Toughie No 3224 by Elgar
Hints and tips by Dutch
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ***** – Enjoyment *****
Some interesting cluing going on
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought
Across
8 Behind blunder, stop working on trousers (8)
DERRIERE: Word meaning to blunder that a word meaning ‘stop working’ plus a short word meaning ‘on’ contains (trousers)
9 Doing frames I refuse in oil (6)
ANOINT: A preposition that can mean doing contains (frames) a word meaning ‘I refuse’ plus IN from the clue
10 Express just missing face (3)
AIR: A 4-letter word for just missing the first letter (face)
11 Singer, half-orphaned, put on a dash of rose oil (8)
MACASSAR: The first name of American singer/songwriter Davis, the first half (half-orphaned) of a 6-letter word meaning ‘put on’, A from the clue and the first letter (dash) of rose. The answer is also a reference to two singers (the second A + R(ose))
12 One’s content to eliminate golf, say (6)
GUTTER: The letter with radio code golf and a word meaning ‘to say’
13 What’s repeatedly written up on the furrow of one’s brow? (7,8)
RUNNING HEADLINE: A word meaning on or working and another word for ‘the furrow of one’s brow’
15/18 Canon would be against losing it (7,2,5)
ARTICLE OF FAITH: A cryptic all-in-one definition where canon can mean both a principle and a clergyman. The answer would be a 3-letter word meaning against if “it” is lost
21 Twin exit doors becoming more accessible? (6,3,6)
CLOSER AND CLOSER: A pair of whimsical exit doors
24 With first light this city intones “Danny Boy” (6)
LONDON: Add a homophone (intones) of 8a (first light) to this city to get the tune Danny Boy is based on
25 Copyright the way in which the writer cuts noodles (4,4)
CHOW MEIN: The letter symbol for copyright, a word that means ‘the way’ plus IN from the clue, which is cut by a pronoun for the writer
26 This person’s obnoxious column in celebrity weekly (3)
OIK: A letter that looks like a column goes inside a celebrity weekely
27 Newly rejuvenated, enter with this familiar feeling (4,2)
DÉJÀ VU: An anagram (newly) of REJUVENATED gives ENTER plus the ANSWER
28 A bit of old France: something threatening to restrict one’s visit (5-3)
LOUIS D’OR: Something threatening, like a scowl, contains (to restrict) a (1’1) version of one’s plus a 2-letter word for visit (eg ** PARIS)
Down
1 Cognitive psychologist’s reviewing case? (4,2)
DÉJÀ VU: Seen this before? A cryptic definition with a play on ‘reviewing’
2 Arrange for DA indispensable to case (6)
ORDAIN: Hidden ( … to case)
3 No planner when busy gets worked up – or so they say (8,7)
PERSONAL PRONOUN: An anagram (when busy) of NO PLANNER with an anagram (worked) of UP OR SO
4/20 Coarse chap charges after a breakdown truck with a kennel (4,3,7)
NEAR THE KNUCKLE: A male pronoun (chap) goes inside (charges) an anagram (after a breakdown) of TRUCK + A KENNEL
5 Italian set piece put up on wall bearing selection of trivia from football books (5,2,8)
LARGO AL FACTOTUM: A reversal (put up) of a 5-letter adjective meaning ‘on wall’ contains (bearing) a (4,4) ‘selection of trivia from football’ plus the abbreviation for a collection of biblical books
6 Wrong to double a fare from Tijuana? (8)
TORTILLA: Two words meaning wrong (to double) plus A from the clue
7 Impose restrictions on alien cloud? (8)
INTERNET: A 6-letter word meaning ‘to impose restrictions on’ plus an abbreviation for alien
14 Head teachers, once obsessive (3)
NUT: Three meanings, the second an abbreviation
16 Romeo’s supporting part diminished on-screen image (8)
ROLLOVER: A 5-letter Romeo goes underneath (supporting) another word for an acting part but without the last letter (diminished). The answer is an image that appears as your cursor covers a highlight
17 Done 1 Down? Write that in colour (3,1,4)
IT’S A DEAL: The Roman numeral for one, then a word meaning down goes inside a colour
19 Noting the odds in fast conditions (3)
IFS: The odd letters in ‘in fast’
20 See 4
22 Diffuse bosses losing case for retaining medic (6)
OSMOSE: (b)OSSE(s) from the clue without the outer letters (losing case) includes (retaining) the abbreviation for a medic
23 Setting provided by Azed is one source of enlightenment? (6)
EDISON: Hidden (setting provided by …)
Lots of great clues and my biggest smile came from 24a (intones first light). Which were your favourites?
This seemed to be a mix of the relatively simple [14d, 23d] and the pretty damn fiendish [most of the rest] – but there’s some cracking stuff throughout. I failed to parse 11a, having never heard of the singer [and I’m now trying to forget one of his songs] and altho 24a had to be what it was I failed to see why, tho it’s blindingly obvious when you know! So that’s clue of the day, along with the straightforward but clever 25a and the anything but straightforward 5d.
Thanks to Elgar and Dutch.
Isn’t the half-orphaned singer in 11a Ma(ma) Cass without one of her mothers?
Bloomin’ heck, you might well be right. Great spot. That does seem even more Elgar-esque. Still fiendish, either way!
That’s more like it Gazza. Nice one! But I still can’t get rid of that cowboy’s ear worm.
Yes, that sounds right, thanks Gazza. i was distracted by trying to parse “put on” but that isn’t needed.
I echo our reviewer’s pick of the day and go for 24a, although I needed his explanation as to why it was so special. This was yet another masterclass from Elgar in difficult yet fair clueing, and as always I am in awe of his ability to entertain so comprehensively and Dutch’s skill at explaining everything so concisely. Great stuff.
My thanks to both the aforementioned gentlemen.
My wife says: ‘Bloody hard!’ 24a v clever.
I’m with halcyon: this veered from “straightforward” to bloomin’ difficult. I do think 11a is particularly unkind! But 24a, as has been said, is utterly brilliant. Oof. Many thanks to Elgar (I think!) and Dutch.
24A is the old old derriere joke, but it’s rather nicely done with ‘first light’. But is it really the first one? Fans of one down sick as a parrot.
Great puzzle, thanks to Elgar and the Hollander.
Sorry but we don’t understand 1 down’s explanation. Where does the cognitive psychologist come into it? We got deja lu and can’t see why that doen’t work just as well, meaning already read.
And we were completely flummoxed by 17 and the link with 1 down!
Answers in all the lights though which isn’t bad for an Elgar at one sitting.
Last Friday’s Osmosis took me a week and 2 hints, this took me a couple of hours, a lot of biffing, and a couple of visits here for confirmation of answers. I preferred last week’s marathon.
An obscure singer who died 50 years ago, a first light that’s not, and I’m clearly too obtuse to understand why my biffed 1d is correct other than for the repetition of 27a.
15a, 21a & 28a the standouts for me.
Thank you to Elgar, but especially to Dutch who has largely explained why I have a full grid!
Got four in total, then utterly stymied. Should have got the Mexican fare, but not sure I’d have done any others unaided.
Thanks