Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29945 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Saturday, March 26, 2022 | |
Setter
Chalicea (Shirley Curran) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29945 – Hints]Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29945 – Review] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Tilsit (Hints)Rahmat Ali (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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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.
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Introduction
"Saturday puzzles" are usually among the least difficult of the week. Nevertheless, many British solvers felt this one was a bit more challenging 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 | |
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| Click here for further explanation and usage examples of markup conventions used on this blog. | |
Across
| 4a | Angry about university recruitment, essentially, following good // financial gift (8) |
Ratty[5] is an informal British term meaning bad-tempered and irritable ⇒
" university " = U [(U or U.)[1]]
The indicator "essentially" is a direction to use the letter that forms the essence or core of a word in the fodder.
" good " = G [(g or g.)[1]; a grade of numismatic coin perhaps]
I was a bit ratty with the children.
" university " = U [(U or U.)[1]]
The indicator "essentially" is a direction to use the letter that forms the essence or core of a word in the fodder.
" good " = G [(g or g.)[1]; a grade of numismatic coin perhaps]
What did he say?
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In his hint on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Tilsit describes part of the wordplay as{content}a word meaning cross or tetchy. |
Oops!
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| There is an error in Rahmat Ali's explanaation of this clue on Big Dave's Crossword Blog. The core of the word " In this type of clue, one must invariably delete an equal number of letters (in this case, five) from either side of the core. For other examples of the use of this device, see 11a and 22d. |
| 8a | Vitality /of/ black feline (6) |
" black " = B[5] [a grade of pencil lead]
Ounce[5] is another term for snow leopard[5],
a rare large cat which has pale grey fur patterned with dark blotches
and rings, living in the Altai mountains, Hindu Kush, and Himalayas.
| 9a | Irritating, // varying rise in volume (8) |
| 10a | Organised isle ends // unemployment (8) |
| 11a | Ceremony /with/ religious song lacking special mysticism at heart (6) |
" special " = SP [sp.[2]]
The indicator "at heart" is a direction to use the letter that forms the heart or core of a word in the fodder.
The indicator "at heart" is a direction to use the letter that forms the heart or core of a word in the fodder.
| 12a | Element /of/ regret over narcotic (8) |
Europium[5] (symbol Eu) is the chemical element of atomic number 63, a soft silvery-white metal of the lanthanide series. Europium oxide is used with yttrium oxide as a red phosphor in colour television screens.
| 13a | Impressive // English politician has curtailed time in charge (8) |
" English " = E[2]
" politician " = MP[5] [Member of Parliament]
" time " = T [t[1]; symbol used in physics]
" in charge " = IC [i/c[2]]
The indicator "curtailed" is a direction to remove the final letter of a word in the fodder.
" politician " = MP[5] [Member of Parliament]
" time " = T [t[1]; symbol used in physics]
" in charge " = IC [i/c[2]]
The indicator "curtailed" is a direction to remove the final letter of a word in the fodder.
| 16a | Eccentric Nineties // physicist (8) |
Albert Einstein[5]
(1879–1955) was a German-born American theoretical physicist, founder
of the special and general theories of relativity. His name has become
synonymous with genius ⇒
Einstein is often regarded as the greatest scientist of the 20th century. In 1905 he published his special theory of relativity and in 1915 he succeeded in incorporating gravitation in his general theory of relativity, which was vindicated when one of its predictions was observed during the solar eclipse of 1919. However, Einstein searched without success for a unified field theory embracing electromagnetism, gravitation, relativity, and quantum mechanics. He influenced the decision to build an atom bomb but after the war he spoke out passionately against nuclear weapons.
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you won't have to be an Einstein to use it. (show more )
Einstein is often regarded as the greatest scientist of the 20th century. In 1905 he published his special theory of relativity and in 1915 he succeeded in incorporating gravitation in his general theory of relativity, which was vindicated when one of its predictions was observed during the solar eclipse of 1919. However, Einstein searched without success for a unified field theory embracing electromagnetism, gravitation, relativity, and quantum mechanics. He influenced the decision to build an atom bomb but after the war he spoke out passionately against nuclear weapons.
