Toughie 583

Toughie No 583 by Warbler

‘What the Dickens’

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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

When I see that Warbler is the setter I know I’m in for a delightful puzzle, and today was no exception. I did think at one time that a pangram was in the offing, but V and X failed to appear.

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Across

8a    Little difficulty appears when investigation’s incomplete (4)
{PROB} – to get this colloquial shortening of a difficulty drop the final E from an investigation

9a    Now and then you’re sure to find employment (3)
{USE} – every third letter (now and then) of yoU‘re SurE gives a word meaning employment

10a    Head of drama quits business in place of comedy (6)
{EALING} – drop the initial D(rama) from a word meaning business to get the location of the film company responsible for numerous famous comedies, including Passport to Pimlico (1949), Whisky Galore! (1949), Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949), The Lavender Hill Mob (1951), and The Ladykillers (1955)

ARVE Error: need id and provider

11a    Lowest increase in prosperity restricts leaders in tourist trade (6)
{BOTTOM} – to get a word meaning the lowest put an increase in prosperity around (restricts) the initial letters (leaders) of Tourist Trade

12a    More stout, in a smaller package, needed for unwanted guest (8)
{SQUATTER – two/three definitions for the price of one

13a    Playing universal tune for nothing is hopeless (3,2,3,7)
{OUT OF THE RUNNING} – an anagram (playing) of U(niversal) TUNE FOR NOTHING gives a phrase meaning hopeless or having no chance

15a    Simple paintings discovered in small hollow (7)
{SPARTAN} – a word meaning simple or lacking comfort and luxury is created by putting some paintings (3) inside S(mall) and a hollow in the ground in which water collects in the rainy season, leaving a salt deposit on evaporation

17a    Choice for each is more generous (7)
{PLUMPER} – a charade of an adjective meaning choice or cushy and a word meaning for each gives a word meaning more generous or fatter

20a    27 for example (4,2,3,6)
{SIGN OF THE ZODIAC} – the answer to 27 across is one of a group of twelve

23a    One believing in completeness in time fails to adjust (8)
{FINALIST} – someone believing in completeness is an anagram (to adjust) of IN T(ime) FAILS

25a    Too much work left over (6)
{TROPPO} – a musical term meaning too much is created by reversing (over) a charade of work (2) and the nautical term for left

26a    C or ABC revised by head of nursery (6)
{CARBON} – the element represented by C is an anagram (revised) of OR ABC followed by the initial letter (head) of Nursery

27a    Cleopatra embodies a 20 (3)
{LEO} – hidden inside the first word of the clue is an example of 20 across

28a    Stone’s type of music (4)
{ROCK} – a double definition – a stone and a type of music

ARVE Error: need id and provider

Down

1d    Middle of column’s rebuilt with gold at the top as gilding (6)
{ORMOLU} – an anagram (rebuilt) of OLUM (middle of cOLUMn) is preceded by (at the top as this is a down clue) the heraldic term for gold to get gold-leaf prepared for gilding bronze etc.

2d    French screen a flyer’s day in Toulon (4-4)
{ABAT-JOUR} – a French word for a screen or shutter is a charade of A, from the clue, a flying mammal and the French (in Toulon) for day

3d    Convoluted English for lurid autumn novel (3,6,6)
{OUR MUTUAL FRIEND} – an anagram (convoluted) of E(nglish) FOR LURID AUTUMN gives a novel by Charles Dickens

4d    One’s left with debts concerning reversal following Celtic? (7)
{WELSHER} – someone who runs off without settling debts is derived from a word meaning concerning reversed and preceded by (following) a Celtic race

5d    Displaying zeal, I mount audit that reveals change of ownership (15)
{DEMUTUALIZATION} – an anagram (displaying) of ZEAL I MOUNT AUDIT gives (reveals) a change of ownership as in, for example, a building society becoming a public company

6d    Author reducing irresistibly to nine-year-old (6)
{BLYTON} – an author of children’s books is hidden inside (reducing) the last three words of the clue

7d    Joint accounts for shrewd newly-weds initially requiring advance (4)
{KNEE} – a joint in the leg is created by starting with a word meaning shrewd and moving the N (Newly-weds initially) being brought nearer to the front (requiring advance) of the word

14d    Born and reared in Aberdeenshire, predecessor appears cut-off (3)
{NÉE} – a word meaning born (applied to a female) is hidden and reversed (reared) inside AberdEENshire – it can also be derived by dropping the first letter from the answer to the previous clue

16d    Foreign character’s power is over (3)
{PSI} – a letter in the Greek alphabet is derived from P(ower) and IS reversed (over)

18d    So-so version of Comedie Francaise’s second feature being taken in (8)
{MEDIOCRE} – a word meaning so-so or rather inferior is created from an anagram (version of) of COMEDIE with the second letter (feature) of FRancaise inserted (being taken in)

19d    Inventor of races in time (7)
{WHITTLE} – to get the inventor of the jet engine insert the motorcycle races in the Isle of Man inside a period of time

21d    Mean times may be close (6)
{NEARBY} – a charade of an adjective meaning mean or stingy and times in the arithmetical sense gives a word meaning close or neighbouring

22d    One way of viewing a short risky investment venture essentially (6)
{ASPECT} – one way of viewing is a charade of A, from the clue, a shortened form of a risky investment and the middle letter (essentially) of venTure

24d    As prayer leader I start to meditate in the morning (4)
{IMAM} – this officer who leads the prayers in a mosque is a charade of I, the initial letter of (start to) Meditate and an abbreviation that indicates morning

Although this puzzle was not overly difficult, resolving some of the wordplay involved some head-scratching!