Wednesday, January 25, 2012 - DT 26704

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26704
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Setter Unknown
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26704]
Big Dave's Review Written By Gazza
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★★	Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ 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 █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog █ - reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog

Introduction

Although Gazza awards this puzzle 3 stars for difficulty, I would say (based on my performance) that it would rank at the lower end of the 3 range.

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.

1a   Casual tuna Niçoise salad with no end of mayonnaise (10)

Niçois (feminine Niçoise)^[5] means, as a noun, a native or inhabitant of the city of Nice (a city in France) and, as an adjective, relating to Nice or its inhabitants. A salade niçoise^[5] is a salad typically including tuna, black olives, hard-boiled eggs, and tomatoes.

6a   ‘Wrack’ is Emerson, Lake and Palmer touching rock bottom (4)

Wrack^[5] is any of a number of coarse brown seaweeds which grow on the shoreline, frequently each kind forming a distinct band in relation to high- and low-water marks. Many have air bladders for buoyancy. [Genera Fucus, Ascophyllum, and Pelvetia, class Phaeophyceae]

10a   Gold coin in circulation (5)

Bit is used here according to its British definition, not its North American meaning. In British usage (and, according to the Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, an old use), bit^[2] (in compounds) means a coin, especially a small coin • threepenny bit. In North America, bit is used to mean an amount of 12½ cents (used only in multiples of two, two-bits, four bits, six bits - meaning a quarter, a half, and three-quarters of a dollar respectively).

11a   Rail about peers turning out criminal (9)

Technically, a dado^[5] is the lower part of the wall of a room, below about waist height, when decorated differently from the upper part. However, dado^[5] is also used as a shortened version of dado rail^[5], a decorative waist-high moulding round the wall of a room, which also protects the wall from damage. A dado rail^[7], which is also called a chair rail (the name by which I know it), is traditionally part of a dado but is also sometimes applied to a wall without the full dado treatment.

12a   Loud organ gets a little frightening (8)

In musical notation, the direction for loud is forte (f)^[5].

13a   Always available for panto performance (2,3)

Panto^[5] is short for pantomime^[5], a 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.

15a   Silly me sing badly? By gum, that’s got about (7)

Muggins^[5] is an informal British expression meaning a foolish and gullible person (often used humorously to refer to oneself) • muggins has volunteered to do the catering.

17a   Transport service following in sudden movement (7)

The reference by Gazza to "one of our armed services" is, of course, to the Royal Air Force (RAF)^[5].

21a   Commotion involving amateur sailors ordered about in hurricane (7)

I guess to the Brits tornado and hurricane are just two names for a violent storm (but then, they probably don't experience these weather events). North Americans would consider them to be quite different phenomena. This seems a bit like saying that a Lamborghini is a Porsche because they both happen to be cars.

The clue also includes a reference to another of the British armed services, the Royal Navy (RN)^[5].

29a   ‘Repast’ is regularly ‘nosh’ (4)

In Britain, nosh^[5] is an informal term for food • filling the freezer with all kinds of nosh. Apparently in North American nosh can be used as a noun to mean a snack or small item of food, although I must say I am only familiar with the word as a verb (meaning to eat food enthusiastically or greedily).

30a   The orchids flourish in a part of London (10)

Shoreditch^[7] is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located 2.5 miles (4.0 km) east-northeast of Charing Cross. [Charing Cross^[7] is considered to be the centre of London and sections of the city are frequently described in terms of their location relative to this landmark (which actually no longer exists).]

Although I solved this clue, it was really achieved through a guess constrained by the checking letters.

3d   Absolute lunatic losing head (5)

Nutter^[5] is British slang for a mad or eccentric person.

9d   Carefree broadcasting under leadership of Digital European Bureau (8)

The Digital European Bureau seems to be the convenient invention of the setter.

14d   Note that is about 40% of Mancunians consuming fortified wine (10)

A Mancunian^[5] is a native or inhabitant of Manchester. As an adjective, the term means relating to Manchester.

18d   Pulse of unfinished Follett novel capturing era (9)

This is yet another case where I merely tried to place the left-over letters in the most likely pattern possible amongst the checking letters.

