DT 30599 (full review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30599

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 27^th Apr 2024

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Greetings from Kolkata. A nice Saturday puzzle from the setter that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and precious feedback.

Looking at ‘Ajaccio’, the answer to the clue of 10a, I wondered if Edinburgh could be “capitalists’ place in Scotland”, what could the setter have in mind as the perfect answer in their grid had they wished to frame a clue “Scot capitalists?”.

I was really interested to know more about ‘beef tea’, the answer to the clue of 19a and hence turned to the net. The earliest use of beef tea that happened towards the end of the eighteenth century was not meant for ingestion, but rather for egestion. A 1784 American text, ‘Domestic Medicine’, wrote on women during childbirth: “When the stomach will not bear any kind of nourishment, the patient may be supported for some time by the clysters or enemas of beef-tea or chicken-water.” Much later, an edition of 1807 would describe the utility of beef tea in infant health. “The only thing that has any chance to supply the place of the nurse’s milk, must be somewhat nearly of the same quality, as cow’s milk, or beef-tea, with a little bread.” In 1835, Michel Eugen Chevreul, a Frenchman discovered creatine in beef extract and paved the way for Jusust Freiherr von Liebig, a German chemist to prove, in 1847, that creatine was present in animal muscle and higher levels indicated higher levels of muscular activity. The latter became entrepreneurial and formulated a recipe for “Liebig’s Extract of Meat.” Von Liebig knew about the medicinal rumours surrounding beef tea and readily promoted the healing values of his meat extract. He even used his own academic journal to make health claims about the product. It had become common practice during the second half of the 1800s for hospitals to regularly dose patients with cups of beef tea. Doctors, especially in England, believed the broth was unparalleled in its ability to nurse convalescing patients back to health. Medical journals from the 1860s into the early 1900s were filled with the scribblings of doctors criticising beef tea and its commercial renditions, defending the healing reputation of the drink, and generally attempting to measure the efficacy of the infusion. Medical doctors also took issue with the commercial claims of von Liebig and his competitors. Meat extracts, they advertised, could cure scrofula, scurvy, typhus, inflamed ovaries and gastrointestinal distress. Hospitals did not ascribe to these claims, but tended to see beef tea as a consistent part of the nutrition in convalescing patients. For all the criticism directed towards meat extracts, beef tea lasted well into the 1900s. Famously, Florence Nightingale stood by its restorative abilities. The British army rationed Bovril, another commercial meat extract, to its entrenched soldiers during WWI. Beef tea’s popularity declined as the twentieth century wore on, but ‘Liebig’s Extract of Meat’ somehow navigated these changing markets. When the medical community came for his quackery, von Liebig pivoted into the domestic pantry where he enjoyed great commercial success. Today, patients in modern hospitals do not expect to take doses of beef-tinted water as they recover from illness, yet many still believe a good broth is good for sickness. Beef tea is no longer there. It has probably just disguised itself as chicken noodle soup.

I was in a dilemma whether to use ‘where ships might dock’, wordplay to the clue of 6d as ‘cays’ or ‘keys’ that would satisfy as the perfect homophone to ‘quays’, the answer to the clue. I examined the pronunciations given in the BRB. Following were the findings: (1) quay kē, n a landing-place; a wharf for the loading or unloading of vessels … Earlier forms kay (kā) and key; (2) key or cay kē, n a low island or reef; (3) cay kā, n a low islet, the same as key; (4) key An old spelling of quay. Thus, I noticed that when ‘cay’ is mentioned alongside ‘key’ as one of the words coming under k, the pronunciation for both is kē, but when ‘cay’ is mentioned singly as one of the words coming under c, the pronunciation is kā. As there were two pronunciations for ‘cay’, i.e. kā and kē and only one pronunciation for ‘key’, i.e. kē, my first choice was obviously ‘keys’ to be on the safe side as there were no discrepancies or mismatch between ‘key’ and ‘quay’, more particularly as far as pronunciation was concerned. But, again, ‘key’ itself being one of the earlier forms of ‘quay’, i.e. both ‘key’ and ‘quay’ having the same meaning, I concluded that there was no need to take ‘keys’ as a homophone and ultimately chose ‘cays’, with dual pronunciations as the ideal homophone for the clue; both ‘cays’ and ‘quays’ meaning differently.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a          Unfairly taking advantage of head waiter? (7,3,5)
JUMPING THE QUEUE: A cryptic definition of taking advantage in a queue ahead of the one already waiting or queuing and is in the lead by unfair means like pushing or getting there by force

