Wednesday, October 26, 2016 — DT 28165

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28165
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Setter Jay (Jeremy Mutch)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28165]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By Big Dave (Hints) 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

Yesterday was a busy day and I tried to get the blog written between a multitude of other demands. I eventually threw in the towel as I found myself falling asleep at the keyboard. Awaking with a fresh mind, I was able to sort out the wordplay at 2d which up to that time had eluded me.

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   Item used to clear up // skin initially shed (6)

5a   Surveillance // post abroad (8)

There is certainly little excuse for not having solved this clue without resorting to electronic aids. Nevertheless,  I got it into my head that the first syllable of the clue must be SPACE and that the solution was an observation tower along the lines of the Space Needle^[7] in Seattle. Once one is on a wrong track, it is often dreadfully difficult to force oneself off of it.

9a   Intricately connected pair // liable to suffer a mishap (8-5)

10a   Girl with fur, // with some dodgy characters? (8)

11a   Stop crossing right // line for a batsman (6)

A batsman^[5] is a player, especially in cricket, who is batting or whose chief skill is in batting.

In cricket, a crease^[10] is any of three lines (bowling crease, popping crease, or return crease) near each wicket marking positions for the bowler or batsman.

Note that, in cricket, a crease is a line — not an area as it is in (ice) hockey and lacrosse. Thus, in cricket, a batsman is said to be "at the crease" — unlike hockey or lacrosse, where a player is said to be "in the crease". 

12a   Soldiers in favour of mass // change for the better (6)

"soldiers" = RE (show explanation )

The Corps of Royal Engineers^[7], usually just called the Royal Engineers (abbreviation RE), and commonly known as the Sappers^[7], is a corps of the British Army that provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces.

hide explanation

"mass" = M (show explanation )

In physics, m^[5] is a symbol used to represent mass in mathematical formulae.

hide explanation

14a   Developed as well as // tidal barriers (3,5)

16a   Gut feeling /that's/ vague, when the DI goes missing (8)

Scratching the Surface

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).

19a   Paces // studies, on time (6)

In Britain, to read^[5] means to study (an academic subject) at a university ⇒ (i) I’m reading English at Cambridge; (ii) he went to Manchester to read for a BA in Economics.

"A on B" Convention

A sometimes ignored cryptic crossword convention provides that, in an across clue, the construction "A on B" is used to clue B + A. The rationale for this practice is that in order for A to be placed on B, B must already exist (i.e., already have been written). Since the English language is written from left to right, this means that B must come first and A is then appended to it. . Notwithstanding the above, a solver must always be vigilant for setters who flout this convention.

21a   Almost nicked identity, // showing no emotion (6)

Nick^[5] is an informal British term meaning to steal ⇒ she nicked fivers from the till.

23a   Union /of/ a couple of students making a nice change (8)

"student" = 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

When used as a link word, "of" denotes that the definition is formed from the constituent parts found in the wordplay. The preposition of^[5] may be used to indicate the material or substance constituting something ⇒ (i) the house was built of bricks; (ii) walls of stone.

25a   Unacceptable, /but/ past help, ate out (6,3,4)

The phrase beyond the pale^[5] denotes outside the bounds of acceptable behaviour ⇒ the language my father used was beyond the pale.