21d   Appropriate time to wake up — right? (7)

Trouser^[5] is a British slang synonym for pocket, meaning to receive or take (something, especially money) for oneself.

23d   Naïve beginner appearing in sketch is poor (5)

In British slang, skint^[5] is an adjective that would be used to describe a person having little or no money available • I’m a bit skint just now.

26d   Could be goat starts to meander over the heath (4)

The goat moth^[5] (Cossus cossus)  is a large greyish moth, the caterpillar of which bores into wood and has a goat-like smell.

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)

Signing off for today - Falcon

Tuesday, January 24, 2012 - DT 26703

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26703
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Monday, November 7, 2011
Setter Rufus
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26703]
Big Dave's Review Written By Big Dave
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★★	Enjoyment - ★★★★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ 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 █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog █ - reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog
Notes The National Post has skipped DT 26702 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, November 5, 2011

Introduction

This puzzle may have been a touch more difficult than a typical offering from Rufus. I definitely required a bit of assistance from my electronic aids to complete it.

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.

1a   Proverbially it implies madness (3,2,5)

Some sayings are just so well known that a speaker may not even have to finish them for the listener to know what is meant. Such is the case with today's proverb. A speaker might say merely "Out of sight, ...", assuming that the listener would automatically complete the thought with the implied completion "... out of mind". Of course, "out of mind" could also suggest madness (insanity).

9a   Sweet kid (4)

In Britain, one meaning of sweet^[5] is a pudding or dessert. A fool^[5] (chiefly a British term) is a cold dessert made of puréed fruit mixed or served with cream or custard.

10a   Hold up close to Cork (10)

The capitalization of "Cork" is a bit of misdirection by the setter who would like to mislead us into thinking of the city in Ireland.

15a   Opposed to profits at outset (7)

The wordplay is GAINS (profits) with AT (from the clue) outside of it (outset). The wording in Big Dave's hint amounts to the same thing, but is perhaps less clear.

17a   This way for a place as a head (4)

In Britain, an each-way^[5] bet is one divided into two equal wagers, one backing a horse or other competitor to win and the other backing it to finish in the first three. Place^[5] is a betting term. In Britain,  it means any of the first three or sometimes four positions in a race (used especially of the second, third, or fourth positions). In North America, on the other hand, place refers specifically to the second position (or to a finish no worse than second) and show refers to third place (or a finish no worse than third). Thus (in North America) a bet on a horse to place pays off if the horse finishes in the top two, while a bet on a horse to show would pay off if the horse finished in the top three. Thus, a bet on a horse to place at a British track would be equivalent to a bet for it to show in North America.

29a   China’s sovereign race (5,5)

The Royal Crown Derby Porcelain Company^[7] is a porcelain manufacturer, based in Derby, England. The company, particularly known for its high-quality bone china, has produced tableware and ornamental items since approximately 1750. I presume that the name is commonly shortened to Crown Derby.

4d   Earring found on the railway (7)

A sleeper^[5] is a ring or post worn in a pierced ear to keep the hole from closing. Although the Oxford Dictionary of English characterises this term as British^[5] and the Collins English Dictionary as chiefly British^[4], for some reason the term did not sound particularly foreign to me - so the term may possibly be used in Canada.

5d   A horse for Lady Jane (4)

Lady Jane Grey^[7] (1536/1537 – 1554), also known as The Nine Days' Queen, was de facto monarch of England from 10 July until 19 July 1553. She was the great-grandaughter of Henry VII by his younger daughter Mary, and a first-cousin-once-removed of King Edward VI.

In February 1553, at age 15, Edward VI fell ill. When his sickness was discovered to be terminal, he and his Council drew up a "Devise for the Succession", attempting to prevent the country being returned to Catholicism. Edward named his cousin Lady Jane Grey as his heir and excluded his half sisters, Mary and Elizabeth. However, this was disputed following Edward's death and Jane was queen for only nine days before Edward's half-sister, Mary, was proclaimed Queen (and Lady Jane was imprisoned in the Tower of London).

She was convicted of high treason in November 1553, though her life was initially spared. Wyatt's rebellion in January and February 1554 against Queen Mary's plans of a Spanish match led to her execution at the age of 16 or 17, and that of her husband.

