Sunday Toughie No 101
by Zandio
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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I hope this isn’t as hard as Zandio’s Friday backpager but I didn’t have time on Friday, this is definitely a toughie with some tricky parsings that needed a lot of thinking about. I went to sleep on a couple and hopefully, they resolved themselves in my dreams. We have Lego™ and lurkers both forwards and backwards and what appears to be a reverse homophone and a reverse anagram, if you have any queries just ask and I will try to help with the hints that hit the cutting room floor.
We have 14a and 14d clues today and I will hint half
I was refreshed by a high phenol Speyside Benromach and a morsel (massive slab) of Cheese with my Christmas Cake so my dreams were intense
Here we go…
As it is a Prize puzzle I can only hint at a few and hope that will give you the checkers and inspiration to go further. I’ll be back just after the closing date with the full blog. Don’t forget to follow BD’s instructions in RED at the bottom of the hints!
I hope I don’t have to redact any comments but I am new at this and don’t want to rock the boat. If in doubt, I’ll rub it out! – I think that sentence is a bit redundant. You have all been so helpful in sorting out prior parsing failures, and I am sure I will need similar help again.
Most of the terms used in these hints are explained in the Glossary and examples are available by clicking on the entry under “See also” Where the hint describes a construct as “usual” this means that more help can be found in The Usual Suspects, which gives a number of the elements commonly used in the wordplay. Another useful page is Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, which features words with meanings that are not always immediately obvious. Dont forget the Mine of useful information that Big Dave and his son Richard so meticulously prepared for us.
A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions. Some hints follow: Remember the site rules and play nicely.
Across
1a Believe rage will lead to fine (3,3,5)
To rage or boil followed by a synonym of fine as a fabric perhaps, then split according to the enumeration
The “overhead heater” for 23d
7a Navy’s welcomed in company with a double brandy to start — bit of food’s inside (7)
The abbreviation of a company is doubled, The Fleet goes in and the start of Brandy follows
10a Viewer confronted by guards in imagination (5,3)
A synonym of guards or cares for fronts the organ that makes us a viewer
14a What every singer needs — a clue to what the guitarist may be playing! (5,5)
A clever clue here, perhaps a reverse homophone indicator, A homophone of the groups of notes that “Guitar George” from the “Sultans of Swing” knows all of, the homophone indicator becomes the first word of our answer
16a Source of tough demand with staff cowering at heart? (10)
I can’t separate a part for the definition so I guess it is an all-in-one bit of Lego™, The source of tough, to demand or enquire, the staff that holds sails or aerials up and the at-heart letters of cowering
24a Above pit, a phrase to encapsulate this? (7)
Pit is a rather informal term for the place of eternal rest where this phrase to encapsulate one’s life may be. It is a lurker (to encapsulate this) hidden in the first four words
26a Fast beginning with tarts, possibly (6,5)
A reverse anagram of tarts, where the anagram indicator becomes the first word of our answer
Down
1d Queer Street — charged, maybe getting comeuppance (7)
The definition and the first two letters were clear but I went to sleep last night with this unparsed, thinking along the lines of the anxiety of how far a fully charged battery may allow you to go, I awoke with a start after a dream of a Bull charging across a field with maybe (as an example of) reversed (getting comeuppance) chasing after me (note to self – Cheese and Whisky at bedtime lead to dreams that may help parsing)
3d Thing in cooker, topping with grating, we’re told (5-5)
A “thing” you may become obsessed with. A flat surface for heating on a cooker, a preposition of with and a homophone (we’re told) of a grating voice
5d One’s booted out by No.1 hippie destination with 1,000 gatecrashing thrash (4,4)
A hippie destination in Western India, one of the several abbreviations of 1,000 inside (gatecrashing) a synonym of thrash. No.1 is usually the shirt-number of the player who restarts a game of football in this manner
9d Our father will start this petition on Sunday (5,6)
Our Father… starts this petition you may say on Sunday
12d Pay for model daughter and son, eating close to 9 (4,6)
The closing word of 9d goes between a synonym of model and abbreviations of daughter and son
15d Perhaps Syria’s represented with me heading up? (8)
We start with (heading) a reversal (up) of me and an anagram (represented) of Syria’s, the solution would be someone sent out on behalf of a government or state that Syria (perhaps) is an example of
17d Female guitarist’s figure — man, that’s arresting! (7)
A 3rd person female pronoun and the guitarist’s improvisation on a theme become a man who may arrest you, A little bit of gender stereotyping from Zandio, I am sure there are females in this role
Not the obvious Clapton song for this clue it was too obvious
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A fine crossword to see out 2023 I will see out this blog with a parting glass of whisky from Alexander Armstrong…
That’s All Folks…
Another completion before the hints were available but several parsing clarifications were appreciated.
No real favourites – just pleased to complete and able to enjoy the rest of The Heroes of Telemark on TV. Exercised with the Norwegian Army on the vidda above the heavy water plant several times.
Thanks to Zandio and SJB.
Happy New Year
I’m watching it too – is it just me or is Kirk’s dimple even more pronounced than normal
I always enjoy this setter’s puzzles but I thought this was especially good with clever and nuanced wordplay throughout.
Having looked at it again since solving my (extended) podium is 8&22a plus the linked 18a/20d along with 9&17d.
Top-notch.
Many thanks and HNY to Zandio and to John for all his hard work even when asleep!
