Sunday Toughie No 70 by Robyn
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 28th of May 2023
Across
1a What’s in odd places in rarer school subjects (3,5,2)
THE THREE R’S: The odd letters of RaReR in the clue define the essential school subjects, Reading, Riting and Rithmetic
6a Filling vessel with tea, we’re told, is a bit of a fag (4)
STUB: The sea-going vessel is an abbreviated SUBmarine around the letter that is a homophone (we’re told)of Tea T
9a Sound of wild cat in forest (5)
TAIGA: This marshy pine forest with tundra to the north and steppe to the south is a homophone (sound of) a wild cat or TIGER
10a Baggy garment’s advantage over wearing animal hides (4,5)T
PLUS FOURS: An advantage PLUS, a cricketty over O, in the hide of hairy animals FURS. These baggy trousers so named from the additional four inches of cloth required to create the overhang at the knee
12a Lasted longer than wino, not in eccentric clothes (7)
OUTWORE: A synonym of eccentric OUTRE, clothes WinO without in
13a Try entertaining compilers? Time for enjoyment! (5)
GUSTO: A try or GO entertains how our setter refers to fellow compilers collectively US and T for time
15a Something written in stone in English mansion (7)
EPISTLE: Abbreviations for English E, and a STONE in weight ST, in an informal term for a large mansion PILE
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
1st Epistle to the Corinthians 13:11
16a Encourage to follow initially smooth operator (7)
SURGEON: To encourage or URGE ON follows the initial S of smooth
18a Everything I put in glue number 31 in the lab? (7)
GALLIUM: Synonyms of everything ALL, and glue GUM, around I from the clue GALLIUM being the 31st element on the Periodic Table in laboratories
20a Units of Roman soldiers in hotel, with soldiers in beds (7)
COHORTS: Beds or COTS contain H for hotel and soldiers of Other Ranks, COHORT A tenth part of a Roman legion
21a Part of record in athlete’s domain (5)
TRACK: A double-definition, one of the pieces of music on a long playing record, or the domain where TRACK athletes perform
23a Acceptable way to leave Galway or area north of it (7)
DONEGAL: Something accepted or DONE and what remains of GALway define an area to the north of Galway DONEGAL the northernmost county of The Republic of Ireland
25a Criminal, sixteen, on getting a stretch? (9)
EXTENSION: An anagram (criminal) of SIXTEEN ON
26a Pacific deity Frenchman found on island (5)
IRENE: A peaceful Greek goddess, from a typically French male name RENE, after the abbreviation for island I
27a Regular helpings of sour cake are bad for American (4)
SUCK: Regular letters of SoUr CaKe, SUCK To be bad, repellent or contemptible (slang, orig US)
28a Note right reporter’s quoted, taking the long view (3-7)
FAR-SIGHTED: A note on the tonic scale FA, R for right and a homophone (reporter’s) of quoted or CITED
Down
1d Rubbish answer, which may be my final word (2-2)
TATA: A synonym of rubbish TAT, and an abbreviation for answer A – combine to be an informal goodbye ta-ta
2d Bit of paper? Shred it, or I also will display it (9)
EDITORIAL: Part of a newspaper, is a lurker (will display it)
3d Cheer up around Saint Richard, formerly dismayed (5-8)
HEART-STRICKEN: A synonym of cheer up HEARTEN, around an informal name for Saint Richard St. RICK gives us HEART-STRICKEN an archaic (formerly) synonym of dismayed. Thanks SL
4d See red, retired policeman given stimulant (7)
EXPLODE: A retired or former EX, a slang name for a policeman PLOD and the illegal stimulant E for ecstasy. To see red and be so angry that you are about to EXPLODE
5d Without hesitation, crushes IT devices (7)
ROUTERS: Crushes or ROUTS, around the hesitant ER , ROUTERS the IT devices that keep us connected to networks
7d Leader no longer getting support (5)
TRUSS: How soon we forget… jockstraps have stayed in place longer than this PM. A medical support is also the surname of a former Prime Minister
8d String player receiving nothing, working musician (10)
BASSOONISTS: A string player or BASSIST, contains the letter that looks like nothing O, and a synonym of working ON, to become a musician in a different section of the orchestra
11d Clingy like 1, 10, 12, 23, 25 Across and 14, 20 Down? (6-7)
FIGURE-HUGGING: Come back to this one when you have solutions to the list of clues given, you may notice they “contain” something in common. They all contain numbers or figures within the solutions
14d By the sound of it, hang on bar that’s very light (10)
WEIGHTLESS: Synonyms of “hang on” WAIT, and “bar that” LESS, are extremely light or WEIGHTLESS
17d Nero ordered officer to corral soldiers for signing up (9)
ENROLMENT: An anagram (ordered) of NERO, an abbreviated lieutenant LT, around (corrals) some soldiers or MEN
19d Strong white cheese turned up by composer George’s brother (7)
MADEIRA: A Dutch cheese EDAM is reversed (turned up) MADE followed by George Gershwin’s brother IRA. Madeira a fortified (and therefore strong) white wine
20d Is Spanish girl given permission for ivories? (7)
CANINES: At the time of solving this I had the Spanish is CES around the Spanish little girl NINA but no reversal indicator, Gazza pointed out that given permission gives us CAN and INES is also a mainly Spanish girls name, thanks Gazza
22d This person races around in possibly cooler room (5)
ATTIC: An abbreviated cooler or air-conditioner AC around the motorcycle races on the Isle of Man TT and the first person I gives the ATTIC room
24d Feeble character in Little Dorrit’s opening
WEED: A synonym for little WEE, and an opening letter of Dorrit