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| 19a | Cherish // sinner, he changed (8) |
| 21a | Part-time worker recalled the Spanish // religious building (6) |
"the Spanish " = EL [Spanish definite article]
| 23a | Manufacturer adding barrels to stocks (8) |
A barrel[5] is a tube forming part of an object such as a gun or a pen ⇒
A stock[5] is the part of a rifle or other firearm to which the barrel and firing mechanism are attached, held against one's shoulder when firing the gun.
a gun barrel.
A stock[5] is the part of a rifle or other firearm to which the barrel and firing mechanism are attached, held against one's shoulder when firing the gun.
| 24a | Dreadful toccatas // with each note disconnected (8) |
Staccato[5] is a music term denoting that a piece of music is to be performed with each note sharply detached or separated from the others.
Scratching the Surface
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| A toccata[5] is A musical composition for a keyboard instrument designed to exhibit the performer's touch and technique. |
| 25a | Unaccompanied // student merely goes round Spain (6) |
Tilsit's hint on Big Dave's Crossword Blog would have been more accurate had he said "a synonym for the word merely" rather than " the word merely".
"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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| 26a | Abuse // whisky on a trip, initially (8) |
Malt[5] is short for malt whisky.
The indicator "initially" is a direction to use the initial letter of a word in the fodder.
The indicator "initially" is a direction to use the initial letter of a word in the fodder.
Down
| 1d | Rough // cover left on casing of uranium (7) |
" left " = L [l[2]]
The indicator "casing of" is a direction to use the initial and final letters of a word in the fodder.
The indicator "casing of" is a direction to use the initial and final letters of a word in the fodder.
Rough[5] (noun) is a British term meaning a disreputable and violent person ⇒
the rear of the column was attacked by roughs.
| 2d | Social creature runs away with beloved // animals (9) |
"social creature " = ANT
The terms "worker" and "social worker" are commonly used in cryptic crossword puzzles to clue ANT or BEE.
A worker[5] is a neuter or undeveloped female bee, wasp, ant, or other social insect, large numbers of which do the basic work of the colony.
In crossword puzzles, "worker" will most frequently be used to clue ANT and occasionally BEE but I have yet to see it used to clue WASP. Of course, "worker" is sometimes also used to clue HAND or MAN.
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The terms "worker" and "social worker" are commonly used in cryptic crossword puzzles to clue ANT or BEE.
A worker[5] is a neuter or undeveloped female bee, wasp, ant, or other social insect, large numbers of which do the basic work of the colony.
In crossword puzzles, "worker" will most frequently be used to clue ANT and occasionally BEE but I have yet to see it used to clue WASP. Of course, "worker" is sometimes also used to clue HAND or MAN.
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| 3d | The old folk, one // a Gulf inhabitant (6) |
Ye[5] is a pseudo-archaic term for the ⇒
The word 'ye' in this sense was originally a graphic variant of 'the' rather than an alternative spelling.
Thorn[5] is an Old English and Icelandic runic letter, þ or Þ, representing the dental fricatives ð and θ. In English it was eventually superseded by the digraph th — and thus þe (the old spelling of 'the') became the modern spelling 'the'.
In late Middle English þ (thorn) came to be written identically with y, resulting in þe (the) being written ye. This spelling (usually ye*) was kept as a convenient abbreviation in handwriting down to the 19th century, and in printers' types during the 15th and 16th centuries. It was never pronounced as ‘yee’ in the past, but this is the pronunciation used today.
* I interpret the phrase "usually ye" to mean that the word was customarily not capitalized because the character "y" is not being used to represent the letter "y" in the modern English alphabet but rather as a graphic variant of thorn. Thus, in bygone days, the name of the drinking establishment above would presumably have been written
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Ye Olde Cock Tavern. The character "y" in this word was originally not the letter "y" in the modern English alphabet but a variant representation of the Old English and Icelandic letter thorn (þ or Þ). (show more )
The word 'ye' in this sense was originally a graphic variant of 'the' rather than an alternative spelling.
