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DT 29743

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29743

Hints and tips by Falcon

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty ***Enjoyment ****

Greetings from Ottawa, where a cold, damp week is about to give way to a spell of hot, sunny weather that may last through August. A blessing for those of us who thrive on hot weather.

Yesterday was the first national observance of Emancipation Day in Canada commemorating the end of slavery in the British Empire on August 1, 1834. In the past, the day has been observed in the province of Ontario and local communities in other provinces but has now been officially recognized nationally. In doing some fact checking, I was surprised to discover that Ontario (then known as Upper Canada) was, in 1793, the first jurisdiction in the British Empire to abolish the slave trade and limit slavery (41 years ahead of the action by London and some seven decades ahead of the US). The observance in Ontario actually relates to the 1793 event rather than the 1834 event, although one would never know it as it was references to the latter event which blanketed the airwaves yesterday. In any event, I could not help but notice the timely reference in 11a. I wonder, is it a coincidence or intentional?

As for Campbell’s puzzle, I breezed through the southeast half but found the northwest heavy going. As is often the case, my appreciation for the clues increased as I more carefully scrutinized them in the process of writing the review. The Quickie also was no walk in the park today.

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought of the puzzle.

Across

8a   Round fired by every gun in wood — screech heard, exposing game (5,10)
BEACH VOLLEYBALL — place a term for the simultaneous firing of several weapons between two words that sound like a type of wood used in furniture making and a verb meaning to cry or shout loudly to get a game in which there is a lot of skin exposed; a timely clue given the controversy at the Olympics regarding some female players refusing to wear the mandatory bikini bottoms

 
Canadian women are a force to be reckoned with in this Olympic sport

9a   Mother and daughter, very angry (3)
MAD — an informal term for your mother and D(aughter)

10a   Favourite studentyoung Frank Sinatra, perhaps? (4-4,3)
BLUE-EYED BOY — given that Frank was known as old **** **** in his later years leads one to conclude he might have been referred to as this in his youth

 
In light of the clue, it’s a shame that Frank omits the first verse that was crooned by Fred Astaire to Ginger Rogers in the movie Swing Time which goes:
 
Please teacher, teach me something,
Nice teacher, teach me something.
I’m as awkward as a camel, that’s not the worst,
My two feet haven’t met yet,
But I’ll be teacher’s pet yet,
‘Cause I’m gonna learn to dance or burst.

11a   Poem in English on ending of slavery (5)
ELEGY — a charade of E(nglish), the other name for ‘on’ in cricket, and the final letter of slaverY; another rather timely reference, seeing that yesterday marked the 187th anniversary of the Slavery Abolition Act coming into effect in the British Empire on 1 August 1834

12a   Rearrange an overdue attempt (9)
ENDEAVOUR — an anagram (rearrange) of the middle two words in the clue

A little something for our recuperating blogger in case she happens to look in!

15a   Team overcome, losing a wager (4,3)
SIDE BET — another word for team and a synonym for overcome or defeat with the A removed (losing a)

17a   Old sailor’s weapon nicked by young woman (7)
CUTLASS — a verb meaning nicked (by a sharp object) and a young Scottish woman

19a   French football club, Reims, all upset about base (9)
MARSEILLE — an anagram (upset) of REIMS ALL wrapped around the usual mathematical base; the team’s name nicely complements the sporting event currently underway in Tokyo

20a   Marvellous agent, American, returned (5)
SUPER — string together an informal term for an agent (of the sales variety rather than a James Bond type) and one of the usual short forms for American; then reverse the lot (returned)

21a   Do brief amendment (5-6)
SHORT-CHANGE — a straightforward charade of synonyms for the last two words in the clue produce a term meaning to do or cheat someone in a monetary transaction

24a   Have nothing with last of gin (3)
OWN — line up the letter that looks like a zero, the abbreviation for with, and the final letter of giN

25a   Before anything else, see leading article inside (2,3,5,5)
IN THE FIRST PLACE — a (2,5,5) phrase meaning leading in a competition with a definite article inserted

Down

1d   Electronic sensor has nurse full of foreboding (4,6)
CARD READER — what a nurse is an example of enveloping a great fear or foreboding

Oh, not what you had in mind?

