.

16d Have a fit // prisoner, very large, cutting exercise (8)

" very " = V [v or v.[2]]

" large " = L[5] [clothing size]

17d Administrator // on holiday with one left supporting spies (8)

"spies " = CIA

The Central Intelligence Agency[5] (abbreviation CIA) is a federal agency in the US responsible for coordinating government intelligence activities. Established in 1947 and originally intended to operate only overseas, it has since also operated in the US.

hide

19d Son, in part, runs ordinary // restaurant (6)

" son " = S [s[5]; genealogy]

"runs " = R [cricket notation]

On cricket scorecards [not to mention baseball scoreboards], the abbreviation R[5] denotes run(s).

In cricket, a run[5] is a unit of scoring achieved by hitting the ball so that both batsmen are able to run between the wickets, or awarded in some other circumstances.

hide

"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

20d Dictator/'s/ heartless attempt to deliver a tirade (6)

23d Extremely bad // article with entire ending missing (5)

" with " = W [w[2]]

24dA Muslim independent ruler, primarily (4)

This is an &lit. clue[7] (or, as they prefer to call it on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, an all-in-one clue) in which the entire clue is a loose definition as well as wordplay—in this case, of an acrostic or initialism style.


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: 

  [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

Tuesday, March 29, 2022 — DT 29857


Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29857
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, December 13, 2021
Setter
Campbell (Allan Scott)
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29827]
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

Today's puzzle finds Campbell in a relatively benign mood.

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 Religious person, // male, one of two higher in rank (6,8)

A Mother Superior[5] is the head of a female religious community.

9a Look angry /pointing to/ blot on the landscape (7)

10a Like tyres /found in/ the undergrowth, son and husband ditched? (7)

" son " = S [s[5]; genealogy]

" husband " = H [h[2] ; genealogy]



Tyre[5]  is the British spelling of tire (in the sense of an automobile component).

11a College // register returned (4)

I have to wonder if "register" and "tone" are truly synonymous. In music, register[2] denotes the range of tones produced by the human voice or a musical instrument.



"college " = ETON

Eton College[7], often informally referred to simply as Eton, is an English independent boarding school for boys located in Eton, Berkshire, near Windsor. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor". It is one of ten English schools, commonly referred to as public schools, regulated by the Public Schools Act of 1868.

Here and There
In Britain, an independent school[10] is a school that is neither financed nor controlled by the government or local authorities; in other words, an independent school[2] is not paid for with public money and does not belong to the state school system.

In Britain, a public school[2] is a particular category of independent school, namely a secondary school, especially a boarding school, run independently of the state and financed by a combination of endowments and pupils' fees.

Another category of independent school is the private school[2,5] which is a school run independently by an individual or group, especially for profit and supported wholly by the payment of fees.

What we in North America would call a public school[2] is known in the UK as a state school[5] or a maintained school*.

* In England and Wales, a maintained school[5] is a school that is funded by a local education authority.

hide

12a Justifiably popular, always? // Goodness gracious me (4,1,5)

14a Tricky question /brought to light/ in quite a sermon (6)

15a Carry weapons // to support members (4,4)

17a Indicate // fielding position elsewhere (5,3)

In cricket, point[5] is a fielding position on the off side* near the batsman; or a fielder at that position.

* In cricket, the off[5] (also called off side) 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.  The other half of the field is known as either the leg[5] (also called leg side) or on[5] (also called on side).

18a Attempt mostly opaque // sort of novel like 'Frankenstein'? (6)

Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus[7] is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley.

21a Battle involving the British? // Could it be Salerno? (3,7)

The wordplay in this clue is a reverse anagram, a cryptic device in which the result of executing the anagram appears in the clue (in this case, SALERNO) and the solution to the clue contains the anagram indicator and fodder that would produce this result (in this case, NEW ORLEANS or an anagram (new) of ORLEANS)*. This is somewhat analogous to the premise of the television game show Jeopardy where contestants are presented with an answer and must respond with a question.

* This is a reversal of the normal relationship in which the anagram indicator and fodder appear in the clue and the result of executing the anagram is found in the solution.



The Battle of New Orleans[7] was fought near New Orleans on January 8, 1815 between the British Army under Major General Sir Edward Pakenham and the United States Army under Brevet Major General Andrew Jackson.

Delving Deeper
The Battle of New Orleans took place 18 days after the signing of the Treaty of Ghent, which formally ended the War of 1812, on December 24, 1814, though it would not be ratified by the United States (and therefore did not take effect) until February 16, 1815, as news of the agreement had not yet reached the United States from Europe. Despite a large British advantage in numbers, training, and experience, the American forces defeated a poorly executed assault in slightly more than 30 minutes. The Americans suffered just 71 casualties, while the British suffered over 2,000, including the deaths of the commanding general, Major General Sir Edward Pakenham, and his second-in-command, Major General Samuel Gibbs.

22a Huge // Greek character losing face (4)

Omega[5] is the last letter of the Greek alphabet (Ω, ω).

24a Bail out sailor, a // pantomime hero (3,4)

A pantomime[5] is a traditional British theatrical entertainment, mainly for children, which involves music, topical jokes, and slapstick comedy and is based on a fairy tale or nursery story, usually produced around Christmas.

