Toughie 297

Toughie No 297 by Firefly

A bit of 6a but no 27a

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

This was one of those puzzles where about four-fifths of the answers dragged ink from the biro almost before the nib touched the paper, but there were a handful that really caused some head-scratching.

Post-solve, it became apparent just how much difference there can be between Ximenean and Libertarian clueing. If I wanted to wear my purist’s hat I could say there were all sorts of wordplay indicators here that were questionable, but the comment would be irrelevant. Telegraph solvers are used to having things a certain way, and what’s dodgy in some circles is perfectly acceptable here.

When Dave sends me the template for doing the write-up there are default Difficulty/Enjoyment levels of 3 stars each, and in this case I think that’s about right – it’s very much a straight-down-the-middle sort of puzzle.

My favourite clues are shown in blue – how do they compare with yours?

Leave a comment telling us what you thought. You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five stars at the bottom of the post.

Across

6a    Forged credit notes leading to state of dismay (13)
{CONSTERNATION} The first of the “dodgy” devices is an indirect anagram. To start solving this one you need to make an anagram (forged) not of CREDIT NOTES but of CR (abbreviation) NOTES. How do you feel about this? Add NATION (state) for the answer. Again, some would argue that “of” is superfluous.

8a    Marching with a section of Foot? (2,4)
{IN STEP} If you join the two parts of this answer together you get a part of the foot – not sure why the clue uses the false capitalisation.

9a    A lesson I planned for swimmers (3,5)
{SEA LIONS} A straightforward anagram of A LESSON I.

10a    Sink in a hole (3)
{POT} I delayed slightly here, wondering if PIT would also fit the double definition. It doesn’t – and this double meaning clue creates a nice surface reading when you pick the right answer.

11a    Woman to iron headgear (6)
{FEDORA} An unexpected juxtaposition of DORA (a woman’s name) and the symbol for “iron” – the latter appears first although it’s not really indicated.

12a    Cartoonist from Romania — first for Telegraph (8)
{ANIMATOR} This compound anagram uses ROMANIA and the T of Telegraph. For “cartoonist”, think of someone like Disney.

14a    Drugs girl’s given to Victoria, maybe? (7)
{STASHES} Victoria is the name of a railway station in London (and Manchester), so put the map abbreviation for “station” before SHE’S (girl’s).

16a    It’s flipping nonsense to wear 11 left out in upper room (7)
{HAYLOFT} Now, here’s a strange arrangement. The two wordplay components are FOLLY (nonsense) which is reversed and placed inside HAT (which 11a is an example of). It’s only after doing this that we’re instructed to remove an L (left), which is unusual.

20a    Cruel and stupid, when about to impose on … (8)
{INHUMANE} “Stupid” is INANE, which is placed around (about) HUM, an unusual meaning – to impose on, or hoax; apparently it’s a contraction of “humbug”.

23a    … three-quarter with recent injury (6)
{CENTRE} How’s your Rugby? Yes, that’s what “three-quarter” is referring to, the answer being another name for this position (or something like that – my knowledge of Rugby isn’t great). The answer is an anagram of RECENT.

24a    Remains in wood (3)
{ASH} Old hands will know this simple double definition. “Remains” is a noun.

25a    You might roll in it, possibly! (8)
{TRILLION} Quite delightful semi-&Lit involving an anagram of ROLL IN IT – the answer could be a really huge sum of money.

26a    Refine some retro candlelit sideboards (6)
{DISTIL} Hidden, reversed, in “candlelit sideboards”.

27a    Drag baskets of rubbish into the Shambles? (4,9)
{DOG’S BREAKFAST} Another anagram (there are a few here!), this time of DRAG BASKETS OF. The capitalisation of Shambles may make you think of the narrow streets of York, but it’s false capitalisation.

Down

1d    Medicaments keeping constant temperature in joints (8)
{UNCTIONS} Two abbreviations, C (constant) and T (temperature) are inside UNIONS (joints, especially of things such as pipes).

2d    Buttons joins stage strike (8)
{STOPPAGE} Lovely image! The wordplay definitions are clever, too. “Buttons” is straightforward enough, but for “stage” you have to think of a place where e.g. a coach picks up passengers.

3d    Some decry staleness of rock (7)
{CRYSTAL} This is another easy hidden answer in “decry staleness”, but it’s another clue with the redundant (to some) “of”.

4d    Setter’s regretfully giving up meat (6)
{SALAMI} “The setter is” (if you read it fully) leads to I’M, then a word meaning “regretfully”. Reverse these for the answer. In terms of syntax “giving up” isn’t really right – thank heavens the answer couldn’t be an alternative 6-letter reversed word or there might be rioting.

5d    Rock sounding mindless to money-man (6)
{SILICA} Start with a homophone (or is it really?) of SILLY and add C.A. (short for Chartered Accountant).

6d    Putting Mr Stewart through the Long Bar? (10,3)
{CONNECTING ROD} False capitalisation again but still a very nice clue. For “Putting Mr Stewart through”, think of the ageing rocker making a telephone call.

7d    Maverick NCO isn’t parading round in good shape (13)
{NONCONFORMIST} Quite tricky to spot how this works immediately, but it’s an anagram (parading) of NCO ISN’T placed around ON FORM (in good shape).

13d    Blossom’s an old maid (3)
{MAY} Caught out by another obscure definition. I had to check the dictionary to find that the answer is also an archaic/poetic word for a maid.

15d    Attention-seeker has the edge (3)
{HEM} Another double meaning (all the 3-letter answers have double meaning clues in this one). The attention-seeker isn’t a person but a sound you might make to get attention – it’s often a 4-letter word starting with A.

17d    Rude hack upset Ferdinand (8)
{ARCHDUKE} Pretty easy anagram of RUDE HACK.

18d    One who inspects the net? (8)
{LINESMAN} Not really convinced by this apparent cross between a cryptic definition and double meaning. See the pic below for an easy way to the answer; or think of what a fisherman may use and where said fish might end up and… oh, it’s all getting confusing now.

19d    Edge away from married men disposed to wander (7)
{MEANDER} For this you have to start with MARRIED MEN and remove RIM (edge) before making it into an anagram. This is another one for the purists to argue over – for many, in subtraction anagrams the bit to be removed should be an unbroken piece; perhaps more worryingly here, not only is RIM split up in the fodder, it’s also given a definition rather than explicitly stated.

21d    Not quite brimful lager? (6)
{ULLAGE} Excellent &Lit clue. The third hidden answer but I think it’s worth it – look inside “brimful lager” (OK, you may need a dictionary to confirm the meaning as the answer isn’t a particularly common word).

22d    I’m OK with sailor performing ‘The Teapot Handle’ thus (6)
{AKIMBO} Here’s another indirect anagram where we have to rearrange I’M OK and AB (sailor). Really, what do you think of clues like this? Does this lady’s expression sum up your feelings?

Ultimately quite a satisfying solve although some of the wordplay devices are ones I wouldn’t use; but these matters are of personal taste and perhaps they’re perfectly OK in your book? Please do have your say.