DT 30353 (full review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30353

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 15^th July 2023

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Greetings from Kolkata. A very friendly and straightforward Saturday puzzle from Cephas that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback.

I wanted to know more about potsherd, the answer to the clue of 11a and hence visited the net. The BRB defines both shard and sherd as a scrap, broken piece, especially of pottery and both potshard and potsherd as archaeological terms meaning a fragment of pottery. Shard is an alternative spelling of sherd while potshard is an alternative spelling of potsherd. From the net, I gathered shard also as a broken glass or pottery, especially one found in an archaeological dig and potsherd as a piece of ceramic from pottery, often found on an archaeological site and having an archaeological value. I further found out that the word for a piece of broken pottery, glass, metal etc had been spelt in various ways since the Anglo-Saxon times, including sceard, scherd, scheard, schord, shard and sherd. The OED has even a shord citation from as late as the eighties of the nineteenth century. Dictionaries now include two standard spellings, shard and sherd, but most of them consider sherd a variant of the more common shard. English speakers have adopted the modernised shard spelling for most uses, but archaeologists prefer to spell the word ‘sherd’ when referring to the ancient fragments of pottery they unearth.

I was fascinated by the BRB definition of peregrine, the answer to the clue of 11d, inasmuch as I was, more than four decades ago, fascinated by the French pèlerine while coming across the word for the first time during the fifth semester of my study at Alliance Française, Calcutta for the Diplôme de Langue Française that would be eventually awarded by Alliance Française, Paris. The French pèlerine is the English pilgrim but the issue still remains of gender. Pèlerine is a female pilgrim while the term for a male pilgrim is pèlerin. Furthermore, the French pèlerinage is the English pilgrimage. L sounds closer to R, at least in Japanese language. The Japanese people do not have their L or its sound in their language. My Japanese teacher used to call me Ari san-wa. I presume that the impact of learning too many languages today brought the sound of the English peregrine closer to that of the French pèlerine; somewhat influenced by the Japanese R that attempts to substitute for all the Ls of the world and the French R that vociferously vouches for its guttural sound. Now the BRB says that peregrine falcon or Falco peregrinus was so named because it was captured in flight and not taken from the nest. Thanks to Carl Linnaeus, the father of modern taxonomy, who formalised the binomial nomenclature, in which the name given to any particular species is its binomial or scientific name, comprising a genus and a species. Zoologically or botanically, the name of the genus begins with a capital letter while that of the species begins with a small letter. Hence, in the Latin Falco peregrinus, Falco is the generic name and peregrinus the specific name; the noun being followed by the adjective. Falco peregrinus literally translates into English as peregrine falcon, where the adjective is followed by the noun. Peregrine falcon, which in simple terms means wandering falcon, is also known simply as peregrine and, consequently, it does not take much time for us to observe the ascent or soar of the adjective to occupy the place of a noun. Thus, the full-fledged peregrine falcon evolving into a simplified peregrine is finally a falcon in itself. Now while I was connecting the sound of peregrine to that of pèlerine, I was also pondering on various ways to explore much more and find out whether any connection exists between the word ‘peregrine’ that is a falcon and the word pèlerine who is a ‘pilgrim’. Much to my wonder, I found out in the BRB itself that peregrine is also an archaic term for both a noun that refers to ‘a pilgrim or traveller in a foreign land’ and an adjective that means ‘making a pilgrimage or journey’. Furthermore, the word ‘peregrinate’ is a verb that denotes ‘to travel about or to go on a pilgrimage’ and the word ‘peregrination’ a noun meaning ‘pilgrimage, wandering or travelling about’. Thus, there was a feeling of satisfaction when I reread in the BRB that peregrine falcon was so named because it was captured in flight and not taken from the nest.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a    Big shot in the film industry? (5-2)
CLOSE-UP: A cryptic definition of a film shot that is taken at close range or with a long focal-length lens in which the subject is tightly framed and shown at a relatively large scale

9a    Signal to stir Reverend East, unwell before start of Eucharist (8)
REVEILLE: REV (Reverend) as the abbreviation for Reverend that is a title prefixed to the name of a member of the clergy, E (East) as the abbreviation for East and ILL (unwell) as suffering from a disease or feeling unwell placed before (before) the starting or initial letter (start) of E[UCHARIST], leads to the definition of a signal sounded especially on a bugle or drum to wake personnel in the armed forces

