Toughie No 1074 by Petitjean
The ins and outs of crossword clues
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
This is one of Petitjean’s easier puzzles, which probably accounts for its appearance in the Tuesday slot. There are rather a lot of insertions and deletions of letters, but mercifully few anagrams.
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Across
1a Articulate overfamiliar cockney heard to greet Tarantino thus? (8)
{ELOQUENT} – split as (3,5) this sounds like (heard) how an overfamiliar cockney might greet film director Tarantino
5a Say nothing about half of muck found in drink (4,2)
{CLAM UP} – the single-letter Latin abbreviation for about followed by the first half of MUck inside a verb meaning to drink
10a Commercial exploitation of Anne Hathaway’s birthplace? (7,8)
{COTTAGE INDUSTRY} – a cryptic definition of a commercial activity in which the work is done wholly or largely by people in their own homes
11a Bishop and pawn facing resistance before single decisive move (7)
{PRIMATE} – P(awn) followed by R(esistance), I (single) and a decisive move in chess
12a Find Rousseau near Theology section (7)
{UNEARTH} – hidden (section) inside the clue
13a Belgium’s Mafia issue turning explosive (4,4)
{TIME BOMB} – the IVR code for Belgium followed by a three-letter word for the Mafia and a verb meaning to issue, all reversed (turning)
15a Heavyweight magnate second in offloading company (5)
{TYSON} – to get thesurname of this former world heavyweight boxing champion start with a magnate, insert S(econd) and drop CO(mpany)
18a Crowd in lift (5)
{PRESS} – two definitions – the second referring to weightlifting
20a Chaotic organiser lacks energy or detachment (8)
{GARRISON} – an anagram (chaotic) of ORGANIS(E)R without (lacks) the E(nergy)
23a With tons wasted caviar producer is the one making cuts (7)
{SURGEON} – drop the T(ons) from a caviar producer
25a Thousand attending tedious event left in tube (7)
{SNORKEL} – the metric symbol for a thousand inside a tedious or boring event followed by L(eft)
26a Hypocrisy in large measure rules (6,9)
{DOUBLE STANDARDS} – a large measure of spirits followed by some rules or principles
27a Grip new taps after getting scalded regularly (6)
{CLENCH} – N(ew) and the abbreviations found on water taps after the even letters (regularly) of sCaLdEd
28a Saturday turned out hot for a fourth or fifth day (8)
{THURSDAY} – an anagram (turned out) of S(A)TURDAY with H(ot) replacing one of the As
Down
1d Key exercises following a flight (6)
{ESCAPE} – a key found on the computer keyboard followed by some Physical Exercises, the latter preceded by the A from the clue
2d Put off accepting fine in a tricky situation (2,4,3)
{ON THIN ICE} – a phrase meaning that something is put off (2,3) around (accepting) an adjective meaning fine or delicate
3d Ignorant of Stubbs pottery (7)
{UNAWARE] – the first name of actress Ms Stubbs followed by a word for pottery
4d Relative odds of naive complete outsiders (5)
{NIECE} – the odd letters of NaÏvE followed by the outer letters (outsiders) of CompletE
6d Most vulgar uncouth fellow entertains some French (7)
{LOUDEST} – an uncouth fellow around (entertains) the French for some
7d Saw men in car (5)
{MOTOR} – a saw proverb followed by some men in the army
8d Constantly talk up pressure to make sharper means of communication (8)
{PAYPHONE} – a verb meaning to constantly talk reversed (up in a down clue) followed by P(ressure) and a verb meaning to make sharper
9d Traditional measure of cool with Cup all but lost and points paramount can be handicap (8)
{ENCUMBER} – start with an object used in a simile for cool, drop(lost) most of (all but) Cup and add two compass points to the front (paramount)
14d Morgan is trendy vehicle for player (8)
{ORGANIST} – hidden (vehicle for) inside the clue
16d Frustrated with knitted top before wearing neck-warmer (9)