6d   Proceeds to give thanks to college (7)

Takings^[5] would appear to be the British equivalent to what would be called earnings in North America, the amount of money earned by a business from the sale of goods or services • the big test for the shop’s new look is whether it’ll boost takings. In Britain, apparently, a worker or investor may have earnings^[5] but a company has takings. When you think about it, does it not seem to reflect a very socialistic mindset!

In Britain, ta^[5] is an informal way to say thank you.

7d   Gent’s upset about tonight’s riot in the city (10)

Bufo (to whom reference is made by Big Dave in his hint) is one of the bloggers who contribute to Big Dave's site. His produces reviews of the Toughie (another - typically more difficult - cryptic crossword puzzle that appears in the Daily Telegraph) on roughly a once per week basis.

14d   Brush a fur coat (5)

A sable^[2] is an artist's paintbrush made of sable fur [that I found only in Chambers].

15d   This may cause a number to take up weapons (5)

In cryptic crosswords, expressions such as "a number" (or, as I have more often seen, "a large number" or "a great many") indicate a Roman numeral (usually a large one). The particular Roman numeral is not specified, so the solver must select the appropriate one from all of those available. See also 25d.

19d   Top-quality work produced by Form 1C (7)

In Britain, a form^[5] is a class or year in a school, usually given a specifying number. Thus the fifth form would be the linguistic counterpart to the fifth grade in North America and Form 1C would be like saying Grade 1C.

25d   Large number seen in a doctor’s rounds (4)

We are looking for a doctor in the military, a Medical Officer (MO)^[5]. Similar to what we saw in 15d, "large number" refers to a large Roman numeral.

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)

Signing off for today - Falcon

Monday, January 23, 2012 - DT 26701

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26701
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Friday, November 4, 2011
Setter Giovanni
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26701]
Big Dave's Review Written By Gazza
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★★	Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ 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 █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog █ - reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog

Introduction

This puzzle - like a hockey game - seemed to have three distinct periods. The first was played rather slowly, I sped quickly through the second, and the third was quite a grueling test. However, I did manage to complete the puzzle. My electronic assistants saw lots of ice time in the third period after sitting out the first two.

The puzzle is also full of cricket references - but at least it didn't take as long to complete it as it does to play a cricket match.

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.

11a   Showman in big building with ‘orrible smell (6)

In British slang, hum - used as a verb - means to smell unpleasant (when the wind drops this stuff really hums)^[5] and - as a noun - an unpleasant smell^[2].

20a   Beautiful member who may be standing in front of the pavilion (4,3)

In cricket, a fine leg^[5] is (1) a fielding position behind the batsman on the leg side, between long leg and square leg or (2) a fielder playing this position. The leg side^[5] (also called just leg) is the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) away from which the batsman's feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball. A pavilion^[5] is a building at a cricket ground or other sports ground, used for changing and taking refreshments.

A long leg^[5] is (1) a fielding position far behind the batsman on the leg side or (2) a fielder playing this position. A square leg^[5] is (1) a fielding position level with the batsman approximately halfway towards the boundary on the leg side or (2) a fielder playing this position.

29a   Clever chronicle appended by 100 special notes (9)

Initially I thought that the solution must be SALACIOUS but eventually twigged to the fact that the setter had made a wiser choice (after all, the setter is Giovanni - not Ray T).

30a   Element found in prison, characters kept inside cell (6)

Nick^[5] is British slang for a prison (he’ll end up in the nick for the rest of his life) or police station (he was being fingerprinted in the nick).

3d   Old lover presented with endless nonsense runs (6)

In cricket, an extra^[5] is a run scored other than from a hit with the bat, credited to the batting side rather than to a batsman.

4d   Army races round and round in military display (6)

In the UK, the Territorial Army (TA)^[5] is a volunteer force locally organized to provide a reserve of trained and disciplined manpower for use in an emergency. The Tourist Trophy (TT)^[5] is a motorcycle-racing competition held annually on roads in the Isle of Man since 1907.

6d   Covering of grass around open country (9)

Heath^[5] is chiefly a British term and refers to an area of open uncultivated land, typically on acid sandy soil, with characteristic vegetation of heather, gorse, and coarse grasses.

