Tuesday, May 31, 2022

Tuesday, May 31, 2022 — DT 29904


Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29904
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, February 7, 2022
Setter
Campbell (Allan Scott)
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29904]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
pommers
BD rating
Difficulty - ★Enjoyment - ★★★★
Falcon's experience
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
███████████████████████████████████
└────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘
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

Introduction

I will admit this puzzle is on the easier end of the spectrum, but I wouldn't go so far as to give it one star for difficulty as does pommers in his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog.

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
  • "//" - marks the boundary between wordplay and definition when no link word or link phrase is present
  • "/[link word or phrase]/" - marks the boundary between wordplay and definition when a link word or link phrase is present
  • "solid underline" - precise definition
  • "dotted underline" - cryptic definition
  • "dashed underline" - wordplay
  • "wavy underline" - whimsical and inferred definitions
Click here for further explanation and usage examples of markup conventions used on this blog.

Across

1a Extremely reprehensible landlord, // one who voted for Trump? (10)

A landlord[5] is a man who keeps lodgings, a boarding house, or a pub.

Publican[5] is a British term for a person who owns or manages a pub.

What did he say?
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, pommers describes the second part of the charade as a word for the landlord of your local.
Local[5] is an informal British term for a pub convenient to a person’s home ⇒ had a pint in the local.



Donald Trump[5] is a US Republican statesman, 45th president of the US 2017–21. (show more )

He is the first US president ever to be impeached more than once, first in 2019 on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of justice, and again in 2021 for incitement of insurrection. He was the host of the reality TV programme The Apprentice, and as a real estate developer is noted for building Trump Tower (1982) in New York City.

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6a Have a wager against a // Greek character (4)

Beta[5] is the second letter of the Greek alphabet (Β, β).

9a Mandarin, // endless stream, a curate translated (10)

In Scottish and Northern English dialects, a burn[5] is a small stream.

Scratching the Surface
A curate[5] (also assistant curate) is a member of the clergy engaged as assistant to a vicar, rector, or parish priest.

10a Good sense shown retaining original of Russian // legal document (4)

What did he say?
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, pommers describes the container as a word for good sense or nous.
Nous[5] is an informal British term meaning common sense or practical intelligence ⇒ if he had any nous at all, he’d sell the film rights.

12a Work hard to get a new // advertising phrase (6)

A curate[5] (also assistant curate) is a member of the clergy engaged as assistant to a vicar, rector, or parish priest.

13a More rum /for/ visitor (8)

Rum[5] is a dated informal British term meaning odd or peculiar ⇒ it’s a rum business, certainly.

15a King, or fine // British author (6,6)

George[5] is the name of four kings of Great Britain and Ireland, one of Great Britain and Ireland (from 1920 of the United Kingdom), and one of the United Kingdom, the most recent being George VI (1895–1952) – the father of Elizabeth II – who reigned 1936-52. (show more )

He came to the throne on the abdication of his elder brother Edward VIII. Despite a retiring disposition he became a popular monarch, gaining respect for the staunch example he and his family set during the London Blitz.

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George Orwell[5] (1903–1950) was a British novelist and essayist, born in India; pseudonym of Eric Arthur Blair. (show more )

Orwell’s work is characterized by his concern for social injustice. His most famous works are Animal Farm (1945), a satire on Communism as it developed under Stalin, and Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), a dystopian account of a future state in which every aspect of life is controlled by Big Brother.

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18a Computer place /in/ centre, neat if in need of refreshment (8,4)

One could well deem the entire clue to be a cryptic definition – a point to which pommers seems to allude in his comment on Big Dave's Crossword Blog Indeed it would be a neat place to go if you were in need of refreshment!

21a Herb // that may be found in most of NE Spanish region (8)

Tarragona[7] is a province located in the Catalonia region of north-eastern Spain. The province includes several World Heritage Sites and is a popular tourist destination.



Tarragon[5] is a perennial plant of the daisy family, with narrow aromatic leaves that are used as a culinary herb.

