Wednesday, April 28, 2010 (DT 26134)

This puzzle, set by Rufus, was originally published Monday, January 11, 2010 in The Daily Telegraph

The National Post has skipped DT 26133 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, January 9, 2010

Introduction

We have a fairly typical Rufus creation today, with enough easy clues to give one a firm foothold but enough more difficult clues to make one struggle a bit to complete the puzzle.

Today's Glossary

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

batman - noun dated (in the British armed forces) an officer’s personal valet or attendant

frillies - plural noun women's underwear with lacey frills

green fingers - plural noun Brit. informal natural ability in growing plants [equivalent to the North American expression green thumb]

jar - noun 2 Brit. informal a glass of beer

kite - noun 2 Brit. informal, dated an aircraft

Today's Links

Rishi's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26134].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

10a Girls maybe right to accept glamorous underwear (8)

I must admit that frillies was a new term to me - but definitely something that bears further investigation.

17a Inexperienced hands reveal growing talent (5,7)

Gardeners in Britain who display an exceptional natural ability for growing plants are said to have green fingers, whereas those in North American are described as having a green thumb. Given that to be all thumbs is to be "awkward and clumsy" (seemingly on either side of the Atlantic), I think that I may prefer the British take on this expression.

16d Box kite? (5)

This cryptic definition seems to rely on a British expression for an aircraft. According to Chambers, a kite may be either "a light frame covered in paper or some other light material, with a long holding string attached to it, for flying in the air for fun, etc." or "(also box kite) a more complicated structure built of boxes, sometimes used for carrying recording equipment or a person in the air". Oxford tells us that kite is a dated, informal British term for "an aircraft". It goes without saying that a box may be a crate. Furthermore, Oxford informs us that a crate can be an informal term for "an old and dilapidated vehicle", while Chambers extends the meaning a bit by specifying that crate is derogatory slang for "a decrepit vehicle or aircraft". This meaning seems fairly universal as similar meanings for crate are also found in both the American Heritage Dictionary and Collins English Encyclopedia on the Free Online Dictionary site. I must say that it is scary enough to know that there are crates on the highway, without thinking about there being crates in the air as well!

Signing off for today - Falcon

Tuesday, April 27, 2010 (DT 26132)

This puzzle, set by Giovanni, was originally published Friday, January 8, 2010 in The Daily Telegraph

Introduction

This puzzle appeared less difficult when viewed in the rear view mirror than it did when I initially approached it. Perhaps that is the mark of a good puzzle - the clues are obscure until you decipher them, at which point all becomes clear.

Today's Glossary

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

bowl² - noun 4 (often bowl someone out) cricket to put (the batsman) out by hitting the wicket with the ball

Desperate Dan - a wild west character in the British comic The Dandy

form - noun 6 chiefly Brit. a class or year in a school

maiden (abbreviation M) - noun 3 (also maiden over) Cricket an over in which no runs are scored

scullion - [Collins English Dictionary] noun 1. a mean or despicable person

smack³ - [Collins English Dictionary] noun 1. a sailing vessel, usually sloop-rigged, used in coasting and fishing along the British coast

River Tay - the longest river in Scotland

Today's Links

Gazza's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26132].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

8a A learner next to where he should be is relaxed (8)

Not that there is necessarily anything wrong in doing so, but I think the wordplay here may use the word "learner" in two different contexts. In the first, "learner" is used in the sense of "learner driver" (what I would call a "beginner driver") and is replaced by L (from the symbol that British learner drivers must attach to their vehicles). In the second sense, "learner" seems to be used to mean a "school student" who should be "in form" (in class). If one were to carry a consistent theme through the clue, one might expect the "learner" to be "behind the wheel" or "in the driver's seat".

Signing off for today - Falcon

Monday, April 26, 2010 (DT 26131)

This puzzle, the creation of an unknown setter, was originally published Thursday, January 7, 2010 in The Daily Telegraph

Introduction

It would seem that this puzzle was considerably more difficult for me than it was for the Brits - no doubt, the Briticisms played a part in that. Ironically, I always find it interesting to see the reaction from the Brits when one or two Americanisms creep into a puzzle.

