ST 3282 (full review)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3282

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 15^th September 2024

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

Greetings from Kolkata. A straightforward and amiable puzzle from Dada this Sunday that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a full review of his puzzle for your kind perusal and essential feedback.

Swan, as part of the wordplay to the clue of 19a and tagged to bard made an interesting research and reading in the net. I found out that the titles ‘the Swan of Avon’ and ‘the Bard of Avon’ are both nicknames given to William Shakespeare, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. Avon is the name of the river that flows through the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire where Shakespeare was born, raised and spent a significant portion of his life. The title ‘the Swan of Avon’ is a poetic way to refer to Shakespeare, drawing a connection between him and the river. Just as a swan is known for its grace and beauty, Shakespeare is recognised for his literary skill and poetic genius. Next, the term ‘bard’ is derived from ancient Celtic culture, where it referred to a poet, storyteller or singer of epic tales. Shakespeare’s works are considered some of the greatest examples of English literature, encompassing a wide range of genres, including plays, sonnets and narrative poems. His ability to craft compelling characters, explore complex themes, and create unforgettable lines of dialogue has earned him the title ‘the Bard of Avon’ or simply ‘the Bard’. Thus, Shakespeare earned the titles ‘the Swan of Avon’ and ‘the Bard’ due to his association with the river Avon and his exceptional talent as a poet, playwright and storyteller. These titles pay tribute to his enduring legacy and the profound impact he has had on literature and the English language.

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Across

7a          The odd man out in Italy, cap askew (8)
ATYPICAL: An anagram (askew) of ITALY, CAP guides to the definition of an adjective denoting not representative of a type, group or class and hence the one who is deviating from normal expectations or is somewhat odd, strange or abnormal is the one who is out of the group and the odd man

9a          Tiny particle for unit of weight (6)
PROTON: The definition of a particle with a positive electrical charge, forming part of the nucleus of an atom is arrived at from a charade of PRO (for) as the Latin root word for the preposition ‘for’ and TON (unit of weight) as a unit of weight equal to 2,000 pounds

10a        Ancient city quarter within South Africa (6)
SPARTA: The definition of a city-state in the south-eastern Peloponnese region of ancient Greece is reached from PART (quarter) as a region, quarter or district, especially one not clearly specified or delimited placed inside (within) SA (South Africa) as the abbreviation for South Africa

11a        Wraparound garment other baby cut off (8)
BATHROBE: The definition of a loose-fitting robe worn before and after bathing and for lounging is achieved from OTHER BAB[Y] having the terminal or last letter excluded (cut) and subsequently subject to an anagram (off)

12a        Even on a Tuesday in February? (4,2,1,7)
FLAT AS A PANCAKE: The definition of an informal idiom meaning completely flat or extremely even or level is arrived at from the all-in-one clue where FLAT (even) as an adjective meaning level or even is followed by AS A PANCAKE (on a Tuesday in February) as referring to a characteristic feature of a pancake that is a thin flat round cake of eggs, flour, sugar and milk, fried in a plan, an example of which can be ‘on a Tuesday in February’, that is hinting at Pancake Tuesday, another phrase for Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, a moveable feast that takes place exactly 47 days before Easter in February or sometimes in March, based on the cycle of the moon, as the date can be between 3 February and 9 March inclusive

15a        Tail docked on rear of rabbits (4)
SCUT: The definition of a short erect tail, as that of a hare, rabbit or deer is obtained from CUT (docked) as a verb in the past tense meaning docked, bobbed or removed or shortened the tail of an animal preceded by or placed after (on) the terminal or last letter (rear) of [RABBIT]S

17a        Pack things (5)
STUFF: Double definition; the first being a noun referring to matter, things and objects that guides to the first a verb meaning to pack a container tightly

19a        Grey swan drifts back (4)
DRAB: The definition of a grey colour or pigment is attained from BARD (swan) as semantically related to swan as swan is an epithet used for William Shakespeare i.e. ‘the Swan of Avon’ inasmuch as bard is another epithet used for him i.e. ‘the Bard of Avon’, or simply the ‘Bard’ that is seen coming from the other side (drifts back) as a reversal in the across clue

20a        Chicanery is king in financial operation (6,8)
MONKEY BUSINESS: The definition of a noun denoting improper or underhanded conduct or trickery, an example of which is chicanery meaning underhandedness or trickery or sharp practice, especially in legal proceedings is arrived at from K (king) as the abbreviation for king in chess notation placed inside (in) MONEY BUSINESS (financial operation), where MONEY serves as an adjective meaning relating to finance and BUSINESS a noun referring to a commercial operation

23a        Remarkable boxing (8)
STRIKING: Double definition; the first being an adjective meaning impressive, arresting, noticeable or remarkable and the second a verb in the continuous form meaning knocking, punching or boxing

25a        Reveal what the devil might create? (6)
IMPART: The definition of a verb meaning to reveal, divulge or make information known to someone is derived from what the IMP (devil) as a small, mischievous devil or sprite might resort to a creative work i.e. ART (might create) as something that might be created with imagination and skill

27a        Mistake made, one yelping (6)
HOWLER: Double nounal definition; the second cryptically referring to someone who is making a long, loud cry, an example of which can be one yelping or someone who is making a sudden, short, high sound, usually when in pain that takes to the first denoting a very stupid or glaring mistake, especially an amusing one

