Toughie 445

Toughie No 445 by Warbler

Hints and tips by Bufo

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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

I did the top half very quickly and then struggled a bit with the bottom half. But overall it was certainly no more than average difficulty.

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Across

5a    After brief caress came face to face with destiny (6)
{KISMET} A word for destiny is derived from a caress with the last letter omitted + “came face to face with”

8a    Measure time — he certainly would in Kansas pen (8)
{YARDBIRD} An imperial measure of length + time (as done in prison) gives an American word for a convict (pen = penitentiary)

9a    He danced a series of steps with energy (7)
{ASTAIRE} A famous dancer of the silver screen is formed from A + a series of steps + E (energy)

10a    Type of neckwear sported in Nova Scotia (5)
{ASCOT} A type of necktie named after a racecourse is hidden in NOVA SCOTIA

11a    Gravity’s breaking up meteor heading to Icelandic cape according to mathematical theory (9)
{GEOMETRIC} G + an anagram (breaking up) of METEOR + I (heading to Icelandic) + C (cape)

13a    Cries hysterically about little chap in muffler (8)
{SILENCER} An anagram (hysterically) of CRIES goes round little Leonard

14a    Concentrate on Italian dictator (6)
{REDUCE} A word for concentrate (increase the strength by removing water) is formed from RE (on) + Mussolini’s title

17a    Asian fish (3)
{TAI} A less common spelling of the word for Siamese is the same as the Japanese sea bream

19a    As reported catches absolutely nothing (3)
{NIX} A homophone of a word for catches (arrests) means “nothing”

20a    Top of Nordic piste is redesigned in accordance with others (2,4)
{IN STEP} An anagram (is redesigned) of N (top of Nordic) PISTE

23a    Unfasten baggage to get sponge (8)
{FREELOAD} The definition is “to sponge” and it is made up of “unfasten” + “baggage”

26a    Fine rain starts to trickle over evergreen plant (9)
{MISTLETOE} A less common spelling of “fine rain” + the first letters of Trickle Over Evergreen gives a plant

28a    International master has to play without a hint (5)
{IMPLY} I (International) + M (master) + PLAY without the letter A

29a    Essentially heroes have excessive enthusiasm for country (7)
{ROMANIA} Essentially heroes = RO (the middle two letters). Add excessive enthusiasm to get a European country

30a    He’s a kind who could become aggressive (8)
{SKINHEAD} An all-in-one clue. An anagram (who could become aggressive) of HE’S A KIND gives a member of a gang with closely cropped hair

31a    Genre of book in small type (6)
{WEEPIE} A Scottish word for small + type confusedly mixed gives a genre of book that’s sure to make you cry

Down

1d    Believe, say, experience needed for this type of surgery (6)
{BYPASS} A homophone (say) of a word meaning “to believe” + “to experience” gives a surgical operation used on heart patients

2d    Excellent article in French makes money (7)
{CRACKLE} A word for excellent + LE (the French) gives a word for money (especially paper money). I wasn’t familiar with this word

3d    Stubborn old beast in a frenzy swallows can (9)
{OBSTINATE} O (old) + an anagram (in a frenzy) of BEAST contains a can

4d    Support game (6)
{BRIDGE} ” meanings: a card game/a support (e.g. on a violin or on a snooker table)

5d    It’s said money leads to marked improvement regarding industry for these people (8)
{KASHMIRI} A homophone (it’s said) of money + the first letters (leads) of Marked Improvement Regarding Industry gives an inhabitant of north-west India

6d    Mark end of circuit with this kind of connection (5)
{SCART} A mark on the skin resulting from a wound + T (end of circuit) gives something used to connect parts of an audio or video system

7d    US lawman’s line acted regularly as part of handset (8)
{EARPIECE} A US lawman called Wyatt + alternate letters (regularly) of LINE ACTED gives part of a telephone

12d    Work unit helps to make detergent (3)
{ERG} A unit of work is hidden in DETERGENT

15d    Extra exercise with fancy new diet is appropriate (9)
{EXPEDIENT} An abbreviated form of extra + the usual two letters that indicate exercise + an anagram (fancy) of N (new) DIET

16d    Oedipus’ daughter destroyed giant one (8)
{ANTIGONE} An anagram (destroyed) of GIANT ONE gives the name of Oedipus’ daughter

18d    Thirst before a meal’s small (8)
{APPETITE} An abbreviation for “before a meal” (used on prescriptions) + a word for small (derived from the French)

21d    Sighting of Pluto’s centre is blurred (3)
{UFO} An anagram (is blurred) of OF U (Pluto’s centre) gives a sighting (e.g. a flying saucer)

22d    School law can be difficult (7)
{COMPLEX} A secondary school providing education for pupils of all levels of ability + the Latin word for law

24d    Second shot at disheartened keeper going astray (6)
{RETAKE} A second shot (as a photograph or length of film) is an anagram (going astray) of AT KEER (disheartened keeper)

25d    Nymphs ultimately spend days cavorting round king (6)
{DRYADS} Wood nymphs are derived from D (ultimately spend) + an anagram (cavorting) of DAYS round R (king)

27d    Long walk finds male consuming gin. On the contrary! (5)
{TRAMP} It’s a gin (snare) that consumes M (male) to give a long walk

An OK puzzle with nothing terribly exciting