15d   The Lady of the Lake? (9)

Once you get below the surface, this clue has no connection with the poem by Sir Walter Scott or anything at all to do with Arthurian legends, not with the ballet Swan Lake by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Rather it has to do with a lake situated in Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

16d   Rare maid — fantastic, right sort of smasher! (3-6)

In Britain, a ram-raider^[5] is a person who executes a robbery by ramming a shop window with a vehicle and looting its contents. A new word for me - but one that I was able to decipher from the wordplay.

18d   Animal is one with leg chopped off above foot (3)

In cricket, as we saw in 20a, the leg side^[5] (also called just leg) is the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) away from which the batsman's feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball. Another term for this side of the field is the on side (or just on^[5]). Thus "one with leg chopped off" becomes "ONE with ON chopped off" or simply "E" (ONE).

22d   Island — one that’s cold, a beast! (7)

Gazza calls this a "semi all-in-one". It is if you consider the entire clue to constitute the definition. However, if you thought that the definition was simply "island", I think you would still be on solid ground.

24d   Take place in dance clutching Eastern female (6)

The first dance to come to mind was a reel - which made for a strangely appropriate (or, perhaps, inappropriate) answer!

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)

Signing off for today - Falcon

Saturday, January 21, 2012 - Saturday Morning Cartoons

Introduction

Today's puzzle from Cox and Rathvon features an American film about a dim-witted Canadian mountie who enjoyed more success (however inadvertent) in his professional pursuits than in his love life. While the original animated television series was a success, the 1999 live action movie was a box office disaster (grossing less than $10 million dollars against a production budget of $70 million).

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend:	"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed
	"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted; "†" explicit in the clue

Across

1a   BUT|TRESS - BUT (save) + TRESS (lock)

5a   WIT|H-IT - WIT (humourist) + HIT (slammed)

9a   SAL(I|VAT)E - {I (indigo) + VAT (tub)} contained in (in) SALE (auction)

10a   SCAR|A|B - SCAR (leave a mark) + (on) A (†) + B (bishop)

Alternatively, I think the following parsing would be equally valid:

• SCAR|A|B - SCAR (leave a mark on) + A (†) + B (bishop)

11a   R(A|DA)R - {A (†) + DA (pop)} contained in (aboard) RR (train [abbreviation railroad])

12a   REM(A)INDER - A ([very tiny!] bit of A(pplesauce)} contained in (eaten by) REMINDER ([memory] jogger)

14a   {DUDLEY DO-RIGHT}* - anagram (horses around) of EIGHT RUDDY OLD

Dudley Do-Right^[7] is a 1999 romantic comedy film starring Brendan Fraser as the title character. The film is based on the cartoon character Dudley Do-Right^[7], the eponymous hero of a segment on The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show^[7] which parodied early 20th century melodrama and silent film (by using only a piano as a musical background) in the form of the Northern genre. Dudley Do-Right is a dim-witted but great Canadian Mountie who is always trying to catch his nemesis Snidely Whiplash, more often succeeding by pure luck than anything else. He romantically pursued Nell Fenwick, the daughter of Inspector Fenwick, the head of the Mountie station. However, a running gag throughout the series was Nell's interest in his horse (called Horse), to the point that she scarcely noticed Dudley's interest.

18a   {BRENDAN FRASER}* - anagram (oddly) of RAN EDS FERN BAR

Brendan Fraser^[7] is a Canadian-American film and stage actor who played the title role in the 1999 film Dudley Do-Right.

22a   CAT|A|TONIC - CAT (dude) + (with) A (†) + TONIC (sparkling drink)

24a   SP|RIG - SP (Spanish) + RIG (truck)

26a   MUN(I)CH - MUNCH (Norwegian painter [Edvard Munch^[7]]) containing (capturing) I ([Roman numeral] one)

27a   DI|PLO(MA)T - MA (mother) contained in (involved in) {DI ([Roman numeral] 501) + PLOT (scheme)}

This clue may be a reference to section 501(c) of the United States Internal Revenue Code^[7] which provides that 28 types of nonprofit organizations are exempt from some federal income taxes.

