Saturday, August 8, 2009 - Magic

Introduction

In today's puzzle Cox and Rathvon use sleight of hand and cast magical spells to create a pleasant diversion perfect to wile away a lazy summer afternoon.

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

21d Compose a work containing bit of humourous twist (6)

This was the last clue to be solved as I got hung up on "compose" possibly being an anagram indicator - which it isn't.

25d Playwright Ben is troubled (5)

If, like me, your first thought is playwright Ben Jonson, you had best guess again.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend:	"CD" Cryptic Definition; "DD" Double Definition
	"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed
	"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted

Across

1ac A|BRA(CAD)A|BRA - on either side (containership indicator)

9ac R|I|P INTO

10ac LEGIBLE* - edited {LIBEL EG}*

11ac CONJURING* - transformed {CORN IN JUG}*

12ac {SI|T-UP}< {PUT (place) IS} coming back

13ac S|TRUCK

15ac S(TAM)P OUT - in (containership indicator)

18ac MA|LADIES

19ac TR(ASH)Y - in (containership indicator)

22ac PUMAS* - wrecked {US MAP}*

24ac C(ARDT*)RICK - C^RICK {about (containership indicator)} {errant (anagram indicator)} DART*

26ac DID|ER|OT

27ac T(URNS) IN - coated (containership indicator)

28ac LEGERDEMAIN* - change of {REGIME LADEN}*

Down

1d AS|PEN

2d REN(OUNCE)D - in (containership indicator)

3d COO(L I)T - around (containership indicator)

4d DELE(GA)TE - absorbing (containership indicator)

5d BOG|US

6d A(L|BAT)ROSS - picked up by (containership indicator); Sir John Ross: Scottish explorer

7d CROCUS* - OCCURS* in mutant form

8d S(EXPO)T - beset by (containership indicator); Expo: former Montreal baseball player

14d {ROLE MODEL}* - turning {OLDER ELMO}*

16d M(ORATOR)IA - taking in (containership indicator); Mia Farrow: ex-wife of Woody Allen

17d MER|CA(TO)R - put aboard (containership indicator); Gerardus Mercator: Flemish cartographer

18d MOP|EDS

20d YO|KING - yo: exclamation used to attract attention

21d WRIT(H_)E - WRIT^E (compose a work) {containing (containership indicator} {bit of (truncation indicator)} [H]umerous

23d SP|RIG

25d IBSEN* - {BEN IS}* troubled; Henrik Ibsen: Norwegian playwright

Signing off for today - Falcon

Friday, August 7, 2009 (DT 25889)

This puzzle was originally published Monday, March 30, 2009 in The Daily Telegraph

Introduction

Although I found the puzzle today relatively easy compared to those of the last few days, it did prove quite satisfying to solve as it had quite a lot of interesting wordplay.

Today's Glossary

Some possibly unfamiliar abbreviations, people, places, words and expressions used in today's puzzle

charlotte - a type of dessert

Head Girl - Brit. a girl in the senior years at a British school who has been elected to represent the school and to act as a role model for younger students

(Courts of) Quarter Sessions - Brit. a former British court, usually held quarterly

star turn - Brit. the featured skit or number in a theatrical production

tup - Brit. a ram

U - upper class (thus socially acceptable) English

Today's Links

I found no questions on AnswerBank discussing today's puzzle - perhaps an indication that the Brits found it easy (or maybe they were all still working on the Saturday prize puzzle published yesterday in the National Post).

Big Dave's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Telegraph Crossword Blog [DT 25889].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

8d One providing a deal for the better (8)

Here "better" is not used as the comparative form of "good" but rather as a noun meaning "one who bets". Of course, it could have been spelled "bettor", but that would have ruined the deception.

14d Digs for foreign coins (8)

In the parlance of the computer industry, this puzzle has not been localized. To do so, Canadian and U.S. solvers should either delete the word "foreign" or substitute the word "domestic" in its place.

22d Tether that is restricting ram? On the contrary! (3-2)

This clue has some rather tricky wordplay. The solution is a verb meaning "tether". The wordplay first asks if IE (that is) is around (restricting) TUP (ram) and then answers the question by declaring that the contrary is true (i.e., TUP is around IE producing TIE-UP as the solution).

Signing off for today - Falcon

Thursday, August 6, 2009 (DT 25888)

This puzzle was originally published Saturday, March 28, 2009 in The Daily Telegraph

Introduction

I found this to be a fairly difficult puzzle with many false leads to send one down the wrong path. I finally threw in the towel with one clue left unsolved. While I have become quite adept at tracking down obscure British towns and deciphering British colloquialisms and regular slang, it would appear that Cockney rhyming slang is still beyond my limit.

As a footnote to yesterday's puzzle, I have updated my comments regarding "co-ed". It seems I had to ponder it overnight (I was going to say "sleep on it", but that might be inappropriate given the context) before the wordplay sank in.

