Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29847 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, December 1, 2021 | |
Setter
Jay (Jeremy Mutch) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29847]
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Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
2Kiwis | |
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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Introduction
Pretty typical Jay fare today—challenging enough to give the brain a good workout without being totally exhausting.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 | Sort of programme // producing a comedy turn? (11) |
Scratching the Surface
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Turn[5] can mean either:
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| 9a | Look serious about good spring // that produces life in pond (9) |
" good " = G [g or g.[1]; a grade of numismatic coin perhaps]
| 10a | Book detective /showing/ bite for the most part (5) |
Inspector Endeavour Morse[7] is a fictional character in the eponymous series of detective novels by British author Colin Dexter (1930–2017), as well as the 33-episode British television drama series Inspector Morse[7] produced between 1987 and 2000. Morse is a senior CID (Criminal Investigation Department) officer with the Thames Valley Police force in Oxford, England.
| 11a | Drop off family // item used at table (6) |
| 12a | Son in failing action on women's // panel (8) |
" son " = S [s[5]; in genealogies]
" women's " = W[2] [on clothing labels]
Alternatively , the clue could parsed as:
Son in failing action on women/'s/ panel (8)
where " women " = W[2] [marking on a public toilet, perhaps]
| 13a | Photograph // held back by police if lesions? (6) |
| 15a | Spotted // dress, oddly, and wept (8) |
Descry[5] (past descried) is a literary term meaning to catch sight of ⇒
the painting shows the survivors on the raft descrying a ship barely visible on the horizon.
| 18a | Calling on Conservative // behaving very humbly (8) |
Here and There
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Ring[5] (present participle ringing) is an informal—more or less British—term for:
I'll give you a ring) than as a verb ( I'll ring you). (show more ) |
" Conservative " = C[5] [member of a British political party]
| 19a | Ditch /or/ river full of fish? Quite the contrary (6) |
" river " = R [R or R.[2]; on maps]
The tench[5] is a European freshwater fish of the carp family, popular with anglers and widely introduced elsewhere.
Contrarian Convention
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| 21a | Elderly Russian/'s/ bleat about President Kennedy initially (8) |
The reference here could relate to either of two American presidents—George Bush or his son, George W. Bush (show more ).
George Bush[5] is an American Republican statesman, 41st President of the US 1989–93; full name George Herbert Walker Bush. He negotiated further arms reductions with the Soviet Union and organized international action to expel the Iraqis from Kuwait in 1990.
George W. Bush[5] is an American Republican statesman, 43rd President of the US 2001–09; full name George Walker Bush. He is the son of George Bush. One of his first acts as President was to launch a ‘War on Terror’ against the Taliban regime in Afghanistan following the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon; he also ordered the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, maintaining that Saddam Hussein was developing chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons.
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George Bush[5] is an American Republican statesman, 41st President of the US 1989–93; full name George Herbert Walker Bush. He negotiated further arms reductions with the Soviet Union and organized international action to expel the Iraqis from Kuwait in 1990.
George W. Bush[5] is an American Republican statesman, 43rd President of the US 2001–09; full name George Walker Bush. He is the son of George Bush. One of his first acts as President was to launch a ‘War on Terror’ against the Taliban regime in Afghanistan following the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon; he also ordered the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, maintaining that Saddam Hussein was developing chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons.
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Babushka[5] is a Russian term for an old woman or grandmother.
Scratching the Surface
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John F. Kennedy[5] (1917–1963) was a
US Democratic statesman, 35th president of the US 1961–3. (show more )
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (known as JFK), the youngest man ever to be elected US president (at 43), was a popular advocate of civil rights. In foreign affairs he recovered from the Bay of Pigs fiasco to demand successfully the withdrawal of Soviet missiles from Cuba (the Cuban Missile Crisis). Kennedy was assassinated while riding in a motorcade through Dallas, Texas. hide |
| 23a | Agree /to see/ hospital dept on a case of sinusitis (6) |
"hospital dept " = ENT
| 26a | A way to incorporate business // course (5) |
Ascot Racecourse[7] is a British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. One of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, the course enjoys close associations with the British Royal Family, being approximately six miles from Windsor Castle.
| 27a | Flyer // parking free in great convertible (9) |
| 28a | Hell -- /could be/ clear the girl's promise crosses line (11) |
" line " = L [l.[5]; in textual references ⇒
l. 648]
Down
| 1d | Fixes // penalties underpinning limits of divergence (7) |
| 2d | Condition /experienced by/ just over half of casino workers? (5) |
| 3d | Doubt // Mike is generous (9) |
" Mike " = M[5] [NATO Phonetic Alphabet[7]]
| 4d | Patriarch /showing/ evident lack of surprise? (4) |
From the Bible, Noah[5] was a Hebrew patriarch represented as tenth in descent from Adam. According to the biblical account (Genesis 6–8) he made the ark which saved his family and specimens of every animal from the Flood.
| 5d | Made tough // new deal under queen (8) |
Anne[7] (1665–1714) was Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland from 1702 to
1707 and Queen of Great
Britain and Ireland from 1707 until her death. (show more )
She became Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Acts of Union, two of her realms, the kingdoms of England and Scotland, united as a single sovereign state, the United Kingdom of Great Britain. She continued to reign as Queen of Great Britain and Ireland until her death.