Am out doing some much needed food shopping. Just opened the review & note our reviewer’s comment re his music choice at 17d (Bob’s version much better anyway) but had hoped we might get Joe Bonamassa’s wonderful 10a, the standout track off Time Clocks. Reckon it was easier than Friday but still a few whys to get sorted so will comment later
There you go…
You will have to scroll to 10a as it is as obvious as Eric’s would have been
Just had a good read through & reckon I’ve got ‘em sorted – well I agree with the ones you’ve hinted though wouldn’t have explained 14a as well as you have (great spot with Guitar George).
5d my clear fav.
Many thanks to Zandio & to John – enjoy your dram 🥃 or two or three.
Hello, compiler here. Thanks very much for taking the time to solve, analyse and discuss.
Thank you for the comments, SJB. In 15d, ‘heading’ indicates the position (while ‘up’ is the reversal).
Thanks also to Chris Lancaster, the Telegraph Puzzles Editor, who does a very demanding job incredibly well while remaining one of the nicest people in the world.
Happy New Year to all, and hope you find lots to enjoy in 2024.
Thanks for a fine puzzle, I echo your thanks for a year of sterling work by Chris, all setters and yourself – keep up the good work
An enjoyable puzzle – thanks to Zandio and SJB.
For my podium I’ll select 5d, 17d and 23d.
I was curious to discover whether Friday’s puzzle was an aberration or a shade of things to come – my vote goes to the latter! I did manage to find enough vote winners to award the rosettes – 8,11&26a saved the day.
Thanks (I think) to Zandio and a well done to SJB for the hints – a very peaceful New Year to you both.
Pleased to read your comment Jane – I had begun to think the SPP was a male preserve!
Yesterday’s NTSPP and this Sunday Toughie have provided a fine concluding weekend to 2023. I am looking forward to many more such ‘puzzling’ weekends in 2024. My favourite clues today were mostly across: 1, 14, 16, 22 & 26, with a single down clue making the cut for my A-list: 2d. 23d almost made it just for the ‘overhead heater’!
Thanks, Zandio, and also to SJB. Happy New Year to you both and to all on the blog. Nice illustration for 1a, SJB, with the associated nod to 23d.
P.S. Enigmatic dreams inevitably arise from finishing cheese or cake amidst shots of whisky…
A cracking P.S. there, I expect to see it in an NTSPP or Rookie Corner soon 😉
I found this a tad more accessible than Zandio’s Friday offering. Though I did need John’s ‘whisky and cheese’ inspired epiphany to parse 1d.
I am currently in Leukerbad in the Swiss Alps, also having whisky and eating cheese, watching the snow falling ready for some more skiing tomorrow.
Thank you SJB and Zandio and Happy New Year to all.
Raclette, Tartiflette or Tomme ? probably Gruyère in Switzerland
https://maps.app.goo.gl/uo5XjgU3aEJtKRDk7
Raclette is the dish of choice for New Year in Valais, served with sauerkraut and potatoes.
The thermal spas are a lovely way to unwind apres-ski., though very busy today, so we are staying put in the apartment.
View from our window…
I am envious it has been too long since I went skiing ⛷️
Good afternoon
First Sunday Toughie I’ve attempted in a while; I’m pleased to report that I got ’em all; however, the intricate workings of the Mind Of Zandio have me stumped when it comes to parsing fully 18a and 25a.
Thank you Zandio and SJB; and may I wish all our compilers, bloggers, and contributors a very Happy New Year
If you have 20d you have its leading letter, then add alternate letters of assets (regularly wasted) and overthrow the lot for a leader of 20d before they were overthrown by the communists,
25a the Chess notation for the “man” goes to the west, then two letters for seeing that and four for a stage or level – the Stage Knight of the West End was a clever bit of deception to make you think of Sir Laurence, Kenneth or Ian
I didn’t see this as any tougher than Friday’s backpager (thankfully!). I had trouble parsing what follows the first two letters of 1d. At first I wondered if it was a word that could remotely be seen as ‘charge’ cycling, but then I recalled Chris Lancaster saying that only the word cycling is ever used for that type of wordplay. Eventually I read the hint and realised that ‘maybe’ is being used in a sense not attributed to it by my BRB or ODE (thanks to SLB for entering an ethereal realm to parse it). LOI in was 14a as I can’t spell. I still want to put an H in it even after reading the hint! Thanks to all the hinters, administrators, and IT sorters on this blog and to the setters and Chris Lancaster for all their work in 2023.
Yesterday was a bit of a write off with George’s surgery but I got about halfway through and have just finished it this morning. A great guzzle – 22was my favourite. Many thanks to Zandio and SJB and of course to all who toil throughout the year to keep us amused despite the picky comments which are often made. Soldier on. I now have to decide whether the blood on the pillow warrants dragging him back to Addenbrookes or whether it is ‘normal’ ? Happy & Healthy New Year to all.
I will recite the 9d for you and George and hope you find the 7d soon
A happy and healthy new year to you both
Year end diversions delayed my attention to this little gem. I do agree with Philbert that this was a tad more accessible than Zandio’s Friday offering.Thanks Zandio for the entertainment and SJB for helping me parse 25a my last one in. Happy New Year one and all.
A most belated ‘Happy New Year’ to you all.
I agree with Jeemz that this is a ‘little gem’ and definitely somewhat less difficult than his (Zandio’s) Friday’s Cryptic. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Clues I particularly liked were 1a, 3a, 14a, 3d and 23d (loved the ‘overhead heater’!).
Much appreciation to Zandio for the entertainment and mental gymnastics. Much appreciation too to Sloop John Bee.