9a          Continue working with journalists old and new (5,2)
PRESS ON: The definition of a phrasal verb meaning to continue, especially energetically, often in spite of difficulties or opposition is reached with a charade of PRESS (journalists) as newspapers or journalists viewed collectively, O (old) as the abbreviation for old as OT in Old Testament and N (new) as the abbreviation for new

10a        Capitalists’ place on French island (7)
AJACCIO: The definition of the capital of Corsica, a French island in the Mediterranean Sea is arrived at by cryptically taking capitalists as the people who dwell in Ajaccio, the Corsican capital, e.g., Swiss capitalists / may be cryptically referred to as Bernese, French capitalists ? / Gallic capitalists? as Parisians or Parisiens etc and thus Bern may be cryptically deduced from “Capitalists’ place in Switzerland”, Paris from “Capitalists’ place in France” etc

11a        Book that chap’s taken into house (9)
THESAURUS: The definition of a book with systematically arranged list of words and their synonyms, antonyms etc is obtained from HE’S (that chap’s) as in short form denoting ‘he is’ or ‘he has’ placed inside (taken into) TAURUS (house) as the second sign of the zodiac circle that rules the second house

12a        South-western street guide I found in an African language (5)
SWAZI: SW (south-western) as the abbreviation for south-western used in telecommunications and used as a symbol in navigation, followed by AZ (street guide) as referring to the Geographers’ A-Z Street Atlas, a title given to any one of a range of atlases of streets in the United Kingdom and I from the clue takes to the definition of a Bantu language spoken by southeast African people of Swaziland and adjacent parts of South Africa

13a        About 100 turned tail in performance (7)
RECITAL: RE (about) as a commercial jargon used to indicate ‘concerning’, ‘regarding’ or ‘about’, forwarded by C (100) as the Roman numeral for hundred and an anagram (turned) of TAIL leads to the definition of a public performance of music, usually by one performer or composer or of some particular character

15a        Stick with golf after pay back for boxer’s poor behaviour? (7)
YAPPING: A combo of PIN (stick) as to fasten, stick or attach and (with) G (golf) as the letter represented by Golf in the NATO phonetic alphabet preceded by or placed after (after) PAY that is seen coming from the opposite side (back) as a reversal in the across clue takes to the definition of the sharp and constant barking of a small dog that can be, as an example, a boxer who is a smooth-haired dog of a breed, with bulldog blood, developed in Germany

17a        Asked for more heart in finale (7)
ENCORED: The definition of a verb in the past tense denoting called for a repetition of a performance or an additional item is reached from CORE (heart) as the heart or the central or innermost or most essential part of something placed inside END (finale) as a final part of something, especially a period of time, an activity or a story

19a        Worker facing terrible fate gets medicinal drink (4,3)
BEEF TEA: BEE (worker) as a four-winged insect that makes honey coming before (facing) an anagram (terrible) of FATE gets to the definition of a drink made by boiling pieces of lean beef, often given to invalids supposedly to stimulate their appetite

21a        Knowing Del must leave state (5)
AWARE: The definition of an adjective meaning knowing, realising or conscious is arrived from [DEL]AWARE (state) as a state in the mid-Atlantic region of the United Stated that is subject to the removal of DEL (must leave)

23a        Quartet impressed by dashing flirt (9)
GALLIVANT: IV (quartet) as the Roman numeral for four or maybe taken as a quartet that is a set of four people or things coerced or forced inside (impressed) by GALLANT (dashing) as an adjective meaning brave, noble or dashing yields the definition of another adjective meaning to spend time frivolously, especially in flirting

25a        Considered even if before time (7)
THOUGHT: THOUGH (even if) as a conjunction meaning if or even if placed in front of (before) T (time) as the symbol for time in physics leads to the definition of a verb in the past tense meaning reckoned, judged or considered

26a        Sparkle shown by dizzy girl entertaining Mrs French (7)
GLIMMER: An anagram (dizzy) of GIRL welcoming in (entertaining) MME (Mrs French) as the abbreviation for Madame, the French word for Mrs takes to the definition of a subdued unsteady shining or sparkle

27a        Administrative centre fighting against vote for levy (7,5,3)
CAPITAL GAINS TAX: CAPITAL (administrative centre) as a city serving as the seat or administrative centre of the government followed by an anagram (fighting) of AGAINST and X (vote) as the cross mark in rubber stamp that people use to indicate their choice on a ballot paper when casting vote takes to the definition of a tax levied on the profit made on the sale of certain assets

