Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29844 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Saturday, November 27, 2021 | |
Setter
chalicea (Shirley Curran) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29844 – Hints]Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29844 – Review] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Tilsit (Hints)crypticsue (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
On Big Dave's Crossword Blog, the comments seem to split between those who found the puzzle exceptionally easy and those who found it decidedly difficult. For me, the puzzle was somewhat more challenging than the one star rating accorded it by crypticsue in her review there.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 | Father had potato cooked // immediately (2,3,4,2,1,3) |
| 8a | Pack maybe // last bit of mango into pastry dish (5) |
| 9a | Regularly affable leader of crew on line, // working with birds (8) |
Well, I'm pleased to say this one went straight in.
" line " = RY [Ry[1]; railway]
| 11a | Marauders; // horsemen surrounding area (7) |
" area " = A[2]
| 12a | Not completely comprehend every // cry expressing derision (7) |
| 13a | Bright display /in/ British lounge (5) |
" British " = B [B or B.[1]]
| 15a | Daughter going into revamped classier // data storage system (5,4) |
" daughter " = D [d[2]; genealogy]
A laser disc[2] is a play-only disc on which analogue video and digital audio material is recorded as a series of microscopic pits readable only by laser beam.
| 17a | Plucks trimmed, variable, oddly drippy stuff primarily /from/ these bran tubs (5,4) |
Lucky dip[2,10] is a British term for a game in which participants (typically children) are given a chance to rummage around in a tub or container full of shredded paper, sawdust, [or, as today, bran,] etc. in which prizes have been hidden, and to draw out a prize at random. The name also denotes the the tub or container in which this goes on and, additionally, has come to be an informal term for any undertaking of uncertain outcome.
| 20a | Crumbly cheese/'s/ matte finish partly making a comeback (5) |
Fetta[1,2] is a variant spelling* of feta[5], a white salty Greek cheese made from the milk of ewes or goats.
* and one I found only in The Chambers Dictionary and Chambers 21st Century Dictionary
| 21a | Announce // cut in tense film (7) |
" tense " = T [t or t.[1]; grammar term]
"film " = ET [E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial]
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial[7] (often referred to simply as E.T.) is a 1982 American science fiction film co-produced and directed by Steven Spielberg. It tells the story of a lonely boy who befriends an extraterrestrial, dubbed "E.T.", who is stranded on Earth. He and his siblings help the extraterrestrial return home while attempting to keep it hidden from their mother and the government.
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E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial[7] (often referred to simply as E.T.) is a 1982 American science fiction film co-produced and directed by Steven Spielberg. It tells the story of a lonely boy who befriends an extraterrestrial, dubbed "E.T.", who is stranded on Earth. He and his siblings help the extraterrestrial return home while attempting to keep it hidden from their mother and the government.
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| 23a | Display resistance then help // strike (3-4) |
" resistance " = R[2] [electrical resistance, symbol used in physics]
| 25a | Spooner's at large -- trek /to find/ amphibian! (4,4) |
Trog[5] is an informal British term meaning to walk heavily or laboriously; in other words, trudge.
| 26a | Perfect // plan pursued by student (5) |
"student " = 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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| 27a | Stupidly had a ham arms race -- // somewhat dippy! (3,2,1,5,4) |
Down
| 1d | Mutableness /of/ shifting bilaterality (12) |
| 2d | Is rubbish turning up /in/ trunks? (5) |
Rubbish[3,4,11] and rot[3,4,11] are used in the sense of nonsense (foolish or pointless writing or speech).
| 3d | Seriously // stumbling experimentally; not terribly plain (9) |
| 4d | Commotion mostly in genuine // rejection (7) |
| 5d | Showy sites of entertainment /in/ buildings around America (7) |
" America " = A[1]
Palace[5] is used in the informal sense of a large, splendid house or place of entertainment.
| 6d | Change of direction in organised political group /produces/ unfriendliness (5) |
| 7d | Collect short book on very famous // plant expert (9) |
" book " = B [b or b.[1]; likely in textual references]
The term A-list[5] denotes a real or imaginary list of the most celebrated or sought-after individuals, especially in show business ⇒ [as modifier]
an A-list celebrity.
| 10d | Severely bruised // group accepting deficiency; subsequently dismal (5,3,4) |
| 14d | Equipped /and/ cued actor to dance (9) |
| 16d | Brighten up; // umpire essentially excuses run blunder (9) |
"run " = R [cricket notation]
Bish[5] is a dated, informal British term for a mistake or blunder.
| 18d | Bury that chap (not husband) /in/ time between events (7) |
" husband " = H [h[2] ; genealogy]
| 19d | Brag noisily /of/ small bet involving golf (7) |
" small " = S[5] [clothing size]
" golf " = G[5] [NATO Phonetic Alphabet[7]]
| 22d | Requisition // newspapers (5) |
Excerpt from The Chambers Dictionary:
press2 transitive verb to carry off and force into service, especially in the navy (historical); to requisition, commandeer; ...
| 24d | Region circling new // sphere of action (5) |
" new " = N[5] [in place names on maps]
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
It may have taken five days, but I finally finished my first puzzle of this ilk, at least, I filled in the grid correctly. I did have to check a few things like does "bish" mean "blunder" and is "L" a student, all new learning bits. I really enjoyed this puzzle -
ReplyDeletenot just because it was my first completion - I have been trying "one star difficulty" for a while now with limited success - but because of its rhythmic balance regarding placement in the grid: 1a and 27a as an example; the sounds in 12a and 21a; the connection of 11a and 23a; the L-D from 15a and 17a. I found it all very satisfying. Favourites were 21a and 3d and LOI was 6d. Thanks, as ever, for posting, Falcon.
Best, Heather