22a Refuse to accommodate husband/'s/ party (6)

" husband " = H [h[2]; genealogy]



Thrash[5] is an informal British term for a party, especially a loud or lavish one Henry's charity ball had been one hell of a thrash.

24a Facts involving large // valley (4)

Gen[5] is an informal British term for information ⇒ you’ve got more gen on him than we have.

" large " = L[5] [clothing size]



A glen[5] is a narrow valley, especially in Scotland or Ireland.

25a Mate in capital hugging daughter /in/ top spot, perhaps (10)

In Britain, mate[5] – in addition to meaning a person’s husband, wife, or other sexual partner—can also be an informal term for a friend or companion ⇒ my best mate Steve.

Rome[5] is the capital of Italy, situated on the River Tiber about 25 km (16 miles) inland.

" daughter " = D [d[2]; genealogy]

26a Combat vehicle/'s/ brown and khaki, primarily (4)

27a British want to protect // the old scoundrel (10)

" British " = B [B or B.[1]]



Blackguard[5] is a dated (ergo "old") term for a man who behaves in a dishonourable or contemptible way.

Down

1d Sturdy // vehicle showing decay externally (6)

Taking the Wrong Path
It took me a while to parse the wordplay as I initially thought the "decay" must be RUST.

2d Standards concerning // minister (6)

Parson[5] is an informal term for any member of the clergy, especially a Protestant one. In the Church of England, a parson[5,10] is a parish priest, formerly applied only to those who held ecclesiastical benefices* – that is, a rector or a vicar.

* A benefice[5] is a permanent Church appointment, typically that of a rector or vicar, for which property and income are provided in respect of pastoral duties.

3d Attend American sanctuary // to withdraw (4,1,7)

" American " = A[1]

4d Popular Chinese // island (4)

" Chinese " = CH [Ch.[1]]



Inch[7,10] (an anglicisation of the Gaelic innis) is a Scottish and Irish term for a small island (usually found in placenames).

5d A tap losing pressure -- reach // with some difficulty (2,1,7)

" pressure " = P [p[5]; symbol used in physics]

In addition to its meaning as a verb to extend an arm in a specified direction in order to touch or grasp something, reach[5] as a noun denotes a continuous extent of water, especially a stretch of river between two bends, or the part of a canal between locks ⇒ the upper reaches of the Nile.

7d Rex is inside eagerly brewing // tea (4,4)

"Rex " = R

In the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms*, Rex[5] (abbreviation R[5]) [Latin for king] denotes the reigning king, used following a name (e.g. Georgius Rex, King George — often shortened to GR) or in the titles of lawsuits (e.g. Rex v. Jones, the Crown versus Jones — often shortened to R. v. Jones).

* A Commonwealth realm[7] is a sovereign state in the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. Each realm functions as an independent state, equal with the other realms and nations of the Commonwealth. There are currently fifteen Commonwealth realms, the largest being Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom with the remainder being smaller Caribbean and Pacific island nations.

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Earl Grey[5] is a kind of China tea flavoured with bergamot*.

* Bergamot[5] is an oily substance extracted from the rind of a dwarf variety of Seville orange, used in cosmetics and as flavouring in Earl Grey tea.

Origin: Probably named after the 2nd Earl Grey (1764–1845)

8d Behind everybody, // nevertheless (5,3)

11d What may be wanted after a night on the tiles // destroyed her good faith (4,2,3,3)

On the tiles[5] is an informal, mainly British, expression for having a lively night out.



The hair of the dog[10] (or hair of the dog that bit one) denotes an alcoholic drink taken as an antidote to a hangover.

14d Public brawl -- // nobody's charged (4-3-3)

I have not marked this clue as a double definition – unlike pommers in his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog – as I believe the numeration of the latter part of the clue is (4,3,3) and therefore does not match the numeration given in the clue.

16d Model intoxicated? // Take no action (3,5)

Tight[5] is used in the informal sense of drunk ⇒ he got tight on brandy.