Today's Glossary

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

Sir Richard Branson - British industrialist who founded Virgin Atlantic Airways (together with numerous other ventures)

Graham Hill - British racing driver

L² - abbreviation 2 learner driver

sack - noun historical a dry white wine formerly imported into Britain from Spain and the Canaries

shatter - verb 4 colloq to tire out or exhaust

The Stig - a racing driver character on the BBC Television show Top Gear

tin - noun 6 Brit slang money

trolley - noun 1 Brit. a large wheeled metal basket or frame used for transporting heavy or unwieldy items such as luggage or supermarket purchases

Today's Links

Libellule's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26131].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

27a Fall for American (6)

The meaning of this clue is definitely ambiguous. Read one way, it asks "What would an American call the season that the British call 'fall'?", while read another way, it asks "What does an American mean when he says 'fall'?". Thankfully, I discovered that it is fairly easy to find the correct solution even if one gets the sense of the wordplay backwards. According to Oxford, autumn is the chiefly British term for "the season after summer and before winter" while fall is a North American term meaning autumn. As is frequently the case, both terms are commonly used in Canada and I had no idea that one was British and one was American.

1d First-rate pick (6)

My choice of CHOICE turned out to be anything but a first-rate pick - presenting a major impediment to completing the northwest quadrant. I did eventually select a better answer.

17d How Branson got his business off the ground? (8)

I remained grounded for quite a while in the southwest quadrant when I mistakenly jumped on an AIRPLANE. Once I managed to find the right craft on which to fly, I quickly completed this corner.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Saturday, April 24, 2010 - Not Really a Nasty Grid

Introduction

The solution to the first two clues in this offering from Cox and Rathvon might suggest that today's puzzle has a nasty grid - but I found no fault with it.

Today's Glossary

Some abbreviations, people, places, words and expressions used in today's puzzle that may be unfamiliar, especially for overseas visitors to the site

AAA - abbreviation American Automobile Association

A-Rod - nickname for Alex Rodriguez, American professional baseball player who plays third base for the New York Yankees in Major League Baseball

Bo Derek - American film actress

Charlie Chan - a fictional Chinese-American detective created by Earl Derr Biggers, the hero of many novels and over four dozen films

Chevy Chase - American comedian, writer, and television and film actor

Ent - a fictional race of people who closely resemble trees from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy world of Middle-earth

Solution to Today's Puzzle

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

Across

1a WICKED - double definition; "bad" and "as a candle can be" (i.e., having a wick)

4a MATRIX~ - sounds like (you say) MAY TRICKS (springtime pranks)

8a PER (DIE)M - DIE (stop) contained in (wearing) PERM (hairdo)

10a CONQUER~ - sounds like (audibly) CONKER (someone engaged in noggin-whacking)

11a NUMBERS - double definition; "counts" and "ice and novocaine" (i.e., things that cause numbness)

12a R(ESP)ITE - ESP (especially) contained in (in) RITE (formal ceremony)

13a DETER|I|ORATE - DETER (stop) I ORATE (address the crowd)

14a COT|ON|EASTER - COT (bed) ON EASTER (Sunday in spring)

20a CHA(PAT)I - CHAI (tea) containing (divided by) PAT

21a IMP|LORE - {IMP LORE} (stories of rascals); Note: one must read "imp lore" as a phrase to fully appreciate the meaning

22a RE|STING - RE-STING is a way of cryptically expressing the idea of STING (smart) after having already been stung (again)

23a NIAGARA* - anagram (when broken down) of RING AAA

24a YANKEE - double definition; "A-Rod, e.g." and "one pulled out"

25a _FLET|CH_ - hidden in (features) leaFLET CHiefly

Down

1d WI(PIN)G - PIN (brooch) contained in (stuck in) WIG (toupee)

2d CAROMED* - anagram (goofy) of COMRADE

3d E(MINE)NT - ENT (Tolkien creature) contains (keeps) MINE (source of riches)

5d AMNESIA* - anagram (bad) of A NAME IS

6d ROU(TIN)E - ROUE (rake) contains (has ... insert) TIN (metal)

7d XER|XES< - reversal (backed) of {SEX (congress) REX (Latin [word for] king)} 9d MI<|SPRINTING - reversal (facing the wrong way) of IM (I'm) + SPRINTING (rushing)

10d CAR(BO)NATION - BO (Ms. Derek) contained in (wearing) CARNATION (flower)

14d CHANS|ON - CHANS (film detective's; i.e., Chan's) ON (performing; as "You're on after the intermission.")

