Thursday, June 30, 2022

Thursday, June 30, 2022 — DT 29926


Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29926
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Friday, March 4, 2022
Setter
silvanus
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29926]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Deep Threat
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

"Friday" puzzles are produced on a rotatiing basis by three setters – proXimal, silvanus, and Zandio with today's puzzle coming from the second of the trio.

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 Exclamation of mistake /from /doctor attending surgical procedures (6)

Doctor Who[7] is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC which has had widespread distribution in North America. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior appears as a blue police box*.

* A police box[5] is a telephone (or earlier, telegraph) kiosk [booth] specially for the use of police or members of the public wishing to contact the police.

Op[5] is an informal short form for:
  • a surgical operation ⇒ a minor op
  • (ops) military operations ⇒ the ops room
  • a radio or telephone operator* Assistant engineer makes it sound rather grand, they were just called tape ops really, the skivvies of the recording studio

* or, by inference from the usage example, an equipment operator

4a Language // buff (6)

8a Gathered // parent essentially is stopping friend travelling (8)

10a One after another // articulate apprentice (2,4)

11a Finish off aircraft // design (4)

12a Cut back // on comedies broadcast (10)

If you are trying to incorporate a "Z" in the solution, keep in mind that Brits usually prefer a spelling modelled on French!

13a Flashy // style, one's suit to a T! (12)

16a Type of bread /in/ grill with very bare metal (12)

Grill[5] is used in the informal sense of subject (someone) to intense questioning or interrogation.

20a Legendary little guy // developing Herculean power is inspired (10)

" power " = P[10] [symbol used in physics]

21a Clarified butter // Frenchman maybe picked up (4)

Guy (pronounced 'ghee') is a common masculine given name in French  ⇒ Guy Lafleur[7].



Ghee[5] is clarified butter made from the milk of a buffalo or cow, used in South Asian cooking ⇒ a delicious meal cooked in ghee.

22a Ring // Eric about touring Cornwall on vacation (6)

The phrase "on vacation" is an indication to remove the contents (interior letters) from the word "C[ornwal]L". Vacation[5] is used in the sense of the action of leaving something one previously occupied On the vacation of the post, the senior managers assembled and discussed eligible candidates.

In this clue, "about" is an anagram indicator and "touring" – in the sense of 'going around' (as in "touring Europe") – is a containment indicator.

Scratching the Surface
Ring[3] (often used with up) is used in a chiefly British sense meaning to call (someone) on the telephone ⇒ (i) She rang me at noon; (ii) Let's ring her up.

Cornwall[5] is a county occupying the extreme southwestern peninsula of England.

I suspect the use of the word "vacation" in the surface reading may be viewed by Brits as a North American usage.

The British use the word holiday(s) for what North Americans (especially our neighbours south of the border) would call vacation[5]. (show more )

Holiday[5,10] (often holidays) is a chiefly British term for a period in which a break is taken from work or studies for rest, travel, or recreation ⇒ (i) I spent my summer holidays on a farm; (ii) Fred was on holiday in Spain.

According to British dictionaries, the usual US and Canadian term for such a break is vacation. However, I am accustomed to hearing the two terms used almost interchangeably in this sense—in much the same manner that I would use fall and autumn interchangeably. This may not be the case in all parts of Canada, but I grew up in the Maritimes and have lived in Eastern Ontario for most of my life, both areas where British traditions are particularly strong.

In Britain, the word vacation[5] has a very specific meaning, a fixed holiday period between terms in universities and law courts ⇒ the Easter vacation. In North America, such a period might be called a break[7].

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23a Learned // rubbish mostly over period of time (8)

24a Dirty // newspaper I left filling hotel yard (6)

The Financial Times[7] (abbreviation FT) is a British international business newspaper that is printed on conspicuous salmon pink newsprint.

" left " = L [l[2]]

" hotel " = H[5] [NATO Phonetic Alphabet[7]]

" yard " = Y [y or y.[1]; unit of linear measure]

25a Review of court decision // to attract interest (6)

Down

1d Overheard complaint initially about student // that waiter brings? (4,4)

Post Mortem
In the wordplay, I failed to recognize that " initially " = IST [looks like 1st (first)].

"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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2d Indian is one /from/ Haryana ecologist upset (5)

Scratching the Surface
Haryana[5] is a state of northern India. It was formed in 1966, largely from Hindi-speaking parts of the former state of Punjab.