17d Naval doctor describing head of terrifying // fish (8)

Surgeon[10] is used in the sense of a medical officer in the Royal Navy.



The sturgeon[5] is a very large primitive fish with bony plates on the body. (show more )

It occurs in temperate seas and rivers of the northern hemisphere, especially central Eurasia, and is of commercial importance for its caviar and flesh.

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The Story Behind the Picture
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, pommers illustrates this clue with a picture of Nicola Sturgeon[7], the First Minister of Scotland and the Leader of the Scottish National Party. She is the first woman to hold either position.

19d Some worship a god at // temple (6)

In India and East Asia, a pagoda[5] is a Hindu or Buddhist temple, typically in the form of a many-tiered tower.

20d Screen // student in cast (6)

"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.

Automobile displaying an L-plate

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Shy[5] (past tense shied) is a dated term meaning to fling or throw (something) at a target ⇒ he tore the spectacles off and shied them at her.

23d Leaders in Dallas Invitational set course // record (4)


References

Sources referenced in the blog are identified by the following symbols. The reference numbers themselves are hyperlinks to the entry in the source being referenced. Click on the number to view the source.

Key to Reference Sources: 

  [1]   - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
  [2]   - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
  [3]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
  [4]   - TheFreeDictionarycom (Collins English Dictionary)
  [5]   - Lexico (formerly Oxford Dictionaries Online) (Oxford Dictionary of English)
  [6]   - Lexico (formerly Oxford Dictionaries Online) (Oxford Advanced American Dictionary)
  [7]   - Wikipedia
  [8]   - Reverso Online Dictionary (Collins French-English Dictionary)
  [9]   - Infoplease (Random House Unabridged Dictionary)
[10]   - CollinsDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
[11]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary)
[12]   - CollinsDictionary.com (Webster’s New World College Dictionary)
[13]   - MacmillanDictionary.com (Macmillan Dictionary)
[14]   - CollinsDictionary.com (COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary)
[15]   - CollinsDictionary.com (Penguin Random House LLC/HarperCollins Publishers Ltd )



Signing off for today — Falcon

Monday, May 30, 2022

Monday, May 30, 2022 — DT 29903 (Published Saturday, May 28, 2022)


Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29903
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Saturday, February 5, 2022
Setter
Chalicea (Shirley Curran)
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29903 – Hints]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29903 – Review]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Gazza (Hints)
crypticsue (Review)
BD rating
Difficulty - ★★Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's experience
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
██████████████████████████████████
└────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘
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
Notes

This puzzle appears on the Monday Diversions page in the Saturday, May 28, 2022 edition of the National Post.

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.

Introduction

I am attempting to restore normal service after having been unable to post for the past week. On May 21, an intense windstorm known as a derecho swept through Ontario and Quebec inflicting massive damage on the electrical and communications infrastructure. My home was without electrical service for six days and without cable services (television, phone, and internet) for seven days.

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
  • "//" - marks the boundary between wordplay and definition when no link word or link phrase is present
  • "/[link word or phrase]/" - marks the boundary between wordplay and definition when a link word or link phrase is present
  • "solid underline" - precise definition
  • "dotted underline" - cryptic definition
  • "dashed underline" - wordplay
  • "wavy underline" - whimsical and inferred definitions
Click here for further explanation and usage examples of markup conventions used on this blog.

Across

4a Detective facing tough // neighbourhood (8)

"Detective " = DI [detective inspector]

A detective inspector (abbrevation DI[5]) is a senior police officer in the UK. Within the British police, inspector[7] is the second supervisory rank. It is senior to that of sergeant, but junior to that of chief inspector. Plain-clothes detective inspectors are equal in rank to their uniformed counterparts, the prefix 'detective' identifying them as having been trained in criminal investigation and being part of or attached to their force's Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

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8a Somewhat dismal, ignominious /and/ baleful (6)

9a Complaint /of/ insincerity when student drops out (8)

"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.

