Sunday, August 29, 2010 (ST 4391)

This puzzle was originally published in The Sunday London Times on July 25, 2010

Introduction

It has taken me a week to get around to writing this blog, having solved the puzzle last Sunday. Luckily I make annotations on the puzzle as I work through it with ideas for inclusion in the blog. Otherwise, I would be at a total loss after so much time has elapsed.

By the way, should it appear that I am extraordinarily prescient due to my mention of aspects of next week's puzzle, that is not the case. I actually wrote this review after having written the review for next week's puzzle.

Today's Glossary

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

Appearing in Clues

Stenhousemuir - a small town in the district of Falkirk, Scotland.

Appearing in Solutions

M² - abbreviation 10 British Motorway, followed by a number, as in M1 (a major north–south motorway in England connecting London to Leeds).

Links to Solutions

A review of today's puzzle by talbinho can be found at Times for the Times [ST 4391].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

1a In a way groovy chaps 22 (8)

Here the "22" indicates a cross reference to clue 22d (we know it is 22d because there is no 22a in the puzzle). To solve the clue, one must substitute the solution to 22d into the clue in place of the cross reference indicator. Moreover, one must add a bit of additional punctuation, as the clue actually has an inverted sentence structure. Thus the clue is interpreted as "In a way, groovy chaps cargo" (an atrocious surface reading both before and after the substitution). The definition is "cargo" and the wordplay is {HIP (groovy) + MEN (chaps)} contained in (in) ST (a way; i.e., abbreviation for "street") with the solution being SHIPMENT.

In the online version of the puzzle in the U.K., the numeral "22" was missing, thus producing a clue lacking a definition. In a comment on Times for the Times related to next week's puzzle, Peter Biddlecombe suggests that the missing "22" is due to a deficiency in the software used by the Times to produce its online edition whereby it is incapable of displaying a numeral at the end of a clue. He postulates that this is the reason why a cross reference clue in next week's puzzle spells out the cross reference in words rather than displaying it as a numeral (as is customary).

6a Notice model without hint of togs (6)

The definition is "notice" and the wordplay is POSER (model) containing (without; meaning "outside of" rather than "lacking") T (hint of togs; i.e., first letter of the word "togs"). In his review talbinho states "'hint of' for 'first letter of' is an indicator usually reserved for advanced cryptics; it's not allowed in the daily puzzles".

10a Tea gardens displayed big 6 downs (5,5)

Here we have another cross reference clue but this time, as there are clues numbered 6a and 6d in the puzzle, the setter must specify which clue is being referenced (in this case, 6 down). Note that the setter also makes the cross referenced word plural in the process (6 downs). So we begin by substituting the solution to clue 6d into the present clue, giving us "Tea gardens displayed big pets". The definition is "big pets" and the wordplay is an anagram (displayed) of TEA GARDENS giving, as a solution, GREAT DANES.

12a Wonderful! I'm about to rest outside yard (8)

Or, perhaps, not so wonderful. The definition would seem to be "wonderful" and the wordplay (after undoing the inverted sentence structure) is {ALIGHT (to rest) containing (outside) MI [a reversal (about) of IM]} + Y (yard). However, this produces an extra I (pity there wasn't an extra eye at the editor's desk).

14a Hold son? (4,6)

The definition is "hold" (in this case, one used in wrestling). The rest of the clue is actually "inverse" wordplay, a rarely encountered type of clue. Rather than being given the wordplay and working out the result, we are presented with the result (son) and must find the wordplay that would produce it. Thus, since "half nelson" (half of the word "nelson") is "son", the solution is HALF NELSON. The setter uses the question mark as a signal that there is something unusual about the clue. It is up to the solver to figure out just what that unusual feature might be.

18a Fruit and veg left at end of dinner (4)

The definition is "fruit" and the wordplay is PEA (veg) + (left at) R (end of dinner; i.e., the last letter in the word "dinner") producing the solution PEAR.

Although I could be wrong, I believe that the word "left" may play a key role in the cryptic reading of this clue (in addition to being important to the surface reading). In an across clue, a clue of the form "A on B", according to fairly well-established convention, means B+A. Similarly, I would think that "A at B" might be interpreted similarly ("B+A"). However, the setter has inserted the word "left" ("A left at B") indicating (to my mind, at least) that A is to the left of B, giving the result A+B.

23a Having stroke at hospital department is unmistakeable (6)

Perhaps our setter should spend less time at the Ear, Nose and Throat Department and pay a few visits to the Eye Clinic.

3d Father's head teacher finally (5)

I suspect talbinho meant to write "PATER; PATE + teache[R]" rather than "PATER; PATE + TEACHE[r]".

8d Topless prime time occurrence (5)

The definition is "occurrence" and the wordplay is EVEN (topless prime; i.e., the prime number SEVEN with its first letter deleted, "topless" as this is a down clue) + T (time) producing EVENT.

Signing off for this week - Falcon