3d Warning // powerful rainstorm's beginning to come in (7)

5d Foreign banker // loves keeping Republican in touch regularly (7)

" love " = O [love[5]; nil score in tennis] thus " loves " = OO

" Republican " = R[5] [member or supporter of the US Republican Party]



Banker is used here as a whimsical Crosswordland term for a river — something that has banks. After all, if a tanker is something that has tanks then does it not logically follow that a banker must be something that has banks.

The Orinoco[5] is a river in northern South America, which rises in southeastern Venezuela and flows 2,060 km (1,280 miles), entering the Atlantic Ocean through a vast delta. For part of its length it forms the border between Colombia and Venezuela.

6d Repeatedly discovered fine string so // essential (9)

The setter uses the word "discovered" to indicate that the solver must strip away the outer letters of the words [F]IN[E] and [S]TRIN[G] (the fact that there is more than word in the fodder is flagged by the indicator "repeatedly"). This cryptic device is based on the whimsical logic that if disrobe means to remove one's robe (or other clothing), then it only stands to reason that discover must mean to remove one's cover.

7d Set // tough English examination at last (6)

" English " = E[2]

9dFail to catch someone in, perhaps? (4,3,4)

I look at this clue as a precise definition embedded in  a cryptic definition.

As a precise definition, the phrase drop the ball[5] is an informal North American expression meaning to make a mistake or mishandle things [in other words, to fail] ⇒ And so they have a responsibility, and they're dropping the ball from where I'm sitting.

The cryptic definition alludes to cricket, where the batting side is said to be "in". Thus, a member of the fielding side who literally "drops the ball" fails to catch a ball hit in his direction by a member of the batting side (i.e., by someone who is "in").

14d Based on observation, // claim pier suffered damage (9)

15d Stand /is/ quiet at Leeds surprisingly (8)

"quiet " = P [piano (music notation)]

Piano[3,5] (abbreviation p[5]), is a musical direction meaning either (as an adjective) soft or quiet or (as an adverb) softly or quietly.

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Scratching the Surface
Leeds[5] is an industrial city in West Yorkshire, northern England. (show more )

It developed as a wool town in the Middle Ages, becoming a centre of the clothing trade in the Industrial Revolution.

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17d Rising actor receives award that's primarily /for/ play (7)

"award " = CBE

CBE[5] stands for Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

The Order of the British Empire[5] is an order of knighthood applicable to the United Kingdom and certain Commonwealth realms which was instituted in 1917 and is divided into five classes, each with military and civilian divisions. The classes are: Knight or Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE), Knight or Dame Commander (KBE/DBE), Commander (CBE), Officer (OBE), and Member (MBE). The two highest classes entail the awarding of a knighthood.

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Macbeth[7] (full title The Tragedy of Macbeth) is a tragedy written by English playwright William Shakespeare. Set mainly in Scotland, the play dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those who seek power for its own sake.

What did he say?
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Deep Threat describes the play as one that theatrical folk avoid pronouncing.
In the superstitious backstage world of theatre, some believe that the play is cursed, and will not mention its title aloud, referring to it instead as "The Scottish Play".

18d Lebanon's to prioritise housing // constantly (3-4)

19d Give false impression female /will find/ confidence (6)

21d Cheddar, for instance, // attractive old American ignored (5)

" old " = O[12] [linguistics; OFr (Old French), OE (Old English)]



Cheddar Gorge[7] is a limestone gorge in the Mendip Hills, near the village of Cheddar, Somerset, England*. The gorge is the site of the Cheddar show caves, where Britain's oldest complete human skeleton, Cheddar Man, estimated to be over 9,000 years old, was found in 1903.

* The cheese known as Cheddar[5] was, of course, named after the village of Cheddar where it was originally made.


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

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

Wednesday, June 29, 2022 — DT 29925


Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29925
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, March 3, 2022
Setter
RayT (Ray Terrell)
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29925]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
StephenL
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

For me, today's puzzle by RayT proved to be a sterner test than usual.

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 Brilliant // detailed revenue lesson (12)

The setter uses "detailed" in a whimsical cryptic crossword sense meaning having the tail removed — analogous to the formation of words such as deflowered or defrocked.

8a Old lady, impatient, possibly /in/ buff (7)

Nan[5] is an informal British term for one's grandmother.