28a   S(P)EEDY - P {stern of (shi)P} contained in (in) SEEDY (rundown)

29a   LA(I|D O)PEN - {LA (Los Angeles) + PEN (writer)} containing (keeping) I DO ([wedding] vow)

Down
1d   BEST|RIDE - BEST (top; as either a verb or noun) + (and) RIDE (go on horseback)

2d   TI(L)ED - L (left) contained in (inside) TIED (even)

3d   REV|ERIE - REV (race) + (at) ERIE (one of the Great Lakes)

4d   S(I)TAR - STAR (celebrity) containing (taking) I (interest)

6d   I(T)CHING - I CHING (means of devining) containing (about) T (time)

I Ching^[5] is an ancient Chinese manual of divination based on eight symbolic trigrams and sixty-four hexagrams, interpreted in terms of the principles of yin and yang. It was included as one of the ‘five classics’ of Confucianism. The English name is Book of Changes^[5].

7d   HERO(DOT)US - DOT (period) contained in (covered by) {HERO (champion) + US (American)}

Herodotus was a 5th century bc Greek historian. He was the first historian to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent, and arrange them in a well-constructed and vivid narrative. His History tells of the Persian Wars of the early 5th century bc.

8d   T|A|BARD - T (a sort of shirt [T-shirt]) + A (†) + BARD (poet)

13d   MORON~ - sounds like (heard) MORE (further) ON (about)

15d   D(EBUT<)ANTE - EBUT {reversal (from the rear) of TUBE (subway)} contained in (grabbed by) DANTE ([Italian] poet [Dante Alighieri])

16d   D(ID) IN - DIN (noise) containing (receiving) ID (identification)

17d   F(RIGHT)EN - FEN (morass) containing (ensnaring) RIGHT (conservative)

19d   ENTICED* - anagram (tossing) of TEN DICE

20d   RU(ST)LED - RULED (having lines) containing (about) ST (saint)

21d   S|CAMPS - S (small) + CAMPS (bivouacs)

23d   CHIN|A - CHIN (pull up) + (next to) A (†)

25d   _REM|AP_ - hidden in (includes) theoREM APparently

References: 
^[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)

Signing off for today - Falcon

Friday, January 20, 2012 - DT26700

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26700
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Thursday, November 3, 2011
Setter Ray T
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26700]
Big Dave's Review Written By Big Dave
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★	Enjoyment - ★★★★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ 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 █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog █ - reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog

Introduction

Although it took a while to get started (I don't believe I solved a single across clue on the first read through), progress picked up on the down clues. I did need a bit of assistance on a few clues to finish, but I can't see that there was anything particularly out of the ordinary about any of these clues (11a, 13a, 1d, and 14d).

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.

1a   Chippendale perhaps giving an embrace with kit off! (12)

Thomas Chippendale^[5] (1718–79) was an English furniture-maker and designer. He produced furniture in a neoclassical vein, with elements of the French rococo, chinoiserie, and Gothic revival styles, and his book of furniture designs The Gentleman and Cabinetmaker’s Director (1754) was highly influential.

 In Britain, a kit^[5] is the clothing used for an activity such as a sport and get one's kit off^[5] is an informal expression meaning to  take off all one’s clothes.

26a   Headless panic creating own goal (5)

In soccer, an own goal^[5] is a goal scored when a player inadvertently strikes or deflects the ball into their own team’s goal. The term is also used figuratively in Britain to refer to an act that unintentionally harms one’s own interests • government scores own goal by assisting organized crime in London.

1d   Company chief managed rocker (7)

Eddie Cochran (1938 – 1960) was an American rock and roll pioneer who died in a traffic accident while touring Britain when the speeding taxi in which he was a passenger blew a tire, lost control, and crashed into a lamp post.

References: 
^[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)

Signing off for today - Falcon

Thurdsday, January 19, 2012 - DT 26699

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26699
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Setter Jay
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26699]
Big Dave's Review Written By Pommers
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★ / ★★	Enjoyment - ★★★★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ 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 █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog █ - reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog
Notes This puzzle is a pangram - a puzzle in which every letter of the alphabet appears at least once.

