Puzzle at a Glance
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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
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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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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 | |
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| 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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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.
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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.
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| 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) |
"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 ⇒
The abbreviation for Saint is St*[5] ⇒
* 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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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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| 12a | Amphibian, // male, right to hide in low cloud (8) |
" right " = R [r or r.[2]]
| 13a | Readjusting // triangle differently (8) |
| 16a | It often gets thrown by church's entrance (8) |
More Than Meets the Eye
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| 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) |
| 21a | Solid 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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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
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| 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) |
" 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).
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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).
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"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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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
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
welcome back to the wired world
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sal, good to be back.
Delete