Toughie No 2567 by Beam
Hints and tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ****
In all the ups and downs of this very trying year, one thing has remained the same – the formula of a Beam crossword. This one has all the trademark features, although I didn’t think the synonyms were as stretched as they can sometimes be, which probably helped to make it into an easy backpager rather than how a Beam (or indeed any) Toughie is supposed to be (and before you all start, I’m not the only one who thinks this to be the case!)
It occurred to me yesterday that I am in the rare position of being the BD blogger who provides the last post of 2020 and the first post of 2021 (last Saturday’s Prize Puzzle review) – I don’t think that’s happened before and probably won’t again for several years. I’d like to take the opportunity to wish everyone, setters, bloggers and commenters alike, a much improved and Happier New Year (it surely can’t be worse than the old one!)
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
1a Overture from, say, having love for sweetheart (11)
PROPOSITION Change the E in the grammatical term of which ‘from’ is an example to an O (love for swEetheart)
9a Muscle which turns either way (7)
ROTATOR The name of this muscle is a palindrome (turns either way)
10a Rubber Soul’s intro in time with Queen (6)
ERASER The ‘intro’ of Soul inserted between a period of time and our current Queen’s regnal cipher
12a Politician made progress stifling Republican (7)
CAMERON A former Prime Minister and ex-MP is obtained by inserting (stifling) the abbreviation for Republican into a phrase meaning made progress
13a Plunder settlement applying pressure for victory (7)
PILLAGE Change the V (victory) at the start of a small settlement for a P (pressure)
14a Passes on something to send initially (5)
POSTS The initial letters of the first five words of the clue
15a Consumed by fear, mad illogical creature (9)
ARMADILLO Hidden in (consumed by) feAR MAD ILLOgical
17a Wedding tackle saved for bride? (9)
TROUSSEAU Despite the innuendo possibilities offered by the surface reading, this clue relates to a crypt definition of items collected by a bride before her wedding
20a Curses employing new tirades (5)
RANTS A slang interjection (just like ‘curses’) into which is inserted (employing) the abbreviation for New
22a Taught trust to friends, oddly (7)
TUTORED The odd letters of TrUsT tO fRiEnDs
24a Top one provides decoration for policeman? (7)
OFFICER An American slang term meaning to kill (top being English slang for the same thing) and what one might call someone who provides decoration for a cake
25a Woods giving warning approaching second tee (6)
FOREST The warning given by a golfer approaching someone in the way, the abbreviation for Second and the 20th letter of the alphabet (tee)
26a Demanding English team win round noon (7)
EXIGENT The abbreviation for English, the Roman numerals for a team of eleven, a verb meaning to obtain, the latter going round the abbreviation for Noon
27a Size of certain chaps in flesh (11)
MEASUREMENT A synonym for certain and some chaps inserted into some flesh
Down
2d Comes home hard up almost purchasing vase (7)
RETURNS A reversal of almost all of an adjective meaning hard into which is inserted (purchasing) a type of vase
3d Ancestry factor over time without evolution’s ends (9)
PARENTAGE A factor of something goes ‘without’ the ends of EvolutioN, the result followed by a period of time
4d Strips going up for bed (5)
SLEEP A reversal (going up) of part of a verb meaning strips
5d Followed around, right? Followed around (7)
TRAILED A way of saying followed around into which is inserted the abbreviation for Right to produce another way of saying ‘followed around’
6d Blanket lover allows covers (7)
OVERALL Hidden in (covers) lOVER ALLows
7d Headlong plunge (11)
PRECIPITATE Double definition
8d Prints pounds (6)
STAMPS Double definition
11d Display rogues’ gallery capturing rogues’ leader (11)
DEMONSTRATE Some rogues and an art gallery ‘capturing’ the leader of Rogues
16d Endless haul only found in quiet tomb (9)
MAUSOLEUM Insert the inside (endless) letters of hAUl and an adjective meaning only into a synonym for silence
18d Where French novel about caught denouement (7)
OUTCOME The French word for where and a large book (novel) goes ‘about’ the cricket abbreviation for Caught
19d People waiting for people playing tennis? (7)
SERVERS Double definition
20d Rogue natural hair put up (7)
RUFFIAN Reverse (put up) a synonym for natural or unaffected and some (animal) hair
21d Pound found inside drawers (6)
NICKER This slang term for a Pound Sterling is found inside an informal term for ladies’ underwear (drawers)
23d Scare off Bambi perhaps taking Thumper’s head (5)
DETER The animal of which Bambi is an example (perhaps) ‘taking’ the head of Thumper
A rare excursion into Toughieland for me, and I agree with your rating, Sue, I had to keep checking I had not slipped to the back page.
Easier than most Ray-T back-pagers but very enjoyable.
Brilliant lurker at 15a.
Thanks Ray and Sue…
I certainly found this a more comfortable and speedier solve than today’s cryptic, but it was pleasantly enjoyable and as commendably concise in the clueing as always. The risqué 17a was my favourite of many.
Many thanks to Beam and CS for this and for all their efforts this year.
A solvable toughie , perfect for a slightly snowy lockdown afternoon.
It took me ages to see the creature in 15a.
I nominate 13a as my favourite.
A Happy Healthy and Prosperous New Year to all the team.
A gentle end to the year. What a difference a day makes in terms of the length of clues. Thanks to Beam and CS.