2d   Carol’s first partner, plump (6)
CHUBBY — the first letter of Carol followed by an informal term for her partner in marriage

3d   Massive memorial overlooking a lake (10)
MONUMENTAL — a charade of a memorial of a physical nature, the A from the clue, and L(ake)

4d   Armada with no time to escape (4)
FLEE — another term for armada with T(ime) removed

5d   Sort on pitch always given similar roles? (8)
TYPECAST — a sort or kind and a verb meaning to pitch or throw together describe an actor with little variety in his working life

6d   Chatter about right clothing (4)
GARB — an informal term for chatter or talk encapsulating R(ight)

7d   Actor, drama queen? (6)
PLAYER — a stage production followed by Her Majesty

8d   Deliveries, unusually large close to Christmas (7)
BUMPERS — an adjective denoting a prodigious amount (said of a crop perhaps) and the closing letter of ChristmaS produce a bouncing cricket delivery

13d   Court order: one in residence affected (6,4)
DECREE NISI — a Roman one inserted into an anagram (affected) of RESIDENCE produce a preliminary ruling by a court

14d   How goods may be dispatched in van poor pal damaged (2,8)
ON APPROVAL — an anagram (damaged) of VAN POOR PAL

16d   Rest of British more readily accepting lead from Europe (8)
BREATHER — link together B(ritish) and a word meaning ‘more readily’ or ‘prefer to’ and then insert E(uropean)

18d   Odd stone on practice area (7)
STRANGE — the abbreviation for stone (as a unit of weight) and an area where one might practice archery

19d   Young lady, not entirely suitable — a square peg in a round hole, maybe (6)
MISFIT — a young lady (this time not the Scottish one) whose rear end has been removed (not entirely) and replaced by a word meaning suitable and correct according to accepted social standards

20d   Guide‘s phrase in need of translation (6)
SHERPA — an anagram (in need of translation) of PHRASE

22d   Swear-word used in set-to at home (4)
OATH — hidden in (used in) the final three words of the clue

23d   Natural successor, that woman touring India (4)
HEIR — a pronoun signifying ‘that woman’ going around (touring) the letter represented by India in the NATO phonetic alphabet

I will award podium places to 10a, 16d and 19d with top laurels to 19d with its smooth surface aided by the punctuation which conveniently provides misdirection.


Quickie Pun (Top Row): WHETHER + CYMBAL = WEATHER SYMBOL

Quickie Pun (Bottom Row) : BUCHAN + EARRING = BUCCANEERING


79 comments on “DT 29743

  1. A great start to the cruciverbalist week with Campbell on top form to my mind. From the old chestnut at 17a to young Frank at 10a it was a delight. My COTD is 21a.

    May thanks to Campbell for the enjoyment. Thanks also to Falcon for the hints, which I will now read. I agree that the Quickie was not quite so quick today.

  2. I found this light and good fun with only the two crickety references in the NW causing any pause for thought.
    Favourite was the Sinatra clue, I suspect a popular choice.
    1.5/4*
    Many thanks to Falcon and Campbell for the entertainment.

    1. Thought the crossword had some lovely clues. Very enjoyable. I was surprised at the 3* rating. My guess was that it would be rated 1* but for me about 2* .

  3. Great Stuff! Unfortunately your first video clip says ‘unavailable’. Compared to the last two days, I found this much less difficult although the electronic gadget held me up until I spotted the ‘great fear’ element. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

    1. Thanks for the heads up regarding the video. I’ve replaced it with a still image. I expect the problem may relate to Olympic licensing with that video only being licensed in Canada. The IOC has ways to ensure we fill their pockets!

  4. The NW with it’s electronic sensor and two crickety clues gave me the most problems in this crossword (2*/3*). It was moderately enjoyable with 8a being the outstanding clue for me. Many thanks to Falcon for the hints and to the compiler.

      1. Really enjoyed this offering from Campbell and finished it in record time for me so **/****
        Had to check what ‘bumpers’ were however – a new term to me. Last one in was 18 down, couldn’t move on from stone being some sort of gem rather than the conventional weight!! COTD was 8 across. Thanks to Campbell & Falcon.

      2. Yes thank you, Huntsman, grandchildren and son and daughter in law came over. There were home-made cards from the kids, chocolates, cake, badminton in the garden until the shower, followed by card games ( chase the ace, knock out whist, what the kids call scabby queen, which is like Old Maid). Such a change after last year’s deprivations.

        1. Gosh, Scabby Queen is a blast from the past for me.
          Haven’t heard that since I used to play it with my Gran……many many moons ago now.
          Nice memories.

