Tuesday, April 26, 2016 — DT 27981

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 27981
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Thursday, December 10, 2015
Setter RayT (Ray Terrell)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27981]
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 was about ready to throw in the towel on at least two occasions, but I persevered and eventually completed the puzzle without outside help.

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.

Primary indications (definitions) are marked with a solid underline in the clue; subsidiary indications (be they wordplay or other) are marked with a dashed underline in all-in-one (&lit.) clues, semi-all-in-one (semi-&lit.) clues and cryptic definitions. Explicit link words and phrases are enclosed in forward slashes (/link/) and implicit links are shown as double forward slashes (//). Definitions presented in blue text are for terms that appear frequently.

Across

1a   Means // being enclosed in endless barrier (11)

Herewith^[2] is a legal and formal term denoting enclosed or together with this letter.

9a   Fruit // variety with very big exterior (7)

"very big" = OS (show explanation )

The sizes of clothing that North Americans would describe as plus-size^[7] (or often big and tall in the case of men's clothing) would be called outsize (abbreviation OS^[5]) in Britain.

hide explanation

10a   Pirouette // gradually losing core speed (6)

12a   Sovereign // consumed by temper, originally (7)

13a   Pebbles // unbroken round end of beach (7)

14a   Light /seen from/ church on mountain (5)

A tor^[7] is a large, free-standing rock outcrop that rises abruptly from the surrounding smooth and gentle slopes of a rounded hill summit or ridge crest. In the South West of England, the term is commonly also used for the hills themselves – particularly the high points of Dartmoor in Devon and Bodmin Moor in Cornwall.

Scratching the Surface
Although the meaning of torch that is familiar to North Americans works equally well, torch[10] is the British name for a flashlight.

15a   Chinese characters, say, /creating/ a grid some decrypted (9)

An ideogram^[10] is a sign or symbol, used in such writing systems as those of China or Japan, that directly represents a concept, idea, or thing rather than a word or set of words for it.

17a   Thought // about love, inhibited about sex (9)

"love" = O (show explanation )

In tennis, squash, and some other sports, love^[5] is a score of zero or nil ⇒ love fifteen. The resemblance of a zero written as a numeral (0) to the letter O leads to the cryptic crossword convention of the word "love" being used to clue this letter.

Although folk etymology has connected the word with French l'oeuf 'egg', from the resemblance in shape between an egg and a zero, the term apparently comes from the phrase play for love (i.e. the love of the game, not for money).

hide explanation

Gate^[5,10] is a British term meaning to confine or restrict (a pupil or student) to the school or college grounds as a punishment ⇒ he was gated for the rest of term.

It^[5] (usually written in quotation marks, "it") is an informal term for sexual intercourse or sex appeal ⇒ (i) the only thing I knew nothing about was ‘it’; (ii) they were caught doing ‘it’ in the back seat of his car.

20a   Fish // held on board ship (5)

"on board ship" = 'contained in SS' (show explanation )

In Crosswordland, you will find that a ship is almost invariably a steamship, the abbreviation for which is SS^[10]. Thus phrases such as "aboard ship" or "on board ship" (or sometimes merely "on board") are Crosswordland code for 'contained in SS'.

hide explanation

The shad^[5] is any of several species of herring-like fish that spends much of its life in the sea, typically entering rivers to spawn. It is an important food fish in many regions.

22a   Finding // time's flying (7)

24a   Fat // detective's gripped by a role (7)

"detective" = DI (show explanation )

A detective inspector (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).

hide explanation

25a   Flamboyant // men turning over palm (6)

"men" = OR (show explanation )

In the British armed forces, the term other ranks^[5] (abbreviation OR^[5]) refers to all those who are not commissioned officers.

hide explanation

Coco^[10] is short for coconut or coconut palm.

Rococo^[5] is an adjective denoting furniture or architecture characterized by an elaborately ornamental late baroque style of decoration prevalent in 18th-century continental Europe, with asymmetrical patterns involving motifs and scrollwork.

26a   Natural gold and silver turned almost delicate (7)

"gold" = OR (show explanation )

Or^[5] is gold or yellow, as a heraldic tincture.

hide explanation

The symbol for the chemical element silver is Ag^[5] from Latin argentum.

27a   Sheer // pants aren't fashionable to have run in (11)

Scratching the Surface
In Britain, the word pants[5] does not mean trousers. Rather, it refers to underwear — specifically men's undershorts or women's panties (the latter otherwise known as knickers to the Brits).