Delving Deeper

In their review of DT 27914 [The Daily Telegraph, September 23, 2015; National Post, February 19, 2016] on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, the 2Kiwis pictorially relate the expression beyond the pale to an area of eastern Ireland known as the Pale. The Pale[7], or the English Pale, was the part of Ireland that was directly under the control of the English government in the late Middle Ages. It had been reduced by the late 15th century to an area along the east coast of Ireland. The Norman invasion of Ireland, beginning in 1169, brought much of Ireland briefly under the theoretical control of the Plantagenet Kings of England. From the 13th century onwards, the Hiberno-Norman occupation in the rest of Ireland at first faltered, then waned. The Lordship actually controlled by the English king shrank accordingly, and as parts of its perimeter in counties Meath and Kildare were fenced or ditched, it became known as the Pale, deriving from the Latin word palus, a stake, or, synecdochically, a fence. By the late 15th century, the Pale became the only part of Ireland that remained subject to the English king, with most of the island paying only token recognition of the overlordship of the English crown. The word pale derives ultimately from the Latin word pālus, meaning stake, specifically a stake used to support a fence. From this came the figurative meaning of boundary and eventually the phrase beyond the pale, as something outside the boundary. Also derived from the "boundary" concept was the idea of a pale as an area within which local laws were valid. The term was used not only for the Pale in Ireland but also for various other English colonial settlements, notably English Calais. By the way, the clue used by Jay in that puzzle was: 25a     Fancy a blonde type? He /is/ unacceptable! (6,3,4)

26a   Lumber // that is of no use to employer (4,4)

Both the clue and the 2Kiwi's hint has left me confused. In both cases, lumber^[5] clearly seems to be used in the North American sense of timber sawn into rough planks or otherwise partly prepared rather than in the British sense of articles of furniture or other household items that are no longer useful and inconveniently take up storage space.

Dead wood^[2], is a colloquial term for someone or something that is no longer useful or needed.

My initial instinct was that lumber is not dead wood — but then I realized that, having been detached from its roots, it is hardly still alive.

27a   Submits // financial returns (6)

Richard, how many times have we seen this clue before?

Down

2d   Superior-sounding business /that's/ clear, like glass (7)

Although I kicked myself for failing to solve 5a without outside assistance, I make no apologies for needing help to get the solution to this clue. Not only is the solution a word with which I which I was not familiar but the wordplay involves a non-rhotic homophone — which did not occur to me for what seemed like an eternity.

Hyaline^[2] is an adjective meaning referring to or like glass; clear or transparent.

The wordplay is HYA {sounds like [when pronounced in a non-rhotic accent] (sounding) HIGHER (superior)} + LINE (business).

The word "HIGHER", when pronounced in a non-rhotic (show explanation ) accent typical of many parts of Britain, sounds like "HIGH-AH" — similar to the sound of the word fragment "HYA-".

Non-rhotic accents omit the sound < r > in certain situations, while rhotic accents generally pronounce < r > in all contexts. Among the several dozen British English accents which exist, many are non-rhotic while American English (US and Canadian) is mainly rhotic. This is, however, a generalisation, as there are areas of Britain that are rhotic, and areas of America that are non-rhotic. For more information, see this guide to pronouncing < r > in British English.

hide explanation

3d   Weaknesses /of/ spokespersons lacking love (5)

The word "of" reprises the role of a link word that it first played today in 23a.

"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

4d   The French maidens must be bowled over by him (6,3)

In this semi-&lit. clue^* (or, as some prefer to call it, semi-all-in-one clue), the entire clue acts as the definition while the portion with the dashed underline provides the wordplay.

^* In a true &lit. clue^[7] (sometimes called an all-in-one clue) the entire clue provides not only the definition (when read one way), but under a different interpretation also serves as the wordplay.

"the French" = LA (show explanation )

In French, the feminine singular form of the definite article is la^[8].

hide explanation

5d   Views welcoming the rise of Brown /in/ legislative assemblies (7)

In ancient times, the Senate^[10] was the the legislative council of ancient Rome. Originally the council of the kings, the Senate became the highest legislative, judicial, and religious authority in republican Rome. In modern times, Senate^[10] is the name given to the upper chamber of the legislatures of the US, Canada, Australia, and many other countries.

Scratching the Surface
There is no compelling reason to believe that this clue is intended to allude to any politician in particular. However, I might have said otherwise a decade ago. Gordon Brown[5] is a British Labour statesman who was prime minister of the UK during the years 2007–10.

6d   Jelly // babies at last seen in a short film (5)

Scratching the Surface
Jelly baby[5] is a British term for a jelly-like sweet [candy] in the stylized shape of a baby.

