Toughie No 509 by Excalibur
Hints and tips by Bufo
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ***** – Enjoyment **
I found this a real struggle especially down the left-hand side. In the end I gave up with two clues to go and consulted the oracle (i.e. BD). Because of the problems I had I feel obliged to give it 5 stars for difficulty. But it wasn’t a very satisfying solve and I think I’m probably being generous in giving it 2 stars for enjoyment.
Please 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
5a Not on the rocks, as in job (6)
{OFFICE} If your whisky is not on the rocks then you could possibly say that it’s *** ***.
8a Does like it when one has friends round (8)
{IMITATES} The definition is “does like”, i.e. mimics someone else. It is made up from IT inside I (one) + friends
9a Heavens! Going in to perform for recording! (7)
{SCORING} Heavens! (as in *** blimey!) goes inside to perform (vocally)
10a Bound to have had run-through: to have practised (5)
{TRIED} A synonym for bound (as a past tense) goes round R (run)
11a Complete change of opinion regarding act (5,4)
{ABOUT TURN} A complete change of opinion is made up of regarding + act
13a For which waster, a foreigner, entered casino? (8)
{ROULETTE} A waster (profligate) goes round a native of Latvia to give a casino game
14a English cooks about to turn over puddings (6)
{SWEETS} A reversal (to turn over) of cooks (as a verb) round E (English)
17a Forecast had been upset (3)
{SAW} A reversal (upset) of “had been” gives forecast (as a past tense)
19a The female’s a man, right? (3)
{HER} A female possessive pronoun is made up of a male pronoun + R (right)
20a C-Casanova found hiding in the grass? (6)
{CLOVER} C + another word for Casanova gives a trifoliate plant
23a With parent out more, it’s easy (8)
{PAINLESS} If you are out more then you are ** ****. Put this after a short word for father
26a Wasn’t perfect — crust was too delicate (3,6)
{HAD FAULTS} This is the only thing I could think of that fits and it does mean “wasn’t perfect”. I can’t work out the rest of the clue but guess it might be something to do with the earth’s crust and the likelihood of earthquakes
28a He gives party (spelled ‘paty’?) (5)
{DONOR} This is someone who gives money to a political party. Look at it as ** ** * to justify the terrible wordplay
29a Lengthens shorts (7)
{DILUTES} This was one that beat me. I assumed that it was a double definition clue (lengthens/shorts) but it turns out to be a single cryptic definition, It is to do with adding something (e.g. water) to whisky etc. to make a longer drink
30a It’s ornamental but fasteners are irritating (8)
{TAPESTRY} Fasteners (used for tying up) + “are irritating” gives an ornamental textile for covering a wall
31a Hell-bent on getting oxygen? (6)
{INTENT} If you needed to be given oxygen because of some medical condition then you might be put ** ****
Down
1d Drink little watery? No way! (6)
{BITTER} Beer is given by a little portion + watery without the letters of WAY
2d Smallest price for car with silencer? (7)
{MINIMUM} The smallest quantity is given by a small car + an interjection meaning “not a word”
3d Handcraft? (4,5)
{CARD SENSE} I hope that BD has given me the right answer here. I wouldn’t have got it in a month of Sundays because it’s not a term that I am familiar with and it is not in Chambers. The hand referred to is something that is dealt in such games as bridge.
