Sunday, October 23, 2011 - ST 4451

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Sunday Times ST 4451
Date of Publication in The Sunday Times Sunday, September 18, 2011
Link to Full Review Times for the Times [ST 4451]
Times for the Times Review Written By Dave Perry
Date of Publication in the Toronto Star Saturday, October 15, 2011

Introduction

The Brits seem to have found this puzzle to be rather easy. For me, not so much. I spent more time in the lower left-hand corner (and needed more help from my electronic assistants) than in the entire remainder of the puzzle.

Notes on Today's Puzzle

9a   The general test of admissibility in British cryptic crosswords is "Does it appear in Chambers" meaning The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition. Well, let me assure you that OU as an abbreviation for "Oxford University" does pass that test. It also appears at Search Chambers (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary) and TheFreeDictionary (Collins English Dictionary). Ironically, it is not found at Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford Dictionary of English) - perhaps in an effort to appear unpretentious!

10a   In rugby, a prop (also known as a prop forward) is a forward at either end of the front row of a scrum.

12a   In Britain, the abbreviation Con. following the name of a Member of Parliament indicates that he or she is a member of the Conservative Party.

13a   Apparently E is the abbreviation for Egyptian, despite the fact that it would seem to fail the Chambers Test (see note for 9a).

14a   At one time, apparently, in Britain it was customary for misbehaving students to be given six of the best, a caning as a punishment, traditionally with six strokes of the cane.

21a   A chaffinch is a Eurasian and North African finch, typically with a bluish top to the head and dark wings and tail. Chaff is light-hearted joking or banter. Although a new term to me, it would seem not to be specifically British.

23a   In cricket, an extra is a run scored other than from a hit with the bat, credited to the batting side rather than to a batsman. Thus, I suppose it would be considered a "run over" - a run above and beyond the regular runs.

24a   Mallard is a London and North Eastern Railway steam locomotive built at Doncaster, England in 1938 which holds the official world speed record for steam locomotives. A gin (also gin trap) is a trap for catching birds or small mammals. This would seem to be a British name for what, in North America, is called a leghold (or foothold) trap.

25a   Returning to the cricket theme, the covers is an area of the field consisting of cover point and extra cover. Cover point (also known simply as cover) is a fielding position (or a player at this position) a little in front of the batsman on the off side and halfway to the boundary. Extra cover is a fielding position (or a player at this position) between cover point and mid-off but further from the wicket. Mid-off is a fielding position (or player at this position) on the off side near the bowler. While leg can be another name for the on side of the field, that is presumably not the case here as (by definition) leg (on side) can't be in the covers (which is on the off side).

26a   In British sports parlance, a sitter is an easy catch or shot.

27a   Agar-agar is another name for agar, a gelatinous substance obtained from certain red seaweeds and used in biological culture media and as a thickener in foods.

1d   To the best of my recollection, court is usually considered to mean a roadway (a short street, sometimes closed at one end [Collins English Dictionary]) which is often abbreviated Ct. on street signs. However, I note that Chambers does have two entries, the first being "Ct abbrev: Court (in addresses, etc.)" and the second "ct abbrev: ... court". So perhaps ct can also be an abbreviation for court in a sense other than a roadway - for instance, a court of law.

3d   San Marino is a republic forming a small enclave in Italy, near Rimini; population 30,200 (est. 2009); official language, Italian; capital, the town of San Marino. It is perhaps Europe’s oldest state, claiming to have been independent almost continuously since its foundation in the 4th century.

15d   The puzzle, of course, uses the British spelling enameller rather than the American spelling enameler for this practitioner in a branch of ceramics. The monarch referred to in the clue is Queen Elizabeth, whose royal monogram is ER (for Elizabetha Regina).

19a   This rock star is well-known on both sides of the Atlantic, being English musician Sting (born Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner). Prior to starting his solo career, he was the principal songwriter, lead singer and bassist of the rock band The Police. We also have yet another cricket reference here in runs (abbreviation R). Since we are currently in the midst of the World Series, North Americans might like to think that this could be a reference to baseball - but that wouldn't pass the Chambers Test (see note for 9a)..

Signing off for this week - Falcon