Down

2d   He painted // swine with deceit, ending with hospital (7)

William Hogarth^[7] (1697–1764) was an English painter and engraver. Notable works include his series of engravings on ‘modern moral subjects’, such as A Rake’s Progress (1735), which satirized the vices of both high and low life in 18th-century England.

3d   Chains // break cut by file (9)

4d   What's actually gained earning salary initially (5)

This style of clue is becoming almost as much of a trademark of RayT as is an appearance by Her Majesty.

As I have marked it, a portion of the clue provides the definition while the entire clue serves as wordplay making this a semi-all-in-one clue. On the other hand, should you think that the entire clue can be considered to be the definition, it would become a true all-in-one clue.

5d   Shaping // metal around vase with top of gold (7)

6d   Giant iguanas covering // island (7)

Antigua^[5] is one of the islands that make up the country of Antigua and Barbuda^[5], a country consisting of three islands (Antigua, Barbuda, and Redonda) in the Leeward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean; population 85,600 (est. 2009); languages, English (official), Creole; capital, St John’s (on Antigua). Discovered in 1493 by Columbus and settled by the English in 1632, Antigua became a British colony with Barbuda as its dependency; the islands gained independence within the Commonwealth in 1981.

7d   Head express keeping in charge of // train (11)

"in charge of" = IC (show explanation )

The abbreviation i/c^[5] can be short for either

1. (especially in military contexts) in charge of ⇒ the Quartermaster General is i/c rations; or
2. in command ⇒ 2 i/c = second in command.

hide explanation

8d   Beggar // you heard is wrapped in Telegraph? (6)

The Daily Telegraph^[7] is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper, founded in 1855 as The Daily Telegraph and Courier, which is published in London and distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally [... and the newspaper in which this puzzle initially appeared].

11d   Unusually spine's erect /showing/ determination (11)

16d   Try /and/ goal always, we hear, follows (9)

Scratching the Surface
Could this clue, which effectively says try and you will achieve your goal, be a paraphrasing of an excerpt from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:7–8): 7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Behind the Picture
Inspector Endeavour Morse[7] is a fictional character in the eponymous series of detective novels by British author Colin Dexter, as well as the 33-episode 1987–2000 television drama Inspector Morse[7], with the character played by John Thaw. Morse is a senior CID (Criminal Investigation Department) officer with the Thames Valley Police force in Oxford, England.

18d   Allure // left French love after midnight (7)

The French word for love is amour^[8].

"midnight" = G (show explanation )

In this clue, we encounter a not uncommon cryptic crossword construct, in which the word "midnight" is used to clue G, the middle letter (mid) of niGht.

hide explanation

19d   Undecided purchasing endlessly expensive // hat (7)

Behind the Picture

Poldark[7] is a series of historical novels by English author Winston Graham (1908–2003), published from 1945 to 1953 and continued from 1973 to 2002. The series comprises 12 novels: the first seven are set in the 18th century, concluding in Christmas 1799; the remaining five are concerned with the early years of the 19th century and the lives of the descendants of the previous novels' main characters. Graham wrote the first four Poldark books during the 1940s and 1950s. Following a long hiatus, he decided to resume the series and published The Black Moon in 1973. The main character Ross Poldark is a British Army officer who returns to his home in Cornwall from the American Revolutionary War only to find that his fiancée Elizabeth Chynoweth believed him dead and is about to marry his cousin Francis Poldark. Ross attempts to restore his own fortunes by reopening one of the family's derelict tin mines. After several years, he marries Demelza Carne, a poor servant girl, and is gradually reconciled to the loss of Elizabeth's love. The BBC has adapted the series for television twice: Poldark (1975 TV series) aired in 1975 and 1977, and a new version Poldark (2015 TV series) premiered in 2015.

20d   Fly in bridge partners /for/ a bit (7)

In the card game bridge, North^[5] and South^[5] comprise one partnership and play against East^[5] and West^[5] who form the other partnership.

21d   Trouble on Navy's // decks (6)

"Navy" = RN (show explanation )

The Royal Navy^[5] (abbreviation RN) is the British navy. It was the most powerful navy in the world from the 17th century until the Second World War.

hide explanation

23d   Band // Queen in rise (5)

"Queen" = R (show explanation )

Regina^[5] (abbreviation R^[5]) [Latin for queen] denotes the reigning queen, used following a name (e.g. Elizabetha Regina, Queen Elizabeth) or in the titles of lawsuits (e.g. Regina v. Jones, the Crown versus Jones — often shortened to R. v. Jones).