7d   Clear // old flame on Ecstasy charge (9)

"Ecstasy" = E (show explanation )

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 explanation

8d   Can opener, for example, // let us in free? (7)

13d   Unfashionable editor supporting drama // excelled in game (9)

15d   Firepower /needed where there's/ trouble in vessel (9)

17d   No mountain in South Africa /is/ worthy of mention! (7)

Table Mountain^[7] is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa.

18d   Experienced in love? Quite the reverse, /getting/ burnt! (7)

The "love" that went missing at 3d turns up here.

This clue employs a cryptic crossword device that we see from time to time. The setter first lays out a set of instructions and then tells us to do precisely the opposite. As you can see, the actual wordplay "love in experienced" would produce a surface reading that is nonsensical. However, the device introduced by the setter allows him to craft a meaningful surface reading.

20d   Prescribed // act, accepting European credit (7)

22d   Wild animal // shot after loud noise (5)

A dingo^[5] (Canis dingo) is a wild or half-domesticated dog with a sandy-coloured coat, found in Australia.

24d   A military establishment // put to shame (5)

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

Tuesday, October 25, 2016 — DT 28164

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28164
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Setter Unknown
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28164]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By Hanni
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

In terms of difficulty, I would say that today's puzzle sits in the lower half of three star territory.

Anyone who visited Big Dave's Crossword Blog yesterday would have discovered that Dave was experiencing problems with his site. Though the site was not down, it certainly had a much different — very minimalistic — look than we are used to seeing. All seems back to normal today.

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   Trap king with fine forged // blade (8)

"king" = K (show explanation )

K^[5] is an abbreviation for king that is used especially in describing play in card games and recording moves in chess.

hide explanation

Two out of three British dictionaries say that the term penknife^[2,4,10] is interchangeable with pocketknife^[4,10] (or pocket knife^[2] ). On the other hand, Oxford Dictionaries defines pocketknife^[5] as a North American term for a penknife.

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary gives us some insight into the history of the word telling us that a penknife^[11] is a small pocketknife, formerly one used for making and sharpening quill pens. It also defines jackknife^[11] as a large pocketknife.

5a   Called over by head of department /to get/ order (6)

9a   Perhaps Oliver in meeting with government's leader, // spinning (8)

Today we encounter a different Oliver than the one we met yesterday.

Oliver Twist^[7], subtitled The Parish Boy's Progress, is the second novel by English author Charles Dickens (1812–1870), published in 1838. The story is about an orphan, Oliver Twist, who is born into a life of poverty and misfortune in a workhouse.

What did she say?

In her review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Hanni hints that we are to begin withthe surname of a famous Oliver created by Dickens who wanted ‘more’. During the several years he spent at the workhouse, Oliver Twist[7] is brought up with little food and few comforts. One day, around the time of his ninth birthday, the desperately hungry boys decide to draw lots; the loser must ask for another portion of gruel. The task falls to Oliver, who at the next meal tremblingly comes forward, bowl in hand, and begs the overseer, Mr. Bumble, for gruel with his famous request: "Please, sir, I want some more".

10a   Steven set off // matches (6)

12a   Walk around certain /to be/ adored (9)

13a   Film // actor leaving quietly (5)

"quietly" = 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

14a   Examination // for all? Just some (4)

I have observed that students in Crosswordland are rarely subjected to written examinations.

16a   Cost /created by/ former lover with writer, she being vacuous (7)

"writer" = PEN (show explanation )

The setter has almost certainly used "writer" in the sense of an implement used for writing. While North American dictionaries define pen^[3,11] as a writer or an author ⇒ a hired pen, British dictionaries do not list this meaning and instead show pen^[2,4] (or the pen^[5,10]) as symbolically denoting writing as an occupation.

hide explanation

19a   Grumble about North -- it /gets/ payout from government (7)

21a   'Reposez' primarily is French /for/ 'stand' (4)

The clue parses as R (reposez primarily; initial letter of Reposez) + EST (is French; French word meaning 'is').

