Sunday Toughie No 83 by Zandio
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 27th of August 2023
Across
1a Bear on show gobbling very loudly with energy (6)
AFFECT; The musical notation for very loudly FF, and an abbreviation for energy E, go in a show or performance ACT. A(FFE)CT to bear on something to AFFECT change
4a Bishop and attendants sitting after we published documents online (3,5)
WEB PAGES; The first two letters are given in the clue WE, the Bishop B, and attendants PAGES are sitting after, you’re reading WEB PAGES now
9a Companion with city plate for a Cadillac? (6)
CHROME; An abbreviated Companion of Honour CH, and the Eternal City ROME, give us the shiny bits of a Cadillac or other vehicle CHROME
10a Where we may see spinning globe — space (8)
BALLROOM; A place for spinning or similar entertaining gyrations from the shape of a globe BALL, and a space for living in ROOM
12a Cook pauses to wrap duck left in promotion (8)
ESPOUSAL; An anagram (cook) of PAUSES, the letter that duck represents O,and L for left. The taking on or promotion of e.g. a cause
13a Such ugly pots, oddly in fashion (6)
SCULPT; To fashion from clay or other media, oddly in the first three words
15a Way to get a Merc? It’s naughty but nice (8,5)
WHIPPING CREAM; A reverse anagram, therefore the anagram indicator WHIPPING, becomes the first part of your answer. What you have to do to A MERC to make it the subject of a very old advertising campaign Naughty but Nice WHIPPING CREAM
18a Drunk fare rings and rides (5-2-6)
MERRY-GO-ROUNDS; These rides are in a fairground, from synonyms of drunk MERRY, fare GO, and rings ROUNDS
20a That guy gulped down head of draught bitter (6)
HEATED: A bitter argument from the pronoun for a guy HE, gulped down some food ATE, and the head letter of draught D
22a In turning over mussel, cat nets some octopus (8)
TENTACLE; In turning over is the indicator that you require. (in)for the lurker, (turning over) for the reversal, approximately 1/8th of an octopus revealed in red
24a Paper ‘at is required in Poplar? (8)
TREATISE; Poplar and the dropped aitch suggest the suburb of London but Poplar? is an example of of the large perennial woody plant we need TREE. ‘AT IS is inserted within for the written composition or TREATISE we require
25a Alight from a bus, with us needing departure lounge (6)
ABLAZE; Remove us from A Bus, (us needing departure) then lounge about in an idle way LAZE, ALIGHT or ABLAZE
26a They sit glued to the road — ignoring them could spell doom! … (4-4)
CATS-EYES; An all in one for the useful reflectors that help with lane control
27a … this makes drivers go and sulk over getting stuck in both directions (6)
PETROL; The sulks PET, and the letter that a cricket scorer uses for an over O, stuck between (in) both (R)ight and (L)eft directions
Down
1d Contestant taking a bow? (6)
ARCHER; A contestant in an Olympic sport that uses a bow
2d Nothing our people put in publicity supports light artillery (9)
FIREPOWER; The letter that looks like nothing O, and a collective noun for WE the people, goes in a press release or publicity PR, these letters P(O)(WE)R, go under (supports) to light or ignite FIRE
3d Where locals are invited in uniform? (9,6)
COMMUNITY CENTRE; A place where locals can meet, The people one may be local too are your COMMUNITY, the CENTRE letter of which is U for Uniform
5d Some questions mother brought up to undermine former spouse (4)
EXAM; An abbreviated mother MA, reversed (brought up) AM, after a former spouse or EX, The questions on an EXAM
6d This official’s brief usually just as politically correct (6,9)
POLICE CONSTABLE; This official when brief shares that abbreviation with politically correct. Both can be abbreviated to PC
7d What setter does fifty grand in turnover? Bank intervenes! (5)
GROWL; The noise that a setter or other canine makes, Abbreviations for fifty and grand are reversed G_L, with a bank or ROW intervened between
8d Little mite Moscow bound from the south any day (8)
SOMETIME; Another reverse hidden (bound from the south) any day SOMETIME
11d Marx, say, about to make lethal point (7)
HARPOON; Not Karl but one of the comedy Brothers that share the name HARPO, with a preposition for about ON
14d Sporting pursuit of kipper — hauling in kilo not unknown (7)
SNOOKER; Take someone having a short kip SNOOZER, remove the algebraic unknown Z, and replace it with the abbreviation for kilo K
16d Schmaltzy tune from Dr Spooner? This shouldn’t be hard (4,5)
EASY CHAIR; The schmaltzy tune you need to Spoonerise has an aroma of milk curds coagulated by rennet or CHEESY AIR, The result should be a soft place to sit
17d Mary Jane cycling with a jerk, being positive (8)
EMPHATIC; Mary Jane is a noun for Marijuana, the plant from which it is extracted HEMP, cycles one letter to be EMPH, followed by A from the clue and a convulsive muscle contraction or jerk, TIC. Being positive or EMPHATIC
19d Cancellation? Ring again! (6)
REPEAL; A double definition, to cancel an act or law or to ring the bells again RE-PEAL
21d Expert that could lead B Div? (5)
ADEPT; The letter that comes before or leads B, A and an abbreviation of a synonym of Div. DEPT. Someone expert or ADEPT
23d Bit of land one will’s delivered in hearing (4)
ISLE; A homophone (delivered in hearing) of how one would say their will I WILL elided to I’LL, is a bit of land surrounded by water ISLE
That’s All Folks!