Thus Queen Elizabeth signs her name as 'Elizabeth R' as seen here on Canada's paint-stained constitution.

hide explanation

Key to Reference Sources: 

^[1]   - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
^[2]   - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
^[3]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
^[4]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
^[5]   - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford Dictionary of English)
^[6]   - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford 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)

Signing off for today — Falcon

Monday, April 25, 2016 — DT 27980

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 27980
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Setter Jay (Jeremy Mutch)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27980]
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
Notes
The National Post has skipped DT 27979 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday, December 8, 2015.

Introduction

I thought that Jay upped the intensity level of this puzzle a notch or two causing me to call in my electronic assistants to help finish it off.

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.

Primary indications (definitions) are marked with a solid underline in the clue; subsidiary indications (be they wordplay or other) are marked with a dashed underline in all-in-one (&lit.) clues, semi-all-in-one (semi-&lit.) clues and cryptic definitions. Explicit link words and phrases are enclosed in forward slashes (/link/) and implicit links are shown as double forward slashes (//). Definitions presented in blue text are for terms that appear frequently.

Across

1a   Plant // register found in monastery (10)

A friary^[5] is a building or community occupied by or consisting of friars^[5], members of any of certain religious orders of men, especially the four mendicant orders (Augustinians, Carmelites, Dominicans, and Franciscans).

The fritillary^[5] is any of numerous species of Eurasian plant of the lily family, with hanging bell-like flowers.

6a   According to reports, makes // pots (4)

10a   Rise /and/ dress (3,2)

In their review, the 2Kiwis show this as a double definition. However, that cannot be the case as the numeration given (3,2) does not match the second part of the clue. In the sense of a costume or outfit, British dictionaries show the solution spelled as get-up^[1,5,10] (3-2) while American dictionaries favour getup^[3,11] (5).

11a   At night, // a student follows rap act on the radio (9)

"learner" = L (show explanation )

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.

hide explanation

12a   Overrode protests from the East, revealing // missile (7)

13a   Put the focus on // narrow opening full of grass (7)

14a   Spread /that goes on/ freshly-made tea bun in golf club? (6,6)

18a   Holds tight, grabbing striker /to get/ this dish (12)

Chitterlings^[5] are the smaller intestines of a pig, cooked as food. I must say that I can only recall ever having heard them referred to by their informal name, chitlins^[5].

21a   Continuously // do better after Nancy's refusals (3-4)

Nancy^[5] is a city in northeastern France, chief town of Lorraine; population 107,434 (2006).

The French word for no is non^[8].

23a   Ever so sorry about Black // Watch! (7)

Scratching the Surface
The Black Watch[5] is another name for the Royal Highland Regiment. In the early 18th century the term Watch was given to certain companies of irregular troops in the Highlands; Black Watch referred to some of these companies raised circa 1729–30, distinguished by their dark-coloured tartan.

24a   Tricky situation /created by/ a couple of toadstools added to stew (3,6)

Hotpot^[5] is a British term for a casserole of meat and vegetables, typically with a topping of sliced potato.

25a   Get used to // hurt? Not Jack! (5)

"jack" = J (show explanation )

J^[5] is an abbreviation for jack that is used in describing play in card games.

hide explanation

26a   Top player/'s/ pace, but no power (4)

"power" = P (show explanation )

In physics, P^[10] is a symbol used to represent power [among other things].

hide explanation

27a   Writing on ruin of new // coach (4-2-4)

A four-in-hand^[5] is a vehicle with four horses driven by one person.

Down

1d   Escapes with no end of managerial // scraps (6)

2d   Bury North's // unpaid employee (6)

Scratching the Surface
Bury[7] [pronounced berry — although not by the locals according to Gazza in a review on Big Dave's blog] is a town in Greater Manchester, England. Bury North[7] is a borough constituency in Greater Manchester, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

3d   Carrying out // a limpet mine -- not to be disturbed! (14)

Scratching the Surface
A limpet[5] is any of numerous species of marine mollusc which has a shallow conical shell and a broad muscular foot, found clinging tightly to rocks. A limpet mine[5] is a mine designed to be attached magnetically to a ship’s hull and set to explode after a certain time.

4d   Freeholder // depressed with road around river (9)

A freeholder^[5] is the owner of a freehold^[5], a piece of land or property held  by freehold^[5] — a chiefly British term for the permanent and absolute tenure of land or property with freedom to dispose of it at will.