10a    A way to travel on a horse? (7)
ASTRIDE: A from the clue, ST (way) as the abbreviation for street that is a type of paved way in a city, town or village and RIDE (to travel) as to travel on a horse or other animal guide to the definition of an adverb meaning with one leg on each side, as a person when on horseback

11a    Suspend revolutionary press in part of China (8)
POTSHERD: STOP (suspend) as to halt or come to a standstill repelling or coming back (revolutionary) as a reversal in the across clue followed by HERD (press) as a large group of people that is considered together as a group and not separately takes to the definition of a broken piece of ceramic material, especially one discovered by an archaeologist during excavation of an archaeological site

12a    Harry perhaps moving right to the end to find nipper (6)
PINCER: PRINCE (Harry perhaps) as the son of a monarch, of which Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex serves as an example, shifting or changing position of (moving) R (right) as the abbreviation for right to the end, giving rise to the definition of the claw-like appendage on an insect or crustacean that allows it to grab things, particularly food

13a    Unrealistic drawing of vehicle — one Jaguar, maybe, by river (10)
CARICATURE: CAR (vehicle) as a four-wheeled road vehicle that is powered by an engine and is able to carry a small number of people, I (one) as the Roman numeral for one and CAT (one Jaguar, maybe) as a small domesticated carnivorous animal, widely kept as a pet, of which jaguar, a large heavily built cat that has a yellowish-brown coat with black spots may be cited as an example placed before (by) URE (river) as the name of the river in North Yorkshire, England take to the definition of a picture, description or imitation of a person in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect

15a    Pipe potato, briefly? (4)
TUBE: TUBE[R] (potato) as a short, thick, round stem that is a part of certain plants such as the potato, that grows underground and that can produce a new plant cut short with the removal of its last letter R (briefly) leads to the definition of a long, hollow pipe made of metal, plastic, rubber etc through which liquids or gases move from one place to another

16a    Pilot or labourer with spat reported (9)
NAVIGATOR: NAVVY (labourer) as a labourer employed in the excavation and construction of a road, railway or canal and (with) GAITER (spat) as a covering for the lower leg and ankle, fitting over the upper of the shoe, both serving as homophones heard by the audience (reported) take to the definition of a person who navigates, especially one skilled or employed in plotting the course for a ship or aircraft

21a    Dislike part of match at Edgbaston (4)
HATE: Seen hidden inside (part of) [MATC]H AT E[DGBASTON] guides to the definition of a verb meaning to detest, abhor or feel intense dislike for someone or something

22a    Traveller‘s TV advert? (10)
COMMERCIAL: Double nounal definition; the second referring to a commercially-sponsored advertisement on a television or radio that leads to the first being a travelling sales representative or a commercial traveller

24a    Member in country realm (6)
EMPIRE: MP (member) as the abbreviation for Member of Parliament placed inside (in) ÉIRE (country) as the Irish for ‘Ireland’ and referring to the sovereign state of the Republic of Ireland takes to the definition of a dominion or group of states, peoples, nations etc under the same sovereign power and spread over an extended area

25a    Time to serve breakfast food (8)
PORRIDGE: Double nounal definition; the second being a dish usually prepared by slowly stirring oatmeal or rolled oats in boiling water or milk, eaten hot for breakfast that leads to the first referring to a sentence or term to be spent in prison by a convict as their punishment

27a    Statement backed imprisoning old soldier (7)
TROOPER: REPORT (statement) as an account or statement describing in detail an event, situation or the like, usually as the result of observation, inquiry etc in a returning fashion (backed) as a reversal in the across clue taking inside (imprisoning) O (old) as the abbreviation for old as OT in Old Testament arrives at the definition of a private soldier in a cavalry or armoured unit

28a    One getting the present set (8)
RECEIVER: Double nounal definition; the first being a person who gets or accepts something as gift or present that has been sent or given to them and the second referring to a complete telephone handset

29a    Edward, languishing, going round and round (7)
EDDYING: A charade of ED (Edward) as a diminutive form of Edward and DYING (languishing) as languishing, suffering or longing guides to the definition of a verb in the continuous form meaning moving or going round and round

Down

2d    Sweet student, American, beginning to consolidate debts (8)
LUSCIOUS: L (student) as appearing in an L-plate denoting a learner driver, US (American) as the adjectival abbreviation for the United States or belonging to the United States, the starting or initial letter (beginning) to C[ONSOLIDATE] and IOUS (debts) as the plural of IOU, pronounced ‘I owe you’ and serving as a promise to pay a debt, especially a signed slip of paper or other document acknowledging the specific amount owed yield the definition of an adjective meaning exceedingly sweet or extremely pleasurable, especially to the taste or smell

