Sunday Toughie 1

Sunday Toughie No 1 by proXimal

A full review by Big Dave

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This puzzle was published on 30th January 2022

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

This is the first of a new series of Sunday Toughies. Unlike other Toughie crosswords this is a Prize puzzle. I found it difficult but not very satisfying, hence the ratings.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a    Wine in cafeteria’s drunk rejecting beer essentially (8)
FRASCATI: an anagram (drunk) of CAF[E]T[E]RIA’S after removing (rejecting) the inner letters (essentially) of [b]EE[r]

6a    Deny about glass having large split (6)
REFUTE: RE (about) followed by F[L]UTE (glass) having large split

9a    Legendary great was unsurpassed (6)
FABLED: FAB (great) followed by LED (was unsurpassed)

10a    Reportedly consider plant in earth bearer of fruit (8)
MULBERRY: sounds like (reportedly) mull (consider) and bury (plant in earth)

11a    Swimmer getting round me, admit disappointment (8)
COMEDOWN: COD (swimmer / fish) around ME From the clue Followed by OWN (admit)

12a    Cook runs everything turning bread for many (6)
DOLLAR: DO (cook) then R(runs) and ALL (everything) reversed (turning)

13a    Not complete problem, a race Mercedes reviewed as sweet (5,7)
CRÈME CARAMEL: hidden (not complete) and reversed (reviewed) inside the clue

16a    Patron‘s complaint about new player (12)
BENEFACTRESS: BEEF (complaint) around N(ew) followed by ACTRESS (player)

19a    Start to shuffle game pieces (6)
SCRAPS: initial letter of (start to) S[huffle] followed by CRAPS (game)

21a    Clerical errors, at first, overlooked by playwright (8)
PRIESTLY: drop (overlooked) the initial letter of (at first) E[rrors] from (J B) PRIESTL[E]Y (playright) – there is usually an indication as to which of the two occurrences of E is to be dropped

23a    Pet is shy around mate (5,3)
HISSY FIT: an anagram (around) of IS SHY followed by IT (sexual intercourse / mate)

24a    A provision of meals in craft (6)
ABOARD: the A from the clue followed by BOARD (provision of meals)

25a    Floury sandwiches small and miserable (6)
MEASLY: MEALY (floury) around (sandwiches) S(mall)

26a    Parts containing plug, lead of some unsuitable for cars (8)
ROADLESS: ROLES (parts) around (containing) AD (plug)

Down

2d    New Orleans, not capital of Louisiana, mind (6)
REASON: an anagram (new) of OR[L]EANS without the initial letter (capital) of L[ouisiana]

3d    Cure fish, covering five (5)
SOLVE: SOLE (fish) around (covering) the Roman numeral for five

4d    Stars with capital supported by attorney (9)
ANDROMEDA: AND (with) and ROME (capital) over (supported by in a down clue) DA (District Attorney)

5d    I’m stupid going topless after masculine giant (7)
IMMENSE: I’M followed by [D]ENSE without its initial letter (going topless) after M(asculine)

6d    Determined learner dons felt sorry for (5)
RULED: L(earner) surrounded by (dons) RUED (felt sorry for)

7d    Fluid weighs down sponges (9)
FREELOADS: FREE (fluid) followed by LOADS (weighs down)

8d    Give warning of time with hour consumed (8)
THREATEN: T(ime) followed by H(ou)R and EATEN (consumed)

13d    Charlie cut up taking in mug’s cracks (9)
CREVASSES: C(harlie) followed by the reversal (up) of SEVER (cut) around (taking in) ASS (mug)

14d    Woolly area, manic effects peculiar to Uncle Sam (9)
AMERICANA: an anagram (woolly) of AREA MANIC

15d    Notice third of Japanese greet with head slightly lowered (8)
PERCEIVE: the third letter of Japanese followed by RECEIVE (greet) with its initial letter (head) slightly lowered

17d    One advising better way to stop extreme monarch (7)
TIPSTER: ST(reet) between (to stop) TIP (extreme) and ER (monarch)

18d    Aluminium provides protection to warning devices (6)
ALARMS: the chemical symbol for Aluminium followed by ARMS (provides protection to)

20d    Enclosure for animal houses belonging to sentimental person (5)
SOFTY: STY (enclosure for animal) around (house) OF (belonging to)

22d    Steve, forgetting woman, with lifted toilet seat (5)
STOOL: ST[EVE] without (forgetting) EVE (woman) followed by the reversal of (lifted) LOO (toilet)

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