Toughie 435

Toughie No 435 by MynoT

A Night with the Marx Brothers?

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

There is usually a theme behind MynoT’s Toughies, and today we have a number of clues, some interlinked, about musical events and venues. One major complaint: references to some, but not all, clue numbers are followed by across or down – I don’t mind what convention is used, but it should be consistent [I believe the Times has strict editorial rules on this].

Clues related to the theme, some very loosely, are shown in green

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Across

1a    Drive for soldiers with nameless drug (9)
{PROMENADE} – a drive or walk is a charade of a synonym of for, some soldiers, a synonym of with without the N(ame) and the ubiquitous drug

6a    Work on stage right several years (5)
{OPERA} – a musical work is a charade of the abbreviation of the theatrical term Opposite Prompt, the side of the stage opposite the prompt side which is traditionally stage right (or the left as viewed by the house) and a period of several years

Can’t resist this clip:

ARVE Error: need id and provider

9a    This pitch has now been standardised (7)
{CONCERT} – this pitch has varied considerably during musical history, but is now internationally standardised so that A above middle C has a frequency of 440 hertz

10a    Provide premature death of former Secretary-General almost in freedom from pain (9)
{EUTHANASE} – a word meaning to provide premature death, perhaps by the organisation Dignitas in Switzerland, is constructed by putting most of (almost) a Burmese former Secretary-General of the UN inside freedom from pain

11a    Obstructions returning priest puts to some purpose (7)
{ILEUSES} – I didn’t know these obstructions of the intestine, but was able to work out that they came from a biblical priest reversed (returning) followed by a word meaning puts to some purpose

12a    This 18 down regularly appears at 13 across (7)
{BRITISH} – put this answer in front of the answer to 18d to get an association for the charitable support of ex-servicemen and –women – they appear at 13a, every year on Remembrance Sunday

13a    See 12a (5,6,4)
{ROYAL ALBERT HALL} – see 12a

18a    Dead skin is not producing delayed stroke (4,3)
{LATE CUT} – a charade of a synonyms for dead and skin, the latter without the final IS (is not) gives a delayed cricket stroke

20a    Where Rhone joins Rhine perhaps (7)
{TASTING} – to judge the quality of wines from those regions

22a    Light 6 across has more than one try with broken old rein (9)
{GONDOLIER} – this answer in the plural (more than one) is a light 6a by Gilbert and Sullivan – a try or attempt is followed by an anagram (broken) of old rein

23a    Reptiles lacking power could become unproductive (7)
{STERILE} – an anagram (could become} of RE(P)TILES without (lacking) P(ower) gives a word meaning unproductive

24a    Most of hut used by friendly goblin (5)
{NISSE} – most of a tunnel-shaped hut made of corrugated iron with a cement floor gives a friendly goblin

25a    Instruction to maid in drought areas? (4,5)
{DUST BOWLS} – a rather odd instruction to give a maid is also an area of land where vegetation has been lost and soil eroded, especially as a consequence of drought

Down

1d    Westminster Abbey is a royal one — strange! (8)
{PECULIAR} – according to Wikipedia, Westminster Abbey is not the only royal one: you can include St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle and several other royal places of worship – the word also means strange

2d    In highly decorated style or neatly arranged (8)
{ORNATELY} – a word meaning in highly decorated style is an anagram (arranged) of OR NEATLY

3d    The greatest challenges for statesmen? (6)
{EVENTS} – when asked what were the greatest challenges for statesmen, this was Harold McMillan’s reply

4d    Desserts are cooked faster (6)
{AFTERS} – these desserts are an anagram (cooked) of FASTER

5d    It’s possible to avoid priest losing head on board (8)
{EVITABLE} – a word meaning possible to avoid, more usually seen in the negative, is a charade of (another) biblical priest, without his first letter (losing head) and a board

6d    One appearing at 13 across could be roasting (8)
{ORGANIST} – someone who appears at 13a is an anagram (could be) of ROASTING

7d    Queen held by senseless revolutionary in 6 across (6)
{ERNANI} – Put the abbreviation for R(egina) inside a word meaning senseless or stupid reversed (revolutionary) gives a 6a by Giuseppe Verdi

8d    American husband embraces returning slave once more (6)
{AFRESH} – put A(merican) and H(usband) on either side of (embraces) a type of slave reversed (returning) gives a word meaning once more

14d    Game’s over among the French (8)
{LACROSSE} – one of the easier ones – a game in which a long-handled, netted stick is used to throw, catch and cradle the ball and drive it through the opponents’ goal is created by putting a word meaning over inside the French definite article

15d    Went first round loft and fretted (8)
{LATTICED} – put a word meaning went first around a loft to get a synonym for fretted

16d    Disapproval of result when lights are lowered … (1,3,4)
{A DIM VIEW} – a part-cryptic double definition

17d    Smokers use them in boats (8)
{LIGHTERS} – a non-cryptic double definition

18d    Many on one forward (6)
{LEGION} – don’t forget to read this one in conjunction with 12a – a word meaning many is a charade of the “on” side in cricket, I (one) and a synonym for forward

19d    Where 10 and 60% of 24 make game (6)
{TENNIS} – fortunately the answer to this one sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb – 10 means 10, but spelt out, then add the first 3 out of 5 letters in 24a to get a game – I don’t think it is clever to use 24 to mean 24 across when all other clue number references are qualified

20d    Rocks very large chests (6)
{TORSOS} – a charade of rocky heights and very large as a clothing size gives chests in the anatomical sense

21d    Magnificent bird leaves American football match (6)
{SUPERB} – a word meaning magnificent is created by taking a nocturnal bird away from (leaves) the American football match that is the climax of the season

MynoT’s puzzles often get a mixed response, but I thought this was tough but fair, apart from the rogue clue reference