Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29877 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, January 6, 2022 | |
Setter
RayT (Ray Terrell) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29877]
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Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Stephen L
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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
This puzzle from RayT took a bit of concentration to complete. I'm not sure it's really fair to classify one of my answers as incorrect as it does seem to satisfy all the necessary requirements—fitting the wordplay, checking letters and definition.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 | Liverpudlian /in/ pickle about clubs (6) |
Scouse[5,10] is an informal British term meaning relating to Liverpool; in other words, Liverpudlian ⇒
a Scouse accent.
Origin and related terms: The name derives from scouse (short for lobscouse[5]), a stew, formerly eaten by sailors, consisting of meat, vegetables, and ship's biscuit. A person who lives in or comes from Liverpool is informally known as a Scouse or a Scouser[5]. Moreover, Scouse denotes the dialect or accent of people from Liverpool ⇒
the man spoke to him in Scouse.
Souse[2] means to pickle.
" clubs " = C[1] [card suit]
| 4a | Advances /and/ returns (8) |
| 9a | God // over Lord exists (6) |
Questionable Equivalence?
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RayT uses "Lord" to clue SIR which—to me—seems questionable, at best. I see this also raised a red flag for Stephen L who writes in his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog not sure this equates to a Lord. A lord[5] is a nobleman*. Specifically, Lord is a title given formally to a baron, and less formally to a marquess, earl, or viscount (prefixed to a family or territorial name). * The nobility in Britain or Ireland (whose members are known as peers[5]) comprises the ranks of duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron. Sir[5] is used as a title before the forename of a knight or baronet. Knights and baronets are commoners and not nobles. However, apart from Stephen L's comment cited above, this matter appears to have generated no discussion on Big Dave's Crossword Blog. |
In Egyptian mythology, Osiris[5] is a god originally connected with fertility, husband of Isis and father of Horus. He is known chiefly through the story of his death at the hands of his brother Seth and his subsequent restoration to a new life as ruler of the afterlife.
| 10a | Stoop to embrace small Queen // producer (8) |
" small " = S[5] [clothing size]
"Queen " = 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.
hide
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.
hide
| 12a | Declining // fast holding unfinished testament (8) |
| 13a | Concerned with young woman /getting/ careless (6) |
| 15a | Stroppy // vegetarian with tum rumbling (13) |
Stroppy[5] is an informal British term meaning bad-tempered and argumentative ⇒
Patricia was getting stroppy.
| 18a | One's attractive // sweetheart abysmal to calmer gent (13) |
" sweetheart " = E ['heart' of swEet]
| 22a | Catch // reprimand on hospital department (6) |
"hospital department " = ENT
| 24a | Twisting a wire, it's /for/ climber (8) |
Wisteria[5] (also wistaria) is a climbing shrub of the pea family, with hanging clusters of fragrant flowers, typically pale bluish-lilac in colour. Native to eastern Asia and North America, ornamental varieties are widely grown on walls and pergolas.
| 26a | One with a will? // Try a mountain! (8) |
"mountain " = TOR (although "mountain" may be a bit of an exaggeration for this feature)
A tor[7] is a large, free-standing rock outcrop that rises abruptly from the surrounding smooth and gentle slopes of a rounded hill summit or ridge crest. In the South West of England, the term is commonly also used for the hills themselves – particularly the high points of Dartmoor in Devon and Bodmin Moor in Cornwall.
hide
A tor[7] is a large, free-standing rock outcrop that rises abruptly from the surrounding smooth and gentle slopes of a rounded hill summit or ridge crest. In the South West of England, the term is commonly also used for the hills themselves – particularly the high points of Dartmoor in Devon and Bodmin Moor in Cornwall.
hide
| 27a | Sailor posted // missing (6) |
"sailor " = AB [able seaman]
In the Royal Navy, according to Lexico (Oxford Dictionary of English), able seaman[5] (abbreviation AB[5]), is a rank of sailor above ordinary seaman and below leading seaman. On the other hand, Collins English Dictionary tells us that an able seaman[10] (also called) is an ordinary seaman, especially one in the merchant navy, who has been trained in certain skills.
hide
In the Royal Navy, according to Lexico (Oxford Dictionary of English), able seaman[5] (abbreviation AB[5]), is a rank of sailor above ordinary seaman and below leading seaman. On the other hand, Collins English Dictionary tells us that an able seaman[10] (also called) is an ordinary seaman, especially one in the merchant navy, who has been trained in certain skills.
hide
| 28a | Miss follows record // release (8) |
Post Mortem
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| Using the miss from 13a gave me DISCLASS which I was surprised to discover is not only a word but could also be considered to be a synonym for "release". Disclass[5] means to to remove from a class; especially to remove (a person) from his or her original social class. Now also: to undo the classification of (a ship); to declassify. I don't see any evidence on Big Dave's Crossword Blog of other's having fallen into this obscure trap. |
| 29a | Hamlet, terrific keeping in // character (6) |
Scratching the Surface
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Hamlet is the title character of Hamlet[7] (in full The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark), a tragedy written by William Shakespeare at an uncertain date
between 1599 and 1602. (show more )
Set in Denmark, the play dramatises the revenge Prince Hamlet is called to wreak upon his uncle, Claudius, by the ghost of Hamlet's father, King Hamlet. Claudius had murdered his own brother and seized the throne, also marrying his deceased brother's widow. hide |
Down
| 1d | Drinks purchasing right // drinks (6) |
On both sides of the pond, a shot[5] is a small drink of spirits ⇒
he took a shot of whisky.