Automobile displaying an L-plate

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10a Dull or retro // headgear (8)

11a Game with good sort in charge, // a country person (6)

"game " = RU [rugby union]

Rugby union[10] (abbreviation RU[5]) is a form of rugby football played between teams of 15 players (in contrast to rugby league[5], which is played in teams of thirteen).

Rugby union[7] is the national sport in New Zealand, Wales, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Madagascar.

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"good sort " = ST [saint]

Aside from being a " { good man | good person | one very good } " in a religious sense, saint[5] is also an informal term for any very virtuous, kind, or patient person she's a saint to go on living with that man.

The abbreviation for Saint is St*[5] St George.

* The British do not use a period—or, as they would say, full stop—at the end of abbreviations formed from the initial and final letters of a word.

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"in charge " = IC

The abbreviation i/c[2,5] can be short for either:
  • (especially in military contexts) in charge (of) ⇒ the Quartermaster General is i/c rations
  • in command (of) ⇒ 2 i/c = second in command.
hide

12a Amphibian, // male, right to hide in low cloud (8)

" right " = R [r or r.[2]]

13a Readjusting // triangle differently (8)

16aIt often gets thrown by church's entrance (8)

More Than Meets the Eye
Having totally failed to see the wordplay, I thought this clue to be a very weak cryptic definition. Instead I discover it is a very clever &Lit (all-in-one) clue. Yes, the entire clue is the definition but it is also the wordplay – an anagram of (gets thrown) IT OFTEN following (by) the initial letter (entrance) of Church.

At least I am in good company in missing the wordplay, as crypticsue also seems to have overlooked it in her review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog (despite Gazza having identified it in his hints the previous week).

19a Joins, welcoming start of induction, // serves in the military (8)

21aSolid representation /in/ law? Not the last time (6)

" time " = T [t[1]; symbol used in physics]

23a Inclination // to manage English clubs in US city (8)

" English " = E[2]

" clubs " = C[1] [card suit]

24a Throng involved in a primarily kind independent // activity following sport (5-3)

" independent " = I[1] [politician with no party affiliation]

25a Mark film // that's not wanted on windscreen (6)

Tick[5] is a British term* for a mark () used to indicate that an item in a list or text is correct or has been chosen, checked, or dealt with.

* although a term that hardly sounds foreign to my ear

"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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Here and There
Windscreen[5]is the British name for a windshield.

26a Couple of stupid people involved with // paid killer (8)

Ass[5] is an informal British term for a foolish or stupid person.

Down

1d Ship carries nothing // fancy (7)

A barque[10] is:
  • a sailing ship of three or more masts having the foremasts rigged square and the aftermast rigged fore-and-aft
  • a poetic term for any boat, especially a small sailing vessel



Baroque[5] denotes highly ornate and extravagant in style.

Origin: Baroque[5] is a style of European architecture, music, and art of the 17th and 18th centuries that followed Mannerism and is characterized by ornate detail. In architecture the period is exemplified by the palace of Versailles and by the work of Wren in England. Major composers include Vivaldi, Bach, and Handel; Caravaggio and Rubens are important baroque artists.

2d Dubiously feel bid is /producing/ scepticism (9)

3d Make beloved // friend earnest in part (6)

4d Lack of proper planning, // radioing is not as arranged (15)

5d Pledge /of/ united resistance in south-eastern municipality (8)

"united " = U

In the names of sports clubs, U[5] is the abbreviation for United[5] which, in Britain is a word commonly used in the names of soccer and other sports teams formed by amalgamation ⇒ Man U [Manchester United].

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" resistance " = R[2] [electrical resistance, symbol used in physics]

6d Foul son /gives/ orders (5)

" son " = S [s[5]; genealogy]



Orders[5] is used in the sense of social classes ⇒ the upper social orders.

7d Giving up of rights /in/ court sitting it's said (7)

Cession[5] denotes the formal giving up of rights, property, or territory by a state ⇒ When Germany invaded Poland in September 1939 the territory was briefly occupied by German troops, before its cession to Russia pursuant to the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact.

