Sunday Toughie No 29 by Zandio
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 14th of August 2022
Across
1a Total a couple of graduates retains is capital (5,5)
ADDIS ABABA: To total or ADD and A from the clue retain IS from the clue and finish with a couple of Bachelor of Arts degrees, to be the capital city of Ethiopia.
6a Where fortune’s shown growth in the tropics (4)
PALM: A type of tree that grows in the tropics is also the part of the body a fortune teller may read to tell your fortune.
9a Body in NY on life support, letting things go (10)
UNCRITICAL: The body in New York is the United Nations or UN, if you are on life support you are CRITICAL. UNCRITICAL – to let things go.
10a Disciple’s heartless gaze (4)
PEER: The disciple St Peter loses his central T. to PEER or gaze
12a Twisting in grip of crocodile, yelling ‘It’s snapped shut!’ (6)
EYELID: A reverse lurker (indicated by twisting in grip of) hidden in crocodile, yelling.
13a Miserably sparing about hotel passage’s construction (8)
PHRASING: An anagram (miserably) of SPARING and H for hotel, PHRASING how a literary or musical passage is constructed.
15a One that’s down now, with a high-flying future? (4,8)
UGLY DUCKLING: One of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales is of a dull brown downy bird rejected as ugly by the other fluffy yellow ducklings, grows up to be a Swan who can fly up to 8000ft high when migrating.
18a Surfer uses this gear seen in waves, worn by companion (6,6)
SEARCH ENGINE: A surfer on the internet uses this, it is an anagram of GEAR SEEN IN and CH being the letters that a Companion of Honour can have after their name.
21a Some American gel I candied for decoration (8)
ANGELICA: A lurker (some) that sneaks into the definition the leaf stalks and other parts of the Angelica plant that are candied for cake decoration.
22a Ancient kingdom of Italy — old king’s making comeback (6)
ISRAEL: A Shakespearean king who prepares for old age by dividing his power to his daughters is reversed and includes the plural ‘s gives us LEAR’S add I for Italy and reverse the lot ( making comeback) should get you to the Ancient Kingdom of Israel.
24a Unhappily having starter of spinach (4)
ALAS: A preposition for a cooking style served in the manner of A’LA, adds the starting letter of Spinach. ALAS an interjection expressing unhappiness.
25a Going over border, bad time to make journey (10)
PILGRIMAGE: A border or LIP is reversed (going over) and adds synonyms of bad GRIM and time AGE. PILGRIMAGE to make a religious journey.
26a Finishes relay on a cycle (4)
ENDS: To relay or SEND a message perhaps cycles the S to the other end to be ENDS a synonym of finishes.
27a Small meal, two kilos cooked, fine thing for a carnivore (5,5)
STEAK KNIFE: S for small, and an afternoon meal or TEA, two K’s for Kilos and an anagram (cooked) of fine. STEAK KNIFE something a carnivore may want to cut up his steak.
Down
1d Delighted to see PR about model (6)
AMUSED: An artist’s model or MUSE goes in some PR/press release/publicity or AD. I am amused and delighted.
2d Receipt from pendant initially ten times as valuable (6)
DOCKET: A pendant or LOCKET loses the Roman numeral for 50 L and swaps it for D being the Roman numeral (for ten times 50) 500.
DOCKET a bill or ticket affixed to anything to indicate its contents.
3d Variable amounts of trombone practice? (7,5)
SLIDING SCALE: A musician practices by playing a scale, a trombonist plays those scales by sliding in and out, A SLIDING SCALE is a variable amount.
4d Hiccup taking first taste of brown sauce (4)
BLIP: a saucy comment or LIP takes the first of Brown. BLIP an unforeseen irregularity or hiccup along the way.
5d Book every defective vehicle (5,5)
BEACH BUGGY: B for book, EACH for every and a defective piece of computer software perhaps would be BUGGY.
7d Pirate’s rum providing something to drink (8)
APERITIF: An anagram (rum) of PIRATE, followed by the conditional injunction that provided suggests IF. APERITIF a drink taken as an appetiser.
8d One gets taken out and put into a home (8)
MORTGAGE: A nice all-in-one or &lit. The loan you take out to invest in a home.
11d Travelling supporter that needs to be taken in hand (7-5)
WALKING STICK: Another &lit, The support that those walking may need is taken in hand.
14d Writing style roughly used in comic strip (10)
TYPESCRIPT: A style or TYPE and an anagram (comic) of strip with one of the usual rough estimates (C for Circa) inside. TYPESCRIPT typewritten matter or copy or type in imitation of handwriting or of typewriting.
16d Repacked case and so on to go up in rocket (8)
ESCALATE: An anagram (repacked) of CASE and a reversal (to go up in a down clue) of ET AL being the Latin phrase for and so on. ESCALATE for ever-increasing or rocketing prices.
17d Silence about north country criminal world (8)
GANGLAND: A call for silence GAG about N for north and LAND for country, gives us the criminal world or GANGLAND.
19d Trek one’s taken round service area to get lift (6)
SAFARI: The letter that looks like the number one(not forgetting the plural ‘s I’S, contains a military service that flies the RAF and A for area, all reversed ( taken round ) I RAF A ‘S becomes SAFARI a trek.
20d Claim member’s overcome by booze (6)
ALLEGE: A member or LEG goes in some booze or ALE. ALLEGE a claim.
23d Famous site of raga’s composition? (4)
AGRA: An anagram (composition) of RAGA is AGRA, the famous site of the Taj Mahal.