Toughie No 1174 by Dada
So good he said it twice!
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
A fun puzzle from one of my favourite setters. 18 down added one of the enjoyment stars.
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
1a Old couple lagging behind everyone in fight to get big jumper (8)
{WALLAROO} – O(ld) O(ld) (a couple of olds) after a word meaning everyone inside a fight
5a Rash getting better on cuckoo (6)
{MADCAP} – a verb meaning to better preceded by an adjective meaning cuckoo or crazy
9a Stout-hearted female lacking in a sense, then? (8)
{FEARLESS} – F(emale) followed by an adjective meaning lacking in one of the senses
10a Key number one or two? (6)
{OPENER} – a key used to undo a can and one of two batmen at the start of an innings
12a Book that’s funny, article written on it (6)
{LOLITA} – textspeak for “that’s funny” and the indefinite article preceded by IT
13a Vegetable producer in pictures? (8)
{BROCCOLI} – a green vegetable and the producer of many James Bond films
15a Turn Casanova back to extremes of virtue (7)
{REVOLVE} – a Casanova reversed (back) and followed by the outer letters of VirtuE
16a Slimy fellow in bed — gulp! (4)
{SLUG} – a slimy garden pest and a gulp of, usually alcoholic, liquid
20a River cold for high-flier (4)
{EXEC} – a river in southwest England followed by C(old)
21a Balm in use, rubbing head (7)
{UNCTION} – a use or purpose without (rubbing) its initial letter (head)
25a Skilful player, one with teething problems? (8)
{DRIBBLER} – someone without teeth, usually a toddler
26a Attachment to a Victorian woman causing stir (6)
{BUSTLE} – two definitions – the first being a frame for making a skirt stand out from the hips
28a A mount, ultimately, on which more than one pair in Ark rested? (6)
{ARARAT} – the whole of this clue describes a mountain where Noah’s ark came to rest – the A from the clue and the final letter of mounT preceded by the first two letters of ARk repeated
29a Welshman perhaps carrying one note then another as singer (8)
{BARITONE} – a resident of the British Isles (Welshman perhaps) around a note of the diatonic scale of C major and followed by another such note
30a Getting high, with a rush (6)
{FLYING} – two definitions
31a Information stored by factory that’s booming (8)
{PLANGENT} – some information inside (stored by) a factory
Down
1d Rabbit on something for breakfast (6)
{WAFFLE} – two definitions – a verb and a noun
2d Likely story about murder victim (no evidence at first) (6)
{LIABLE} – a story or untruth around the fist murder victim, the latter without the E (no Evidence at first)
3d Entire crew in a muddle (3,2,3)
{ALL AT SEA} – this could describe the entire crew of a ship
4d Cook removing lid for oven (4)
{OAST} – drop the initial letter (lid) from a verb meaning to cook
6d Face snake etc snaking (6)
{ASPECT} – a snake followed by an anagram (snaking) of ETC
7d Pet is able to scratch bottom of many (8)
{CANOODLE} – this verb meaning to pet or cuddle is derived from a verb meaning is able followed by a word meaning many without (scratch) its final letter (bottom in a down clue)
8d Breakfast that’s served at Her Majesty’s pleasure? (8)
{PORRIDGE} – a slang word for time spent in prison
11d Force down sauce, swallowing it (7)
{GRAVITY} – to get this downward force put a sauce around IT
14d It’s quite the opposite, one adds (7)
{COUNTER} – two definitions
17d Star that’s rare, one of seven (3,5)
{RED DWARF} – red when applied to meat followed by one of seven followers in a children’s story
18d Avoiding the other bicycle, a convertible (8)
{CELIBACY] – I won’t spoil the laugh-out-loud moment by explaining the definition! – it’s an anagram (convertible) of BICYCLE A
19d End of a problem, like that one in Bedfordshire town (8)
{SOLUTION} – a two-letter word meaning like that followed by I (one) inside a town in Bedfordshire
22d Get on a bit, decrepit (6)
{OBTAIN} – an anagram (decrepit) of ON A BIT
23d In two articles, order maintained (2,4)
{AT HOME} – an indefinite article and the definite article around the Order of Merit
24d Leave the country? That’s a mistake (6)
{DEFECT} – two definitions
27d Bird in bar (4)
{RAIL} – two more definitions
Rather a lot of double definitions today!
Good fun puzzle, favourites were 10a 18d and 26a thanks to Dada and to Big Dave for the comments.
Great stuff! 3*/4* for me. A couple took me a while to crack – esp the anagram at 22d.
Many thanks to Dada, and to BD for the review.
Splendid stuff as to be expected from Dada – agree that 18d is clue of the day. Thanks to Dada and BD.
Great fun, I loved 10 and 25a and 17 and 18d. Many thanks to Dada and BD, superb stuff.
I absolutely loved it! 18D, when I finally got it, definitely had me laughing out loud. Although I had the correct answer, I don’t understand the explanation for 29A but music appreciation class was never my strong point. Also liked 11D and 17D.
I used to be frightened of even trying a Dada but he and I have been getting along well recently.
Thanks to Dada and BD, good fun, 12a had me laughing, can’t remember LOL being used, or have I been asleep?
I loved this – I found it quite tricky but anything that has Toughie at the top always has that effect on me.
I needed the explanation for 29a.
I agree that 18d was absolutely brilliant but lots of others made me laugh too – 16 and 26a and 7 and 27d.
With thanks to Dada and BD.
Very enjoyable puzzle but I had to work hard at it! Thanks BD for the explanations – particularly of 10a (cricket!) , 8d (slang meaning totally new to me) and 29a – I was thinking “b” and “tone” for the musical references but who is this Welshman called “Ari”
Really liked 25a, 26a and 18d,
Thanks to Dada and again to BD
Try Briton around A and followed by E
Thanks Dave – I did get that from your hint. I was just explaining my confusion before I read your hints. That is – I was laughing at myself!
You’re probably thinking of Ari Secombe.
Nice one!
Yes – I agree. 10a – cricket – I can’t do it. My other one was, like you, 29a.
It is now about 18 hours since we did this puzzle and we are still laughing about 18d. The highlight of what was a really good fun puzzle that all went together smoothly without major hold-ups.
Thanks Dada and BD.
Kept me amused for hours!
A bit too clever for me, Dada, but thanks anyway. I managed all but 18d and the SE corner unaided (l hate those double definitions), but needed three or four of BD’s hints to fill the grid. 4* plus for me, and 18d is most definitely a super clue!
Took me three goes at this one before finally filling in the SE corner. Phew. Thanks to Dada for the challenge and to BD for explaining how I met it. PS agree with all about 18d, my favourite clue for ages 4*/4*