14d Dwelling/'s/ exceptionally dire scene (9)

15d Emphasises the importance of // second locks (8)

" second " = S [s[2]; measure of time]

17d Officer commanding highest American // organisation with widespread influence (7)

OC[5] is the abbreviation for Officer Commanding.

* The officer commanding[7] (OC), also known as the officer in command (OiC) is the commander of a sub-unit or minor unit (smaller than battalion size), principally used in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. In other countries, the term commanding officer is applied to commanders of minor as well as major units.



An octopus[10] is a powerful influential organization with far-reaching effects, especially harmful ones.

18d Ordinary nations including liberal // persons of authority (7)

"ordinary " = O [British academic qualification]

Historically, in the UK (with the exception of Scotland), O level[5] (short for ordinary level[5]) was a qualification in a specific subject formerly taken by school students aged 14-16, at a level below A (advanced) level. It was replaced in 1988 by the  GCSE[5] (General Certificate of Secondary Education).

hide

"liberal " = L [member of a nearly extinct British political party]

The Liberal Party[5] (abbreviation Lib.[5] or L[2])* in Britain emerged in the 1860s from the old Whig Party and until the First World War was one of the two major parties in Britain. In 1988 the party regrouped with elements of the Social Democratic Party to form the Social and Liberal Democrats, now known as the Liberal Democrats.

However, a small Liberal Party still exists (founded in 1989 by members of the original Liberal Party opposed to its merger with the Social Democratic Party) although it has never held a UK, Scottish or European parliamentary seat, though it has had representation on local councils.[7]

* Although Lib.[5] may be the more common abbreviation for the Liberal Party in Britain — likely to distinguish it from the the Labour Party[5] (abbreviation Lab.[5]) — Chambers 21st Century Dictionary indicates that L[2] may also be used.

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20d Lacking restraints, old men unite with yen /for/ clemency (6)

" yen " = Y[5] [Japanese monetary unit[5]]



Lenity[10] denotes the state or quality of being lenient.

22d Letter /of/ thanks after article (5)

Ta[5] is an informal British exclamation signifying thank you ‘Ta,’ said Willie gratefully.



Theta[5] is the eighth letter of the Greek alphabet (Θ, θ).


References

Sources referenced in the blog are identified by the following symbols. The reference numbers themselves are hyperlinks to the entry in the source being referenced. Click on the number to view the source.

Key to Reference Sources: 

  [1]   - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
  [2]   - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
  [3]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
  [4]   - TheFreeDictionarycom (Collins English Dictionary)
  [5]   - Lexico (formerly Oxford Dictionaries Online) (Oxford Dictionary of English)
  [6]   - Lexico (formerly Oxford Dictionaries Online) (Oxford Advanced American Dictionary)
  [7]   - Wikipedia
  [8]   - Reverso Online Dictionary (Collins French-English Dictionary)
  [9]   - Infoplease (Random House Unabridged Dictionary)
[10]   - CollinsDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
[11]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary)
[12]   - CollinsDictionary.com (Webster’s New World College Dictionary)
[13]   - MacmillanDictionary.com (Macmillan Dictionary)
[14]   - CollinsDictionary.com (COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary)
[15]   - CollinsDictionary.com (Penguin Random House LLC/HarperCollins Publishers Ltd )



Signing off for today — Falcon

Sunday, May 29, 2022

Hex Cryptic Crossword — NP 220521 (Cox and Rathvon)

Introduction

Copyright © 2022 Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon,
used with permission
This puzzle from Cox & Rathvon
was published in the National Post on Saturday, May 21, 2022. You can find a full review of the puzzle at Saturday, May 21, 2022 — Devil or Angel (NP 220521).

My review of this puzzle has been posted a couple weeks later than usual as a devastating windstorm known as a derecho struck areas of Ontario and Quebec on May 21 causing widespread damage and power outages. I personally was without power for six days and without internet for seven days and it has taken me some time to catch up with reviews for puzzles published during the outage.

