Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29895 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, January 27, 2022 | |
Setter
NY Doorknob aka Donnybrook (Paul Bringloe) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29895]
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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 on today's puzzle has been supplied by NAS, a regular visitor to Big Dave's Crossword Blog. Miffypops has often stated that he never changes the rating from its default value (***/***). In cases, such as today, 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
NY Doorknob adds a couple of RayT-style flourishes to this puzzle fooling me into thinking I was solving a creation from the regular "Thursday" setter.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
| 8a | Son breaks mirror /in/ recess (4) |
" son " = S [s[5]; genealogy]
An apse[5] is a large semicircular or polygonal recess in a church, arched or with a domed roof and typically at the church's eastern end.
| 9a | One good to leave White House // ladies? (3) |
" good " = G [g or g.[1]; a grade of numismatic coin perhaps]
The ladies[5,10] is a British term for a ladies' room or women’s public toilet.
Loo[5] is an informal British term for a toilet [either as a plumbing fixture or a room].
| 10a | On ship // notice pig brought in (6) |
| 11a | Meat in iron container // perhaps served thus? (6) |
The symbol for the chemical element iron is Fe[5] (from Latin ferrum).
| 12a | Loyal subject -- // bloke from Belgian city? (8) |
A double definition, the second being a bit whimsical.
Liegeman[5] is a historical term for a vassal [holder of land by feudal tenure] who owed feudal service or allegiance to a nobleman [liege lord].
Bloke[5] is an informal British* term for a man ⇒
he’s a nice bloke.
* Very British, but certainly also very familiar to anyone on this side of the pond who has ever watched a British film or television programme.
| 13a | Revolutionary leaders // located in rallies round France (8,7) |
The Founding Fathers[5] are the members of the convention that drew up the constitution of the US in 1787.
| 15a | Initially Prince Harry agrees // forecast (7) |
| 17a | Hidden // article in building on street (7) |
| 20a | In which three lovers linger and alternate excitedly? (7,8) |
I would say this is a cryptic definition with embedded wordplay.
An eternal triangle[5] (also triangle) is an emotional relationship involving a couple and a third person with whom one of them is also involved ⇒
In a triangle, the three relationships are interdependent; they are not three separate person-to-person dyads.
| 23a | Theatre skill doubled energy /in/ comic dialogue (8) |
Rep[2,5] is an informal short form for repertory theatre (also simply repertory). It can refer either to the performance of various plays, operas, or ballets by a company at regular short intervals ⇒
once, when I was in rep, I learned Iago in three days) or to a repertory theatre or company ⇒
the Birmingham Rep*.
* Birmingham Repertory Theatre[7], commonly called Birmingham Rep or just The Rep, is a theatre located in Birmingham, England.
" energy " = E[2] [symbol used in physics]
| 25a | Emperor, // okay at heart, lives on in retirement (6) |
A Kaiser[2] was any of the emperors of Germany, Austria or the Holy Roman Empire.
Origin: German, from Latin Caesar, family name of the earliest Roman emperors.
| 26a | Company, extremely loyal, that is // dog (6) |
Co (also Co.)[5] is the abbreviation for Company [in particular, in the name of a business].
| 27a | Warmer // in Inverness unusually (3) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Inverness[5] is a city in Scotland, situated at the mouth of the River Ness. |
| 28a | Dope pockets pound /in/ depressed Scots area (4) |
Dope[5] is information about a subject, especially if not generally known ⇒
our reviewer will give you the dope on hot spots around the town.
Gen[5] is an informal British term for information ⇒
you’ve got more gen on him than we have.
"pound " = 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.
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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.
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A glen[5] is a narrow valley, especially in Scotland or Ireland.
Down
| 1d | God /appearing in/ an election round? (6) |
In Greek mythology, Apollo[5] is a god, son of Zeus and Leto and brother of Artemis. He is associated with music, poetic inspiration, archery, prophecy, medicine, pastoral life, and the sun.
| 2d | American expression /for/ bus station? (8) |
Miffypops fails to parse this clue in his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog. An "American expression" is a TERM IN US. The solution is, in fact, actually a British expression.
Terminus[5] is a British term for terminal, the end of a railway or other transport route, or a station at such a point.
| 3d | Silent shareholder // out East for example (8,7) |
In the card game bridge, North[5] (N) and South[5] (S) comprise one partnership and play against East[5] (E) and West[5] (W) who form the other partnership.
In Britain, sleeping partner[5] is another term for silent partner.
| 4d | Picture // educational establishment with area for English (7) |
" area " = A[2] [geometry]
" English " = E[2]
| 5d | Side with weak ruler? // Innovative approach to solving problem (7,8) |
| 6d | Jack hopes somehow /to become/ famous carpenter (6) |
In Christian theology, Joseph*[5] was the husband of the Virgin Mary. A carpenter of Nazareth, he was betrothed to Mary at the time of the Annunciation.
* Joseph is venerated as Saint Joseph in the Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church and Anglicanism[7].
| 7d | Killer // a tailless bird upended (4) |
Orca[5] is another name for killer whale.
| 14d | Sussex town // luminary eats sandwiches (3) |
Rye[7] is a small town in East Sussex, England.
| 16d | Boring routine /of/ lady leaving hospital (3) |
| 18d | Drunken sea dog /in/ coastal location (3,5) |
San Diego[5] is an industrial city and naval port on the Pacific coast of southern California, just north of the border with Mexico.
| 19d | Sceptic // is entertained by Hatter, not completely mad (7) |
Scratching the Surface
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| The Hatter[7] (called Hatta in Through the Looking-Glass) is a fictional character in English writer Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and the story's sequel Through the Looking-Glass (1871). He is often referred to as the Mad Hatter,
though this term was never used by Carroll. The phrase "mad as a
hatter" pre-dates Carroll's works and the characters the Hatter and the March Hare are initially referred to as "both mad" by the Cheshire Cat, with both first appearing in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, in the seventh chapter titled "A Mad Tea-Party". |
| 21d | You don't say // recover having swallowed ecstasy (6) |
"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).
hide
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).
hide
| 22d | Misrepresented Queen // songs (6) |
"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.
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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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A lied[5] (plural lieder) is a type of German song, especially of the Romantic period, typically for solo voice with piano accompaniment.
| 24d | Disclose when head departs // college (4) |
"college " = ETON
Eton College[7], often informally referred to simply as Eton, is an English independent boarding school for boys located in Eton, Berkshire, near Windsor. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor". It is one of ten English schools, commonly referred to as public schools, regulated by the Public Schools Act of 1868.
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Eton College[7], often informally referred to simply as Eton, is an English independent boarding school for boys located in Eton, Berkshire, near Windsor. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor". It is one of ten English schools, commonly referred to as public schools, regulated by the Public Schools Act of 1868.
Here and There
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| In Britain, an independent school[10] is a school that is neither financed nor controlled by the government or local authorities; in other words, an independent school[2] is not paid for with public money and does not belong to the state school system. In Britain, a public school[2] is a particular category of independent school, namely a secondary school, especially a boarding school, run independently of the state and financed by a combination of endowments and pupils' fees. Another category of independent school is the private school[2,5] which is a school run independently by an individual or group, especially for profit and supported wholly by the payment of fees. What we in North America would call a public school[2] is known in the UK as a state school[5] or a maintained school*. * In England and Wales, a maintained school[5] is a school that is funded by a local education authority. |
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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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