15d {TEA TIME}* - anagram (stranger) of I MEET AT

16d T(OPS)AIL - OPS (opportunities) contained in (in) TAIL (back)

17d RIO|T ACT - {RIO TACT} (some Brazilian diplomacy); Note: this wordplay works best when read as a phrase "Rio tact"

18d S|CURRY - S (salt) + (and) CURRY (spicy seasoning)

19d SERAPH* - anagram (rattled) of SHERPA; "being up high" means "a being who dwells in the heavens"

Signing off for today - Falcon

Friday, April 23, 2010 (DT 26130)

This puzzle, set by Jay, was originally published Wednesday, January 6, 2010 in The Daily Telegraph

Introduction

Given the fact that I managed to complete the puzzle without the need to resort to my Tool Chest, I was pleasantly surprised to see that this puzzle had garnered a three star rating for difficulty from Big Dave. However, before I could become too smug, I noticed that many of the Brits questioned that assessment suggesting that Big Dave may have been overly generous in handing out stars.

Today's Glossary

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

cavalier - noun 1 (Cavalier) historical a supporter of King Charles I in the English Civil War

co-ed - [Collins English Dictionary] noun 2. (Social Science / Education) Brit a school or college providing coeducation

gen - noun Brit. informal information

REME - abbreviation (Corps of) Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers: a corps of the British Army

RU - abbreviation rugby union

Today's Links

Big Dave's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26130].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

3a Intimidated by school admitting women (5)

In Britain, the word "co-ed", when used as a noun, means "a school or college providing coeducation" whereas in North America it means "a female student in a coeducational college or university". Imagine the image created in the mind of a North American should a British student happen to mention that he had gained entry to a co-ed.

In this clue, "school" is used to mean co-ed and the wordplay is COED (school) containing (admitting) W (women) to produce the solution COWED (intimidated). Note that the entire phrase "school admitting women" presumably could mean co-ed (in the British sense).

1d Floods area and struts around with no resistance initially (9)

To be picky (a practice that is generally encouraged in Crosswordland), I would say that Big Dave may have flagged the wrong R to be dropped in his write-up. There are two Rs in AREA STRUTS and I believe that the instruction is to drop the first one (no resistance initially).

Signing off for today - Falcon

Thursday, April 22, 2010 (DT 26129)

This puzzle, attributed to Ray T, was originally published Tuesday, January 5, 2010 in The Daily Telegraph

Introduction

Although Gazza felt that today's puzzle deserved only two stars for difficulty, I found it considerably more challenging than that. Of course, any puzzle containing Cockney rhyming slang automatically gets an extra star in my book.

Today's Glossary

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

AB² - abbreviation 1 Brit able seaman

afters - plural noun Brit. informal the dessert course of a meal

bod - noun informal 2 chiefly Brit. a person

bodega - noun (in Spanish-speaking countries) a cellar or shop selling wine, or both wine and groceries

DI - abbreviation 2 Detective Inspector

grass - verb 2 (often grass on) Brit. informal inform the police of someone’s criminal activity or plans

Hans Geiger - German physicist who developed the Geiger counter

Harrow School - a public (meaning private) school located in Harrow, England

ironmonger - noun Brit. a retailer of tools and other hardware

lift - noun 1 Brit. a platform or compartment housed in a shaft for raising and lowering people or things [Note: it would be called an elevator in North America]

porky -noun (also porky-pie) Brit. rhyming slang a lie [Note: "Rhyming slang is a form of slang in spoken and written English in which a word is replaced by a rhyming word, typically the last word of a two- or three-word phrase with the effect that the meaning of the spoken or written words is not obvious to receivers who are not familiar with the code. ... The part of the coded phrase that rhymes with the original word is typically, but not always, omitted to further strengthen the code ..." Thus, "Porky pie" (which rhymes with "lie") serves as a substitute for the word "lie". When the word "pie" is dropped, we are left with "Porky" meaning "lie". ]

PT - abbreviation physical training

RU - abbreviation rugby union

Today's Links

Gazza's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26129].

There is a fair bit of discussion on Big Dave's blog about the use of the word "bum" as an anagram indicator - with the consensus appearing to be that it was not only appropriate but rather amusing. The way the puzzle was printed in the National Post, the clue for 16d appeared almost directly beside the one for 1d. I must say that the juxtaposition of these two clues makes for quite an amusing image. For the benefit of those who may no longer have the puzzle near at hand the two clues are "Lower skirt, being embraced by stunner" followed by "Lift to reveal bum".