28a        Time line? (8)
SENTENCE: Double nounal definition; the second describing a logical arrangement of words that make a line with complete grammatical structure in writing generally begun with a capital letter and ended with a full stop that leads to the first referring to prison sentence or time to be spent in prison that is served as a punishment to a convict

   

Down

1d          A little balalaika to play on (4)
ATOP: Part of or hidden inside (a little) [BALALAIK]A TO P[LAY] guides to the definition of a preposition meaning on top of, over, upon or on

2d          Doppelganger quaffs Irish whiskey, say (6)
SPIRIT: Double nounal definition, the first being a ghost or a disembodied soul, an example of which is a doppelgänger or a ghostly double of a human person and the second a distilled liquid or a solution in alcohol, an example of which is the Irish whiskey, once the most popular spirit in the world that originated from the island of Ireland in the twelfth century and one of the earliest distilled drinks in Europe

 

3d          Turn on waterworks when electrical devices switched over (4)
BLUB: BULB (electrical devices) as a noun denoting an electric lamp consisting of a transparent or translucent glass house containing a wire filament that emits light when heated by electricity coming back (switched over) as a reversal in the down clue leads to the definition of a colloquial term for a verb meaning to weep or sob, a way of saying is to ‘turn on waterworks’ that means to start crying, especially in order to get sympathy from someone

4d          Lack of lids flipped up? Exactly! (4,2)
SPOT ON: A combo of a charade of NO (lack of) as denoting complete lack or zero quantity of something) and TOPS (lids) as the plural of a lid or covering of a container taken upwards (up) as a reversal in the down clue yields the definition of a phrase meaning exactly right or perfectly accurate or correct

5d          Foody, our chap filling in empty grid (8)
GOURMAND: The definition of a person who enjoys eating and often eats too much is fetched from a combo of OUR from the clue and MAN (chap) as a colloquial term for a man or boy placed inside (in) G[RI]D having no inner letters (empty)

6d          Two fishes, one of those in quartet? (6,4)
DOUBLE BASS: DOUBLE BASS (two fishes) as referring to two number of European sea-fish of the sea-perch family that takes to the definition of the largest and lowest-pitched chordophone in the modern symphony orchestra that is also known as the upright bass, the acoustic or simply the bass and belonging to the quartet that is a composition for four voices or instruments, or a set of four performers or four instruments for such compositions

8d          Framework has female relative supporting cousins, primarily (7)
CHASSIS: The definition of the framework to which the components of a radio, television or other electronic devices are attached is arrived at from a combination of HAS from the clue and SIS (female relative) as an informal term for a sister preceded by or following (supporting) the primary or first letter (primarily) of C[OUSINS]

13d        Wacky proposition for movement (10)
LOCOMOTION: A charade of LOCO (wacky) as an informal term for an adjective meaning insane, crazy or wacky and MOTION (proposition) as a proposition or a formal proposal put to a legislature or committee leads to the definition of movement or the ability to move from one place to another

14d        Something with a stone on top of bolt, bolt upright (5)
PLUMB: PLUM (something with a stone) as referring to an oval fleshy fruit which is purple, reddish or yellow when ripe and contains a flattish pointed stone placed upon (on) the topmost or uppermost (top) of B[OLT] in the down clue guides to the definition of an adjective meaning upright, perpendicular or vertical, an example of which is bolt upright meaning completely upright or straight

16d        Brown bilge turned solid (8)
TANGIBLE: TAN (brown) as to brown by exposure to ultraviolet rays, as of the sun followed by an anagram (turned) of BILGE leads to the definition of an adjective meaning solid, positive or concrete

18d        A fish swimming, on form (7)
FASHION: An anagram (swimming) of A FISH followed by ON from the clue takes to the definition of a noun meaning shape, appearance or form

21d        Alien residing in semi, green! (6)
ÉMIGRÉ: Part of or hidden inside (in) [S]EMI, GRE[EN] guides to the definition of an alien, foreigner or a person coming from another country or into a new community

22d        Parking in lanes that’s problematic in Italian city (6)
NAPLES: P (parking) as the abbreviation for parking placed inside (in) LANES from the clue that’s subject to an anagram (problematic) directs to the definition of the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan

24d        Cut oxygen, say, and hydrogen (4)
GASH: The definition of a long, deep cut or wound is obtained from a charade of GAS (oxygen, say) as a substance in a form like air that is neither solid nor liquid, an example of which is oxygen that has no smell or colour and forms a large part of air on earth and H (hydrogen) as the symbol for hydrogen in chemistry

26d        Music from one of the Stones? (4)
ROCK: The definition of a genre of popular music characterised by electronically amplified instrumentation, a heavily accented beat and relatively simple phrase structure that originated in the United States in the late 1940s is arrived at from one of the ‘Stones’ that is capitalised, making us to reckon it as a shorthand for the Rolling Stones, the legendary rock group from London, United Kingdom that came into existence in 1962 and often referred to as just ‘The Stones’

There were many clues that I liked in this puzzle like 12a, 20a, 28a, 4d, 5d, 6d, 13d and 14d; 12a being the best of the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to Dada for the entertainment and to Gazza for the assistance. Looking forward to being here again. Have a nice day.