Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29850 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Saturday, December 4, 2021 | |
Setter
Chalicea (Shirley Curran) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29850 – Hints]Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29850 – Review] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Senf (Hints)Rahmat Ali (Review) | |
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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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.
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Introduction
Typical of a Chalicea creation, this puzzle is gentle but a lot of fun.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 | Top team at a disadvantage, // in total confusion (6-4) |
"team " = SIDE
Side[5] is a British term for a sports team ⇒
* 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)
hide
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
| 6a | Questions // idiot about king (4) |
" king " = K[5] [playing card or chess piece]
| 9a | Unfinished // in short competition, allowed time finally (10) |
Comp[5] is an informal British term for a competition.
| 10a | Couch // found in contents of attic (4) |
| 12a | Manner /of/ one in workforce (4) |
| 13a | Awkward relatives /might be/ able to adapt (9) |
| 15a | Commons' terseness conceals // fiendish things (8) |
| 16a | Brief rest /in/ rocky site in outskirts of sierra (6) |
A siesta[5] (from Spanish) is an afternoon rest or nap, especially one taken during the hottest hours of the day in a hot climate.
Scratching the Surface
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| Especially in Spanish-speaking countries or the western US, sierra[5] is a term for a long jagged mountain chain. |
| 18a | After uni cut short, boy goes round old // dump (6) |
" old " = O[12] [linguistics;
OFr(Old French),
OE(Old English)]
| 20a | Muslim with Parisian is // most genial (8) |
Sunni[5] is the larger of the two main branches of Islam, which differs from Shia in its understanding of the Sunna, its conception of religious leadership, and its acceptance of the first three caliphs.
* The Sunna[5] is the traditional portion of Muslim law based on Muhammad's words or acts, accepted (together with the Koran) as authoritative by Muslims and followed particularly by Sunni Muslims.
"Parisian is " = EST
| 23a | Male opponents involved in a welcome // contract (9) |
More Than Met My Eye
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| There's more to the wordplay than I—or Senf in his hints on Big Dave's Crossword Blog—detected. Both of us construed "male opponents" as MEN. However, in his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Rahmat Ali points out that this part of the wordplay parses as M(ale) + {E(ast) + N(orth)} ([bridge] opponents). In Comment #16 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Jepi appears to have also proffered this explanation—although the attempt proved futile. |
| 24a | Curving branch /of/ circling body of water (4) |
| 26a | Ship's propeller failing to start /for/ those manning craft (4) |
A screw[5] is a ship's or aircraft's propeller (considered as acting like a screw in moving through water or air) ⇒
But steamships were improving as the screw propeller replaced the paddle wheel and iron replaced wood.
| 27a | Unusually impressive, // allowing freedom of behaviour (10) |
| 28a | Very good ultimately dry area/'s/ leguminous plant (4) |
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Upstairs Downstairs
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The expression very good (a variant of very well[5]) is used to express agreement or consent very good, sir, will that be all?. So[5] is an expression used in introducing a question ⇒ so, what did you do today?or in introducing a question following on from what was said previously ⇒ so what did he do about it?. One can certainly imagine an English butler saying Very good, sir, will that be all?, while someone a bit less refined might express this same idea as So, will that be all?. |
" area " = A[2]
| 29a | Shows // concerning gifts (10) |
Down
| 1d | Raised money used at first /for/ single item (4) |
Tin[5] is a dated informal British term for money ⇒
Kim’s only in it for the tin.
| 2d | Curiously notices // division (7) |
| 3d | Gave proof of // evil spirits, taunted principally and scolded (12) |
Rate[5] is an archaic term meaning to scold (someone) angrily ⇒
he rated the young man soundly for his want of respect.
| 4d | In a high degree supporting quality food shop // distribution (8) |
| 5d | Cautious about tea mostly // over-diluted (6) |
| 7d | Accounts /of/ southern right-wingers (7) |
| 8d | Incorporating art, working sappers /produce/ replacement components (5,5) |
Scratching the Surface
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| A sapper[5]
is a soldier responsible for tasks such as building and repairing
roads and bridges, laying and clearing mines, etc. In Britain, it is a
common term for a private soldier in the Corps of Royal Engineers. |
| 11d | Makes sense of // surprising realisations (12) |
| 14d | Vehicles to drive with patience, it's said (10) |
| 17d | Client /of/ copper oddly swears about cat (8) |
| 19d | Crime // racket now and then between two US cities (7) |
| 21d | Endless memos stir dons/'/ agitation of mind (7) |
Scratching the Surface
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| A don[10] is a member of the teaching staff at a university or college, especially at Oxford or Cambridge. |
| 22d | Lop off eel's head? /That's/ harsh! (6) |
| 25d | Favourites slowly walk up (4) |
Like Senf in his hints on Blg Dave's Crossword Blog, I initially questioned the inclusion of the word "slowly". However, after thinking about it, I realized that "to step" can mean to walk slowly and deliberately such as in crossing a section of swampy ground perhaps.
References
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
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