Sunday Toughie No 94 by Zandio
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 12th of November 2023
Across
1a Walked, maybe took bus 13 first (6)
STRODE; An abbreviation for 13a goes first STREET become ST, and the past tense of a verb to travel (on a bus, horse bicycle or others) RODE
4a Golfer excited about a soft jumper will like this (8)
LEAPFROG; An anagram (excited) of GOLFER about A from the clue and softly P for Piano
9a Holds group studying drawing in Portugal (6)
CLASPS; A group or CLASS draws in a P for Portugal
10a Design it? I only should cover lighting (8)
IGNITION; A lurker (should cover) hidden in the first 4 words
12a Report dividing partners — we rejected spin (8)
NEWSREEL; Partners in a game of Bridge N and S, divided by a rejected word from the clue WE becomes EW and a synonym of spin REEL, A NEWSREEL being a short (1 reel of film long) report of the news shown before a feature film at the cinema
13a Way south lies beside bay, perhaps, west of Teignmouth (6)
STREET; A southerly abbreviation S, and the arboreal plant that bay is an example of TREE, followed by the westernmost letter of Teignmouth T
15a One offers prayers to monarchical bust (5,8)
ROMAN CATHOLIC; An anagram (bust) of TO MONARCHICAL
18a Just find underground in Paris is speedier at heart (13)
DISINTERESTED; Just as in fair or impartial, from to find and remove from an underground grave DISINTER, how a Parisian would say is EST, and the central letters (at heart) of speEDier
20a What’s cooking? It’s about done (6)
REPAST; One of the usual it’s RE, plus something that is history or done PAST A meal or REPAST
22a Under the softest cover, short nap must be disturbed by now (8)
SNOWIEST; (From the Latin for at the sixth hour), a midday or afternoon nap is shortened by one letter SIESTA and goes around NOW in the clue
24a Revolutionary space scientists work in right place in Scotland (8)
BALMORAL; The space where scientists work is reversed (revolutionary) LAB become BAL. followed by a virtuous right or MORAL
25a Diverted metro runs in quake … (6)
TREMOR; An anagram (diverted) of METRO and R for runs
26a … epicentre at Yerevan — location for appeal? (8)
ENTREATY; Another lurker (location for)
27a A teacher is strung along in ‘Dandy‘ (6)
ADONIS; A from the clue and a teacher at a college or university DON, and IS is strung along
Down
1d Extra flash (6)
SECOND; A straightforward double definition to start the downs
2d Warning sign that’s self-evidently untrue? (9)
ROADWORKS; A lovely &lit A sign that the road ahead is self evidently not working
3d Go north, entering remotest tangled place you might find anything? (10,5)
DEPARTMENT STORE; An anagram (tangled) of REMOTEST around N for north follows a synonym of go DEPART, to be the emporia where you might find most things
5d Dead ugly, oddly avoided getting uptight (4)
EDGY; Remove the odd letters (oddly avoided) from the first two words to leave uptight or EDGY
6d Party make Lancaster cardinal? (5,3,4,3)
PAINT THE TOWN RED; Lancaster is an example of a medium-sized urban place or TOWN, that may be this cardinal colour RED, when you have a great party
7d Haul up wreck in sound (5)
RAISE; A homophone (in sound) of to wreck or RAZE becomes RAISE or Haul up
8d What gives info on psyche, ultimately, and personal quirks (8)
GENETICS; Informal info GEN, and the ultimate letter of psyche E, followed by some spasmodic quirks TICS, GENETICS is what gives us information as to our “make up”
11d Change pounds, holding German one over (7)
PENNIES; The pounds you may keep livestock in PENS, around a reversal of a German one EIN become NIE, give us the smallest piece of change in our pockets
14d Something written on little being seen in show (7)
PAGEANT; A PAGE of writing paperand a little being or insect ANT, A pageant or show
16d Lover dressed up in denim, alas (6,3)
LADIES MAN; An anagram (dressed up in) of DENIM, ALAS
17d Winning upset half-hearted crowd (8)
ADORABLE; A Shakespearean upset (much ADO about nothing), and a crowd or RABBLE without one of the B’s at its heart, Winning or ADORABLE
19d Skills overseen by 13 institutes (6)
STARTS; Skills or abilities ARTS, are overseen by the abbreviation of 13a again ST STARTS or Institutes
21d Scheme one’s involved in leads to trial (5)
PILOT; To scheme or PLOT with the letter that looks like 1 a PILOT or trial
23d Short measure’s imbibed when tight (4)
FAST; An abbreviation for a measure of 304.8mm Foot becomes FT, around a synonym of when AS FAST or tight
That’s All Folks!