            1. That’s the one Merusa. Both that game and Chase the Ace are based on palming your neighbour off with a duff card.

    1. I’m with you on the crickety clues CC ! And sorry I missed your birthday yesterday I was knee deep in defrosting food. Thank goodness all things being equal we are never going to have to have another freezer!

      1. Strangely enouugh, I’ve been busy freezing fruit from the garden. The rhubarb and Tayberries are ok because they can me flash-frozen. The gooseberries seem to be better topped, tailed and pureed, which is a faff with 10lbs or so of them. It’s only one small gooseberry bush too.

        1. Freeze the gooseberries as they are. When you take them out, the tops and tails rub off quite easily although your fingers do end up really cold while you do so

  5. As always with Campbell first half went in quickly then the slow down with NW corner last to yield. Took mid *** time & was *** fun. Fair cluing no obscure GK but knowledge of French soccer teams pushing it a bit for some perhaps.
    Thank you to Campbell and Falcon.
    I’m sure all regulars when we filled in 12a immediately thought of Kath, as Falcon did. Best wishes and a speedy return lovely one.

      1. Yes, indeed, my first thought too when I solved that clue. I do hope she has been able to see the picture provided by Falcon, which should give her a lift. We are all thinking of you, Kath. :rose:

        1. You managed to prefix an extra letter to your name, putting it into moderation. I’ve sorted it for you.

          1. Thanks. Ive corrected it. It isn’t the first time. I erase it and it reappears.

    1. Reason for French football team is that in English, the city has an “s” at the end.

  6. Typically enjoyable Monday fare and a perfect start to the crosswording week. 8a was excellent, but my favourite clue was 10a. Campbell on top form this morning, so many thanks to him and of course to Falcon.

  7. Speedy solve although like others NW was last to fall. 10a and 19d were my favourites.

    Thanks to today’s setter and Falcon.

  8. I thought this was quite tricky for a Monday crossword. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon

  9. 1.5*/4.5*. What a lovely start to the week – not too tricky and a joy from start to finish.

    My top choices are 10a, 21a, 16d (my last one in), & 19d.

    Many thanks to Campbell and to Falcon.

  10. First glance at 8a made me think I was going to be in trouble but in the event everything came together quite well, although the crickety one at 8d involved a bit of guess work!
    Have to put young Sinatra on the podium and he’s joined by 21a & 7d.

    Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon for the review – I do hope that Kath sees the picture of ‘her’ man.

  11. I was far from sure this was Campbell until I saw the excellent 2nd pun in the tricky Quickie. 13d was my last in & therefore my pick in what I found a slightly more challenging & very enjoyable solve than of late for a Monday.
    Thanks to Falcon & Campbell

  12. Really good swift Monday fare, a great coffeebreak puzzle. Lovely range of clues, smooth surface readings, plenty of smiles: what’s not to like? Hon. Mentions to 8a, 15a and 24a; COTD 11a.

    1.5* / 3.5*

    Many thanks to Campbell for the grid and to Falcon for the review.

  13. For a change, I knew both crickety clues and I rather glided through this very nice Campbell start to the week. Loved the Sinatra clue, as well as 8a and 16d. Many thanks to Falcon (especially for the details on emancipation) and to Campbell for the pleasure. 1.5* / 4*

    Let me join everyone else in sending greetings to Kath.

  14. Hugely enjoyable puzzle – completed unaided… Hooray! Yes, the Quickie was less quick today – quite a challenge.

    Out now to undertake a couple of tasks and then on to one of our favourite places for luncheon. We are still staying outdoors for all such adventures, so if the rain could keep away for a few hours at least, that would be useful.

    Today’s crossword soundtrack: Hildegard von Bingen – Hildegard (2012)

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon, and all the very best to The Lovely Kath

    1. I was disappointed you did not rise to the orange bits bait on Saturday! I was expecting an avalanche of protestations!

  15. NW was stickiest patch in an overall pleasant exercise. Parsing for 8a too convoluted and 11a unparsed. No outstanding Fav but always pleased to hear from the 10a. Quickie quite testing particularly as 11a and 18d new to me. Thanks Campbell and Falcon.

  16. It’s a holiday Monday :good: Air Quality Alert :negative: It’s Campbell :good: 1.5*/4*

    Solving assisted by some oldies but goodies and some recent repeats. One of them very recent and probably better clued by Campbell.

