Toughie No 2714 by Logman
Hints and tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
Although it took a moment or two to get on Logman’s wavelength,I finished this Toughie in a start-of-the-week time. Gazza and I have been discussing for some time whether Logman could be Jay’s alter ego as his Toughies only appear on Wednesdays when Jay doesn’t and today he’s actually admitted that this is the case.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
1a Distinctive badge seen on outside of Danube carriage (8)
DELIVERY A distinctive badge seen on or after the outside letters of DanubE
5a Puts on parties for men full of energy (6)
STAGES The abbreviation for Energy inserted into (full of) parties for men
9a Type of service that’s subject to writing? (9)
UNDERHAND A way of saying subject to and another word for writing
11a Be way out keeping score, losing heart (5)
EXIST A way out ‘keeping’ Score without (losing) the synonym for heart
12a Criminal ring riots intermittently (6)
BANDIT A ring and the intermittent letters of rIoTs
13a Strain, and own New Jersey, for example (3,5)
TAX HAVEN A verb meaning to strain, part of a verb meaning to own and the abbreviation for New
15a Length of focus given by new patent is not a name (9,4)
ATTENTION SPAN An anagram (new) of PATENT IS NOT A N (name)
18a Short estimate written in log rarely reformed disreputable bunch (6,7)
ROGUES GALLERY A truncated (short) estimate inserted into an anagram (reformed) of LOG RARELY
22a Makes joints, keeping one for military types (8)
SOLDIERS The letter representing one inserted into a way of saying makes joints
23a Pitch from politician on spots rejected (6)
ENCAMP An abbreviated politician goes on or after a reversal (rejected) of some spots
26a Silk knickers with the rear cut out? (5)
BRIEF An informal term for a lawyer, as is silk, obtained from cutting out the rearmost letter from some knickers
27a Steady head of industry lies about following attempt (9)
STABILISE The ‘head’ of Industry and an anagram (about) of LIES follow an informal attempt
28a Violent kid drinking spirit (6)
RAGING Kid in the sense of banter or horseplay ‘drinking’ an alcoholic spirit
29a Awkward situation of paper covering yearly meeting (8)
QUAGMIRE A quantity of paper ‘covering’ an abbreviated yearly meeting
Down
1d A debt rescheduled to cover curious tattoo (8)
DRUMBEAT An anagram (rescheduled) of A DEBT to cover a slang word meaning curious
2d Idea essentially seen in computer network carrying a heavy burden (5)
LADEN The ‘essential’ letters of iDEa inserted into a computer network
3d Reading of exchange with no deception (7)
VERSION Remove the deception from an exchange
4d Charge to import last of grape harvest (4)
REAP A slang term for a charge to ‘import’ the last letter of grapE
6d Article on church work results in dismissal (3,4)
THE CHOP Put a definite article on top of (in a Down solution) the abbreviation for church and some work
7d Beef stew given care (9)
GRIEVANCE An anagram (stew) of GIVEN CARE
8d Establishing a position, confess about sex appeal (6)
SITING A verb meaning to confess goes ‘about’ a two-letter word for sex appeal
10d Doctor again designed procedure ultimately finding means of discharging liquid waste (8)
DRAINAGE An abbreviated doctor, an anagram (designed) of AGAIN and the ultimate letter of procedurE
14d Suits worn by local for such a degree (4,4)
FINE ARTS An adjective meaning local inserted into (worn by) part of a verb meaning suits
16d Exciting object found across stream (9)
THRILLING An object goes across a very small stream
17d Ecstasy used by the old man, bit of a looker? (8)
EYEPIECE The abbreviation for the drug Ecstasy, an archaic (old) way of saying the and a chess man
19d Newcomer in India may be improvising, with tail all the way up (7)
GRIFFIN An Anglo-Indian term for a newcomer (thanks BRB) is obtained by moving the final letter (tail) of some musical improvising to the front of the word
20d Desire left, over booze and golf (7)
LONGING The abbreviation for Left, a preposition meaning over, the second appearance of a particular alcoholic spirit (booze) and the letter represented by Golf in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet
21d One shows atmosphere exists over the legal profession (6)
ISOBAR A simple way of saying exists, the abbreviation for over and a term for the legal profession
24d Excuse from party installed in first-class (5)
ALIBI An abbreviated political party ‘installed’ in the abbreviated way of saying first-class
25d Blackout sees regulars leaving for capital (4)
BAKU The capital of Azerbaijan is obtained by removing the even (regulars leaving) letters from BlAcKoUt
I had this completed in *** time, but did get a little help for a couple of the anagrams. The parsing of 3d and 19d were beyond me, but I did like 29a, my COTD.
Thanks to Logman and CS.
Snap, still can’t see 3d, had to look up 19d
but very well clued puzzle
conversion without the con (no deception)
I got hooked up on conversation for exchange, so was totally baffled even after I’d bunged in the answer, thanks 😊
By the way 9a answer is not obscured
I found this quite gentle but enjoyed it whilst it lasted. 13a and 14d were my favourites.
Thanks to CS and Logman aka Jay.
An enjoyable puzzle with nothing to scare the equine creatures – thanks to Logman and CS.
My podium consists of 5a, 22a and 29a.
Took me longer than expected. Some very good misdirection as in 13a.
Despite getting the correct answer courtesy of the BRB, I did need CS to point out the wordplay of 19d – tea tray moment!
Would have been a lot of contenders for the top spot had several of them not suffered in the surface read department eg 13&15a – as it is I awarded the prize to 5a.
Thanks to Logman Jay and to CS for the review.
26a and 7d were my two favourites from this very pleasant and accessible puzzle. 19d was what it was and was a bung-in, so thanks to our blogger for the correct interpretation. I am so pleased that Jay may be appearing on Wednesday’s in an alternate guise, as I really like his humour and style.
My thanks to Logman/Jay and to CS for her review.
Solved one corner at a time, NE, SE, SW then NW. All parsed, at least to my own satisfaction, which is not always the case. Never heard of 19d so Googled it, but fairly clued. Favourite was 18a. Thanks to Logman and CS.
Not so tough after a slow start, but surely more than 1-*??
I thought the service in 9a was called “underarm”…..
I got 19d from “riffing” but have never heard that term for a newcomer. I wonder from where it originated?
Thanks to Logman and CS for the blog.
DNF sadly. Only the first word of 13a to get but just couldn’t think of it despite having the second. Anyway thanks to the setter and CS.
19d delayed us as it was something we did not know but we had worked it out from the wordplay and then checked in BRB.
Of course we loved it all. especially when we found out the setter’s identity.
Thanks Logman and CS.
My second straight unaided Toughie finish, which I thoroughly enjoyed. 19d was a new term for me, although I parsed it correctly, then I googled to confirm. 29a was my LOI, at which point I let out a shout of joy. I do become quite melodramatic when I complete a Toughie without needing the hints. Really enjoyed this Logman delight, so thanks to him (on JayDay) and to CS, whose review I’ll read now.
Excellent puzzle and review. Thanks to all.
Good to complete the whole puzzle without using the hints, though needed 19d explaining. I liked 13a as a relation of mine had money invested in Jersey!