Toughie 831

Toughie No 831 by Busman

Sweet doing nothing

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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****

This pleasant Toughie came to life, and won an extra star, when I solved 1 down.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought. You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five stars at the bottom of the post.

Across

1a    Beverley address? (4,3,2,5)
{DEAR SIR OR MADAM] – how you might address someone with the unisex name of Beverley

9a    Slumped after finding penny at back of sofa (7)
{LOUNGED} – the symbol for an old penny after (at back of) a type of sofa – I prefer to see old currency indicated as such

10a    It’s hell to conclude with refusal (7)
{INFERNO} – a verb meaning to conclude followed by a refusal

11a    Former partners and former opponents at bridge (4)
{EXES} – a word meaning former followed by two opponents at bridge

12a    Barber having drink first on board here? (3,7)
{TEA CLIPPER} – a word that could describe a barber preceded by a drink

14a    A 3 about double parking in Syrian city (6)
{ALEPPO} – The A from the clue is followed by a celestial example of 3 down around P(arking) and P(arking)

15a    Show ready in French church (8)
{PRETENCE} – the French for ready and in followed by the Church of England

17a    Seeing what the patissier isn’t doing (8)
{NOTICING} – split as (3,5) this could be what the patissier isn’t doing

18a    Has two nuts. Does it matter? (2,4)
{SO WHAT} – an anagram (nuts) of HAS TWO

20a    Rarely easy, manic time of life (5,5)
{EARLY YEARS} – an anagram (manic) of RARELY EASY

21a    It’s time I left alluring woman (4)
{HOUR} – drop the final I (I left) from an alluring woman

23a    Hits, not hard, and vandalises (7)
{TRASHES} – drop the first H (not Hard) from a verb meaning hits or flogs

24a    Mount needs exercise and fare that carries a charge (7)
{TORPEDO} – a charade of a mount or hill, some physical exercise and a verb meaning to fare or manage gives a weapon that carries a charge

25a    ‘Let me see,’ it’s asserted, ‘it’s cared for‘ (4-10)
{WELL-MAINTAINED} – a charade of a four-letter word meaning let me see and a verb meaning asserted or claimed

Down

1d    Indolence after translation (5,3,6)
{DOLCE FAR NIENTE} – today’s stand-out clue is an anagram (translation) of INDOLENCE AFTER

2d    One of nine fellows rating rebel in pinball wizard’s playground (9,6)
{AMUSEMENT ARCADE) – one of nine goddesses of the liberal arts followed by some fellows, a naval rating and a fifteenth-century rebel

ARVE Error: need id and provider

3d    Noticeboard swinging regularly (4)
{SIGN} – the odd letters (regularly) of a word in the clue

4d    A Peckham lad out yonder (6)
{RODNEY} – Del Boy’s brother is an anagram (out) of YONDER

ARVE Error: need id and provider

5d    Bar eccentric travel document (8)
{RAILCARD} – a charade of a bar and an eccentric person

6d    A Fine Romance: left in distress (10)
{AFFLICTION} – the A from the clue followed by F(ine) and a romance or story into which L(eft) has been inserted

7d    Ditching a trifle? (1,4,2,3,5)
{A DROP IN THE OCEAN} – ditching from an aircraft into the sea?

8d    Like 3 or 11 – **** — or not! (4-6,4)
{FOUR-LETTER WORD} – one of these is often represented by asterisks – the “or not” refers to the fact that this characteristic is shared by 3 down and 11 across but not by three or eleven

 

13d    Letters from quiet royal chap may be spurious (10)
{APOCRYPHAL} – an anagram (letters from) of themusical symbol for quiet with ROYAL CHAP

16d    Vehicle protection left off submarine (8)
{UNDERSEA} – drop the final L(eft) from a protective layer applied to a vehicle

19d    Take in most of bars, getting bubbly on top (6)
{GRATIN} – most of a frame of bars gives a bubbly topping for food

22d    Song from the borders of Armenia (4)
{ARIA} – the outer four letters (borders) of ARmenIA

Not bad for a Tuesday Toughie.