And, finally, welcome to recent new followers pjxwords and Rosie, as well as to crosswordcat who left a comment earlier this week.

Today's Glossary

Some possibly unfamiliar abbreviations, people, places, words and expressions used in today's puzzle

Abednego - In the Bible, a young man who with Meshach and Shadrach emerged unharmed from the fiery furnace of Babylon

banger - colloq. a sausage

dab - slang fingerprint (entry 1, noun, defn. 4)

dab - an expert (entry 3)

East Grinstead - a town in England located in the northeastern corner of Mid Sussex, West Sussex near the East Sussex border [I must say that I love this directionally convoluted description]

Joanna - Cockney rhyming slang piano

keen as mustard - very enthusiastic

san - short form for sanitorium (UK) or sanitarium (US): an establishment for the care of convalescent or chronically ill people

Sleaford - a town in Lincolnshire, England

Today's Links

It being a Saturday prize puzzle in the Telegraph, there was heavier than normal traffic on Answerbank, where I found eleven questions discussing today's puzzle. They (together with the clues to which they relate) are:

• AnswerBank [DT 25888]-a: 26ac, 17d
• AnswerBank [DT 25888]-b: 6ac, 5d
• AnswerBank [DT 25888]-c: 3d
• AnswerBank [DT 25888]-d: 11ac, 1d, 2d
• AnswerBank [DT 25888]-e: 16ac, 4d, 5d
• AnswerBank [DT 25888]-f: 6ac
• AnswerBank [DT 25888]-g: 4d
• AnswerBank [DT 25888]-h: 12ac, 16ac
• AnswerBank [DT 25888]-i: 18d
• AnswerBank [DT 25888]-j: 4d
• AnswerBank [DT 25888]-k: 8ac, 1d

Again, since this was a Saturday prize puzzle in the UK, Big Dave provides hints at Big Dave's Telegraph Crossword Blog [DT 25888]-Hints and Peter Biddlecombe provides a full review at Big Dave's Telegraph Crossword Blog [DT 25888]-Review.

While obvious, I will invoke my unofficial role as long-after-the-fact proofreader of Big Dave's blog to point out that there should be two "P's" in LAMPPOST (17d).

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

23ac Pester doctor in case (6)

Lots of dead ends for the unwary in this clue. I was sure that "doctor" was an anagram indicator, but could not decide whether it worked on "pester" or "in case". It turned out to be neither. Nor, as it turned out, was a "case" to be a "valise".

24ac Fine work affected dandy (3)

I consider this clue to be a rather fine piece of work, with some charade-type wordplay ("fine work") producing a word meaning a "dandy", a type of person known for their "affected" mannerisms.

25ac Animals I removed from canvas sheet (8)

Another clue leading me down a dead end. My first (and erroneous) approach was that "I removed" might be a direction to "delete I" from a word meaning "canvas sheet" (e.g., "sailcloth") to get a word meaning "animals".

26ac Gratify said animal (6)

I initially thought that the animal in question might be a panther, but then I realized that it is actually what some people in Britain (and Boston) might call a panda.

4d Lady, not one on piano, started exercises (6)

This is the clue on which I threw in the towel. I had assembled a virtual harem of ladies (Bonnie, Connie, Joanne, Joanie, and Ronnie) all vying for the position. However, I was unable to make a proper selection as I had no idea that Joanna was Cockney rhyming slang for piano. Of course, it only rhymes if you pronounce piano as pianna.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Wednesday, August 5, 2009 (DT 25887)

This puzzle was originally published Friday, March 27, 2009 in The Daily Telegraph

Introduction

Big Dave rated this puzzle "on the easy side". I'm not sure that I would concur with that opinion. I did get off to a much better start than yesterday and made excellent progress until I hit the upper right-hand corner where I totally came to a standstill. However, with a great deal of effort - and the support of some of the crossword puzzle solving aids in my Tool Chest - I did eventually succeed in completing the puzzle.

Today's Glossary

Some possibly unfamiliar abbreviations, people, places, words and expressions used in today's puzzle

John Cage - American composer

Erskine Childers - author and Irish nationalist Robert Eskine Childers, or his son, former Irish President Erskine Hamilton Childers

childminder - Brit. a babysitter

choc - colloq. chocolate or a chocolate

hyaline - clear or transparent

portiere - a heavy curtain hung across a doorway

Today's Links

I found a single question on AnswerBank discussing today's puzzle. It (together with the clues to which it relates) is:

• AnswerBank [DT 25887]-a: 6ac, 7d

Beware, however, as the solution given on Answerbank for 7d is incorrect.