    Candidates for favourite – 10a, 11a, and 1d – and the winner is 1d.

    Similar thoughts to others on 12a.

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  17. I wasn’t very keen on the sporting clues and thought 19a was definitely out of place.
    Loved the illustration to 12a. The silly thing is that in these days of woke, no one would raise an eyebrow at his unusual name!
    I Agee with Stephen L that 10a should be a popular choice and with Angellov that the Quickie is not so quick.
    Best wishes to our poorly contributors

  18. Having lived there very many years ago, I was interested in the newsy bits on Ontario. So that’s how Upper Canada College, founded in 1829, got its name. I also hope the early abolition of slavery makes up for the dreadful treatment of the indigenous peoples of BC.

    1. Yes, Ontario was originally known as Upper Canada and Quebec as Lower Canada. The country of Canada was formed in 1867 when Upper and Lower Canada united with New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Other provinces joined later with Newfoundland the last to join in 1949.

      Unfortunately, it was not only BC where the indigenous peoples were treated dreadfully. There are instances from coast to coast. The architects of our “residential schools” actually adopted a model already well established in the US. However, our neighbours south of the border don’t seem to be as eager to dig into their sordid history as we are.

      1. That’s fascinating, thankyou. You may have seen an earlier post where both Daisygirl and I admitted that, when we were children, we were terrified of “Red Indians”? Obviously we were brain washed at an early age but I must say, to this day, I have a profound dislike of Westerns. I do not wish to be scalped.
        Of corse, being invaded is difficult. Where are the Angles, Saxons and Jutes who will apologise for invading me? Or the Romans? or the Normans? They all destroyed what they found. Do you wonder I rejected the EU?
        I do so value this blog. So diverse. Thankyou so much again for your input.

        1. You’ve got a good memory JB! But it is true. Sad but true. You cannot erase history just learn from it!

          1. Totally agree, DG. If you erase history lessons cannot be learned from it and the whole rigmarole starts over.

  19. That was a very enjoyable puzzle.
    I am sorry to read that Kath is still under the weather and I wish her a speedy recovery.
    Thanks to all concerned.

    1. Whatever level of stroke you have, recovery will always time. Kath is doing well considering, her main problem being with remembering ‘words’

      1. That is cruel! To have difficulty in the thing we probably value most. I’d be devastated if I could no longer read or do crosswords.

      2. Thanks for that CS, I wasn’t sure what caused her illness, but loosing words has to be just awful for someone addicted to crosswords , as I am .I hope some other part of the brain will take over and compensate.

  20. The date you quote certainly commemorates the abolition of slavery in the British Empire.This was something we were leaders in and something to be proud of.
    If only those who rail against our history could understand that we led the field in stopping the trade from Africa.
    However, it has to be remembered that slavery- of all races – has existed since the dawn of time. Unfortunately it still exists, most notably in Africa.

    1. Indeed – there are more slaves today than ever before. My kids grandmother was sold as a child in South Africa because her family could not afford her. When her brothers were grown, they drove down and picked her up.

    2. To our shame, it still exists in the UK as well – maybe couched in slightly different terms but slavery none the less.

    3. Yes slavery was abolished in the British Empire in 1834 after decades of opposition by the many with interest in the success of slavery. Not just plantation owners but hundreds of MPs, peers, civil servants, journalists, sailors, soldiers and others who had an interest in in continuing. Christopher L Brown in a book review in the LRB of 15/07/21 remarks that “The British plantation lobby rarely receives credit for the skill with which it defended colonial slavery.”

      Although we might be proud of our ending of slavery in the Empire we cannot be proud of the 200 or so years of our involvement in the ghastly and despicable trade and our treatment of human beings in the Middle Passage nor of the cruel limbo we left them in when they were liberated. If you look at countries with conflict, poverty, poor government, as part of their history of the last 170 years the vast majority would have been part of some European colonial adventure. O use the word adventure because that what this murdering, robbing, raping, and merciless cruelty was known as. Just think of Ireland as well.

      Some shame rather than pride might be more appropriate.

  21. Good Monday puzzle thank you Campbell and thanks to Falcon for confirming a few parsings.

  22. Found this for the most part straightforward. I did get slowed in the NW, but managed to work it all out without hints. 2.5*/**** my rating today. Clues for favourites include 21a, 25a, 1d, 2d & 23d with winner 1d
    2d & 19d caused a chuckle .