Scratching the Surface
What Hanni fails to mention in her review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog is that "reposez" is the second person plural of the present indicative of the French verb reposer 'to rest'. However, I think it would require a rather significant degree of lateral thinking to suppose that stand and rest are synonymous in the sense of reposer[8],

24a   One lives by the river, /that's/ comparatively warm in the East End (5)

The cockney^*[5] dialect spoken in the East End of London is characterized by dropping the aitch (H) from the beginning of words.

^* A cockney^[5,10] is a native of East London [specifically that part of East London known as the East End^[5]], traditionally one born within hearing of Bow Bells (the bells of St Mary-le-Bow^[7] church).

25a   'Criminal is evil,' CID // educated (9)

I am having some difficulty in reconciling that educated is synonymous with civilized. For instance, I have no doubt that Josef Mengele^[7] was a well-educated man.

Scratching the Surface
The Criminal Investigation Department (seemingly better known by its abbreviation CID[2]) is the detective branch of a British police force.

27a   Fruit -- // it could be crazy if you have more than one (6)

28a   Queen in a fuddle? Bad -- // very bad (8)

"queen" = R (show explanation )

Queen may be abbreviated as Q, Qu. or R.

Q^[5] is an abbreviation for queen that is used especially in describing play in card games and recording moves in chess.

Qu.^[2] is another common abbreviation for Queen.

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

29a   More intelligent // animal restricts physical exercise (6)

"physical exercise" = PE (show explanation )

PE^[5] is the abbreviation for physical education [or Phys Ed, as it was known in my school days]. 

hide explanation

30a   Comprehensive // education's flipping pursued (8)

Scratching the Surface

Although the surface reading sounds pretty rough to a North American ear, I assume that flipping[5] must have been employed here in an informal British sense in which the word is used for emphasis or to express mild annoyance ⇒ (i) are you out of your flipping mind?; (ii) it’s flipping cold today. I was initially somewhat doubtful about this explanation as I thought that flipping used in this way as an intensifier could only be an adjective (as is indicated by Oxford Dictionaries) while in the clue it appears to be used as an adverb. However, I was to learn from Collins English Dictionary that flipping[10] can indeed be used as an adverb — although it gives no examples of such usage.

Down

1d   Pomp 50 per cent reduced thanks to // King Edward? (6)

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

King Edward^[5] denotes an oval potato of a variety with a white skin mottled with red [named after King Edward VII].

2d   Ian's thrown up: was first /to be/ hammered (6)

3d   Writes // no publication for teachers (5)

TES^[7], formerly known as the Times Educational Supplement, is a weekly UK publication aimed primarily at school teachers in the UK. It was first published in 1910 as a pull-out supplement in The Times newspaper. Such was its popularity that in 1914, the supplement became a separate publication selling for 1 penny.

4d   Rock fan rule: // everyone wears black here (7)

6d   Postholders? (9)

Post^[5] is a chiefly British term for mail^[5], including in the sense of letters and parcels sent or received.

Is it not rather ironic that in Britain the post is delivered by the Royal Mail while in Canada the mail is delivered by Canada Post?

7d   Any gin? No? Awfully // tiresome (8)

8d   Walked out on // sweet disheartened editor (8)

Sweet^[5] is a British term for a sweet dish forming a course of a meal; in other words, a pudding or dessert.

What did she say?

In her review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Hanni informs us that I like raspberries as pudding. Whereas in North America, the term pudding[5] denotes specifically a dessert with a soft or creamy consistency, in Britain the term pudding refers to either: [any] cooked sweet dish served after the main course of a meal; or the dessert course of a meal ⇒ what’s for pudding?. Thus the terms dessert and pudding are synonymous in Britain. The response to What’s for pudding? could be Apple pie or even raspberries.

11d   Bite // lip (4)

Bite^[10] is used in the informal sense of an incisive or penetrating effect or quality ⇒ that's a question with a bite.

