Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29874 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, January 3, 2022 | |
Setter
Campbell (Allan Scott) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29874]
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Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Falcon | |
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
Today's puzzle follows on the heel's of yesterday's in providing a very gentle mental workout.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 | A note describing scoundrel /in/ gallery (6) |
"note " = RE [in tonic sol-fa, the second note of a major scale]
In tonic sol-fa notation, re* is the US or a variant British spelling* of the second note of a major scale.
* The only recognized spelling in American Dictionaries is re[3,6,11,12,15] while most British dictionaries show re[2,4,5,10] as a variant spelling of ray[2,4,5,10]. The Chambers Dictionary takes a different approach, showing the spelling as "re (also anglicized in spelling as ray)".
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In tonic sol-fa notation, re* is the US or a variant British spelling* of the second note of a major scale.
* The only recognized spelling in American Dictionaries is re[3,6,11,12,15] while most British dictionaries show re[2,4,5,10] as a variant spelling of ray[2,4,5,10]. The Chambers Dictionary takes a different approach, showing the spelling as "re (also anglicized in spelling as ray)".
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The word ''describing" is used as a containment indicator. (show more )
The use of the word "describe(s)" (or variations thereof such as "describing" or "described by") as either a containment indicator or a hidden word indicator is a common cryptic crossword device which relies on describe[1,2,12] being used in the sense of to trace out or delineate [in other words, form a boundary around] ⇒
* Although, to be precise, it is the tracks left by the skaters' blades that describe the circles.
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The use of the word "describe(s)" (or variations thereof such as "describing" or "described by") as either a containment indicator or a hidden word indicator is a common cryptic crossword device which relies on describe[1,2,12] being used in the sense of to trace out or delineate [in other words, form a boundary around] ⇒
skaters describing circles on the ice*.
* Although, to be precise, it is the tracks left by the skaters' blades that describe the circles.
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| 4a | Film // celebrities fighting inside (4,4) |
Star Wars[7] (retroactively titled Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope) is a 1977 American epic space-opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the first film in the Star Wars film series and fourth chronological chapter of the "Skywalker Saga".
| 10a | One's financial dealings may generate a lot of interest (4,5) |
| 11a | Pounds get paid // to master (5) |
"pounds " = L [British monetary unit]
The pound[5] (also pound sterling) is the basic monetary unit of the UK, equal to 100 pence. While the symbol for pound is £, it is often written as L[10].
The Chambers Dictionary defines the upper case L[1] as the abbreviation for pound sterling (usually written £) and the lower case l[1] as the abbreviation for pound weight (usually written lb) — both deriving from the Latin word libra* .
* In ancient Rome, the libra[5] was a unit of weight, equivalent to 12 ounces (0.34 kg). It was the forerunner of the pound.
hide
The pound[5] (also pound sterling) is the basic monetary unit of the UK, equal to 100 pence. While the symbol for pound is £, it is often written as L[10].
The Chambers Dictionary defines the upper case L[1] as the abbreviation for pound sterling (usually written £) and the lower case l[1] as the abbreviation for pound weight (usually written lb) — both deriving from the Latin word libra* .
* In ancient Rome, the libra[5] was a unit of weight, equivalent to 12 ounces (0.34 kg). It was the forerunner of the pound.
hide
| 12a | Italian quietly breaking in to steal // carp (3-4) |
Nick[5] is an informal British term meaning to steal ⇒
he'd had his car nicked by joyriders.
| 13a | Shorten // a connection (7) |
| 14a | Miss mostly seen round copper/'s/ place (5) |
The symbol for the chemical element copper is Cu[5] (from late Latin cuprum).
| 15a | Challenging // former deputy (8) |
| 18a | At home, after round, /gets/ news update (8) |
| 20a | Black /and/ yellow cape initially missing (5) |
| 23a | Tourist // centre in Dover -- is riot developing? (7) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Dover[5] is a ferry port in Kent, England, on the coast of the English Channel. It is mainland Britain’s nearest point to the Continent, being only 35 km (22 miles) from Calais, France. |
| 25a | Leave // leader of force (4,3) |
" force " = F[5] [symbol used in physics]
| 26a | Cash // immediately available (5) |
Ready[5,10] is an informal British term for ready money[5,10], funds for immediate use or, in other words, available money or cash ⇒
Because I haven't got the readies to hand, I could offer a pittance now and promise to pay the rest at a date more to my convenience.
Variant terms: Ready[5,10] (also called readies) is also known as the ready[10] (also called the readies); ready money[5,10] also goes by the name ready cash.
| 27a | Waver, /and/ depart carrying infirm (9) |
| 28a | Open University about /to make/ a proposal (8) |
" university " = U [U or U.[1]]
Scratching the Surface
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| In the UK, the Open University[5] (abbreviation OU[5]) is a university that teaches mainly by broadcasting, correspondence, and summer schools, and is open to those without formal academic qualifications. |
| 29a | Discontent /shown by/ a Parisian ahead of all others (6) |
"a Parisian " = UN
Down
| 1d | Exhausted -- everybody, // on the whole (3,2,3) |
| 2d | Confused // talk about duck I caught (7) |
"duck " = O [cricket term]
In cricket, a duck[5] (short for duck's egg) is a batsman’s score of nought [zero] ⇒
In British puzzles, "duck" is used to indicate the letter "O" based on the resemblance of the digit "0" to this letter.
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In cricket, a duck[5] (short for duck's egg) is a batsman’s score of nought [zero] ⇒
he was out for a duck. This is similar to the North American expression goose egg[5] meaning a zero score in a game.
In British puzzles, "duck" is used to indicate the letter "O" based on the resemblance of the digit "0" to this letter.
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"caught " = C [cricket notation]
| 3d | Notice // small young lady wearing ring (9) |
" small " = S[5] [clothing size]
Here and There
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Ring[5] 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 ) |
| 5d | Defer // to appropriate article on wet weather study (4,1,9) |
| 6d | Measure // head (5) |
| 7d | A gang working /in/ desert (7) |
| 8d | Boy, ten, turned up // poem (6) |
| 9d | One giving tips cabbies perhaps don't want? (4-4,6) |
| 16d | Jack, boy in // waterproof stuff (9) |
The entry for jack in The Chambers Dictionary would fill a page if it were not spread over parts of two pages. Among the definitions, one finds jack[1] defined as (often with capital) a sailor.
Tar[5] is an informal, dated nickname for a sailor. The term came into use in the mid 17th century and is perhaps an abbreviation of tarpaulin, also used as a nickname for a sailor at that time.
| 17d | Popular result, // actually (2,6) |
| 19d | Steal the show // winning leg (7) |
| 21d | Break // old stringed instrument at end of performance (7) |
A viol[5] is a musical instrument of the Renaissance and baroque periods, typically six-stringed, held vertically and played with a bow.
| 22d | Very much // found among believers (orthodox) (4,2) |
| 24d | Rendezvous /in/ street following experiment (5) |
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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