Big Dave's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Telegraph Crossword Blog [DT 25887].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

12ac School magazine chief working with partner? (2-2)

Update

I wrote my original comment (below) based on what is likely a misinterpretation of Big Dave's analysis of the clue as "this abbreviation for a CO-EDucational school is made up from CO- being a partner and ED(itor) being a magazine chief". After having slept on it, I think I may have missed the intent of his explanation.

I believe that this clue is intended to be a cryptic definition in the form of a pun built around the fact that if a "magazine chief" is an ED, then his/her partner would be a CO-ED. I think that "school" does not specify a synonym for school, but rather implies "type of school".

Original Post

I must say that I have trouble accepting this clue. I can find no source that would suggest that "co-ed" is a synonym for "school". Chambers, Oxford, Cambridge and The Free Dictionary all define "co-ed" as a female student at a co-educational institution. "Co-ed" can also be used as an adjective (meaning "co-educational"), but to say that an adjective is a synonym for a noun that it might modify is obviously nonsense.

Given that the British dictionaries identify this as a North American expression, perhaps this is a case of the British setter misunderstanding the meaning of the word. Or is this some undocumented (or, at least, undiscovered by yours truly) British usage?

Signing off for today - Falcon

Tuesday, August 4, 2009 (DT 25886)

This puzzle was originally published Thursday, March 26, 2009 in The Daily Telegraph

Introduction

In hindsight, this seems to be a fairly straightforward puzzle and I was not surprised to see Big Dave's blog rate it two stars for degree of difficulty. Despite this, after quite some time spent puzzling over it, I set it aside not having been able to solve a single clue. Returning to it later in the day, I finally cracked one clue which seemed to break the logjam (or release the mental block). In fact, I was then able to totally complete the puzzle without having to resort to my Tool Chest.

Today's Glossary

Some possibly unfamiliar abbreviations, people, places, words and expressions used in today's puzzle

butty - Brit. a sandwich

gen - colloq. information

roentgen - a unit of measurement for radiation

SP - abbrev. starting price: horse racing final odds just prior to the start of a race

TT - abbrev. Tourist Trophy, motorcycle races held on the Isle of Man

Today's Links

I found no questions on AnswerBank discussing today's puzzle.

A review of today's puzzle by gazza may be found at Big Dave's Telegraph Crossword Blog [DT 25886].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

4ac Accepts there's trouble with the points (6)

"Points" is often a reference to the points of the compass - but not today.

1d Right tone perhaps, to suppress information on scale of radiation (8)

My first thought was that "suppress information" might be a direction to "delete GEN" from some word to arrive at the solution (along the lines of yesterday's "delete mail from voicemail to get voice" clue). However, I eventually discovered that this was not the correct approach.

2d Races in to purchase something to eat (5)

Once again, the Tourist Trophy motorcycle races on the Isle of Man make an appearance. Despite never having heard of a "butty", I was still able to derive the solution based on the wordplay.

18d Old wine is different - it has to rest (3,4)

While working through this clue, the following potential cryptic clue idea sprang to mind:

• Used to toast new idol (3,4)

The solution is contained in 18d. I am also assuming that toast is a plausible anagram indicator (I believe I have seen less credible ones). If not, throw in an appropriate one.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Monday, August 3, 2009 (DT 25885)

This puzzle was originally published Wednesday, March 25, 2009 in The Daily Telegraph

Introduction

I completed this puzzle successfully, although the upper left-hand corner required considerable effort. I was also quite perplexed by the wordplay in one clue - only to discover that there was an error in the clue as published in the National Post.

Today's Glossary

Some possibly unfamiliar abbreviations, people, places, words and expressions used in today's puzzle

DPhil - Brit. Doctor of Philosophy

Today's Links

I found no questions on AnswerBank discussing today's puzzle.

Libellule's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Telegraph Crossword Blog [DT 25885].

Error in Today's Puzzle

Clue 28ac was published incorrectly in the National Post as:

28ac One supposedly intelligent working on Dr. Phil (7)

The correct clue as shown on Big Dave's Blog is:

28ac One supposedly intelligent working on DPhil (7)

For readers in North America, DPhil is an abbreviation for Doctor of Philosophy. Personally, I am more familiar with PhD, but DPhil seems to be used more commonly in Britain.

In case readers in the UK are unfamiliar with Dr. Phil, it is a US television talk show hosted by clinical psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw. One might charitably describe it as an amalgam of the Oprah Winfrey and Jerry Springer shows. His guests are people with severe psychological problems to whom he purports to provide treatment. However, in reality, the show would appear to be the 21st century equivalent of a 1930's circus freak show.

Based on this description, it is easy to see that the surface reading of the clue as published in the National Post makes a great deal of sense. Of course, I struggled in vain trying to find something in the wordplay to account for deletion of the extra "R".