Your comments—whether they be with regard to the puzzle or the blog—are always welcome. However, I suggest you post comments pertaining to the puzzle on the review of the puzzle in order to keep all such comments in one place.

Accessing the puzzle
How to print the puzzle

The items in bold text as well as the image of the puzzle are links. You can open either a PDF or JPG version of the puzzle in a browser window by clicking on "This puzzle from Cox & Rathvon" or the puzzle image respectively. Either of these can be printed using your standard browser print controls.

Electronic version

An electronic version of the puzzle in PUZ format may be available on The Puzzler (and other cryptic crosswords) Facebook group. A Facebook account is needed to access the file and compatible crossword puzzle software is necessary to display and solve the puzzle.

Signing off for today — Falcon

Saturday, May 28, 2022

Saturday, May 28, 2022 — Seeing Stars (NP 220528)

Introduction

Today's National Post Cryptic Crossword from Cox & Rathvon (NP 220528) takes us on a journey across the nighttime skies.

The puzzle will be posted on the blog on Saturday, June 4.

I invite you to leave a comment to let us know how you fared with the puzzle.

Powerless and Incommunicado

The reviews for the puzzles published on May 21 and May 28 have been delayed by the damage from the unprecedented weather event of May 21. On that day, parts of Ontario and Quebec from Windsor to Quebec City were hit by a derecho. This is a storm system that is more devastating than a tornado as it covers far more territory. I think of a tornado as a saw that cuts a narrow swath of destruction that is perhaps a few hundred feet wide. A derecho is like a bulldozer with a blade hundreds of kilometres wide moving at over 100 kilometres per hour destroying everything in its path. Wind speeds of 130 kmph were measured at the Ottawa airport (about 5 km from my home). In some areas, it has been determined that wind speeds reached 190 kmph.
 
I escaped relatively unscathed compared to many of my neighbours. My fence was flattened, branches were torn from my maple tree and my flue is now 45 degrees off vertical. My power was off for six days and my cable services (phone, TV and internet) for seven days.

To add insult to injury, after composing this review, it disappeared into the ether without a trace and I had to rewrite the entire piece.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Falcon's experience
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
███████████████████████████████████
└────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘
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
- yet to be solved

Symbols and Markup Conventions
  •  "*" - anagram
  • "~" - sounds like
  • "<" - indicates the preceding letters are reversed
  • "( )" - encloses contained letters
  • "_" - replaces letters that have been deleted
  •  "†" - indicates that the word is present in the clue
  • "//" - marks the boundary between wordplay and definition when no link word or link phrase is present
  • "/[link word or phrase]/" - marks the boundary between wordplay and definition when a link word or link phrase is present
  • "solid underline" - precise definition
  • "dotted underline" - cryptic definition
  • "dashed underline" - wordplay
  • "wavy underline" - whimsical and inferred definitions
Click here for further explanation and usage examples of the symbols and markup conventions used on this blog.

Across

1a Iraq: USA mistaken about uranium // sign (8)

(AQUARI(U)S}* — anagram of (mistaken) IRAQ USA containing (about) U ([chemical symbol for] uranium)

In astrology, Aquarius[10] (also called the Water Carrier) is the eleventh sign of the zodiac, symbol ♒, having a fixed air classification and ruled by the planets Saturn and Uranus. The sun is in this sign between about Jan 20 and Feb 18.

In astronomy, Aquarius[5] is the name of a large constellation (the Water Carrier or Water Bearer), said to represent a man pouring water from a jar. It contains no bright stars but has several planetary nebulae.

5a Climbs // balanced pans (6)

SCALES — double definition

9a Salt contained in desert // herb (5)

BA(S)IL — S (salt; symbol on a salt shaker) contained in (in) BAIL (desert; abandon)

10a Mythic princess // and date halfway outside Eternal City (9)

AND(ROME)DA — {AND (†) + DA (date halfway; initial half of DA[TE])} containing (outside) ROME (Eternal City)

In Greek mythology, Andromeda[5] is an Ethiopian princess whose mother Cassiopeia boasted that she herself (or, in some stories, her daughter) was more beautiful than the Nereids. In revenge Poseidon sent a sea monster to ravage the country; to placate him Andromeda was fastened to a rock and exposed to the monster, from which she was rescued by Perseus.