15d   Testimonial // from first choice beginning to be ignored (9)

17d   Wrapped up // sailor thus, right before bed (8)

"sailor" = AB (show explanation )

In the Royal Navy, according to Oxford Dictionaries, able seaman^[5] (abbreviation AB^[5]), is a rank of sailor above ordinary seaman and below leading seaman. On the other hand, Collins English Dictionary tells us that an able seaman^[10] (also called able-bodied seaman) is an ordinary seaman, especially one in the merchant navy, who has been trained in certain skills.

hide explanation

"Wrapped up" as engrossed in (a novel, for instance).

18d   In carriage, /for/ example (8)

I believe that Hanni includes an extra word in her definition.

20d   Lorry driver finally mislaid // food (4)

Lorry^[5] is the common name in the UK for the vehicle known in North America as a truck^[5] — although the word truck would also seem to be well known to the Brits. In fact, Oxford Dictionaries rather circularly defines a lorry as being a truck and a truck as being a lorry.

Tuck^[5] is a dated, informal British term for food eaten by children at school as a snack ⇒ (i) our parents provided us with a bit of money to buy tuck with; (ii) they send me a tuck box every month.

21d   Upset // about poetry (7)

Upset^[10] is used in the sense of to defeat or overthrow, usually unexpectedly.

Reverse^[2] is used in the sense of to annul, set aside or overthrow (a legal decision, judgement, etc).

22d   American fuel reprocessing /is/ practical (6)

23d   Tot was in the van, // confused (6)

Van^[5] is another word for forefront ⇒ he was in the van of the movement to encourage the cultivation of wild flowers.

26d   Everyone put up with mother/'s/ animal (5)

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, October 24, 2016 — DT 28163

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28163
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Monday, July 11, 2016
Setter Rufus (Roger Squires)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28163]
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

Introduction

Today the National Post deviates from its pattern of skipping "Monday" puzzles and publishes one by Rufus — one that is particularly gentle even by his standards.

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   Member of the upper class (5-6)

In Britain, a form^[5] is [or, perhaps more correctly,was] a class or year in a school, usually given a specifying number. Thus what we in North America would call a grade would be — or once was — known in Britain as a form, although the numbering system for forms and grades are vastly different (see table below).

The term "form" seems to have become passé as Miffypops refers to the solution to the clue as "What a schoolchild would be during the year before university back in the old days. This would now be known as year 13 or 14." Furthermore, Wikipedia (see table below) characterizes the term "form" as an "alternative/old name".

A form^[7] is a class or grouping of students in a school. The term is used predominantly in the United Kingdom, although some schools, mostly private, in other countries also use the title. Pupils are usually grouped in forms according to age and will remain with the same group for a number of years, or sometimes their entire school career.

Forms are normally identified by a number such as "first form" or "sixth form". A form number may be used for two year groups and differentiated by the terms upper and lower [in general, this would seem to apply primarily for the sixth form]. Usually the sixth form is the senior form of a school [although this apparently does not hold true for New Zealand where they would appear to have a seventh form]. In England, the sixth form is usually divided into two year groups, the lower sixth and upper sixth, owing to the 3-year English college/university system. In Scotland or North America, the 6th form is usually a single year, owing to the 4-year college/university system. If there is more than one form for each year group they will normally be differentiated by letters, e.g., "upper four B", "lower two Y". Schools do not follow a consistent pattern in naming forms [in the foregoing quotation witness Miffypops' reference to "year 14",  a term which does not appear in the table below].

Wikipedia would appear to be at best ambiguous and at worst inconsistent on the relationship between the British and American systems of naming school years. The article from which the table below is excerpted shows that the British first form is equivalent to the American 6th grade. On the other hand, the article cited above states "In North America, the 1st Form (or sometimes 'Form I') is equivalent to 7th Grade." However, this latter statement may in fact be a comparison between the few North American schools to use the form system and the vast majority of North American schools that don't rather than a comparison between British and American schools.

