Toughie 2261

Toughie No 2261 by Kcit

Hints and tips by Bufo

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

Kcit seems to have upped the difficulty level in the last two of his puzzles that I have blogged. This was a challenging and enjoyable puzzle. Crypticsue had already alerted me to the problem in 26 across by the time I started solving so I didn’t have to waste any time scratching my head about it

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a    Criticising Belgium needing illumination about origin of long-term urban decay (8,6)
PLANNING BLIGHT: ‘Criticising’, B (Belgium) and a source of illumination round the first letter of LONG-TERM. This gives a term for the harmful effects of uncertainty about likely restrictions on the types and extent of future development in a particular area on the quality of life of its inhabitants and the normal growth of its business and community enterprises. I lifted that convoluted definition from Collins English Dictionary.

9a    Work repeatedly round part of hospital without a roof (4-3)
OPEN-TOP: Two occurrences of the abbreviation for a musical work goes round a particular department in a hospital to give ‘without a roof (like some vehicles)’

10a    Keep beginnings of old business and start to rally (7)
OBSERVE: ‘To keep’ = the first letters of OLD and BUSINESS and the word for putting the ball into play at tennis so that a rally can start

11a    Frontless lingerie item creating a stir (4)
EDDY: Remove the first letter from a one-piece undergarment for a woman, combining panties and chemise. I had to ask Mrs Bufo about this one because, having led a sheltered life, I had never heard of the undergarment

12a    Back lead craftsman — that will involve one not taking sides (10)
BIPARTISAN: A reversal of the atomic symbol for lead and a skilled craftsman round I (one) = ‘consisting of or supported by two political parties’

14a    Definitely not convenient to limit most of enemy’s retreat (2,4)
NO FEAR: ‘Definitely not!’ = ‘conveniently placed’ round a reversal of an enemy with the last letter removed

15a    Nuisance about airmen needing fine oil (8)
PARAFFIN: A tiresome or annoying person (nuisance) round the branch of the armed services that flies planes and F (fine)

17a    Mob hero is bundle of nerves (8)
GANGLION: A mob + a hero or person of unusual courage = a collection of nerve cells

18a    Welsh girl cheered last members of rugby teams (6)
GLADYS: A given female name of Welsh origin = ‘cheered’ or ‘happy’ + the last letters of RUGBY and TEAMS

21a    Urging son to participate in playing tennis to break ice (10)
INSISTENCE: S (son) inside an anagram (playing) of TENNIS inside ICE

22a    Make unclear comments about book, forgetting book at the end (4)
BLUR: Remove B (book) from the end of a publisher’s commendatory description of a book that is usually printed on the jacket

24a    Feeling strangely warm beside fireplace (7)
ATINGLE: ‘Beside’ + a fireplace

25a    Significant card — hearts — securing current victory (7)
TRIUMPH: A playing card of a suit that ranks above all cards of other suits and H (hearts) round the one-letter symbol denoting electric current

26a    (ORIGINAL CLUE) Legislator to look different about following honest source of money
or
(REVISED CLUE) Legislator to look different about following male criminal (4,2,3,5)
PEER OF THE REALM: ‘To look narrowly or closely’ + ‘different’ round F (following) + an anagram (criminal) of MALE. The original clue appears to generate an R too many and it has now been replaced in the online version

 

Down

1d    Nutritional compound for most of soccer team? I will tuck in (7)
PROTEIN: ‘For’ or ‘in favour of’ + one less than the number of players in a soccer team round I

2d    Securing personal best is not yet appreciated (5,2,4,4)
AHEAD OF ONE’S TIME: This term that means ‘having ideas too advanced or progressive enough to be acceptable at present’ could also mean that you have gone faster than ever before

3d    Enthusiastic rising star securing opening in television (4)
NUTS: A reversal of our solar system’s star round the first letter of TELEVISION

4d    Protective item affording you doze, snooze and kip? (6)
NAPKIN: The first three letters form a synonym of ‘doze’, ‘snooze’ and ‘kip’. The second three letters indicate that the words ‘doze’, ‘snooze’ and ‘kip’ are related

5d    A means to support calamity or surprise (4,4)
BLOW AWAY: A sudden misfortune or calamity + A + a means or method = ‘to surprise or excite’

6d    Always demanding abandonment of banalities (10)
INSATIABLE: An anagram (abandonment of) of BANALITIES

7d    Drama: foolish men involved in unavoidable contradiction (5,2,1,7)
HORNS OF A DILEMMA: An anagram (involved) of DRAMA FOOLISH MEN

8d    Trust the French — writer remaining unknown (4,2)
LEAN ON: The French definite article + the name given to an unknown writer

13d    Sweet stuff seeing mega-pulsar spinning (5,5)
MAPLE SUGAR: An anagram (spinning) of MEGA-PULSAR

16d    Turned round holding single from Parisian showing little appreciation of music (4-4)
TONE-DEAF: A reversal of ’round’ or ‘plump’ round ONE and the French word for ‘from’

17d    Stop omitting intro in jazz piece, taking up instrument (6)
GUITAR: ‘To stop’ with the first letter removed inside a reversal (taking up) of a piece of jazz music with a highly syncopated melody

19d    Tropical grass, repulsive, trimmed after rising smell (7)
SORGHUM: A reversal of ‘repulsive’ with the last letter removed + a strong unpleasant small

20d    Put an end to possible cause of alcoholism? (6)
SCOTCH: 2 meanings: to put an end to or frustrate/whisky

23d    Upset for bar bouncer, say (4)
LIAR: A reversal of a bar forming a support give someone who might exaggerate (tell a bouncer)

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