{SNOOKERED} – the initial letter (top) of Knitted followed by a poetical word meaning before inside a wide ring of knitted material worn as a scarf
17d Occasional broadcast is copied (8)
{EPISODIC} – an anagram (broadcast) of IS COPIED
19d Quiet Mid-westerner will shortly account for material in many early rock’n’roll records (7)
{SHELLAC} – an exhortation to keep quiet followed by the middle (mid) letter of westErner, the short form of will, as used when I will or he will is abbreviated, and AC(count)
21d Proper fashionable society (2,5)
{IN ORDER} – a two-letter word meaning fashionable followed by a society or brotherhood
22d Mirror ditching old for article by unknown – that’s brilliant (6)
New online version – Dazzling overweight wing gets substituted — ‘Why?’ one might ask (6)
{GLOSSY} – start with a mirror, swapping the A (article) for O (old) [the opposite of what it says in the clue] and adding a mathematical unknown
Start with an adjective meaning overweight and swap the wing or side of the second letter then add the letter that sounds like (one might ask) why
24d Unsophisticated? No finish? Hint of earthiness? Could be Burgundy (5)
{ROUGE} – most of (no finish) an adjective meaning unsophisticated followed by the initial letter (hint) of Earthiness
25d Millions checking band’s big hit (5)
{SMASH} – M(illions) inside (checking) a band worn round the waist or over the shoulder
Not a bad start to the Toughie week.
Usual gentle Tuesday fare, favourites were 1a and 16d thanks to Petitjean and to Big Dave for the comments.
Most of this went in without too much thought, but a few in the SE held me up for a while.
2*/4* for me. Thanks to Petitjean, and to BD for the review.
16 down-ed by three in the SE corner, including 16D itself, plus 25A and 15A. Nevertheless I enjoyed it immensely. Thanks to Petitjean, and to Big Dave for the review and help.
A nice pleasant strightforward puzzle to start the Toughie week, and guessing what comes will be coming along on Friday, that’s a relief.
The clues were so involved, with the constant removal,etc, of letters, that I lost interest very early though I plodded on dutifully. And who is Ms Stubbs? Maybe before my time?
Aunt Sally? Alf Garnett’s daughter? Sherlock Holmes’s landlady?
It is nice to have a setter that includes reasonably up-to-date popular culture and famous people in their puzzles.
Yet another puzzle that proves they don’t have to be overly difficult to be enjoyable .
Favourite 1a but a really enjoyable solve for me ,so thanks to Petitjean and BD
Like Expat Chris I was 16 down-ed by three – but a different three.
I really enjoyed this.
I loved 1a – it’s made me laugh on and off all day.
With thanks to Petitjean and BD.
Spent some time wondering whether 22d should be glossy or glassy as the word-play seemed to contradict the definition. Interesting to note that it has since been amended. Many good clues to challenge and amuse us, especially 1a and 3d.
Thanks Petitjean and BD.
Sorry but can someone please explain 7 down? Saw = motto ??? Where do the men come in? Regiment? Makes no sense to me.
Maybe saw=mot and OR for other ranks.
Heno has it. The SAW is a proverb or MOT (Juste) from the French. Add the O(ther) R(anks) to lead to yer Car/Motor. Thanks to Petitjean – I enjoyed this today.
Thanks to Petitjean and to Big Dave for the review and hints. I think I used up all my solving ability on the back pager. Only managed 3 answers before resorting to the hints.
I managed to put PSYCHING for 8d thinking it was “constantly talk up!
As I thoroughly enjoyed this, it has **** for enjoyment.
Managed to do most of it without help, but was flummoxed by the SE corner. I followed Crypticsue’s advice and put the puzzle to one side in the hope of some subconscious inspiration, but that didn’t happen, despite several attempts! 
In the end, I had to recourse to Big Dave’s elucidating hints, for which I am most grateful. 
1a was my fave.
Many thanks to both Petitjean and BigDave.