Nankeen[5]  is an archaic term for the yellowish-buff colour of nankeen, a type of cotton cloth.

Origin: from the name of the city of Nanking, where the cloth was first made.

9a Laugh /with/ time left in job (7)

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

" left " = L [l[2]]

11a The woman's embracing university // incels? (7)

"university " = MIT [Massachusetts Institute of Technology]

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology[5] (abbreviation MIT) is a US institute of higher education, famous for scientific and technical research, founded in 1861 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

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Really?
Are the terms "incel" and "hermit" synonymous? The former are "involuntarily celebate" while the latter would seem to "voluntarily celebate".

12a Heretic // cheers over robbery (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.

13a Teams /putting/ fish on board (5)

Ide[5] is another name for the orfe[5], a silvery freshwater fish of the carp family, which is fished commercially in eastern Europe.

"on board " = 'contained in SS' [SS = steamship]

In Crosswordland, you will find that a ship is almost invariably a steamship, the abbreviation for which is SS[5], Thus phrases such as "aboard ship" or "on board ship" (or sometimes merely "aboard" or "on board") are Crosswordland code for 'contained in SS'.

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"teams " = SIDES

Side[5] is a British term for a sports team ⇒ there was a mixture of old and young players in* their side.

* Note that, in Britain, a player is said to be "in a side" or "in a team" rather than "on a team" as one would say in North America.

In North America, the term side[3] is used in a very general fashion that can denote one of two or more opposing individuals, groups, teams, or sets of opinions. While this same general usage is also found in the UK, the term side[5] is also used there in a much more specific sense to mean a sports team, as we can clearly see from the following usage examples ⇒ (i) Previous England rugby sides, and England teams in many other sports, would have crumbled under the weight of such errors.; (ii) They'll face better sides than this Monaco team, but you can only beat what's put in front of you.

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14a Bounder we arrested pocketing // lingerie? (9)

Scratching the Surface
Bounder[5] is a dated informal British term for a dishonourable man he is nothing but a fortune-seeking bounder.

16a Surfaces packed with endless sea // doves? (9)

19a Queen following top // criminal act (5)

"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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21a Deviation /of/ entitled man after spank (7)

23a This compiler rejected game's // uses (7)

"this compiler " = ME

It is a common cryptic crossword convention for the creator of the puzzle to use terms such as (the or this) compiler, (the or this) setter, (the or this) speaker, (this) author, (this) writer, or this person to refer to himself or herself. To solve such a clue, one must generally substitute a first person pronoun (I or ME) for whichever of these terms has been used in the clue.

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24a Spoken English accompanying Church // hymn (7)

" English " = E[2]

" church " = CH [ch[2]]

25a Small insect, beginning to nip, // bit (7)

" small " = S[5] [clothing size]

26a Arrest nude in frolics /being/ abandoned (12)

Abandoned
[10] is used as an adjective meaning unrestrained or uninhibited ⇒ wild, abandoned dancing.

Down

1d One impaled acquiring new // cut (7)

" new " = N[5] [in place names on maps; N Zealand]



Cut[3] means to refuse to speak to or recognize (someone); in other words, to snub cut me dead at the party.

2d Believes // what's seen at end of programme? (7)

3d Tiny, // oddly main nucleus spinning (9)

4dAfrican capital city referencing ants, initially (5)

The entire clue serves as the wordplay in which the definition is embedded.

Accra[5], the capital of Ghana, is a port on the Gulf of Guinea.

5d One more // from America, not here (7)

6d Current contained by broken cattle // grid (7)

" current " = I[2] [electric current; symbol used in physics]

7d Eager // moving round cities' haunts (12)

10d Break in using crowbar? /That's/ ingenious! (12)

15d Remedy sipped, say, /for/ indigestion (9)

17d Sort of bridge // game (7)

Pontoon[5] is a British name for the card game vingt-et-un (known in North America as blackjack[5]).

18d Perfect on gallery /to see/ film (7)

"gallery " = TATE

19d Legend /of/ trick encasing prone individual (7)

20d Made stink collaring waiter finally // having forks (7)

Pong[5] is an informal British term meaning:
  • (noun) a strong, unpleasant smell ⇒ corked wine has a powerful pong
  • (verb) to smell strongly and unpleasantly ⇒ the place just pongs of dirty clothes
22d Indulgence /of/ sweetheart in restaurant (5)

" sweetheart " = E ['heart' of swEet]

Trat[1] is a short form for trattoria[5], an Italian restaurant.


