Toughie 1008

Toughie No 1008 by Elkamere

Was it really 32 years ago?

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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

Elkamere had apologised in advance for “one very obscure grid entry. It was forced by having to change an answer with unfortunate connotations but two of its checkers couldn’t be changed, resulting in almost zero alternatives”. From this I assumed that the two checkers must be thematic and so it proved although they were nothing to do with July 4^th and Independence Day. I made heavier weather of the puzzle than perhaps I ought to have done but I found it to be a very enjoyable challenge

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Across

1a    Learning? This setter’s the one to check (5)
{LIMIT} L (learning?) + ‘this setter’s the one’ (2,2). I’m not very keen on L = learning?

4a & 9a    ‘In or out?’ scene by a volatile old American (3,6,2,7)
{YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS} An all-in-one clue where the whole clue provides a definition. The whole clue also provides the wordplay as follows: an anagram (volatile) of IN OR OUT SCENE BY A + O (old) + US (American). The answer became the catchphrase of an American tennis player after he said it in 1981 after a disputed line call

9a    See 4 Across

10a    Way in or out, evidently (5)
{ROUTE} Hidden in oR OUT Evidently

11a    Footballer Butt playing in reserves (7)
{CANTONA} A French footballer = an American term for butt (buttocks) + ‘playing’ inside reserves (soldiers)

12a    It’s a strange laugh, mostly a sneeze (7)
{ATISHOO} An anagram (strange) of IT’S A + a laugh with the last letter removed

13a    Subs supply to a sub (1-5)
{U-BOATS} An anagram (supply) of TO A SUB

15a    Managed, after pressure, to have control of a meal (8)
{PRANDIAL} ‘Managed’ after P (pressure) + a control

18a    Say snooker player pots green at first — not the yellow (3,5)
{EGG WHITE} an abbreviation denoting ‘say’ + the surname of a snooker player (never world champion but 6 times runner-up) round G (first letter of green)

20a    Mike’s father wants no point of view rejected (6)
{EDISON} An inventor (father) of a microphone (mike) = a reversal of NO and ‘point of view’

23a    Chambers includes new name for Muslim (7)
{SUNNITE} Chambers (a set of rooms) goes round N (new) N (name)

24a    Less precise shape or huge radius (7)
{ROUGHER} An anagram (shape) of OF HUGE R (radius)

26a    A model turned author (5)
{AESOP} A reversal of A and ‘to model’

27a    Mayfair doctor tempted to find location further south (9)
{WIMBLEDON} The postcode area that includes Mayfair + an abbreviation for a doctor + ‘tempted’ (3,2). This was one of the answers that Elkamere couldn’t change…

28a    Was boxing champion, say, for two weeks (9)
{FORTNIGHT} …and this is the other. A homophone (say) of ‘was boxing’ and ‘champion’

29a    Find time to meet people (5)
{TRACE} T (time) + people

Down

1d    Throws up half of cold milk stew (9)
{LOBSCOUSE} Throws up (a ball) + CO (half of cold) + ‘to milk’

2d    Two family members, one craftsman (5)
{MASON} Mother + one of her children

3d    Emerge from gate (7)
{TURNOUT} Emerge (4,3) = gate (attendance)

4d    The old country farmer (6)
{YEOMAN} The old word for ‘the’ + an Arab state

5d    United players extremely tense, arrogance at higher level (8)
{UPSTAIRS} U (United) + PS (first and last letters of players) + T (tense) + arrogance

6d    A check on broadcasting charge (7)
{ARRAIGN} A homophone (broadcasting) of ‘a check’

7d    2000-2009 not short of games? Not initially (9)
{NOUGHTIES} ‘Not short of’ with the first letter removed + games

8d    Form of exercise, turning round and round (3-2)
{TAE-BO} A new word for me which Chambers tells me is an exercise system that combines the techniques of tae kwon do with aerobics and dance routines. A reversal of O (round) and round (as walked by a policeman)

14d    So, rearing ugly head? (9)
{ORGANISER} An anagram (ugly) of SO REARING

16d    Future life’s starting on farm (4-5)
{LONG-RANGE} L (first letter of long) + ON + a farm

17d    Silesian duchess, good woman wanting drink without the duke (2,6)
{ST HEDWIG} Here’s the very obscure one. She became the Duchess of Silesia in 1201 (after marrying Henry I the Bearded) and was involved in numerous charitable enterprises. A deep draught of drink goes outside THE D (duke)

19d    Sky blocks instalment plan at home — very tight (7)
{HAIRPIN} ‘Sky’ inside an abbreviation for an instalment plan (the never-never) + ‘at home’ = very tight (as a bend might be)

21d    Piece of clothing available in cotton or winceyette? (7)
{DOUBLET} When split (6,1) it becomes something found in the words cotton and winceyette

22d    Supply lines training south of the front (6)
{PROMPT} (Physical) training goes under (south) of the front (at the seaside)

23d    Man‘s a crook (5)
{STAFF} 2 meanings: to man/a crook (of a shepherd or a bishop)

25d    In jeopardy, having turned evil (5)
{HYDRA} Hidden in reverse in jeopardy having

Thanks to Elkamere for an enjoyable puzzle that taxed me more than many a Thursday puzzle