Andromeda[5] is a large northern constellation between Perseus and Pegasus, with few bright stars. It is chiefly notable for the Andromeda Galaxy (or Great Nebula of Andromeda), a conspicuous spiral galaxy probably twice as massive as our own and located two million light years away.

12a Storm // hit sheet on one side (7)

RAM|PAGE — RAM (hit) + PAGE (sheet [of paper] on one side)

13a Legendary horse // tosses around a small horseshoe (7)

PEG(A|S|U)S — PEGS (tosses) containing (around) {A (†) + S(mall) + U ([letter that looks like a] horseshoe)}

In Greek mythology, Pegasus[5] is a winged horse which sprang from the blood of Medusa when Perseus cut off her head.

In astronomy, Pegasus[5] is a large northern constellation, said to represent a winged horse. The three brightest stars, together with one star of Andromeda, form the prominent Square of Pegasus.

14a Spots // rough section (7)

NOTICES* — anagram of (rough) SECTION

16a Transferred image // spiked from behind (5)

DECAL< — reversal of (from behind) LACED (spiked; added alcohol [to a drink])

19a Passed // over in audition (5)

THREW~ — sounds like (in audition) THROUGH (over)

21a Dump // portion with sticky goo on the way back (7)

{RAT|TRAP}< — reversal of (on the way back) {PART (portion) + (with) TAR (sticky goo)}

24a Bum cola off // Irish saint (7)

COLUMBA* — anagram of (off) BUM COLA

St. Columba[5] (c.521–597) was an Irish abbot and missionary. He established the monastery at Iona in c.563 and converted the Picts to Christianity. Feast day, 9 June.

In astronomy, Columba[5] is a small and faint southern constellation (the Dove), near Canis Major. It is sometimes said to represent the dove that Noah sent out from the Ark.

26a Figure who saves // Sports Illustrated article in netting (7)

MES(SI|A)H — {SI (Sports Illustrated) + A ([indefinite] article)} contained in (in) MESH (netting)

27a Unsure act agitated // celestial horseman? (9)

CENTAURUS* — anagram of (agitated) UNSURE ACT

The horseman in the clue is not a man on horseback but a creature that is half man, half horse.

In Greek mythology, a centaur[5] is a creature with the head, arms, and torso of a man and the body and legs of a horse.

In astronomy, Centaurus[5] is a large southern constellation (the Centaur). It lies in the Milky Way and contains the stars Alpha and Proxima Centauri.

28a Ties up // conquerors of Spain (5)

MOORS — double definition

The Moors[5] were a north-western African Muslim people of mixed Berber and Arab descent. In the 8th century they conquered the Iberian peninsula, but were finally driven out of their last stronghold in Granada at the end of the 15th century.

29a Pleasure // in doggerel is human (6)

_REL|IS|H_ — hidden in (in) doggeREL IS Human

30a Use drain, deviating // river that’s up high (8)

ERIDANUS* — anagram of (deviating) USE DRAIN

Down

1d Reddish // gold and blue vase (6)

AU|B|URN_ — AU ([chemical symbol for] gold) + (and) B (blue; as in RGB video connectors) + URN (vase)

2d Bear // ancient city’s sort of acid rain initially (4,5)

UR|S|A MINO|R — UR (ancient city) + S('s) + AMINO (sort of acid) + R (rain initially; initial letter of Rain)

Ur[5] was an ancient Sumerian city on the River Euphrates, in southern Iraq. It was one of the oldest cities of Mesopotamia, dating from the 4th millennium BC, and reached its zenith in the late 3rd millennium BC.