Introduction

I started off at a torrid pace today, immediately writing in solutions for several clues one after another. Nevertheless, I did eventually come to several clues which required a bit of cogitation. However, I was able to crack them without opening my tool chest today. I do have to confess that I failed to notice that the puzzle is a pangram.

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.

14a   Propose a posh but dramatic scene (7)

In Britain, table^[5] means to present formally for discussion or consideration at a meeting (more than 200 amendments to the bill have already been tabled), whereas in the US it means to postpone consideration of (I’d like the issue to be tabled for the next few months). In Canada, I think we tend to follow the British usage, but I'm sure that the American usage has also crept in - thus making the meaning of the word quite ambiguous. Seemingly, it can indicate that something is either under active consideration or on the back burner.

In Britain, U^[5] is used informally as an adjective with respect to language or social behaviour meaning characteristic of or appropriate to the upper social classes (U manners). The term, an abbreviation of  upper class, was coined in 1954 by Alan S. C. Ross, professor of linguistics, and popularized by its use in Nancy Mitford's Noblesse Oblige (1956). In cryptic crossword puzzles, it is often clued by adjectives (such as "posh") which carry an upper class aura.

21a   In Scotland know why broadcast comes before a republic (5)

In Scottish and Northern English dialects, ken^[5] is a verb meaning (1) know • d’ye ken anyone who can boast of that? or (2) recognize or identify • that’s him—d’ye ken him?

27a   Trainer’s ground? Yes! (7)

As Pommers quite rightly indicates, this is a rather difficult clue to explain.

It seems clear that the word "ground" does double duty, serving as definition (TERRAIN) and as anagram indicator. In the latter role, "ground" is the past tense of grind, with the rationale behind the anagram being that if the fodder word (TRAINER) were to be put through a grinder (in the sense of a food grinder, not a grindstone), the letters might come out rearranged to spell the solution word (TERRAIN).

Beyond this, things become much less clear. If we try to parse it as a standard cryptic clue, we start with the anagram, but "Yes!" hardly appears to qualify as a definition for 'terrain'.

Pommers suggests that it may be an all-in-one clue and after some considerable thought I tend to agree with him, although it may be a semi-all-in-one rather than a true all-in-one. The difference between these types is that in a true all-in-one the entire clue serves as both definition and wordplay, whereas in a semi-all-in-one the entire clue serves as a definition but only a portion of the clue makes up the wordplay.

We do have a part of the clue being an anagram (trainer's ground). Possibly, the clue is also a reference to a type of outdoor exercise known as terrain training, in which terrain is literally the "trainer's ground". In this interpretation, the word "Yes!" would be lending emphasis and convey the idea of "Emphatically yes!" or "Yes - in more ways than one!" (meaning that TERRAIN is not only the solution to an anagram but is also defined by "trainer's ground").

Postscript: It seems that I could have saved myself a lot of effort had I read the comments at Big Dave's site before composing my blog. As Jezza notes, "the etymology for the answer to 27a is ‘ground for training horses’" or as the Oxford Dictionary of English states in its entry for terrain^[5] "Origin: early 18th century (denoting part of the training ground in a riding school)".

6d    Jack stole criminal’s barge (6)

We sometimes encounter Jack in the role of a sailor, but today he is found in a deck of cards - not on the deck of a ship.

15d   Dog left in support with sentry (10)

Blackguard^[5] is a dated term for a man who behaves in a dishonourable or contemptible way.

16d   Sabotage ruined men’s pants (9)

I may have to join Pommers in the dunce's corner (although it appears that, in the UK, the expression is "dunce's step"), as I went through the exact same sequence of incorrect anagram attempts as he did. Perhaps I may escape punishment, given that the actual solution relies on a Briticism (although I must admit that I have encountered it previously on more than one occasion). In Britain, pants is an informal expression meaning rubbish or nonsense • he thought we were going to be absolute pants.

To the Brit's, by the way, the surface reading would refer to men's underwear - not trousers.

25d   Look — a fellow with brains! (4)

In Britain, the phrase use your loaf^[5] means to use your common sense, with loaf meaning head (or brains). The expression likely comes from loaf of bread, rhyming slang for 'head'.