5d   Upsets // those people who are steadfast (5)

7d   Calls about telephone going up, /and/ locks (8)

8d   Pay must include university and time // promoting health (8)

Salutary^[5] is an archaic term meaning health-giving ⇒ the salutary Atlantic air.

9d   Thought process provoked by a car salesman? (4-10)

Autosuggestion^[5,10] (or auto-suggestion^[1]) is the hypnotic or subconscious adoption of an idea which one has originated oneself.

15d   French standard that's differently upheld in Italy? (9)

A tricolour^[5] is a flag with three bands or blocks of different colours, especially the French national flag with equal upright bands of blue, white, and red.

16d   Answer therefore must include prison /for/ plant (8)

The acanthus^[5] is any of many species of herbaceous plant or shrub with bold flower spikes and spiny decorative leaves, found in warm regions of the Old World.

17d   Good profit in quick French // sketch (8)

"good" = G (show explanation )

The abbreviation G^[10] for good likely relates to its use in grading school assignments or tests.

hide explanation

The French word for quick is vite^[8].

19d   PSV rounding bend with a // shock (6)

PSV^[5] is a British term denoting a public service vehicle^[5], a vehicle (typically a passenger vehicle) used to perform a public service or intended for use by the general public.

Scratching the Surface
For European sports fans, the clue may have evoked Philips Sport Vereniging (abbreviated PSV and internationally known as PSV Eindhoven[7]), a Dutch sports club from Eindhoven, Netherlands. It is best known for its professional football [soccer] department, which plays in the top division of Dutch football.

20d   Left, for example, complete // hero (6)

22d   Instrument // that's played softly (5)

The 2Kiwis appear to have interpreted the second definition as the customary musical direction. I think it might actually be the more rarely seen musical passage.

Piano^[5] denotes a passage performed or marked to be performed softly.

Key to Reference Sources: 

^[1]   - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
^[2]   - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
^[3]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
^[4]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
^[5]   - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford Dictionary of English)
^[6]   - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford 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)

Signing off for today — Falcon

Saturday, April 23, 2016 — Going in Circles

Introduction

I progressed through today's puzzle from Cox & Rathvon in an expeditious manner with only a brief pause for thought in the upper right hand corner.

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

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

Legend:	"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed
	"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted; "†" explicit in the clue
	Primary indications (definitions) are marked with a solid underline in the clue; subsidiary indications (be they wordplay or other) are marked with a dashed underline in all-in-one (& lit.) clues, semi-all-in-one (semi-& lit.) clues and cryptic definitions. Explicit link words and phrases are enclosed in forward slashes (/link/) and implicit links are shown as double forward slashes (//).

Across

1a   Paints // over trains on high tracks (7)

PAST|ELS — PAST (over) + ELS (trains on high tracks)

The El^[5] is a US term for:

1. an elevated railway [US railroad] (especially that in Chicago); or
2. a train running on an elevated railway [US railroad] ⇒ the El rumbled by.

5a   Game // preserve next to a station (7)

CAN|A|STA — CAN (preserve) + A (†) + STA (station; abbrev.)

9a   Minimal amount // allowed containing arsenic (5)

LE(AS)T — LET (allowed) containing (†) AS ([symbol for the chemical element] arsenic)

10a   Shows // some jeans tucked into shirts (9)

TE(LEVIS)ES — LEVIS (some jeans; a brand of denim clothing produced by American clothing company Levi Strauss & Co.^[7]) contained in (tucked into) TEES (shirts)

11a   Flight with many turnings // carries Lisa past bum (6,9)

{SPIRAL STAIRCASE}* — anagram (bum) of CARRIES LISA PAST

12a   Old diets altered // muscles (8)

DELTOIDS* — anagram (altered) of OLD DIETS

14a   Small fry // cut the grass around tavern (6)

M(INN)OW — MOW (cut the grass) containing (around) INN (tavern)

17a   Street with widespread // disorder (6)

ST|RIFE — ST (street) + (with) RIFE (widespread)

19a   Deliver // first of diamonds in royal house (4,4)

HAN(D) OVER — D (first [initial letter] of Diamonds) contained in (in) HANOVER (royal house)

The House of Hanover^[5] was the British royal house from 1714 to the death of Queen Victoria in 1901.

22a   Doctor plastering a hole /for/ a medical program (7,8)

{GENERAL HOSPITAL}* — anagram (doctor) of PLASTERING A HOLE

General Hospital^[7] (commonly abbreviated GH) is an American daytime television medical drama that is listed in Guinness World Records as the longest-running American soap opera in production and the third longest-running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns. Concurrently, it is the world's third longest-running scripted drama series in production after British serials The Archers and Coronation Street, as well as the world's second-longest-running televised soap opera still in production.