Naming of School Years (British System vs American System)[7]
Age Range	British System		American System
	Name	Alternative/Old Name	Name
11-12	Year 7	First form	6th grade
12-13	Year 8	Second form	7th grade
13-14	Year 9	Third form	8th grade
14-15	Year 10	Fourth form	9th grade
15-16	Year 11	Fifth form	10th grade
16-17	Year 12	Lower sixth form	11th grade
17-18	Year 13	Upper sixth form	12th grade

9a   Came back with a diet designed /for/ the undernourished (9)

10a   Isle // everyone goes round to (5)

11a   Fool it's silly // to help (6)

12a   One who would lose status as union member (8)

13a   Capacity /to get/ on after bitterness? (6)

15a   Freshly appointed person // that will make a clean sweep? (3,5)

New broom^[2] is a seemingly British term [judging by its absence from American dictionaries] meaning a new person in charge, bent on making sweeping improvements. The expression — which alludes to the proverb a new broom sweeps clean — dates to the late 18th century with its earliest use found in a work by playwright Frederick Reynolds (1764–1841)^[5].

18a   Mystery involved number entering // regular correspondence (8)

"number" = M (Roman numeral for 1000) (show explanation )

In cryptic crosswords,  "(a) number" is very often a Roman numeral and, in particular, terms such as "(a) large number", "many" or "a great many" are frequently used  to indicate that a large Roman numeral — generally C (100), D (500), or M (1000) — is required.

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19a   A French diet blended // together (6)

"a French" = UN (show explanation )

In French, the masculine singular form of the indefinite article is un^[8].

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21a   Attractive // worker takes part (8)

23a   They are employed in the theatre // or in religious work (6)

In the Bible, Acts^[6] (or Acts of the Apostles) is a New Testament book immediately following the Gospels and relating the history of the early Church. [This definition seems to have vanished from the British version of Oxford Dictionaries and is now found only in the US version.]

26a   Call for // peace and quiet (5)

27a   Leave out // priest adaptable team should welcome in (9)

In the Bible, Eli^[5] is a priest who acted as a teacher to the prophet Samuel (1 Sam. 1-3).

28a   Eaten cold it could provide // enjoyment (11)

Down

1d   The female fringe in American // business (7)

The wordplay parses as SHE (the female) + BANG (fringe in American [parlance])

Bang^[2] (usually bangs) is a North American, especially US (according to Chambers 21st Century Dictionary — although I would dispute that claim), term for hair cut in a straight line across the forehead. The British term for this hairstyle is fringe.

2d   They show you the bones /of/ an unknown number of fish (1-4)

"an unknown" = X (show explanation )

In mathematics (algebra, in particular), an unknown^[10] is a variable, or the quantity it represents, the value of which is to be discovered by solving an equation ⇒ 3y = 4x + 5 is an equation in two unknowns. [Unknowns are customarily represented symbolically by the letters x, y and z.]

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3d   One part of a frozen waterfall? (9)

4d   Darn // possibly visible in coat hem (4)

5d   Press, for example, set up // referees (8)

6d   Arrive at // straight stretch of river (5)

A reach^[5] is a continuous extent of water, especially a stretch of river between two bends, or the part of a canal between locks ⇒ the upper reaches of the Nile.

7d   Rising impudence over dour // traveller (7)

What did he say?

In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Miffypops describes the traveller mentioned in the clue as one who progressed in John Bunyan’s novel. The Pilgrim's Progress[7] (in full The Pilgrim's Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come; Delivered under the Similitude of a Dream) is a 1678 Christian allegory written by English writer and Baptist preacher John Bunyan (1628–1688). It is regarded as one of the most significant works of religious English literature, has been translated into more than 200 languages, and has never been out of print.