References: 
^[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)

Signing off for today - Falcon

Wednesday, January 18, 2012 - DT 26698

STOP CENSORSHIP

Many websites around the world have shut down today to protest SOPA and PIPA - draft legislation under consideration by the United States Congress that would have a devastating impact on the Internet as we know it. Here is an excerpt from an editorial in today's National Post.

SOPA and PIPA directly target the very aspects of the Internet that make it powerful and worthwhile - the ability to share and link to information that can by published by anyone, anywhere. That would be reason enough to oppose the legislation. But there's more to the story.

The debate over SOPA and PIPA draws a clear line between new media and old - and between entrepreneurship and reliance on government intervention. On the one side are the opponents of the bill - organizations and companies that are products of the self-starting Internet age, such as Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Twitter, Mozilla, Wikipedia, Wordpress and the like. On the other side are the dinosaurs advocating for the bill, including the motion picture and recording industries, which have been slow to adapt to the realities of the Internet, and would rather lean on government to provide them protection, than come up with innovative new business models that would be attractive to modern consumers.

You can read the entire editorial here. If you would like to find out more about the issue and learn how you can support the movement, just click on the link in the black box above.

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26698
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Setter Unknown
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26698]
Big Dave's Review Written By Gazza
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★	Enjoyment - ★★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ 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 █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog █ - reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog

Introduction

It was a fairly gentle solve today - until I ran into a new-to-me British term for a cheap alcoholic drink. A note of warning - you'll have to wait until tomorrow to follow the Wikipedia links in today's review.

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.

5a   Aim to lodge a protest (6)

How fitting that this clue should appear today - when supporters of free speech around the world are protesting the actions of American lawmakers!

10a   Clergyman from another country, one high up in government (7,8)

The photo illustrating this clue on Big Dave's site is of British Foreign Secretary William Hague.

11a   Arousing intense feeling in English grounds (7)

I needed a gentle nudge from a word finder application here. If not for the final letter, EROTICA would have fit and I became obsessed that the solution must be some new-to-me variant of that word!

20a   Cheap alcoholic drink embarrassed elderly woman (3,5)

Red biddy^[5] is a dated, informal British term for a mixture of cheap wine and methylated spirits.

1d   Cricket side’s opener, unsuitable (3-3)

Here "side" refers not to a team but to a side of the cricket field itself. In cricket, the off^[5]  (also off side) is the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch ) towards which the batsman's feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball.  The other side of the field is known either as the leg^[5] (also leg side) or on (also on side).

7d   Go in wanting chips, not fish (5)

I have to admit that I didn't understand the wordplay here - even though I'm sure I have seen a very similar clue before. It seems that "Chips" was a traditional nickname for a carpenter (scroll down to find the entry), especially aboard sailing vessels. Thus, in this clue, the definition is "go in", "wanting" is a link word between the definition and wordplay, and the wordplay is CARPENTER (chips) without (not) CARP (fish) giving us ENTER.

8d   Try fish the American way (8)

Here "way" is used in the sense of roadway.

16d   Method of selection, unusual on isle abroad (3,3,3)

The Isle of Man^[5] is an island in the Irish Sea which is a British Crown dependency having home rule, with its own legislature (the Tynwald) and judicial system; population 82,000 (est. 2009); capital, Douglas. The island was part of the Norse kingdom of the Hebrides in the Middle Ages, passing into Scottish hands in 1266 for a time, until the English gained control in the early 15th century. Its ancient language, Manx, is still occasionally used for ceremonial purposes.

17d   Country doctor, one in remarkably cool area (8)

In Britain, the degree required to practice medicine is a Bachelor of Medicine^[7] (MB, from Latin Medicinae Baccalaureus), which is equivalent to a North American Doctor of Medicine (MD, from Latin Medicinae Doctor). The degree of Doctor of Medicine also exists in Britain, but it is an advanced degree pursued by those who wish to go into medical research. Physicians in Britain are still addressed as Dr. despite not having a doctoral degree.

24d   Newspaper carrying excellent feature (5)

The Financial Times (FT)^[7] is a British international business newspaper that is conspicuously published on pink newsprint.

References: 
^[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)

Signing off for today - Falcon