4d On subject of fuel, nothing new (6)
{REPEAT} RE (on) + fuel dug from a bog gives a TV programme that you may have seen before
5d Heading in the right direction to get qualifications? (2,6)
{ON COURSE} To get a qualification who might be doing a prescribed series of e.g. lectures
6d ‘Trees’ has T at the front (5)
{FIRST} Trees + T gives “at the front”
7d Sorry argument against: unoriginal (8)
{CONTRITE} An argument against + unoriginal gives sorry
12d Three-quarters meat diet for an insectivore (3)
{BEE} An insectivore might eat this insect which is meat without the final letter
15d As clue for ‘rode’, it’s a bad ‘un! (9)
{WRONGDOER} The bad ‘un is an offender or transgressor. The answer consists of an anagram indicator followed by an anagram of RODE
16d A tail’s for wagging: an essential for a dog (8)
{ALSATIAN} An anagram (for wagging) of A TAIL’S + AN gives a type of dog
18d Aren’t getting stick in debate (8)
{ARGUMENT} “to stick” goes inside ARENT
21d Tending to be a little flat (3)
{APT} The answer is an abbreviation of apartment (flat)
22d Snacks for the vegetable-crazy (7)
{PEANUTS} A vegetable + crazy gives a snack you can buy in the pub
24d Lost arts making comeback? Yes, all round (6)
{ASTRAY} A reversal of ARTS inside a 2-letter word meaning “yes”
25d Scatters bouquets (6)
{SPRAYS} 2 meanings: scatters/bunches of flowers decoratively arranged
27d If I abandoned one instrument for another… (5)
{FLUTE} F (IF with I abandoned) + one musical instrument gives another
We are a bit light on anagrams today.
This is, I think, the first Excalibur I ever finished in a reasonable time and without having to bang my head on the desk and groan a lot – just twice! I didn’t enjoy it very much as there are some most peculiar examples of wordplay. Definitely not of Toughie standard. Thanks to Bufo for the explanations.
I managed to finish the toughie today without coming here for help!!
First time EVER!
Quite proud of my little self hahaha xxx
Me too Jnay
well done us
Does this make you JOT(toughie)CC ?
No if anything it would be JITCC – Just in toughie clueless club!
*sniggers*. Anyway, at least you 10a it and had your 6d success.
thanks Andy, clever
It may have 26a but hopefully it was 23a for you
not quite but almost
If I hadn’t finished it I wouldn’t have been 1d about it!
Will we see a 4d performance from you tomorrow I wonder
Doubtful I think I will be keeping my toughie performances to a 2d, although this one was very high 9a in my opinion and I didn’t think it 26a!
I think we should call an end to this banter now or we may be considered as a 15d without 31a and have to be 7d and anyway I need to practice my 27d for an hour
3D threw me completely and whilst 28a had to be, i’m still wrestling with the wordplay despite Bufos explanation! Oh well. Thanks to Bufo for a valiant review.
Hi Andy if you spell party as paty then there is no r, in otherwords it’s a do with no r, which is do no r – donor, at least that’s how I see it
Oh I see now. D’oh. Thanks Mary
28a – Aaah! I now understand! Thanks, Mary!
I also rather liked 29a – Lengthens shorts (7) – now it has been explained – Thanks, Mary & Bufo & Excalibur.
If it hadn’t been for BDs comment on the cryptic page I wouldn’t even have looked at this, so thanks for that Dave, I loved this puzzle, a quirky style, where all the clues made sense but needed going over to make sure, fav clues, 20a, 26a, 29a,28a and dare I say it 31a
What was your interpretation of BDs comment on the cryptic page?: My thoughts on the Toughie are unprintable! **!?## I wish I had followed his advice and not attempted it! Too late now!
I thought he was saying he didn’t like the style and it was too easy, which is why I tried it, I’m glad I did I really enjoyed it
what did you mean Dave?
I summarise:
I still hate Marmite!
I found this to be hard going in places, and straightforward in others. I would never have got 3d [I’m not a card player] or 26a and 29a without looking at the hints. Perhaps for 29a “adulterates shorts” might have been more appropriate, as that is what adding water to a good scotch does, in my view! Thanks to setter and Bufo for review
Not a very tough toughie ( with the exception of 3d ) but reasonable fun. Thanks Excalibur and Bufo.
Managed this today, helped to restore my confidence after yesterday, needed help with 3d though and 26a Thanks Bufo and Excalibur
Not the tougest of the tough but pleasant to solve. Many thanks to Bufo for the review and Excalibur for the crossword.
5a,29a and 1d down are thematically linked, but not ‘neatly’.
Welcome to the blog Lonny
Didn’t we meet at Cheltenham last October?
Fairly straightforward today from Excalibur the only one I had a problem with was 3d I play cards but I’ve never heard of this saying.Thanks to Excalibur and Bufo for the review.
