Toughie No 2484 by Kcit
Hints and tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment **/***
Kcit in very ‘kind to solvers’ mode this week – considerably more time was spent checking the dictionary for synonyms and counting the number of times insertions and ‘doing something with a letter’ appeared in the clues than actually solving the crossword in the first place
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
5a Young fellow in stage work, not old character (7)
PERSONA A way of addressing a young fellow inserted into a stage work without its first letter – an O (not old)
7a Flying back, taking in Lima and Quito finally (5)
ALOFT The back of a ship ‘taking in’ the letter represented by Lima in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet and the final letter of QuitO
9a Arcade game’s first I start to admire, chasing record (6)
LOGGIA The first letter of Game, I (from the clue) and the ‘start’ of Admire all chasing or going after a record
10a One should improve spying and agree to participate when probed by spies (8)
OPTICIAN My favourite clue – what a splendidly cryptic definition – a two-word expression meaning to agree to take part probed by the abbreviation for [unindicated American] spies
11a Closely follow fielders with side bagging runs (10)
SLIPSTREAM Some cricket fielders with a side ‘bagging’ the abbreviation for runs
13a Crowd heading off in a hurry (4)
RUSH Remove the first letter (heading off) from a close crowd of persons or things
14a Police document crash we brought about in forthright style (6,7)
SEARCH WARRANT An anagram (brought about) of CRASH WE followed by an adjective meaning in forthright style
16a Awkward situation less enthusiastic politicians recalled (4)
STEW A reversal (recalled) of a derogatory term for some less enthusiastic politicians
17a I oppose resolution of stagnation (10)
ANTAGONIST An anagram (resolution) of STAGNATION
19a Clear soup in summer month — that’s about right (8)
JULIENNE A summer month into which is inserted (that’s about) a legal right to retain possession
20a Sword cut absorbed by scoundrel? Try again (6)
REPEAT Cut or remove the last letter from a type of sword and insert (absorbed) what’s left into a scoundrel
22a A glow emitting a little energy will become pale (5)
ASHEN A (from the clue) and a glow without one of the Es (emitting or giving off a little [abbreviated] energy)
23a Beat floor-covering, removing last ridge (7)
DRUMLIN A verb meaning to beat and a type of floor covering without its last letter Had I had a bit more time this morning, I’d have popped a mile up the road and taken a photo of a large field which is a beautiful and rare example of some of the most southerly of these ‘ridges’ in the country
Down
1d Confusion about river creature dwelling by water (4)
FROG Some confusion ‘about’ the abbreviation for River
2d Working in resin, living alone (8)
MONASTIC A synonym for working inserted into a type of resin
3d Little outlaw’s put on rug upside-down (6)
BANTAM A verb meaning to outlaw put on (in a down clue) a reversal (upside-down) of a rug
4d Soldiers start to tremble in deluge? Definitely (3,7)
FOR CERTAIN A group of people selected for collective action (soldiers) and the ‘start’ to Tremble inserted into a verb meaning to inundate with water (deluge)
5d Creep in front line (5)
PROWL The front of a ship and the abbreviation for Line
6d Made amends, bringing in witness, confused and perplexed (2,4,4,3)
AT ONES WITS END Insert an (confused) anagram of WITNESS into a way of saying made amends
8d Note is stuck up in restaurant passage (7)
TRANSIT The abbreviation for note and a reversal (stuck up) of IS (from the clue) inserted into the short form of an Italian restaurant Does anyone apart from crossword setters ever use the abbreviated form when talking about this type of restaurant?
12d Writer, having problem, securing way out with little resistance (10)
PLAYWRIGHT A problem into which is inserted (securing) an anagram (out) of WAY and the abbreviation (little) for Resistance
14d Posed problem with a fruit (7)
SATSUMA A verb meaning posed, a problem and A (from the clue)
15d Tough equipment letting in water after top’s removed (8)
RIGOROUS Some equipment followed by an adjective meaning letting in water without its ‘top’
17d Start to lose initial shade (6)
AWNING Remove the initial letter from a beginning (start)
18d Bridge crossing current in country (5)
SPAIN A verb meaning to bridge ‘crossing’ or going over the abbreviation for electrical current
21d Run and hide (4)
PELT A verb meaning to speed (run) or an animal hide
A pretty straightforward puzzle today without any agitation in the stables – thanks to Kcit and CS.
My favourite clue was the succinct 21d.
An enjoyable ‘soft pedal’ puzzle from our setter although I have to admit that my knowledge of 19a has been confined to preparation of vegetables before today.
My favourite was 11a with a nod to 10a.
Thanks to Kcit and to CS – think the hint for 14d needs a tweak.
Me too re 19a soup
I found this quite difficult today ,not on my wavelength for some reason and a ***/** for me.
Favourites 14a and 10a.
Failed to parse 8d-thanks CS -will put it on my memory list !.
Speaking as someone who still getting to grips with Toughies this was a great crossword to cut ones teeth on, clues that stood out 10 across & 8 down, I thank Kcit for the puzzle and Cryptic Sue for the hints.
The top left corner held me up and was the last part for me to finish. I don’t mind a bit if they’re a little easier than normal.
Something odd going on here. I finished unaided for the second time this week. I didn’t understand 8d till I read the hints and never heard of 19a as a soup. 23a a new word for me. Also just told I have won 50 pounds on the Premium Bonds, so a good day all round as we had our first WI meeting since March in a lovely garden, self distancing and GOSSIPING! Thanks to Kcit and Cryptic Sue.
A most pleasant diversion for me, which I finished quite enjoyably without any Googling except for double-checking on the clear soup, which was new to me (I know the term as a verb only). And thanks to my favourite Yorkshire writer, Peter Robinson, for acquainting me with the ridge in 23a, the only place (in his mystery novels) I’ve ever seen the term. Podium winners: 4d, 11a, 17d. Thanks to CrypticSue for the hints (and the clip from Shakespeare in Love, one of the all-time great movies) and to Kcit for the pleasure. 1.5* / 4.5*
We stared at 17d for ages before the penny would drop. It makes no sense now why that should have happened. All the rest went together smoothly.
Pleasant solve.
Thanks Kcit and CS.
It didn’t dawn on me either! Pun intended.
Thanks to Kcit and to crypticSue for the review and hints. I can never get on the right wavelength with Kcit’s puzzles, and this was no exception. I managed three quarters of it before hitting a brick wall. Needed the hints for 5,9,11a and 1,2,5,12,17d to finish. I’d never heard of 9a, but it’s now in my memory bank. My favourite was 7a for the misdirection of making you think to take the last letter of Lima, rather than the first.
I always look forward to Phi’s weekly appearance on Fridays and his relatively rare Kcit offerings in the DT are appropriately more difficult and very welcome.
14,16 and 17a plus 2,6 and 8 d got stars from me.
Overall ***/ ****.
Many thanks to him and of course CS.
A very pleasant solve which came together steadily. My thought re abbreviation in 8d concurs with CS. Top marks from me go to 10a. Thanks Kcit and CS.
Left it part solved overnight and then everything dropped into place this morning. I was also new to the soup as opposed to chopping veg. 6d was my favourite. Thanks to Kcit and CS.
Couldn’t get to grips with this and gave up. Definitely not kind to this solver.