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

26a He barely takes part in match! (8)

While it didn't take place in a sports stadium, one of my favourite episodes of streaking occurred during the 46th Academy Awards Ceremony in 1974 (which you can watch here). Although I must say that it is a bit disconcerting to learn that, rather than being a spontaneous exhibition capped by a marvelous ad lib by David Niven, the whole episode may have been not only scripted, but rehearsed.

5d He's nuts! (10)

Here, it would appear that the 's is a contraction for the word "is". However, that is not the case, and it is actually a contraction for the word "has", meaning that the clue is really telling us that "He has nuts!". Resisting the temptation to engage in puerile humour, I note that the clue could be referring to a grocer (who might sell fruits and nuts, among other things). But today the setter has another kind of nut in mind - the kind North Americans would buy at a hardware store.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Wednesday, April 21, 2010 (DT 26128)

This puzzle, set by Rufus, was originally published Monday, January 4, 2010 in The Daily Telegraph

The National Post has skipped DT 26127 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, January 2, 2010

Introduction

Today's puzzle was perhaps a tad more difficult than the typical "Monday" fare - but one that I personally quite enjoyed.

Today's Glossary

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

bazooka - a brasswind musical instrument (from which the likely much better known anti-tank weapon derives its name)

brae - noun Scottish a steep bank or hillside

three-quarter - noun rugby any of the four players positioned between the full back and the scrum half and stand-off half

Today's Links

Rishi's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26128].

Were the Brits still suffering the aftereffects of their New Year's Eve celebrations? Many of them seem to be in an especially surly mood today.

Surgical Separation

The British bloggers sometimes speak of the need to "lift and separate" in solving a clue. The phrase comes from an advertising campaign once waged by a manufacturer of brassieres. In the cryptic crossword context, the phrase describes a situation where the component words of a well known phrase must be split into two separate parts, usually with one part contributing to the definition and the other part to the wordplay.

I have found an example of "lift and separate" in a review by Peter Biddlecombe of Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2524. The clue is:

[ST 2524] 5d Only half fared well in guest house (8)

This is a hidden word type clue where the wordplay instructs us to take half the letters (only half) of the phrase "fareD WELL IN Guest" to get DWELLING, a word meaning "house". Note that in the surface reading, we see "guest house" as a single unit. However, in the cryptic reading, we must "lift and separate" the two components, with "guest" forming part of the wordplay and "house" serving as the definition.

An example of this from today's puzzle is:

6d Mock taken around start of school recess (4)

Here, "school recess" which is a single entity in the surface reading, must be split into two components, with "school" being part of the wordplay and "recess" forming the definition.

In today's puzzle, we also find a couple of clues where we must go beyond a mere "lift and separate" operation - we are required to perform a surgical separation.

13a One breaks a little backbone (5)

In the cryptic reading, we must surgically separate "backbone" so that the clue reads:

One breaks a little back /\ bone

In this case, one of the components resulting from the surgical separation contributes to the wordplay, while the second serves as the definition. The definition is "bone" and the wordplay is I (one) contained in (breaks) a reversal of (back) {A BIT (little)} giving the solution TIBIA [{A(I)|BIT}<].

21d I have innate artlessness (7)

Once again, we need to perform a surgical separation to reveal the wordplay.

I have in nate /\ artlessness

In this case, the two components resulting from the surgical separation both contribute to the wordplay. The definition is "artlessness" for which the solution is NAIVETE. The wordplay tells us that IVE ("I have" or I've) is contained in (in) NATE [NA(IVE)TE].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

1a Unlikely opportunity given to prisoner released on parole (7,6)

I thought that Rishi's observation that being on parole "gives [a prisoner] an opportunity ... to escape" to be a bit strange. Surely, if he is on parole, he has no need to escape. Perhaps Rishi meant that if the parolee does not violate the conditions of his parole, he can escape (avoid) being sent back to prison.

30a Flying combination of cardinal and count (7)

You will be in trouble if you try to read this as a standard cryptic clue, for it is actually a cryptic definition. The sense of the clue is "Combine a word meaning 'cardinal' and a word meaning 'count' to get the name of something that can fly".

22d A man in love may well get married (7)

Despite getting the correct solution, I must admit that I failed (unlike Rishi) to notice the anagram - leaving me scratching my head as to the meaning of the wordplay.

Signing off for today - Falcon