8d   Firm needs a line going to Shanghai, say, /in/ China (8)

Shanghai^[5] is a city on the east coast of China, a port on the estuary of the Yangtze; population 11,283,700 (est. 2006). Opened for trade with the west in 1842, Shanghai contained until the Second World War areas of British, French, and American settlement. It was the site in 1921 of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party.

Coalport^[5] is a kind of porcelain, frequently decorated with floral designs, produced at Coalport in Shropshire, England, from the late 18th century.

14d   French newspaper accepts article // that's refreshing (8)

Treat the definition as thought it were "[something] that's refreshing".

Le Monde^[7] (English: The World) is a French daily evening newspaper continuously published in Paris since its first edition in December 1944. It is one of two French newspapers of record — the other being Le Figaro.

16d   Graduate entertains a slimmer's objective // -- eating off this? (4,5)

17d   Oliver /sees/ worm wriggling in retreat (8)

Oliver Cromwell^[7] (1599–1658) was an English military and political leader and later Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England (which, at the time, included Wales), Scotland and Ireland. Cromwell^[5] was the leader of the victorious Parliamentary forces (or Roundheads) in the English Civil War (1642-49). As head of state he styled himself Lord Protector, and refused Parliament’s offer of the Crown in 1657. His rule was notable for its puritan reforms in the Church of England. After his death from natural causes in 1658 he was buried in Westminster Abbey, but after the Royalists returned to power in 1660 they had his corpse dug up, hung in chains, and beheaded.

18d   Trains // groups of like-minded philosophers (7)

Whatever you do, don't miss the video that Miffypops includes in his review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog.

20d   See // Cinders in transformation (7)

Scratching the Surface

Cinders is likely an allusion the heroine in a British pantomime* based on the story of Cinderella. As the theatrical promo states The time has come for the real story of Cinderella to be told, warts and all! This hilarious Panto puts an interesting twist on an old familiar story, and gives us a Cinderella for the 21st Century.. In fact, there appear to be at least two British pantomimes by that name — the previously mentioned one by David Tristram and another by Geoff Bamber. * A pantomime[5] (or panto[5] for short) is a traditional British theatrical entertainment, mainly for children, which involves music, topical jokes, and slapstick comedy and is based on a fairy tale or nursery story, usually produced around Christmas. While attempting to track down the elusive Cinders, I encountered the following pretenders to the role: Mr. Cinders[7], a musical produced in the UK in 1928, is an inversion of the Cinderella fairy tale with the gender roles reversed. The Prince Charming character has become a modern (1928) young and forceful woman, and Mr. Cinders is a menial. The show captures the last frantic gasps of the roaring twenties before the gloom of the Great Depression settled in. Ella Cinders[7], is a 1926 American silent comedy film based on the syndicated comic strip of the same name. Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella is a retelling of the Cinderella story by children's author Jan Brett who sets her Cinderella story in a snowy Russian winter where one magical night, Cinders, the most picked upon hen in the flock, becomes the most loved by Prince Cockerel when she arrives at his ball looking so beautiful that even her bossy sisters don't recognize her.

22d   Ribbon /of/ quiet deep colour (5)

24d   Took a picture showing // animal in the zoo (5)

The okapi^[5] is a large browsing mammal (Okapia johnstoni) of the giraffe family that lives in the rainforests of northern Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire). It has a dark chestnut coat with stripes on the hindquarters and upper legs.

25d   The last character to join in Conservative // element (4)

"Conservative" = C (show explanation )

The abbreviation for Conservative may be either C.^[10] or Con.^[10].

The Conservative Party^[5] is a a major British political party that emerged from the old Tory Party under Sir Robert Peel in the 1830s and 1840s. Since the Second World War, it has been in power 1951–64, 1970-74, and 1979–97. It governed in a coalition with the Liberal Democrats from 2010 until the general election of May 2015, in which it was returned with a majority.

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Zinc^[5] (symbol Zn) is the chemical element of atomic number 30, a silvery-white metal which is a constituent of brass and is used for coating (galvanizing) iron and steel to protect against corrosion.

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