25a Condiment /that may be/ given a shaking before starter in restaurant? (7)

Scratching the Surface
Starter[3,5] is another name* for an appetizer or the first course of a meal.

* although British dictionaries consider this term to be British[5] (or chiefly or mainly British[4,10,14]), this usage of the word would seem to be well established in North America and is found in some US dictionaries[3,12]

26a Whiskey taken by big-band leader after grouse // dish (4,10)

" Whiskey " = W[5] [NATO Phonetic Alphabet[7]]

Duke Ellington[5] (1899–1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader. Coming to fame in the early 1930s, Ellington wrote over 900 compositions and was one of the first popular musicians to write extended pieces. Notable works: "Mood Indigo" (1930).



Beef Wellington[5] is a dish consisting of beef coated in pâté and wrapped in puff pastry.

Down

1d Movie star, /with/ stitch in side, keeled over (3,4)

"side " = TEAM

Side[5] is a British term for a sports team ⇒ there was a mixture of old and young players in* their side.

* Note that, in Britain, a player is said to be "in a side" or "in a team" rather than "on a team" as one would say in North America.

In North America, the term side[3] is used in a very general fashion that can denote one of two or more opposing individuals, groups, teams, or sets of opinions. While this same general usage is also found in the UK, the term side[5] is also used there in a much more specific sense to mean a sports team, as we can clearly see from the following usage examples ⇒ (i) Previous England rugby sides, and England teams in many other sports, would have crumbled under the weight of such errors.; (ii) They'll face better sides than this Monaco team, but you can only beat what's put in front of you.

hide



Mae West[5] (1892–1980) was an American actress and dramatist. She made her name on Broadway in her own comedies Sex (1926) and Diamond Lil (1928), memorable for their spirited approach to sexual matters*, before embarking on her successful Hollywood career in the 1930s.

* Mae West is renowned for having delivered lines such as ⇒ Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me? — although the precise circumstances surrounding this quote are unclear and the premise of the joke dates as far back as the ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes (Quote Investigator).

2d Who I meant when confused about Italian/'s/ novel (3,5,2,5)

"Italian " = IT [It.[10] or it[5]; in reference to either the language or the vermouth]

This cluing might be explained in a couple of ways:
  • It.[10] is an abbreviation for Italy or Italian [language].

  • Italian[10] is another name for Italian vermouth. It[5] is a dated informal British term for Italian vermouth ⇒ he poured a gin and it.
hide



The Woman in White[7] is a mystery novel by English novelist and playwright Wilkie Collins written in 1859.

3d Mythological god // raised in Tarsus or Ephesus (4)

In Greek mythology, Eros[5] is the god of love, son of Aphrodite — the equivalent in Roman mythology being Cupid[5].

Scratching the Surface
Tarsus[7] is an ancient city in southern Turkey, the capital of Cilicia and the birthplace of St Paul. It is now a market town.

Ephesus[5] was an ancient Greek city on the west coast of Asia Minor, in present-day Turkey, site of the temple of Diana, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It was an important centre of early Christianity; St Paul preached there and St John is traditionally said to have lived there.

4d Understand about daughter /making one/ grow furious (3,3)

" daughter " = D [d[2]; genealogy]

5d Area with lines laid in dock, 50 // side by side (8)

" area " = A[2]

" lines " = LL [ll.[5]; in textual references ll. 648-650]

6d Mug newly married man outside in // vestry (6,4)

7dMerry individual in charge of team of rowers? (3,4,3,5)

Merry[5,10] is an informal British term meaning slightly and good-humouredly drunk ⇒ after the third beer he began to feel quite merry*.

* In Canada, someone in this state would likely be described as feeling happy.

One over the eight[5] is an informal British expression meaning one drink too many*.

* When I reviewed this puzzle on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, I supposed the expression "one over the eight" related to a Breathalyzer reading of 0.08 (as you may infer from the illustration I chose). However, that seems not to be the case, as it probably comes from the assumption that the average person can drink eight pints of beer without getting drunk.

The setter has seemingly re-imagined the expression to mean someone who has consumed more than eight pints.

The clue also alludes to eight[5] as the crew of an eight-oared rowing boat.

8d Island, // source of cough syrup in original form (6)

Cyprus[5] is an island lying in the eastern Mediterranean about 80 km (50 miles) south of the Turkish coast. (show more )

A Greek colony in ancient times, Cyprus was held by the Turks from 1571 until 1878, when it was placed under British administration. After virtual civil war between the Greek Cypriots (some of whom favour enosis or union with Greece) and the Turkish Cypriots, Cyprus became an independent Commonwealth republic in 1960. In 1974 Turkish forces took over the northern part of the island, which proclaimed itself the independent Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 1983 but has not received international recognition. The Greek Cypriot–controlled Republic of Cyprus joined the EU in May 2004.

hide

13d Partner // improved on fifty per cent (6,4)

16d Strong wind that's got up breaks safety device /in/ body of plane (8)

17dFriendly foreign correspondent, perhaps (3,3)

19d Greek cast in series /causes/ annoyance (7)

Gr.[2] is the abbreviation for Greek.

20d Complain tearfully /as/ name appears in jeans upside-down (6)

" name " = N [n or n.[1]]

23d Clerical dignitary heading off // soon (4)

A canon[2] is a member of the clergy* attached to a cathedral.

* in rank, below a dean


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: 

  [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