24a   At sea, Neil misrepresented // distances (9)

ALIENATES* — anagram (misrepresented) of AT SEA NEIL

25a   Expert wearing an // article donned by blacksmiths (5)

A(PRO)N — PRO (expert) contained in (wearing) AN (†)

26a   Fabled horse // uses gap trickily (7)

PEGASUS* — anagram (trickily) of USES GAP

27a   Orders // also accepted by Democrats (7)

DEM(AND)S — AND (also) contained in (accepted by) DEMS (Democrats; abbrev.)

Down

1d   Castle attendants overheard /in/ fortifications (9)

PALISADES~ — sounds like (overheard) {PALACE (castle) + AIDES (attendants)}

2d   Dog // frolicking in leaps (7)

SPANIEL* — anagram (frolicking) of IN LEAPS

3d   Actor with no lines // in next race (5)

_EXT|RA_ — hidden in (in) nEXT RAce

4d   Separate // tee in beach area (3,5)

SE(T) ASIDE — T (tee) contained in (in) SEASIDE (beach area)

5d   Shout like // former opera great (6)

CALL|AS — CALL (shout) + AS (like)

Maria Callas^[5] (1923–1977) wasa an American-born operatic soprano, of Greek parentage; born Maria Cecilia Anna Kalageropoulos. She was a coloratura soprano whose bel canto style of singing was especially suited to 19th-century Italian opera.

6d   Ned keeps rats and such; // pay no attention (5,4)

NE(VER MIN)D — NED (†) containing (keeps) VERMIN (rats and such)

7d   Keep // us in disgrace (7)

S(US)TAIN — US (†) contained in (in) STAIN (disgrace)

8d   Row /for/ a spot in the water (5)

A|ISLE — A (†) + ISLE (spot in the water)

13d   Gifts // of iron hoops (9)

OF|FE|RINGS — OF (†) + FE ([symbol for the chemical element] iron) + RINGS (hoops)

15d   Fighting aircraft // distort routes (9)

WARP|LANES — WARP (distort) + LANES (routes)

16d   Pair of campers got up /and/ partied (8)

CA|ROUSED — CA (pair [initial two letters] of CAmpers) + ROUSED (got up)

18d   Social standing // controlled by monarch (7)

RAN|KING — RAN (controlled) + (by; beside) KING (monarch)

20d   Art even disturbed // old soldier (7)

VETERAN* — anagram (disturbed) of ART EVEN

21d   Staple broken // kitchen items (6)

PLATES* — anagram (broken) of STAPLE

22d   Hold // great snake (5)

GR|ASP — GR (great; abbrev.) + ASP (snake)

According to American dictionaries, gr.^[3,11] is the abbreviation for great.

23d   Something to sing // in groups, almost (5)

_PS|ALM_ — hidden in (in) grouPS ALMost

Epilogue

The title of today's review is inspired by 11a and 22a — a genre of entertainment in which story lines are notoriously endlessly recycled.

Key to Reference Sources: 

^[1]   - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
^[2]   - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
^[3]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
^[4]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
^[5]   - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford Dictionary of English)
^[6]   - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford 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)

Signing off for today — Falcon

Friday, April 22, 2016 — DT 27978

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 27978
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Monday, December 7, 2015
Setter Rufus (Roger Squires)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27978]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By Miffypops
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
The National Post has skipped DT 27977 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, December 5, 2015.

Introduction

Due to the editors having skipped a puzzle, we are the recipients of a rare treat today — a puzzle from Rufus appearing in the National Post!

I am a bit late on parade today. The skipped puzzle combined with a full day of other plans created a bit of challenge for me.

As is customary for "Monday" puzzles in the UK, the review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog is written by Miffypops. While I do not always agree with his interpretations, his observation that [t]he two long across clues 13 and 16 gave me problems today certainly reflects my experience as well.

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.

Primary indications (definitions) are marked with a solid underline in the clue; subsidiary indications (be they wordplay or other) are marked with a dashed underline in all-in-one (&lit.) clues, semi-all-in-one (semi-&lit.) clues and cryptic definitions. Explicit link words and phrases are enclosed in forward slashes (/link/) and implicit links are shown as double forward slashes (//). Definitions presented in blue text are for terms that appear frequently.