Short[5] (noun) is a British term for a drink of spirits served in a small measure* or, as Collins English Dictionary puts it, a short[10] is a drink of spirits as opposed to a long drink such as beer.
| 2d | Issue /of/ old judge swallowing one drink (9) |
" old " = O[12] [linguistics;
OFr(Old French),
OE(Old English)]
| 3d | Below decks, finally, sick // at sea (7) |
| 5d | Regrets // using trick for the audience (4) |
| 6d | Dream occasionally after Ring // fantasy (7) |
A chimera[5] (also chimaera) is a thing that is hoped or wished for but in fact is illusory or impossible to achieve ⇒
the economic sovereignty you claim to defend is a chimera.
Origin: In Greek mythology, the chimera[7] (also chimaera) is a fire-breathing female monster usually depicted as a lion, with the head of a goat protruding from its back, and a tail that might end with a snake's head.
Scratching the Surface
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| One might take the surface reading to be a reference to The Lord of the Rings[7], the epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Another—and perhaps more appropriate—interpretation is as an allusion to Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), a cycle of four German-language epic music dramas composed by Richard Wagner. The works are based loosely on characters from Germanic heroic legend, namely Norse legendary sagas and the Nibelungenlied. It is often referred to as the Ring cycle, Wagner's Ring, or simply The Ring. |
| 7d | Sarkozy's expression of boredom? (5) |
A cryptic definition of a French word that has been adopted into English.
Nicolas Sarkozy is a French statesman who was president 2007–2012.
The French word for 'boredom' is ennui[8].
| 8d | Upside-down cakes perhaps // on edge (8) |
| 11d | Treatment for bad state of shock? (7) |
A shock[5] is an unkempt or thick mass of hair ⇒
a man with a shock of ginger hair.
| 14d | People // presently accepting hospital (7) |
| 16d | Bury extreme group /making/ cross (9) |
| 17d | Envied /being/ excited in tall grass (8) |
| 19d | Labour // shadow clinches a victory (7) |
Scratching the Surface
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The Labour Party[5] is a left-of-centre political party in Britain. (show more )
The party was formed to represent the interests of ordinary working people that since the Second World War has been in power 1945–51, 1964–70, 1974-9, and 1997–2010. Arising from the trade union movement at the end of the 19th century, it replaced the Liberals as the country’s second party after the First World War. hide Shadow[5] (usually as a modifier) is a British term* for the opposition counterpart of a government minister or ministry ⇒ the shadow Chancellor**. * The term 'shadow' is used sparingly in Canada. A member of the 'Shadow Cabinet" is far more likely to be referred to as an opposition critic. Wikipedia says with regard to the situation in Canada, "Members of the official opposition [shadow cabinet][7] are generally referred to as opposition critics, but the term Shadow Minister (which is generally used in other Westminster systems) is also used." ** The Chancellor of the Exchequer[5] (Chancellor[5] for short) is the chief finance minister of the United Kingdom, who prepares the nation’s annual budgets—a counterpart to the Minister of Finance in Canada or the Secretary of the Treasury in the US. |
| 20d | Celebrity /is/ generous welcoming cheers (7) |
Cheers[5] is an informal British expression of gratitude or acknowledgement for something ⇒
Billy tossed him the key. ‘Cheers, pal.’.
Ta[5] is an informal British exclamation signifying thank you ⇒
‘Ta,’ said Willie gratefully.
| 21d | Bird /is/ engrossed over rook (6) |
The cricket over from 9a returns for an encore.
"rook " = R [chess piece]
R[5] is an abbreviation for rook that is used in recording moves in chess.
A rook[5] (also known by the informal, old-fashioned term castle*[5]) is a chess piece, typically with its top in the shape of a battlement, that can move (if not obstructed by another chess piece or pawn) any number of spaces in any direction along a rank or file on which it stands. Each player starts the game with two rooks at opposite ends of the first rank.
* It is apparent from numerous comments on Big Dave's Crossword Blog over the years that chess purists hold that the proper name for this piece is a rook and that under no circumstances whatsoever is it ever to be referred to as a castle. Furthermore, they take great umbrage should those of us less attuned to the niceties of the "game of kings" happen to commit this cardinal sin.
hide
R[5] is an abbreviation for rook that is used in recording moves in chess.
A rook[5] (also known by the informal, old-fashioned term castle*[5]) is a chess piece, typically with its top in the shape of a battlement, that can move (if not obstructed by another chess piece or pawn) any number of spaces in any direction along a rank or file on which it stands. Each player starts the game with two rooks at opposite ends of the first rank.
* It is apparent from numerous comments on Big Dave's Crossword Blog over the years that chess purists hold that the proper name for this piece is a rook and that under no circumstances whatsoever is it ever to be referred to as a castle. Furthermore, they take great umbrage should those of us less attuned to the niceties of the "game of kings" happen to commit this cardinal sin.
hide
| 23d | Jobs // questions following Tories' leader (5) |
| 25d | Criminals // collared opening night safe initially (4) |
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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