Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29952 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, April 4, 2022 | |
Setter
Campbell (Allan Scott) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29952]
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Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
pommers | |
BD rating
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| Difficulty - ★★ | Enjoyment - ★★★★ |
Falcon's experience
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ | |
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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
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Introduction
This offering may have been a breeze for solvers across the pond, but several new Briticisms upped the ante for 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.
| Markup Conventions | |
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| Click here for further explanation and usage examples of markup conventions used on this blog. | |
Across
| 1a | Dog nips // pants (5,6) |
Short[5] (noun) is a British term for a drink of spirits served in a small measure* or, as Collins English Dictionary puts it, a short[10] is a drink of spirits as opposed to a long drink such as beer.
Here and There
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| In
Britain, the word pants[5] generally does not mean trousers* as it does in North America. Rather, it refers to underwear — specifically men's undershorts or women's panties (the latter otherwise known as knickers[5] to the Brits). * Then again, this may not have always been the case or may not be true in all parts of the UK as evidenced by the following observation made by Lincoln Latic in a comment on my review of DT 28909 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog: I didn’t see this [pants used as a synonym for trousers] as an Americanism. I grew up in the northwest of England (before the big influx of Americanisms into the language) and ‘pants’ was the usual term for trousers. You had short pants as a real youngster then progressed into long pants as you got older which for most of us was when you were nearly at the end of primary school probably around aged 9 or 10. What most people consider ‘pants’ refers to now, were called underpants because they went under your pants. |
| 7a | Father describing scented // dish (7) |
The word ''describing" is used as a containment indicator. (show more )
The use of the word "describe(s)" (or variations thereof such as "describing" or "described by") as either a containment indicator or a hidden word indicator is a common cryptic crossword device which relies on describe[1,2,12] being used in the sense of to trace out or delineate [in other words, form a boundary around] ⇒
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The use of the word "describe(s)" (or variations thereof such as "describing" or "described by") as either a containment indicator or a hidden word indicator is a common cryptic crossword device which relies on describe[1,2,12] being used in the sense of to trace out or delineate [in other words, form a boundary around] ⇒
skaters describing circles on the ice.
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Polenta[5] is maize flour (cornmeal) as used in Italian cooking or a paste or dough made from this ingredient, which is boiled and typically then fried or baked.
| 8a | Inspiring words /from/ Guardiola, say (3,4) |
Josep "Pep" Guardiola Sala[7] (commonly known as Pep Guardiola) is a Spanish professional football [soccer] manager and former player, who is the current manager of Premier League club Manchester City. He is considered one of the greatest managers of all time and holds the records for the most consecutive league games won in La Liga, the Bundesliga and the Premier League (the top divisions in the Spanish, German and English football league systems respectively).
| 10a & 11a | Call after what allows one to see County -- // call before game starts (4,4,4,2) |
Down[5] is one of the Six Counties of Northern Ireland, since 1973 an administrative district.
I was unable to find a specific reference for the complete expression "Eyes down, look in". However, I did discover that eyes down[2] is the command at the start of a game of bingo or other non-physical contest. According to Farlex, eyes down![a] means be ready to concentrate fully on the matter before you ⇒
Eyes down, fellas! This is an important step in the repair.[b] The expression originated as an injunction to give your full attention to your card when a game of bingo was about to start.
[a] Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary; [b] Farlex Dictionary of Idioms
I suspect that the complete expression may well be "Eyes down, look in!" as there is a book titled Bingo: Eyes Down, Look In! The illustrated guide to bingo lingo. This conjecture is also supported by comments on Big Dave's Crossword Blog.
| 11a | See 10 Across |
| 13a | Start to enter man cave, // wondrous place (4) |
The indicator "start to" is a direction to use the initial letter of a word in the fodder.
Used figuratively, Eden[5] (also Garden of Eden) denotes a place or state of great happiness; an unspoilt paradise ⇒
the lost Eden of his childhood.
Origin: From the place where Adam and Eve lived in the biblical account of the Creation, from which they were expelled for disobediently eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge.
| 14a | Likely to happen, // working with witty types to suppress article (2,3,5) |
On the cards is the British version of the expression in the cards meaning possible or likely ⇒
marriage has been on the cards from day one.
| 16a | Golfer /in/ row about golf clubs (5,5) |
" golf " = G[5] [NATO Phonetic Alphabet[7]]
In golf, a wood[2] is a club with a head traditionally made of wood, now usually of metal, used for driving the ball long distances.
In golf, a wood[2] is a club with a head traditionally made of wood, now usually of metal, used for driving the ball long distances.
Tiger Woods[5]
is an American golfer; full name Eldrick Tont Woods. Since turning professional in 1996, he has won 15 major championships. In 2000 he became the youngest player to win all four of golf's grand slam events.
| 18a | Clue, // perfect when shortened (4) |
The indicator "when shortened" is a direction to discard the final letter of a word suggested by the fodder.
| 21a & 22a | Sudden turning point, // tense in docudrama as so moving (4,2,8) |
" tense " = T [t or t.[1]; grammar term]
The expression road to Damascus[5] is used in reference to an important moment of insight, typically one that leads to a dramatic transformation of attitude or belief ⇒
this might be a wake-up call for the Prime Minister—his road to Damascus.
Origin: with reference to the account of St Paul's conversion to Christianity while travelling to the city of Damascus on a mission (Acts 9)
| 22a | See 21 Across |
| 24a | Fairy lights, when lit, can make a fir ____! (7) |
This clue is a variation on a cryptic definition in which the wordplay is embedded. However, the setter includes a portion of the solution to the anagram in the clue, requiring us to enter only the remaining part in the grid.