Ursa Minor[5] is a northern constellation (the Little Bear), which contains the north celestial pole and the pole star Polaris. The brightest stars form a shape that is also known as the Little Dipper.

3d Sound off about biblical priest // counting (7)

R(ELI)ANT — RANT (sound off) containing (about) ELI (biblical priest)

In the Bible, Eli[5] is a priest who acted as a teacher to the prophet Samuel (1 Sam. 1-3).

4d American era // convention (5)

US|AGE — US (American) + AGE (era)

6d Obstructed // Conservative noted for the record (7)

C|LOGGED — C(onservative) + LOGGED (noted for the record)

7d Oxygen added to not so // fertile soil (5)

L(O)ESS — O ([chemical symbol for] oxygen) contained in (added to) LESS (not so)

8d Cunning bears analyze grammar // here and there (8)

S(PARSE)LY — SLY (cunning) containing (bears) PARSE (analyze grammar)

11d Leave // crackpot topside (7)

DEPOSIT* — anagram of (crackpot) TOPSIDE

15d Pirate // captain’s tune about French gold (7)

C(OR)S|AIR — {C (captain [of a sports team]) + S ('s) + AIR (tune)} containing (about) OR (French [word for] gold)

17d Goat // cheese initially paired with apricot not finished by nurse (9)

C|APRICO||RN — C (cheese initially; initial letter of Cheese) + (paired with) APRICO[T] with the final letter removed (not finished) + (by) RN (nurse; Registered Nurse)

In astronomy, Capricorn[10] (another name for Capricornus[5]) is a constellation (the Goat), said to represent a goat with a fish's tail. It is a faint zodiacal constellation in the southern hemisphere, lying between Sagittarius and Aquarius.

18d Racer hurt deeply about second announcement? (5,3)

S(TOCK)CAR — SCAR (hurt deeply) containing (about) TOCK (second announcement; as in tick-tock, the sound made by a clock)

20d Marsupials // one time found in gestational places (7)

WOMB(A|T)S — {A (one) + T(ime)} contained in (found in) WOMBS (gestational places)

A wombat[5] is a burrowing plant-eating Australian marsupial which resembles a small bear with short legs.

22d Picked up // grass, keeping amount (7)

RE(SUM)ED — REED (grass) containing (keeping) SUM (amount)

23d The symbol of Superman is // postgraduate work (6)

THE|S|IS — THE (†) + S (symbol of Superman) + IS (†)

25d Tennis champion // left after advance (5)

LEND|L — L(eft) following (after) LEND (advance [funds])

Ivan Lendl[5] is a Czech-born US tennis player. During 1984–90, he won the men's singles title at two Australian Open, three French Open, and three US Open tournaments.

26d Timeless Mr. // Scrooge (5)

MIS||ER — MIS[T]ER (Mr.) with T(ime) removed (timeless)

Epilogue

One would be hard-pressed to miss the theme today.


References

Sources referenced in the blog are identified by the following symbols. The reference numbers themselves are hyperlinks to the entry in the source being referenced. Click on the number to view the source.

Key to Reference Sources: 

  [1]   - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
  [2]   - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
  [3]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
  [4]   - TheFreeDictionarycom (Collins English Dictionary)
  [5]   - Lexico (formerly Oxford Dictionaries Online) (Oxford Dictionary of English)
  [6]   - Lexico (formerly Oxford Dictionaries Online) (Oxford Advanced American Dictionary)
  [7]   - Wikipedia
  [8]   - Reverso Online Dictionary (Collins French-English Dictionary)
  [9]   - Infoplease (Random House Unabridged Dictionary)
[10]   - CollinsDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
[11]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary)
[12]   - CollinsDictionary.com (Webster’s New World College Dictionary)
[13]   - MacmillanDictionary.com (Macmillan Dictionary)
[14]   - CollinsDictionary.com (COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary)
[15]   - CollinsDictionary.com (Penguin Random House LLC/HarperCollins Publishers Ltd )



Signing off for today — Falcon