Sunday, May 2, 2010 (ST 4374)

This puzzle was originally published in The Sunday London Times on March 28, 2010

Introduction

I got off to a good start today, but failed to maintain that pace to the finish. I didn't understand the wordplay for 20a (having never heard of iron rations) or 21a (where I got the solution from the definition and checking letters) and presumed that I must be missing something in the wordplay for 30a (although that would appear not to be the case). As for 22d, I threw in the towel after a lengthy and futile struggle.

Today's Glossary

Some possibly unfamiliar abbreviations, people, places, words and expressions used in today's puzzle

form - noun 6 chiefly Brit. a class or year in a school

iron rations - plural noun a small emergency supply of food

L² - abbreviation 2 learner driver

WI - abbreviation 3 in the UK: Women's Institute

Links to Solutions

A review of today's puzzle by talbinho can be found at Times for the Times [ST 4374].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

5a Deplores having no river for the waders (6)

The definition is "waders" with the solution being EGRETS (wading birds). The wordplay is REGRETS (deplores) with the initial R removed {having no R (river)}. However, the fact that there are two Rs in the word REGRETS, raises some question about this clue on Times for the TImes.

9a Attending class, a student relaxed (8)

Chambers gives L as the abbreviation for learner driver (in all likelihood what we would call a beginner driver). I believe this comes from the L-plate that learner drivers must display on their vehicles. Unless there is another explanation, it would appear that crossword puzzle setters take the liberty of extending this meaning to any student - not just student drivers.

12a Receiver having unfinished business? (2,4)

In his review, talbinho states that the enumeration is "given as (2,4) but should have been (2-4)". In fact, the setter could look to Oxford to support the position of "in tray" being two separate words. However, that would seem to be the only source of support available. A search on Infoplease for "in tray" returned 13 dictionary entries, 12 of which gave the spelling as "in-tray" - the lone exception being Oxford. Oxford and some other dictionaries say that "in-tray" is a chiefly British term, with the American equivalent being in-box or in-basket. However, I can attest to the term being commonly used in Canada, and Wordnik cites several examples of its use in the Wall Street Journal.

29a Exclude one side - unqualified (8)

In his review, talbinho notes "I can't see how 'Exclude' = 'out'". However, the Random House Unabridged Dictionary provides the following as a meaning for out as a transitive verb: "to eject or expel; discharge; oust". I think to exclude someone from an organization could be to expel them.

30a Goes against the current trend (6)

I guess this is just a cryptic definition of EDDIES - a rather poor effort, if you ask me. As near as I can figure out, the idea is that the overall trend of the current in a river is to flow downstream. An eddy is a circular movement of water. Thus the eddy (or, more specifically, one side of the eddy) is going against the trend of the current. Since the word eddy can be both a verb and a noun, to eddy is to go against the current trend.

1d Frozen, it takes half a day to dig out (6)

I would presume that "out" is being used here as an anagram indicator. Given that the wordplay is merely a reversal (which is a special case of an anagram), and since this is a down clue, could not the clue have been phrased "Frozen, it takes half a day to dig up"? Perhaps the setter chose this wording to create the image of digging frozen food out of the freezer. The alternative wording might suggest digging up mastodon bones at a site in the Arctic.

22d Harry's upset by macabre ruse (6)

I think Harry - and many others - will be upset by this macabre clue. But, perhaps I am being too harsh. I note that people often tend to exhibit particular dislike for those clues where they have not been successful in finding the solution. And for me, that is the case today.

The definition is "harry" for which the solution is PURSUE. The 's (a contraction for is) serves as a link word between the definition and wordplay. As for the wordplay, we must perform what I have previously referred to as a surgical separation to produce "up set by macabre ruse". This is a charade of two elements where each element is itself an anagram. The wordplay is PU {anagram (set) of UP} + (by) RSUE {anagram (macabre) of RUSE}. There is discussion on Times for the Times regarding the suitability of both "set" and "macabre" as anagram indicators.

23d Deploying instrument, get right inside? To do so is illegal! (6)

I first supposed that "deploying" was an anagram indicator, but it would seem to be part of the definition, namely "deploying instrument". Wikipedia says that "A bugle call is a short tune, originating as a military signal announcing scheduled and certain non-scheduled events on a military installation, battlefield, or ship". Thus a bugle is used to signal the deployment of troops.

27d Bottom of the barrel (4)

Oxford and other dictionaries describe butt meaning "a person's bottom" as being a North American expression. However, unless it is being used here in another sense, it would seem that the setter is well-aware of this meaning.

Signing off for this week - Falcon