Yes we did BD. By the way I didn’t thank Excalibur above as I doubt that she’s daring your curmudgeonly den.
I enjoyed this puzzle apart from 10a where I wanted to put in ‘volte face’. I was most disappointed and still am.
Thanks to Excaliber and Bufo.
I too found the left side the more difficult. In fact at one point I had all the right hand answers and only 1 on the left – 10a was first in.
On the whole I thought it a pretty fair crossword but not really a Toughie which made a change from yesterday!
Thanks to Excalibur and Bufo.
Nice puzzle. Like most others 3d got me, is it even a recognised term? I can’t find it anywhere. I kind of get 26a but can’t understand why it’s in the past tense unless it’s to make it fit in the grid. Other than those pretty straightforward and a *** ***. Oh, and so much nicer than that piece of filth yesterday. I’m still traumatised….
I’ve just realised that the comment on 26a is a bit daft as if was in the present tense it would still fit. So why isn’t the clue it in the present tense as the earth still exists and still has these things.
good point don1991!
Why thank you Mary but, no need to be so formal. Just call me Don!
OK Don, I agree it would have read just as well in the present tense
Finally cracked this Toughie…
Some comments:
Bufo, 29a was my last one in and my reading is “he turns a short into a long drink”
26a definitely would have been better in the present tense but its reading is fine for me: if the Earth crust is too delicate, seismic faults occur.
I thought 28a was a terrific clue. The only possible flaw in my opinion is the omission of the “to” but maybe the setter was not intending to refer to a party political contributor. So the def is “he gives” and the rest is wordplay. Works for me!
My beef is with 17a. Was is not had been, preterite ain’t pluperfect.
3d: See here. Legitimate and just about fair, I would say.
21d: another awesome clue: It’s a double def. “Tending to” and “little flat”. My topper for today!!!
31a has a nice misdirection where oxygen for once does not indicate a certain vowel.
Enjoyment ****, diff *** but your mileage clearly varied.
Unfurl boxed abaci, permute a bit and find the watery objects of my thanks (9,3,2)
Nestor, may I ask what yout first language is? I am very impressed by your willingness to attempt (solve) English cryptic Crosswords!
I have noticed from your previous comments that you are a non-native speaker of English.
First language is German which was what my Czech father and my Dutch mother used as their common language. Also my grandmother lived with us and only spoke German.
Second language Dutch as I grew up in/near Amsterdam.
I live already for more than 25 years in this kingdom-with-a-mind-of-its-own and English xwords are part of my daily routine. I earn a living with my brain and need to keep it in good working order.
I also do Dutch xwords, known as “cryptogrammen”. They have a flavour of their own and abound in (ab)use of Dutch idioms and loads of crypdefs.
Nestor, Thanks for your reply! Still very impressed!
I don’t think I would get very far in a “cryptogrammen” even I lived for 25 years in the Koninkrijk der Nederlanden(?)
I got thrown into this unexpectedly when I clicked on the Quick Crossword on Clued Up and got the Toughie instead but I felt I should rise to the challenge!! I couldn’t get 3d and 26ac and I don’t think of either as common phrases. Thanks to Bufo for the clear explanations of the wordplay which as usual I only partly worked out for myself and to Excalibur for keeping me away from the housework for the afternoon!
Took one look at this – realised what it was – and did the cryptic by Paul in the Guardian instead.
why Libelulle, I enjoyed it, so what does that say?
Sorry but I really disliked this – there were some really tenuous definitions (IN TENT for on getting oxygen???) Never mind the fact that Hell Bent is too strong for the other defintition.
I have some time for Excalibur upon occasion but this left me annoyed. Too many bad clues for me.
Agree about intent Gnomey but it wasn’t all bad was it?
Paul in the Grauniad had OZ for Island today and I thought that was pushing the envelope a bit!
I thought it was great, just my wavelength
As far as the logic of most of the clues goes then this was definitely a case of “the strange world of the unusual where everyday things happen all of the time…”