Despite not being at all tough, this made a lovely finish to the crosswording year in stark contrast to today’s back-pager.
I am doubtful that “bed” is an acceptable definition for 4d.
My joint favourites are 17a & 21d.
Many thanks to Beam and to CS.
Bradford’s Crossword Dictionary would disagree with you; Chambers Crossword Dictionary wouldn’t
For 4D if you think of bed with an adult meaning, then it is a synonym
Not quite, Andrew. I did consider that but decided it needs to be followed by “with” in one case but not the other.
Yeah…I did find it difficult at the time. Transitive verb with intransitive…I forgave it with the surface reading. Strips works for me!
I’m going to bed/sleep now. Works in that context for me.
Beam is quite benevolent today – thanks to him and to CS.
My podium hosts 13a, 17a (LOL) and 25a.
I am on record as finding Beam’s toughies difficult and occasionally tiresome but this was a delight. Perhaps the slightly less cryptic but still witty definitions compensate for the restricted formula [no anagrams, single words, etc] in this case. Or maybe I was just more on his wavelength this time. Sniggered at 17a both before and after solving it.
Many thanks Beam and to CS for the blog.
This took x minutes to solve, today’s cryptic x x 2 mins.
An enjoyable end to my solving year.
Thanks to Beam and CS.
Thanks to BD and his team of hinters and explainers who contribute so much time and effort to this site.
Happy new year to all.
Golly bongs. Not at all Beamish. I finished this very quickly indeed. So I went and got a beer. Thanks for the beer RayT. Thanks for the blogs Sue.
Was I the only one who, having a few checkers in place, thought an even racier solution to 17a was ‘trousered’? I was quite disappointed when the correct answer became apparent.
I finished this in short order with little recourse to reference material, so it must be straightforward! Thanks to Beam and CS.
I don’t do toughies very often but this was most enjoyable and easier than the cryptic today. Thanks to all for continually brightening a difficult year, I have been very grateful.
It seems that it has become the norm for the Thursday Toughie to be easier than the back pager.
Although a relatively easy solve, it was excellently clued as usual.
Thanks to Beam & CS.
Happy New Year!
Not over taxing but as usual great fun. Thanks to Beam and CS, Happy New Year everyone
What a difference a day makes – concise clueing and satisfactory definitions all round today! Yes, I’d agree that it was at the easier end of Beam’s repertoire but none the less enjoyable for that.
17a heads my leader board with 27a & 19d not far behind. Also a mention for ‘good’ old Tiger at 25a.
Many thanks to Mr T/Beam and also to CS for the review – best of wishes to you both for a hopefully brighter New Year.
Even though I didn’t know the slang term for a pound, I guessed it had to be what it was (thought the term had to be pluralised for the other meaning, though). Thoroughly enjoyed this kinder, gentler Beam, whose compilations are models of tautness and tightness, and a joy to work through. The 15d lurker gets my nod as the COTD. Thanks to CS and to Beam. Happy New Year to both of you, and to everyone else, from balmy Charleston.
Pluralised and starts with a k, hence inside.
To quote Alan Bennet, “N O R W I C H, it stands for knickers of ready when I come home. Yes I do know you spell knickers with a k, I did go to Oxford, it was one of the first things they taught us”.
BURMA. Be upstairs ready my angel
21d and the picture used to illustrate it reminds me of the spot prize that was regularly announced at dances when I was young: “A prize for the first lady to show me a pair of green (k)nickers”!
Thank you for your efforts Cryptic Sue. Happy New Year to you and yours!
🎉🍾
Good fun as ever from this setter. Took a little while for the penny to drop for 21d.
Word count checked of course and the maximum is 7 again.
Thanks Beam and CS.
My third crossword of the day and the easiest by far. But still enjoyable. Thank you setter and blogger.
As others have alluded to, the diametrical opposite of yesterday’s. I enjoyed them both but I do like Mr T’s economical style, such a great setter. Found this a good deal gentler than many of his back pagers but huge fun.
13&17a share top honours.
Many thanks and a Happy New Year to Mr T and CS.
Lovely gentle solve that took less than half the time of the cryptic to complete.
Thanks to Ray T for the high quality entertainment throughout the year & to CS. Happy new year to you both & all.
Agree that it was somewhat easier than a regular RayT but always enjoyable
Thanks for another year of crosswords and see you again next Thursday.
Thanks and happy new year to CS.
Well, that was very enjoyable.
Thanks very much to all the bloggers, setters, and commenters. All of you are much appreciated. Happy New Year!
I hardly ever do Toughies but having seen that today’s was a Beam and a 1* difficulty I just had to have a go.
I loved it, and could do it.
So pleased that Beam/Ray T has found his ‘naughty hat’ again.
Needless to say my favourite was 17a.
Thanks to Beam and to CS.
Thoroughly enjoyable, although I had to leave the NW corner to this morning because of a NYE (virtual) party.
Of course, 17a was top. I first entered “singles” in 19d which I thought an acceptable, albeit incorrect, answer.
For once I agree with CrypticSue’s categories. Thanks to her for the blog and to Beam.
Happy New Year to all.
Very gentle by Beam’s standards, but wonderfully done (apart from the slightly odd 18d). 10 and 25 my favourites from a good crop. So good not to have to pause for breath reading any of the clues!
I hadn’t noticed that, but now you mention it, you’re quite right about 18d; odd
11d should be the singular, the blog has the plural, which is one letter too many.