Big Dave's Crossword Blog

Toughie No 908 by Kcit

Hints and tips by Bufo

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

Another gentle puzzle of the standard we have come to expect from Kcit

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Across

1a    Shame about gardens with heart ripped out — an absolute mess (6)
{ PIGSTY } ‘Shame’ goes round the first and last letters of g arden s

4a    Money invested in major film about Panama firm (8)
{EMPHATIC} M (money) goes inside a major film which contains the item of apparel that Panama exemplifies

10a    Region incorporating new sports ground (5)
{ ARENA } A region goes round N (new)

11a     Joint problem ? It is provided by conjunction of skill and human resources (9)
{ ARTHRITIS } Inflammation of a joint is given by IT IS after ‘skill’ and HR (human resources)

12a    US state containing gold deposit (7)
{ MORAINE } A state of New England goes round gold to give material deposited by a glacier

13a    Church opposing importing Italy’s alcoholic drink (7)
{ CHIANTI } CH (church) and ‘opposing’ round I (Italy)

14a    Infection ought to lead to engineer, looking hot, being shunned (4-10)
{ COLD-SHOULDERED ) A common infection + ‘ought + the first letter of e ngineer + ‘looking hot’

17a     Leading philosopher’s usual aims recur with working (6,8)
{ MARCUS AURELIUS } A Roman emperor who is considered to be one of the most important Stoic philosophers is an anagram (with working) of USUAL AIMS RECUR

21a     Laundry machine is no longer central feature around third of kitchens (7)
{ WASHTUB } ‘Is no longer’ = a central feature round the third letter of ki t chen

23a    For example, engrossed by flashing leg in informal dress (7)
{ NÉGLIGÉ } ‘For example’ goes inside an anagram (flashing) of LEG IN

24a     Festival ‘s to harm excavation — spots left incomplete (5,4)
{ MARDI GRAS } ‘To harm’ + an excavation + spots (on the skin) with the last letter removed

25a    When tucking into tripe … you wouldn’t be eating this! (5)
{ ROAST } ‘When’ goes inside tripe (rubbish) to give another meal that certainly doesn’t contain tripe

26a     Cheap tickets, perhaps , through going in where the spectators are (5-3)
{ STAND-BYS } ‘Through’ goes inside where spectators sit at a sporting event

27a     I named sea , wild sea, huge, but not hot (6)
{ AEGEUS } A character in Greek mythology after whom a sea was named = an anagram (wild) of SEA UGE, i.e. HUGE less H (hot)

Down

1d     Shop quick to restrict damage (8)
{ PHARMACY } A shop where medicines are obtained = ‘quick’ round ‘damage’

2d     Irregular fighter I left in care of harassed regular (9)
{ GUERRILLA } I L (left) goes inside an anagram (harassed) of REGULAR

3d     They bring sycophancy to a day in Ancient Rome (7)
{ TOADIES } TO + A + the Latin word for ‘day’

5d    No Times clues (dodgy) around us — you’ll get extreme care here (14)
{ METICULOUSNESS } An anagram (dodgy) of NO TIMES CLUES round US

6d    Present encapsulating love given to popular, prominent girl (7)
{ HEROINE } ‘Present’ goes round O (love) IN (popular)

7d    Chosen player, brought in to beat colossus (5)
{ TITAN } The player chosen to oppose all others (in children’s games) goes inside ‘to beat’

8d     Tooth — odds on one’s captured in ‘chewing requirement’ (6)
{ CUSPID } Odds (e.g on a horse) + I inside what a ruminant chews

9d    Top personality vaguely sorry about spilled beer (mostly) and fruit (4,10)
{ CAPE GOOSEBERRY } ‘top’ (3) + personality (3) + an anagram (vaguely) of SORRY round an anagram (spilled) of BEE (beer, mostly)

15d     Get rid of a timeline that’s incorrect (9)
{ ELIMINATE } An anagram (incorrect) of A TIMELINE

16d    A call for assistance after swallowing foremost poisonous material (8)
{ ASBESTOS } A + call for assistance round ‘foremost’

18d     Singer bit put out when included in programme (7)
{ CATBIRD } A singer of the feathered variety = an anagram (put out) of BIT inside a programme

19d     Prepare to fight , being terribly angered (2,5)
{ EN GARDE } An anagram (terribly) of ANGERED

20d     Overwhelms instances of trading involving millions (6)
{ SWAMPS } Instances of trading by exchanging something goes round M (millions)

22d    Elevated songs about unknown country (5)
{ SYRIA } A reversal of songs round Y (unknown)

Tough it ain’t