3d    Son with scam: teen regularly affected (8)
STRICKEN: S (son) as the genealogical abbreviation for son, followed by (with) TRICK (scam) as a cunning act or scheme intended to deceive or outwit someone and the regular or alternate letters (regularly) of tEeN leads to the definition of an adjective meaning afflicted, troubled or affected

4d    Insured in secret (10)
UNDERCOVER: UNDER COVER (insured) as having insurance coverage or coming under the protection provided by an insurance policy guides to the definition of an adjective meaning involving secret work within a community or organisation, especially for the purposes of police investigation or espionage

5d    Doctor gets round ban (4)
VETO: A charade of VET (doctor) as a veterinary surgeon or a person trained in the treatment of diseases of domestic animals and (gets) O (round) as anything round or nearly so takes to the definition of any authoritative ban or prohibition

6d    Entertaining girl during voyage is hard (6)
GEISHA: Part of or hidden inside (during) [VOYA]GE IS HA[RD] guides to the definition of a Japanese girl trained to entertain men with conversation, dance, song etc

7d    Well-informed, as a crossword is finished (5-2)
CLUED-UP: A charade of CLUED (as a crossword is) as an adjective describing a crossword as formed of several across and down clues, each of which comprising words that give an indication as to what is to be inserted in a particular space inside the grid of that crossword and UP (finished) as at an end or state of being complete guides to the definition of a colloquial adjective meaning having a lot of information about something

8d    Animal, European, in more colourful surroundings (3,4)
RED DEER: E (European) as the abbreviation of European as EU in European Union in the midst (surroundings) of REDDER (more colourful) as more brightly coloured leads to the definition of a deer with a rich red-brown summer coat that turns dull brownish-grey in winter, the male having large branched antlers

11d    Flier‘s here naked, peering around outside (9)
PEREGRINE: [H]ER[E] from the clue having its outermost letters taken out or removed (naked) is surrounded by (outside) an anagram (around) of PEERING, arriving at the definition of a species of falcon, Falco peregrinus, so named because it was captured in flight and not taken from the nest

14d    Animals are barred from crossing this (6,4)
CATTLE GRID: A cryptic definition of a metal grid covering a ditch, allowing vehicles and pedestrians to pass over but not cattle and other animals

17d    Composition in which harp plays so extremely daintily (8)
RHAPSODY: The definition of a free instrumental composition in one extended movement, typically one that is emotional in character is arrived at from an anagram (plays) of HARP followed by SO from the clue and the outermost or extremely placed letters (extremely) of D[AINTL]Y

18d    Turn goes badly for swimmer (8)
STURGEON: An anagram (badly) of TURN GOES guides to the definition of any of the family Acipenseridae of usually large elongate anadromous or freshwater bony fishes which are widely distributed in the north temperate zone and whose roe is made into caviar

19d    Staff showing respect that’s out of the ordinary (7)
SCEPTRE: The definition of an ornamented staff carried by rulers on ceremonial occasions as a symbol of sovereignty is arrived at from RESPECT from the clue that is subject to an anagram (out of the ordinary)

20d    Hold the setter up, and get ready! (7)
EMBRACE: ME (the setter) as referring to the setter of this crossword puzzle going upwards (up) as a reversal in the down clue is followed by (and) BRACE (get ready) as to steady and make oneself ready for a blow etc takes to the definition of a verb meaning to hold someone closely in one’s arms, especially as a sign of affection

23d    Team consumed by anger over magic potion (6)
ELIXIR: IX (team) as the Roman numeral for eleven indicating a team of eleven players as in cricket, football, hockey etc taken inside (consumed) by RILE (anger) as to annoy or irritate someone or to make them angrily excited in an upward and forward direction across something (over) as a reversal in the down clue produces the definition of a magical liquid that is supposed to cure people of illness, make them younger etc

26d    Info about large valley in Scotland (4)
GLEN: GEN (info) as a slang term for general information placed around (about) L (large) as one of the various sizes of shirt or other clothing guides to the definition of a deep, narrow valley, especially in the mountains of Scotland or Ireland

The clues that I liked in this puzzle were 9a, 10a, 11a, 12a, 13a, 2d, 4d, 6d, 7d, 14d and 23d; 13a being the best of the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to Cephas for the entertainment and to Gazza for the assistance. Looking forward to being here again. Have a pleasant day.