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

9ac Telephone message is unmanned, we hear (5)

I must admit that the setter caught me on this one. Despite seeing VOICE as the only possible solution, I was not able to figure out the wordplay. Kudos to libellule for his explanation.

18ac Stock in branch sent off for orders (12)

I thought RANGE was a poor synonym for "stock". To me, stock is just the goods on hand - regardless of its quantity or diversity. Range would indicate the diversity of the goods - and would merely be one of many attributes that could be used to describe the stock (range of stock, quantity of stock, quality of stock, etc.).

3d Functions carried out by bones? (10)

To elaborate on libellule's commentary, "Bones" was the nickname of Dr. Leonard McCoy (a character in the Star Trek television series). It is a shortened form of "sawbones", a common epithet for doctors (at least in American westerns). It would seem that amputation must have been a common solution to medical conditions in the Old West.

8d Old poet almost held us in excitement (8)

I'm afraid that I'm going to have to quibble with libellule's analysis of the solution to this clue. I respectfully submit that the clue does not call for US to be reversed and placed in front of the truncated poet (SPENSE). Rather the clue indicates that US is contained by SPENSE. A complete parsing the clue produces:

8d {Old poet almost (truncation indicator) [S^PENSE]} {held (containment indicator) US} /in\ excitement [S(US)PENSE] (8)

Signing off for today - Falcon

Saturday, August 1, 2009 - Who's missing?

Introduction

Today's puzzle by Cox and Rathvon has poets, spies, Greeks, actors, soldiers, royalty, seamstresses, musicians, and parliamentarians among others - so, who's missing?

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

13ac Letter penned by Greek apparently (5)

A clue having a very nice surface reading, with "penned by" actually serving as a hidden word indicator. However, I initially missed this wordplay and my first choice of ALPHA as a solution considerably delayed me in completing the bottom left-hand corner.

5d Choose what a chipper uses (4)

While not entirely confident with my interpretation, I have concluded that "chipper" may refer to someone who chips ice (as with an ice pick).

13d Vocally criticize lousiest sausage (10)

If the solution to this clue were KNOCKWURST, it would be an excellent homophone. However, my ear finds the actual solution, KNACKWURST, to be just a bit iffy.

25d Something sweet in the extremes of kinkiness (4)

While "the extremes of a (word)" often indicate the first and last letter of the word, the setters today use it to indicate the first two and last two letters of the word.

On the subject of candy kisses, although Hershey's chocolate kisses seem to be ubiquitous on the Internet, I tend to think of the candy kisses that I received as a young trick-or-treater at Halloween which were a molasses candy having a toffee-like consistency.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend:	"CD" Cryptic Definition; "DD" Double Definition
	"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed
	"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted

Across

9ac K_|HAY|YAM - debut (first letter) of [K]eats

10ac _IKE|BANA_ - somewhat l[IKE BANA]nas

11ac {SO TO SPEAK}* - {SPOOKS EAT}* {bananas}

12ac SKI|FF - obviously water skiing

13ac _KAPPA_ - penned by gree[K APPA]arently

14ac SICK LE|AVE

16ac ALA(SKA)N - Mr. Thicke: Canadian actor Alan Thicke

18ac B(ASK)ETS - hoops: the game of basketball

20ac KNOTHOLES~ - in conversation (sounds like) NOT WHOLES

22ac A|R|KIN - acting family: American actor Alan Arkin and actor sons Adam, Anthony and Matthew

24ac U(MIA)K - Umiak: Inuit boat; MIA: Missing In Action

25ac K(VETCH)ING

27ac S(K)EWERS - fourth (letter) of hocKey

28ac K(ITCH)EN

Down

1d _UKES - d[UKES] except for the first (letter)

2d RA(GTO)P

3d E|YES|TALK

4d IMPERSONAL* - {PRISON MEAL}* unfortunately

5d PICK

6d W|EASEL

7d KAMIKAZE~ - sounding (sounds like) COMIC OZZY; Osbourne: English singer-songwriter Ozzy Osbourne

8d {HALF NELSON}* - {ON SHELL FAN}* excitedly; half nelson: wrestling hold

13d KNACKWURST~ - vocally (sounds like) KNOCK WORST (maybe)

15d {CUBE STEAKS}* - confused {BEE SUCKS AT}*; cube steak: a thin slice of beef tenderized by cubing (tenderizing by breaking the fibers with superficial cuts in a pattern of squares)

17d ATOMIZER* - cured {MAIZE ROT}*

19d SCAR|CITY

21d H(OKIE)R - homer: home run (HR); Okie: originally a name for a resident of Oklahoma, in the 1930's it came to be applied generally to migrants fleeing the Dust Bowl

23d KNIGHT~ - speaker's (sounds like) NIGHT

25d KI_SS - the extremes of [KI]nkine[SS]; kiss: a type of candy

26d G|ONE

And now I'm gone for today - Falcon