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon

  23. Smooth clueing by Campbell and thank you Falcon for illustrations (although would put this one at **)
    19a stumped me for a while because I assumed MarsAille, mon dieu!

  24. **/****. Great start to the week. Plenty to like about this puzzle with very fair clues and enough subterfuge to keep me working at it. My favourites were 10&21a and 1&19d. 21a gets the podium. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon. We actually had 5 minutes of rain the other day and a little thunder. Looks like we may get more at the end of the week – I hope.

  25. Yes, lovely crossword and I agree with the ratings. One thing, the hint for 14d needs amending – the anagram is only ‘van poor pal’, not ‘in’ van poor pal. Nerdy I know. Sorry. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon for a great start to the crosswording week.

    1. We reviewers not only “bung in” the answers, we sometimes “bung in” the hints without carefully counting the letters.

  26. Such an enjoyable puzzle today, right up my street. Only hold out for me was 19a, with 16d being last in. COTD for me, like some others, was definitely 10a. Had 25a in another crossword this weekend. What’s not to like, this was a perfect puzzle. Thanks to Campbell, and to Falcon for the picture provided at 12a for Kath. Hope she sees it and it will raise a smile.

  27. I’m afraid I still can’t get on with Campbell. Solved this unaided but struggled with the parsings.
    Sorry folks, Campbell is just not my cup of tea.

    Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon.

  28. All was going well until 8d, and needed Falcon’s hint to unravel 8a. Rather 18d to see 25a appear two days in a row and 24a in the Quick also in today’s Herculis. Merci bien to Mr Campbell and Mr Falcon.

  29. Nice start to the week 😃 **/*** Favourites 13 & 16d 👍 Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon

  30. Echoing BusyLizzie here! This was a grand offering from Campbell, and I solved 19a without problems. I did get 8d wrong, had no idea of that cricketing term, no worries, only one bad egg is hardly a biggie. The NW was a bit tricky for me too. I loved it all, but ole Blue Eyes won the gold for me. Two others, 21a and 2d, deserve a mention.
    Thank you Campbell for the fun and Falcon for his review. I also enjoyed the history lesson, I always like a bit of erudition thrown in.

  31. Very enjoyable with two cricket terms (enjoying the Hundred immensely).
    Some of the bottom half clues were a little trickier.
    **/****

  32. Very nice crossword apart from the crickety clues. Thanks to the setter and Falcon.

  33. Oh dear, I’m out of sorts on this one. I had had such a good run of Mondays perhaps my expectations were too high. I found it trickier than usual and although I got most of them it felt like a bit of a slog, and I needed some help to understand the parsing of a few clues I’d got right (8a I’m looking at you but also 10a 19a 25a 16d). I don’t really like technical sporty clues- how can a non-cricketer be expected to know that bumper is a type of delivery in cricket?- but I have seen “on” meaning “leg” enough times now that this should have sunk in; but it still hasn’t yet!
    Thanks anyway to setter and hint-er. Much appreciated.

    1. I too fell on both cricketing terms and kicking myself about leg…. Didnt help that i bunged in flash instead of beach, oh well….i got the rest.

  34. Either I am finally getting on Campbell’s wavelength or this was easier than usual – enjoyable but I wizzed through it…

  35. After my usual dog training class and visit to the pub then feeding the dogs, I never work them on full stomachs, then cooking my own mea. I’m afraid I made rather heavy weather of this particularly in the NW. Hey ho! I got there in the end. Favourite was 3d. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon. One of the things that irritates me is putting 21st century thinking on things that happened centuries ago and for the second time I’m with Bertie on this. We have more to be proud of than ashamed of.

  36. I loved this. Not too hard (I think I’m allowed to call it a “pint and a half”?) but took some proper thinking. Hilariously I thought that 20d must be SERAPH (assuming this might be some kind of guiding angel) and the P was in the right place to help me with the crossing one! HAHA! Once I realised the error, it was obvious. Anyway: some funny surfaces, mostly easy but kick-yerself tricks, I just really enjoyed this. I would use this one as an example for someone who has just learned the rules and wants to practise. Quite easy but very fun. Respect to the compiler.

  37. 2*/4*…
    liked 19D “Young lady, not entirely suitable — a square peg in a round hole, maybe (6)”

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