Thorn[5] is an Old English and Icelandic runic letter, þ or Þ, representing the dental fricatives ð and θ. In English it was eventually superseded by the digraph th — and thus þe (the old spelling of 'the') became the modern spelling 'the'.
In late Middle English þ (thorn) came to be written identically with y, resulting in þe (the) being written ye. This spelling (usually ye*) was kept as a convenient abbreviation in handwriting down to the 19th century, and in printers' types during the 15th and 16th centuries. It was never pronounced as ‘yee’ in the past, but this is the pronunciation used today.
* I interpret the phrase "usually ye" to mean that the word was customarily not capitalized because the character "y" is not being used to represent the letter "y" in the modern English alphabet but rather as a graphic variant of thorn. Thus, in bygone days, the name of the drinking establishment above would presumably have been written
ye Olde Cock Tavern(and pronounced "the old cock tavern").
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" one " = I[2] [Roman numeral]
A Yemeni[5]
is a native or inhabitant of Yemen*, or a person of Yemeni descent.
* Yemen[5] is a country in the south and south-west of the Arabian peninsula. (show more )
An Islamic country since the mid 7th century, Yemen was part of the Ottoman Empire from the 16th century. It came under increasing British influence in the 19th century, and the port of Aden was developed as a British military base. After the Second World War civil war between royalist and republican forces ended with British withdrawal and the partition of the country (1967). South Yemen declared itself independent as the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, the North becoming the Yemen Arab Republic. In 1990 the countries reunited to form the Republic of Yemen; in 1994 the South briefly seceded but was defeated in a short civil war.
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An Islamic country since the mid 7th century, Yemen was part of the Ottoman Empire from the 16th century. It came under increasing British influence in the 19th century, and the port of Aden was developed as a British military base. After the Second World War civil war between royalist and republican forces ended with British withdrawal and the partition of the country (1967). South Yemen declared itself independent as the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, the North becoming the Yemen Arab Republic. In 1990 the countries reunited to form the Republic of Yemen; in 1994 the South briefly seceded but was defeated in a short civil war.
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| 4d | Rile person by acquiring their browser? (3,8,4) |
I see the entire clue as a cryptic definition in which a precise definition is embedded.
| 5d | Supplies of aid /from/ harassed prison-guard lacking working gun (8) |
| 6d | Worry // mates publicly climbing houses (5) |
| 7d | Frenzy almost following reduction of time /for/ orchestral instruments (7) |
The indicator "almost" is a direction to remove the final letter of the word suggested by a word in the fodder.
The indicator "reduction of" is a direction to remove the final letter of a word in the fodder.
Timpani[5] (also spelled tympani) is another name for kettledrums, especially when played by one musician in an orchestra.
* A kettledrum[5] is a large drum shaped like a bowl, with a membrane adjustable for tension (and so pitch) stretched across.
| 14d | Out of consideration employees finally quit // living accommodation (9) |
The indicator "finally" is a direction to use the final letter of a word in the fodder.
| 15d | Unruffled involving publicity /for/ lover's song, maybe (8) |
| 17d | Lack of movement // as one European boards broken-down train (7) |
The " one " from 3d performs an encore.
" European " = E[2]
| 18d | Fit // in cubicle (7) |
| 20d | Record // section of confusing lecture (6) |
| 22d | Ornament with little loops /in/ centre of hand-picked baby bed (5) |
The indicator "centre of" is a direction to use the letters that form the centre or core of a word in the fodder.
Cot[5] is
the British name for a crib[5], a small bed with high barred sides for a baby or
very young child.
Picot denotes a small loop or series of small loops of twisted thread in lace or embroidery, typically decorating the border of a fabric.
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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