Anne was plagued by ill health throughout her life, and from her thirties, she grew increasingly ill and obese. Despite seventeen pregnancies she died without surviving issue and was the last monarch of the House of Stuart.
hide
She became Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Acts of Union, two of her realms, the kingdoms of England and Scotland, united as a single sovereign state, the United Kingdom of Great Britain. She continued to reign as Queen of Great Britain and Ireland until her death.
Anne was plagued by ill health throughout her life, and from her thirties, she grew increasingly ill and obese. Despite seventeen pregnancies she died without surviving issue and was the last monarch of the House of Stuart.
hide
| 6d | State /needing/ sycophants with no end of eagerness (5) |
Yemen[5] is a country in the south and south-west of the Arabian peninsula. (show more )
An Islamic country since the mid 7th century, Yemen was part of the Ottoman Empire from the 16th century. It came under increasing British influence in the 19th century, and the port of Aden was developed as a British military base. After the Second World War civil war between royalist and republican forces ended with British withdrawal and the partition of the country (1967). South Yemen declared itself independent as the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, the North becoming the Yemen Arab Republic. In 1990 the countries reunited to form the Republic of Yemen; in 1994 the South briefly seceded but was defeated in a short civil war.
hide
An Islamic country since the mid 7th century, Yemen was part of the Ottoman Empire from the 16th century. It came under increasing British influence in the 19th century, and the port of Aden was developed as a British military base. After the Second World War civil war between royalist and republican forces ended with British withdrawal and the partition of the country (1967). South Yemen declared itself independent as the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, the North becoming the Yemen Arab Republic. In 1990 the countries reunited to form the Republic of Yemen; in 1994 the South briefly seceded but was defeated in a short civil war.
hide
| 7d | Made a fuss /and/ responded, promoting head of chambers (7) |
| 8d | Lie about Republican /producing/ conflict (8) |
" Republican " = R[5] [member or supporter of the US Republican Party]
| 14d | Relaxed // youth should keep one stern (4,4) |
| 16d | County's team /must see/ requirement for bottle? (9) |
Cork[5,7] is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland, a port on the River Lee located in the south-west of Ireland, in the province of Munster. Cork Harbour is one of the largest natural harbours in the world.
| 17d | State of turmoil /may see/ king wearing fancy panties (5-3) |
" king " = K[5] [playing card or chess piece]
| 18d | Leaves // a couple of books impounded? (7) |
" book " = B [b or b.[1]; likely in textual references]
One must interpret "impounded" as meaning 'in (a) cage'.
| 20d | Match needs this from striker -- an impetuous type! (7) |
Scratching the Surface
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| As the 2Kiwis insinuate in their review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, the surface reading has a cricket context. in which "match" denotes a soccer game and striker[10]
is an informal term for
an attacking player, especially one who generally positions himself or herself near the opponent's goal in the hope of scoring. Rather, the New Zealand bloggers suggest, ‘Lucifers’ or ‘vestas’ are involved. Lucifer[5,10] is an archaic name for a friction match, originally a trade name for a match manufactured in England in the 19th century. Vesta[4,11] is a British term for a short friction match, usually of wood. Origin: Named after Vesta[4], the Roman goddess of the hearth and its fire. In her temple a perpetual flame was tended by the vestal virgins. |
| 22d | Attack // head of secondary school (3,2) |
"school " = 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.
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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
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| 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. |
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What did they say?
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In their review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, the 2Kiwis refer to the educational institution asToff[5] is a derogatory, informal British term for a rich or upper-class person.the world’s most famous toff school |
| 24d | Duck // (down under it as cover) (5) |
The eider[5,10] (also eider duck) is a northern sea duck, of which the male is mainly black-and-white with a coloured head, and the female brown. The female is the source of eiderdown.
Eiderdown[5] is a British term for a quilt filled with down (originally from the eider) or some other soft material.
The wordplay tells us that placing the word "down" after (under in a down clue) the solution (eider) gives us the name of a bedcover.
| 25d | Couple caught out // Bank of Scotland (4) |
"caught " = C [cricket notation]
Brae[5] is Scottish for a steep bank or hillside.
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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