Down

1d          Jovial type of god? (7)
JUPITER: A cryptic definition of the chief Roman god who was considered a majestic, authoritative type, who was the source of joy and happiness and who was also called Jove

2d          What I might spy with? Nonsense! (2,3)
MY EYE: The obvious answer to the question being my sight organ with the help of which I might spy or keenly observe someone or something that leads to the definition of an informal phrase used to express mild disagreement

3d          Ten trains running without delay (9)
INSTANTER: An anagram (running) of TEN TRAINS guides to the definition of an adverb used as a humour meaning at once or immediately or in law meaning without delay or, in case of pleading, the same day or within 24 hours

4d          Officer‘s not particular (7)
GENERAL: Double definition; the second being an adjective denoting ordinary, common or typical and not special or particular that takes to the first a noun referring to an army officer between a field marshal and lieutenant-general in rank

5d          Try perhaps to find gossip (7)
HEARSAY: A charade of HEAR (try) as to try judicially and SAY (perhaps) as used parenthetically to indicate that something is being suggested as possible or likely but not certain guides to the definition of a common talk, rumour or gossip, usually a mixture of truth and untruth, passed around by word of mouth

6d          Islands announced where ships might dock (5)
QUAYS: A homophone heard by the audience (announced) of CAYS (islands) as referring to low islets or low little islands takes to the definition of the plural term for a wharf for the loading or unloading of ships and other vessels

7d          Sacrament possibly such a rite (9)
EUCHARIST: An anagram (possibly) of SUCH A RITE guides to the definition of the Christian sacrament in which Christ’s Last Supper is commemorated by the consecration of bread and wine

8d          Becoming running mates? (7)
ELOPING: A cryptic definition of a verb in the continuous form meaning running away with a lover or mate, especially with the intention of getting married

14d        Exultant old mate with a ring (4-1-4)
COCK-A-HOOP: COCK (old mate) as an informal term for a friend, mate or fellow, also sometimes as old cock, A from the clue and HOOP (ring) as a ring or circular band, especially for holding together the staves of casks or any large ring for a child to roll or for leaping through takes to the definition of an adjective denoting in exultant spirits

16d        Summary on Scotsman, a purist (9)
PRECISIAN: PRECIS (summary) as an abstract or summary of the essentials of a text placed upon (on) IAN (Scotsman) as a male given name of Scottish Gaelic origin and coming from the Hebrew name that means ‘the Lord is gracious’ in the down clue leads to the definition of an over-precise person or a formalist, an example of which can be a purist who is over-fastidious and insistent on purity, especially of language in vocabulary or idiom

17d        Able to come back after a stretch? (7)
ELASTIC: A cryptic definition of an adjective meaning having a tendency or the ability to recover the original form or size after stretching

18d        Like almost everything performed with the fingers (7)
DIGITAL: DIG IT AL[L] (like) as a phrase meaning to like everything that’s very nearly but not exactly or entirely with the removal of the final letter (almost), taking to the definition of an adjective denoting operated or performed with the fingers

19d        Smell a long cured sausage (7)
BOLOGNA: BO (smell) as an abbreviation for body odour that is an unpleasant smell caused by sweat on a person’s body followed by an anagram (cured) of A LONG takes to the definition of a type of large sausage made of mixed meats

20d        Illness contracted by applicant HR axed (7)
ANTHRAX: The definition of a deadly disease due to a bacillus, most common in sheep and cattle but communicable to humans is arrived at from part of or hidden inside (contracted by) [APPLIC]ANT HR AX[ED]

22d        A number scoffed loudly (5)
EIGHT: ATE (scoffed) as a verb in the past tense meaning scoffed or fed quickly or greedily serving as a homophone heard by the audience (loudly) and taking to the definition of a figure that is one more than seven

24d        Accept grant (5)
ADMIT: Double verbal definition; the first meaning to accept into an organisation or group or to accept into evidence as relevant and otherwise admissible and the second denoting to allow to enter to or to grant entry to

There were some clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 1a, 15a, 17a, 23a, 27a, 1d, 8d, 17d, 18d and 20d; 8d being the best of the selected clues. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to the setter for the entertainment and to Gazza for the assistance. Looking forward to being here again. Have a good day.