Across

1a   Sets of clothes awaiting deliveries (8)

6a   Appreciate // notice before sticky situation (6)

9a   One's mastered the art of eating out (6)

10a   Gallery /gives/ girl tumultuous hand (8)

What did he say?

In his |review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Miffypops offers as assistance A girls name (Lynn or Duckworth) .... Dame Vera Lynn[5] is an English singer. She is known chiefly for her rendering of such songs as ‘We’ll Meet Again‘ and ’White Cliffs of Dover', which she sang to the troops in the Second World War. Veronica "Vera" Duckworth[7] (née Burton), played by Elizabeth Dawn, was a fictional character on the British soap opera Coronation Street, first appearing in August 1974 and last appearing in the 6,734th episode on 18 January 2008, where the character peacefully died in her sleep at the age of 70 from heart failure. Her funeral was held on 22 January 2008. She reappeared posthumously for a single appearance on the 8 November 2010 episode, in which her husband Jack (Bill Tarmey) died.

A veranda^[1] (or verandah) is a roofed gallery, terrace, or open portico along the front or side of a building.

11a   New tune // that's invigorating (5,3)

12a   Sweet thing from the Far East // turned on by Greek character (6)

Chi^[5] is the twenty-second letter of the Greek alphabet (Χ, χ).

Litchi is an alternative spelling of lychee^[2] (also lichee), a small fruit with sweet white juicy flesh enclosing a single seed, originally from China but now widely cultivated in many tropical regions.

13a   Task for a jester // wasted effort (1,5,6)

The portion of the clue with the dotted underline is a literal description of the solution.

16a   All the same, they're evidently not routine presentations (7,5)

One might say of these presentations of theatrical routines that "they're evidently not all the same" or stated another way "all the same, they're evidently not".

19a   Air // force (6)

21a   They cut // teeth (8)

23a   End /of/ drive? (8)

As Big Dave indicates in a note inserted in Miffypops's review, he sees this as a double definition which is also the way that I interpret it.

24a   Emphasise // sin must be cast out -- it's wrong (6)

25a   Period for redemption // states article by church (6)

Usance^[5] is the time allowed for the payment of foreign bills of exchange, according to law or commercial practice.

26a   Chairman/'s/ carved horn seat (8)

Thomas Sheraton^[7] (1751–1806) was a furniture designer, one of the "big three" English furniture makers of the 18th century, along with Thomas Chippendale and George Hepplewhite. Sheraton gave his name to a style of furniture characterized by a feminine refinement of late Georgian styles and became the most powerful source of inspiration behind the furniture of the late 18th century.

Down

2d   Cast // or cast out (6)

3d   Those false // beliefs (5)

4d   Act, concerning // a volte-face (9)

The indefinite article "a" seems almost superfluous. It is not part of the wordplay and is not necessary to the definition. On the other hand, I suppose that including it in the definition is not incorrect. I presume that it is present to enhance the surface reading.

5d   A few // part with a pound (7)

"pound" = L (show explanation )

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.

hide explanation

What did he say?
In his |review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Miffypops tells us that the final letter of the solution is the abbreviation for monetary pounds as in LSD. L.S.D.[10] (or £.s.d. or l.s.d.) is a British abbreviation for librae, solidi, denarii (Latin for pounds, shillings, pence) which relates to British currency in use prior to the introduction of the current decimal currency system in 1971.

6d   Losing sweetheart a danger // this month (5)

This clue is far more appropriate now than it was when it appeared in the UK in December.

"sweetheart" = E (show explanation )

Here we encounter a common cryptic crossword device, in which the word "sweetheart" is used to clue E, the middle letter (heart) of swEet.

hide explanation

7d   Supply smart name /for/ old soldiers (3-2-4)

As an anagram indicator, supply^[5] is an adverb meaning 'in a supple manner'.

Man-at-arms^[5] is an archaic term for a soldier, especially one heavily armed and on horseback.

8d   Contacting // every one within call (8)

13d   Changing to it again /creates/ trouble (9)

14d   Budget // that could be useless in parts? (9)

15d   Leisure activities /of/ father's days (8)

17d   Extra helpings /may be/ minute portions (7)

18d   Irregular forces // decoration (6)

20d   Innocent // one is found in part of the church (5)

22d   Like getting in quiet word of thanks for the food (5)

"quiet" = P (show explanation )

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.

hide explanation

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

Key to Reference Sources: 

^[1]   - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
^[2]   - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
^[3]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
^[4]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
^[5]   - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford Dictionary of English)
^[6]   - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford 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)

Signing off for today — Falcon