As an anagram indicator, lit[5] is used in the seemingly North American sense of intoxicated.
As an anagram indicator, lit[5] is used in the seemingly North American sense of intoxicated.
Fairy lights[5] is a British term for small coloured electric lights used for decoration, especially at festivals such as Christmas.
| 25a | English farm animals /causing/ witty comment (7) |
" English " = E[2]
| 26a | Old magazine // alarms me now, curiously (6,5) |
Woman's Realm[7] was a British weekly women's magazine first published in 1958. In 2001 it was merged with another British women's magazine, Woman's Weekly.
Down
| 1d | Trust // worker about live broadcast (7) |
"worker " = BEE
The terms "worker" and "social worker" are commonly used in cryptic crossword puzzles to clue ANT or BEE.
A worker[5] is a neuter or undeveloped female bee, wasp, ant, or other social insect, large numbers of which do the basic work of the colony.
In crossword puzzles, "worker" will most frequently be used to clue ANT and occasionally BEE but I have yet to see it used to clue WASP. Of course, "worker" is sometimes also used to clue HAND or MAN.
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The terms "worker" and "social worker" are commonly used in cryptic crossword puzzles to clue ANT or BEE.
A worker[5] is a neuter or undeveloped female bee, wasp, ant, or other social insect, large numbers of which do the basic work of the colony.
In crossword puzzles, "worker" will most frequently be used to clue ANT and occasionally BEE but I have yet to see it used to clue WASP. Of course, "worker" is sometimes also used to clue HAND or MAN.
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| 2d | Cross Universal is screening an advertisement /for/ a musical comedy (6) |
Xanadu[7] is a musical comedy based on the 1980 film of the same name, which was, in turn, inspired by the 1947 Rita Hayworth film Down to Earth. The title refers to Xanadu, the site of the Mongolian emperor Kublai Khan's summer palace. The musical, which opened on Broadway in 2007 and ran for over 500 performances, was nominated for Tony Awards for Best Musical and Best Book.
Scratching the Surface
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| Universal Pictures[7] (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal) is an American film production and distribution company. |
| 3d | Extraordinarily rare opportunity /to see/ a Hitchcock film (4,6) |
Rear Window[7]
is a 1954 American mystery thriller film directed by Alfred
Hitchcock, starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly. Stewart plays a
professional photographer confined to a wheelchair in his apartment
while recuperating from a broken leg. His rear window looks out onto a
courtyard and other apartments. During an intense heat wave, he watches
his neighbours, who keep their windows open to stay cool and becomes
convinced that one neighbour has murdered his wife (although he is
unable to convince the police of that).
| 4d | Sales gimmick, // praiseworthy, perhaps, to some extent (4) |
| 5d | Rebuke // for breaking into range (8) |
| 6d | Less tense, // one shirking work (7) |
| 7d | Salute // attending members (7,4) |
| 9d | Very large sum /got from/ playing cards with children's author, mostly (5,6) |
Arthur Ransome[5] (1884–1967) was an English novelist and journalist, best known for the children's classic Swallows and Amazons (1930).
| 12d | Female seated in close // cries (5,1,4) |
| 15d | Jazz pianist/'s/ skill starts to thrill audience that understands music (3,5) |
Art Tatum[5] (1910–1956) was an American jazz pianist, considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time. Born with cataracts in both eyes, he was almost completely blind.
He became famous in the 1930s for his solo and trio work.
| 17d | Feeling of warmth around when opening in great // Scottish city (7) |
Glasgow[5] is a city in Scotland on the River Clyde. Formerly a major shipbuilding centre, it is the largest city in Scotland.
| 19d | Good manners /shown by/ Italian novelist entering house (7) |
Umberto Eco[5] (1932–2016) was an Italian novelist and semiotician*. Notable works: The Name of the Rose (novel, 1981), Travels in Hyperreality (writings on semiotics, 1986), and Foucault's Pendulum (novel, 1989).
* Semiotics[5] is the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation.
Drum[5] is an informal British term for a house or flat [apartment] ⇒
My las' drum was in a tower block an' the lifts [elevators] were never workin'.
Origin: This is an example of Cockney rhyming slang (show explanation ). Drum comes from the
phrase "drum and bass" (musical instruments) which rhymes with "place" (house or flat). Drop "bass" leaving "drum".
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).
Cockney is also the name of the dialect or accent typical of cockneys, which is characterised by dropping the aitch (H) from the beginning of words as well as the use of rhyming slang.
Rhyming slang[5] is a type of slang that replaces words with rhyming words or phrases, typically with the rhyming element omitted. For example, butcher’s, short for butcher’s hook, means ‘look’ in cockney rhyming slang.
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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).
Cockney is also the name of the dialect or accent typical of cockneys, which is characterised by dropping the aitch (H) from the beginning of words as well as the use of rhyming slang.
Rhyming slang[5] is a type of slang that replaces words with rhyming words or phrases, typically with the rhyming element omitted. For example, butcher’s, short for butcher’s hook, means ‘look’ in cockney rhyming slang.
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| 20d | Yacht station // right in the middle of prime area (6) |
| 23d | Religious song /from/ that man on the radio (4) |
References
Key to Reference Sources:
[1] - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
[14] - CollinsDictionary.com (COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary)
[15] - CollinsDictionary.com (Penguin Random House LLC/HarperCollins Publishers Ltd )
Signing off for today — Falcon