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

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Tuesday, June 28, 2022 — DT 29924


Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29924
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, March 2, 2022
Setter
NY Doorknob aka Donnybrook (Paul Bringloe)
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29924]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
2Kiwis
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

NY Doorknob set today's puzzle as the regular "Wednesday" setter, Jay, was appearing as Logman* elsewhere in The Daily Telegraph.

* Once a month, Jay (using the pseudonym Logman) sets the more difficult Toughie puzzle in The Daily Telegraph.

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 Shot /from/ right in cracking cup-tie (7)

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

Scratching the Surface
Cup[5,10] is a British term for a sporting contest in which a cup is awarded to the winner playing in the Cup* is the best thing ever.

* In North America, we might play playing for the Cup but likely not playing in the Cup.

Tie[5] is a British term meaning a sports match between two or more players or teams in which the winners proceed to the next round of the competition ⇒ Swindon Town have gained themselves a third round tie* against Oldham.

* This does not mean — as a North American might suppose — that Swindon Town and Oldham played to a draw in the third round. Rather, it means that Swindon Town defeated their opponent in the second round and will move on to face Oldham in the third round.

Cup tie[5] is a British term for a match in a competition for which the prize is a cup.

5a Greek character nicked // old Spanish coin (7)

Pi[5] is the sixteenth letter of the Greek alphabet (Π, π).

Nick[5] is an informal British term meaning to steal ⇒ he'd had his car nicked by joyriders.



A pistole[5] is any of various gold coins used in Europe or Scotland in the 17th and 18th centuries.

9a Anxious, // I'm one receiving medical care (9)

10a Support // US soldier in ebbing sea (5)

"US soldier " = GI

A GI[5] is a private soldier in the US army ⇒ she went off with a GI during the war.

Origin: Contrary to popular belief, the term apparently is not an abbreviation for general infantryman, but rather derives from the term government (or general) issue (originally denoting equipment supplied to US forces).

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11a Roman palace /in/ more recent article (7)

The Lateran[10] (also called Lateran palace) is a palace in Rome, formerly the official residence of the popes.

12a Restructuring the loan /makes you/ solvent (7)

13a The solver is leaving this card /in/ leisure centre (5,4)

16a Boxer // starts to train young lad (5)

Mike Tyson[5] is an American boxer. He became undisputed world heavyweight champion in 1987, winning the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles. He was imprisoned in 1992 for rape; after his release in 1995 he reclaimed the WBC and WBA titles in the following year. His 1997 fight with Evander Holyfield ended when Tyson was disqualified for dining on Holyfield's ear.[7]

17a Almost axe Irish // singing group (5)

" Irish " = IR [Ir.[10]]

18a Festival // to enjoy with artist in sweet bar? (5,4)

"artist " = RA [Royal Academician]

A Royal Academician (abbreviation RA[10]) is a member of the Royal Academy of Arts[5] (also Royal Academy; abbreviation also RA[10]), an institution established in London in 1768, whose purpose is to cultivate painting, sculpture, and architecture in Britain.

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Sweet[5] is the British term for what we in North America would call a piece of candy[5] a bag of sweets. Therefore a sweet bar is a confectionery known in North America as a candy bar[5].



Mardi Gras[5] is a carnival held in some countries on Shrove Tuesday, most famously in New Orleans ⇒ the Mardi Gras parade.

* Mardi Gras is French for 'fat Tuesday', alluding to the last day of feasting before the fast of Lent.

21a Lover no longer needing money // set out (7)

The pound[5] (also pound sterling) is the basic monetary unit of the UK, equal to 100 pence.

22a Scene rewritten keeps one line // still (7)

" line " = L [l.[5]; in textual references l. 648]

Still[5] is used in the sense of deep silence and calm; in other words, stillness ⇒ the still of the night.

25a Woman/'s/ soiree regularly involving us (5)

26a Rat // popular with staff in castle (9)

27a An Italian poet /is/ rather slow (7)

Dante[5] (1265–1321), full name Dante Alighieri, was an Italian poet. (show more )

His reputation rests chiefly on The Divine Comedy (c.1309–20), an epic poem describing his spiritual journey through Hell and Purgatory and finally to Paradise. His love for Beatrice Portinari is described in Vita nuova (c.1290–4).

