Toughie No 2730 by Logman
Hints and tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ***
Today’s Logman Toughie is only really a toughie by virtue of the inclusion of several words that many people wouldn’t have heard of – I did know all of them but one and that earned an extra half a difficulty star all on its own
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought
Across
1a Key issue of doctor visiting family at home (7)
KINGPIN An abbreviated doctor ‘visiting’ family and then followed by the usual ‘at home’
9a Interpret without regret and worker will be loyal (8)
CONSTANT Take a synonym for interpret, remove (without) the letters that make a synonym for regret and replace with one of Crosswordland’s workers
10a Packs case of particularly strong drink (7)
SCRUMPY The forwards in a rugby match (packs) and the ‘case’ of ParticularlY
11a Argument coming from retired coppers, perhaps (8)
EXCHANGE These coppers aren’t policemen but coins and if they were retired, they could be described as xx xxxxxx
12a A viewer’s problem crossing road block (6)
STYMIE A nasty eye (viewer’s) problem ‘crossing’ a particular trunk road
13a Fish and chips at last with beer? Nonsense (10)
CODSWALLOP Some fish, the last letter of chipS and a slang term for beer
15a Soon to become first to leave list of saints (4)
ANON Remove the first letter from a list of saints
16a Greet criminal during depression as laundering agent (9)
DETERGENT An anagram (criminal) of GREET inserted into (during) a depression
21a These may cut lines on graph (4)
AXES Double definition
22a Formal character used in mail for dispatch (10)
IMPERSONAL A character inserted (used in) into an anagram (for dispatch) of MAIL
24a Left student absorbed by reason mainly for a thickening of tissue (6)
CALLUS The abbreviation for Left and the usual ‘learner’ (student) inserted into (absorbed by) almost all (mainly) of a synonym for reason
25a Treatment found as others smoke (4,4)
REST CURE A synonym for others and a verb meaning to smoke to preserve
27a Bloodsucker seeing quarry on strike (7)
LAMPREY Something hunted (quarry) goes on or after a verb meaning to strike or beat
28a Banks taking possession of five old artistic works (8)
RELIEVOS Part of a verb meaning banks or counts on ‘taking possession’ of the Roman numeral for five and the abbreviation for Old
29a Stone cottage in Brittany occupied by artist (northern) (7)
GRANITE A French cottage ‘occupied’ by the usual abbreviated artist and the abbreviation for Northern
Down
2d Attractive? Not very, but cold and provoking (8)
INCITING Take a synonym for attractive, remove the abbreviation for Very and replace with one for Cold
3d Pig or bloke drinking squash? Quite the other way round (8)
GOURMAND Not a bloke drinking squash but a squash ‘drinking’ a bloke to get someone who eats greedily (pig)
4d Swears spare time arranged must be occupied by Conservative (10)
IMPRECATES An anagram (arranged) of SPARE TIME must be ‘occupied’ by the abbreviation for Conservative
5d Cable company needing a vote in support (4)
COAX An abbreviation for a type of cable obtained from the abbreviation for Company, A (from the clue) and the letter representing a vote
6d Problem inspiring answer with new maths (6)
ASTHMA The abbreviation for Answer and an anagram (new) of MATHS
7d Blessed cooking salt in supply, finally (7)
SAINTLY An anagram (cooking) of SALT IN followed by the final letter of supplY
8d After a time, 5 make an effort (7)
ATTEMPT A synonym for the solution of 5d goes after A (from the clue) and the abbreviation for Time,
11d Under new African organisation Spain gets resolution (9)
ENDURANCE An anagram (new) of UNDER, an African political party (organisation) and the IVR Code for Spain
14d Part of foot trapped in toilet locks mobility aid (10)
WHEELCHAIR Part of the foot ‘trapped’ in an abbreviated toilet and followed by some locks
17d Follows fix for flier’s spiral descent (8)
TAILSPIN A way of saying follows and a verb meaning to fix
18d Natural covering of wild nutmeg under tree, oddly (8)
TEGUMENT The skin or other natural covering of an animal or plant body – an anagram (wild) of NUTMEG under the odd letters of TrEe – one of those clues where you ‘take the odd letters of tree’ and then guess where the G M and N might fit between the checking letters and then look up the result to see if the word actually exists
19d Sign jacket of racy books here? (7)
LIBRARY A sign of the Zodiac and the ‘jacket’ of RacY
20d Early Christian vacancy in Wales discovered (7)
APOSTLE A job vacancy inserted into the inside (discovered) letters of wALEs
23d Chair seen in part of garden, mostly (6)
ROCKER Most of a garden feature
26d Cross and vulgar in audition (4)
ROOD A homophone (in audition) of another word for vulgar
1a and 14d were my favourites from this fun and accessible Toughie. Even the odd obscurity was well clued and I had no problem with them thanks to the wordplay.
