Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29848 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, December 2, 2021 | |
Setter
NY Doorknob aka Donnybrook (Paul Bringloe) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29848]
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Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Miffypops | |
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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* The BD Rating may have little significance as Miffypops has often stated that he never changes it from its default value (***/***). In cases where the BD Rating on his reviews is other than the default value, it has likely been set by someone else.
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Introduction
Today, a puzzle from NY Doorknob (aka Donnybrook) appears in the slot normally occupied by a Giovanni creation.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 | Distances travelled over two days /in/ former time (6,4) |
| 6a | Impressive // eastern prince seen regularly (4) |
| 10a | Animal ultimately out /for/ synagogue official (5) |
| 11a | Vegetable // all right in acre hit disastrously (9) |
| 12a | Fruit // to put round sort of cake (7) |
| 13a | Brazilian city as far as we're concerned // ungovernable (7) |
Rio de Janeiro[5] [commonly known as Rio] is a city in eastern Brazil, on the Atlantic coast. The chief port of Brazil, it was the country’s capital from 1763 until 1960, when it was replaced by Brasilia.
| 14a | Complaint // that feels too contrived? (8,4) |
| 18a | Fatter, out of shape, nevertheless tucking in? /Here's/ further idea (12) |
| 21a | Hide // ecstasy in panic (7) |
"ecstasy " = E [the illicit drug Ecstasy]
E[5] is an abbreviation for the drug Ecstasy* or a tablet of Ecstasy ⇒ (i)
* Ecstasy[5] is an illegal amphetamine-based synthetic drug with euphoric effects, originally produced as an appetite suppressant. Also called MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine).
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E[5] is an abbreviation for the drug Ecstasy* or a tablet of Ecstasy ⇒ (i)
people have died after taking E; (ii)
being busted with three Es can lead to stiff penalties.
* Ecstasy[5] is an illegal amphetamine-based synthetic drug with euphoric effects, originally produced as an appetite suppressant. Also called MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine).
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| 23a | One getting into remixed Bush LP // issue (7) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Kate Bush[7] is an English singer, songwriter, musician, dancer and record producer. |
| 24a | Prisoner released by nobleman not a // violent drunk? (5,4) |
Lag[5] is an informal British term for a person who has been frequently convicted and sent to prison ⇒
both old lags were sentenced to ten years' imprisonment.
An earl[5] is a British nobleman ranking* above a viscount and below a marquess.
* the third highest of the five ranks of British nobility — duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron
Lager lout[5] is an informal British term for a young man who behaves in an unpleasant or violent way as a result of excessive drinking ⇒
police said he acted like a lager lout and hit an officer.
| 25a | One German artist back /for/ Schwarzenegger? (5) |
"one German " = EIN
Arnold Schwarzenegger[7] (informally known as Arnie) is an Austrian-American actor, film producer, businessman, former bodybuilder and politician who served as the 38th governor of California between 2003 and 2011.
| 26a | Aviator at last seen in barrel // roll (4) |
| 27a | Expert contracted to provide cover // had issue (10) |
Issue[5] is a legal term denoting children of one's own ⇒
the earl died without male issue.
Down
| 1d | Virtues /displayed by/ monarch in swirling mist (6) |
"monarch " = ER[5] [regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth]
The regnal ciphers (monograms) of British monarchs are initials formed from the Latin version of their first name followed by either Rex or Regina (Latin for king or queen, respectively). Thus, the regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth is ER[5]—from the Latin Elizabetha Regina.
* A cipher[5] (also spelled cypher) is a monogram[5] or motif of two or more interwoven letters, typically a person's initials, used to identify a personal possession or as a logo.
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The regnal ciphers (monograms) of British monarchs are initials formed from the Latin version of their first name followed by either Rex or Regina (Latin for king or queen, respectively). Thus, the regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth is ER[5]—from the Latin Elizabetha Regina.
* A cipher[5] (also spelled cypher) is a monogram[5] or motif of two or more interwoven letters, typically a person's initials, used to identify a personal possession or as a logo.
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| 2d | Edges of double bed // cut down to size (6) |
| 3d | County // site here with relics abandoned (14) |
| 4d | Greeting Scottish banker and a rising // religious leader (9) |
Hallo is a variant spelling of hello[5].
Banker is used here as a whimsical Crosswordland term for a river — something that has banks. After all, if a tanker is something that has tanks then does it not logically follow that a banker must be something that has banks.
The Tay[5] is the longest river in Scotland, flowing 192 km (120 miles) eastwards through Loch Tay, entering the North Sea through the Firth of Tay.
An ayatollah[5] is a high-ranking religious leader among Shiite Muslims, especially in Iran.
| 5d | Compound // fracture reset (5) |
In chemistry, an ester[5] is an organic compound made by replacing the hydrogen of an acid by an alkyl or other organic group. Many naturally occurring fats and essential oils are esters of fatty acids.
| 7d | Endlessly support excessively distant // diplomatic code? (8) |
| 8d | Shield of wood // old so kept in historic island (8) |
" old " = O[12] [linguistics;
OFr(Old French),
OE(Old English)]
Crete[5] is a Greek island in the eastern Mediterranean noted for the remains of the Minoan civilization which flourished there in the 2nd millennium BC. (show more ).
Crete fell to Rome in 67 BC and was subsequently ruled by Byzantines, Venetians, and Turks. The island played an important role in the Greek struggle for independence from the Turks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, becoming administratively part of an independent Greece in 1913.
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Crete fell to Rome in 67 BC and was subsequently ruled by Byzantines, Venetians, and Turks. The island played an important role in the Greek struggle for independence from the Turks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, becoming administratively part of an independent Greece in 1913.
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| 9d | How one might face Grandmaster /or/ General? (6-3-5) |
A grand master[5] (also grandmaster) is a chess player of the highest class, especially one who has won an international tournament.
| 15d | Musician // perhaps a boastful person? (9) |
Although Miffypops leaves it unassigned in his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, I think the word "perhaps" has to be part of one or other of the definitions. However, one could flip a coin as it could easily be part of either definition. For no good reason, I have included it with the latter definition.
| 16d | Founder // lacking sparkle after trip (4,4) |
| 17d | Way forest officer /shows/ new face (8) |
| 19d | Alfresco meal /and/ walk in park (6) |
| 20d | Clever // little rodent died (6) |
| 22d | Continental river // horse perhaps? Sounds like it (5) |
The Rhône[5] is a river in southwestern Europe which rises in the Swiss Alps and flows 812 km (505 miles), through Lake Geneva into France, then to Lyons, Avignon, and the Mediterranean west of Marseilles, where it forms a wide delta that includes the Camargue.
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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