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In music, andante[5] is an adverb and adjective meaning (especially as a direction) in a moderately slow tempo.

28a Hide // the mad king outside! (7)

King Lear*[7] is a tragedy written in 1605 or 1606 by English playwright William Shakespeare (1564–1616). The title character descends into madness after disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters (Goneril, Regan and Cordelia) based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all.

Down

1d Settle around Skye? /Here's/ another Scots location (7)

Skye[5] [or Isle of Skye] is a mountainous island of the Inner Hebrides, now linked to the west coast of Scotland by a bridge. It is the largest and most northerly island of the group.



Paisley[5] is a town in central Scotland, to the west of Glasgow.

2d Very good in bed? // Suffer the consequences! (3,2)

Pi[5] is an informal British short form for pious.



Cop it[5] is an informal British term meaning to get into trouble.

3d Complete // Charlie must leave sailing ship (5)

" Charlie " = C[5] [NATO Phonetic Alphabet[7]]

A cutter[5] is a yacht with one mainsail and two foresails.

4d Immortal // eastern bird on a lake (7)

The tern[5] is a seabird related to the gulls, typically smaller and more slender, with long pointed wings and a forked tail.

" lake " = L[2] [on maps]

5d Stir with black // parsley perhaps (7)

A pother[5] is a commotion or fuss ⇒ what a pother you make!.

"black " = B [grade of pencil lead]

B[5] is an abbreviation for black, as used in describing grades of pencil lead 2B pencils.

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A pot herb[1] (or pot-herb[2,5] or potherb[3,4,10,11,12]) is any plant having leaves, flowers, stems, etc, that are used in cooking for seasoning, flavouring or garnishing, or are cooked and eaten as a vegetable.

6d Italian serving // small soft crackers at eight (9)

" small " = S[5] [clothing size]

"soft " = P [piano (music notation)]

Piano[3,5] (abbreviation p[5]), is a musical direction meaning either (as an adjective) soft or quiet or (as an adverb) softly or quietly.

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7d Runner, // old, unexpectedly regains lead in race (9)

" old " = O[12] [linguistics; OFr (Old French), OE (Old English)]

8d Refusal to receive student is picked up /in/ letter (7)

"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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Epsilon[5] is the fifth letter of the Greek alphabet (Ε, ε).

14d A French work put forward // not challenged (9)

" a French " = UN [un[8]; French indefinite article]

"work " = OP [opus]

In music, an opus[5] (Latin 'work', plural opuses or opera) is a separate composition or set of compositions.

The abbreviation Op.[5] (also op.), denoting opus, is used before a number given to each work of a particular composer, usually indicating the order of publication. The plural form of Op. is Opp..

Opus[5] can also be used in other contexts to denote an artistic work, especially one on a large scale ⇒ he was writing an opus on Mexico.

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15d Powerful // explosive with nuclear particles? (9)

HE[5] is the abbreviation for high explosive.

17d More tea houses // where Sloane Square is located (7)

Sloane Square[7] is a small hard-landscaped square on the boundaries of the central London districts of Belgravia and Chelsea, located 1.8 miles (2.9 km) southwest of Charing Cross*, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

* Since the early 19th century, Charing Cross[7] (a street junction in the City of Westminster) has generally been accepted as the notional "centre of London" and is the point from which distances from London are calculated.

18dAn expert in safe delivery? (7)

19d Calm // end to summer with flutes playing (7)

20d Lieutenant in complete // retreat (7)

23d Six-footer to be // left with Bible in AA (5)

" left " = L [l[2]]

RV[5] is the abbreviation for Revised Version (of the Bible).

Scratching the Surface
AA[5] is the abbreviation for Alcoholics Anonymous or (in the UK and South Africa) Automobile Association.

* The Automobile Association is the British counterpart to organizations such as the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) and American Automobile Association (AAA).



The term "six-footer" is often used to clue an insect*. Today we get "six-footer to be" to clue an organism that one day will become an insect.

* Insects[5] have six legs, and correspondingly, six feet.

24d Excellent opener from Huddersfield // Town (5)

Neath[5] is an industrial town in South Wales on the River Neath.

Scratching the Surface
Huddersfield Town Association Football Club[7] is an English professional football club based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. The team currently compete in the Championship, the second tier of English football [soccer].

An opener[5] is the first goal in a match ⇒ Bannister equalized after Armstrong's opener for Palace.


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