My thanks to Logman and CS.
I didn’t find this remotely tough, but it was a lot of fun. CS perfectly describes the process I used to solve 18d, which was a new word for me, as was 28a.
With many excellent clues to choose from, 13a gets my vote as favourite – lovely word!
Many thanks to Logman and to CS.
An enjoyable romp. Very slightly up the toughie ladder from yesterday ( but notalot).
28ac was new to me but otherwise all fairly clued and some amusing surface readings.
No star rating today from me…happy to accept CS’s.
Thanks to Logman.
I thought this an absolute belter of a puzzle & enjoyed every minute of it. Not overly tough (though trickier than his back pagers in my view) but beautifully clued throughout & with some cunning misdirection & smooth surfaces. Like others I’m guessing 18d & 28a needed confirmation as both new to me. COTD was 14d and big ticks from me for 1,11&29a plus 3,5,19&20d.
Along with Donny’s back pager & a super Eccles puzzle in the Indy today has been a real treat on the crossword front which has more than helped pass the time at the Royal Free Hospital.
Thanks Logman & CS
A pretty straightforward midweek Toughie – thanks to Logman and CS.
My favourite clue was 19d.
No problems here either. Solved 18d exactly as CS described. I managed to parse all clues which always ups the enjoyment. Favourite was 13a, what a splendid word. Thanks to Logman and CS.
This had all the hallmarks of a Jay puzzle which was a definite bonus – just that pesky 18d which must have been added by the lumberjack!
As usual, I’ll forsake the ‘clever’ clues and award the prizes to 13a and 23d.
Thanks to Logman/Jay and to CS for the review.
Well, I knew them all, even 18d and 28a, for a change and just soared through this brilliant Jay / Logman work of art. I rather glided from top to bottom, relishing each morsel as I went. I particularly enjoyed 10 and 13a. My favourite Toughie for a long while, with smooth surfaces, clever misdirection, and a masterful control of the mysteries of language. What a sense of satisfaction this one gives an old, doddering chap like me! Thanks to CS and Logman.
Very gentle from Logman, I thought, and I just clicked into the right wavelength from the off – an absolute pleasure of a crossword even if it was more a backpager than a Toughie. 18d and 28a were new to me but “could only be”, as it was reassuring to confirm afterwards from the BRB.
Lots of clues ticked, and my COTD must be shared – CsOTD – between 10a and 13a.
1* / 3.5*
Many thanks to Logman and to CS for the review.
Excellent from first to last. A few new words but all gettable from the wordplay and checkers.
My ticks go to 10&13a (what a great word) plus 2&2d.
Many thanks to Jay/Logman for a great puzzle and CS for the review.
Good fun to solve and it all went together smoothly for us.
Thanks Logman and CS.
It has to be Wednesday because, as usual, I found this easier than the back page. 28a and 18d were new to me.
I thought 5d should be hyphenated but my engineering son says not in this short version.
Isn’t 27a revolting….to think it used to be a delicacy.
My COTD is 10a because I have fond memories of my cousin, who was a civil engineer, relating how he and his mates sat beside a railway imbibing it and were unable to use their legs for some while afterwards. It was a very long lunch break!
Well finally finished unaided but took me a long time. Please stop the easy peasy comments. I think I will give up doing the Toughie as I’m obviously not really up to it and it takes me ages. Thanks to the setter and CS. I will read the hints now.
Nice puzzle to do, no particular favourites.
Thanks to CS for the blog and to Logman.
Thanks to Logman and to Crypticsue for the review and hints. A very enjoyable puzzle, not too tricky. LOI was 28a, which I’d never heard of, but the wordplay was clear. 13a made me laugh. Favourite was 14d.