Toughie No 3090 by Stick Insect
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
This Stick Insect crossword was, for me, a straightforward solve, helped to some extent by the thought that it might be a pangram (it turned out that we are missing a J and a Y). I may have spent more time checking some of the less usual definitions in the BRB than actually solving the crossword!
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought
Across
1a Jointly endorse function for broadcasters (6)
COSIGN A homophone (for broadcasters) of a trigonometrical function
4a Simplest form of life in zoo or apt compound (8)
PROTOZOA An anagram (compound) of ZOO OR APT
10a Overindulge hoax involving new river running west (5-4)
SPOON-FEED A hoax into which is inserted (involving) the abbreviation for New, the result followed by a reversal (running west in an Across solution) of one of Crosswordland’s favourite rivers
11a Estonian, Latvian or Lithuanian island dish (5)
BALTI The three nationalities in the clue are all natives of a particular province, the name for which should be followed by the abbreviation for Island
12a Ned and I possibly get tuck externally (4,3)
DINE OUT An anagram of NED and I followed by an anagram indicator
13a One shutting eyes to reality in east of Germany elaborately decorated (7)
OSTRICH The German word for east and a simple way of saying elaborately decorated
14a Ogre removing king died in scrap (5)
SHRED Remove the K (chess abbreviation for king) from the name of an ogre found in a children’s book and a series of films and replace it with the abbreviation for Died
15a Sound to acquire comfortable house (8)
DWELLING The sound of a ringing bell acquires an adjective meaning comfortable
18a End of marriage, odd divorce (8)
ESTRANGE The letter at the end of marriagE and a synonym for odd
20a A pay increase — result! (5)
ARISE A (from the clue) and a pay increase
23a Grass that is providing fast drink (7)
QUICKIE A type of couch grass and the abbreviation meaning that is
25a Charlie, with hint of anger, ridicules collusion (7)
CAHOOTS The letter represented by Charlie in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet, the first letter (a hint of) Anger and part of a verb expressing scorn (ridicules)
26a French pal has energy for Spanish counterpart (5)
AMIGO The French word for friend (pal) and an informal term for energy
27a Arranged live expos for Shell? (9)
EXPLOSIVES The capital S in shell is there to mislead – the solution is simply an anagram (arranged) of LIVE EXPOS
28a Article runs in sock, last to go previously (8)
HITHERTO The definite article and the cricket abbreviation for runs inserted into a word meaning to strike hard (sock), the result then followed with the last letter of gO
29a Adorn bottom of lake with impudence first off (6)
BEDECK The bottom of a lake with a slang word for impudence without (off) its first letter
Down
1d Woman seizing diamonds in barrel; she’ll pay for it here? (4,4)
CASH DESK A barrel into which is inserted the female third person pronoun (woman) ‘seizing’ or having inserted the abbreviation for Diamonds
2d Sneering sort‘s second secret spot (7)
SCORNER The abbreviation for Second and a secret place
3d At first, groom falling short of embracing humourless wife — it could produce fireworks (9)
GUNPOWDER The first letter of Groom and a preposition meaning short of ’embracing’ a shortened form of an informal expression meaning humourless and the abbreviation for Wife
5d Incorrectly depreciate solo instrument getting stellar reception (5,9)
RADIO TELESCOPE An anagram (incorrectly) of DEPRECIATE SOLO
6d Mountainous region tense I predict (5)
TIBET The abbreviation for Tense, I (from the clue) and a verb meaning to predict [the result of something]
7d Huge number sick in heaven (7)
ZILLION Sick or unwell inserted into the Kingdom of Heaven
8d Answer Tories, perhaps justifiably (6)
ARIGHT The abbreviation for Answer and a word perhaps describing Conservatives
9d Erratic teen’s test drive is personal concern (6,8)
VESTED INTEREST An anagram (erratic) of TEENS TEST DRIVE
16d Unwilling to shelter adult a little is detestable (9)
LOATHSOME Insert (to shelter) the abbreviation for Adult into an adjective meaning unwilling an then add a little
17d Subs’ bench? (4,4)
NEWS DESK It took me a while to see that this cryptic definition related to the place of work of newspaper subeditors, not least because I was slightly put off by the fact that the second word of the solution appears in another solution on the opposite side of the grid
19d Possible means of providing unloved oiks access to the slopes (3,4)
SKI LIFT A reversal indicator follows, and provides the instruction as to what to do with oIKS once you have removed the O (un loved)
21d One upset solid base put on a pedestal (7)
IDOLISE The letter representing one, an anagram (upset) of SOLID and the letter that is the base of the natural system of logarithms
22d Fruit puree and game (6)
SQUASH A triple definition
24d Sven or Kasper holds up Norwegian cash (5)
KRONE Hidden in reverse (holds up) in the first two words of the clue
I found this much easier than yesterday, in fact a typical Stick Insect puzzle, quite friendly and a lot of fun.
My only real hold up was 17d, even with all the checking letters it took me an age to work out what or who the “sub” was but very satisfying when the penny did drop.
Many thanks the the setter and to Sue for the review.
This time I agree with CS’s rating. Only 17d held me up. I mused for a while on “Mess Deck” the bench [?] on a submarine where ratings eat but thought it a stretch and only when noticing 1d did light dawn. Otherwise rather run of the mill, with the clever 19d the standout for me.
Thanks to SI and CS.
Most of this an absolutely super puzzle – and barring about 6 clues, most could have appeared in a mid-week backpager without alarming any equines. For me those last 6 took as long as the others together. I was really not convinced by 17d, and found the repetition of desk in 1d a little weak/rum. And on the subject of 1d, part of me thought ‘yes, of course’, and the larger part ‘what a strange term, how peculiar’ – and I’m not referring solely to ‘cash’!
The grass was new to me but could not have been anything else really, but what a wonderful and enjoyable challenge. Ticks afterwards for 11a, 12a, 9d & 19d, with COTD 25a.
2* / 3*
Many thanks to Stick Insect and to Sue
Two hiccoughs to report, one being the unknown couch grass term and the other 17d which I’m still not very persuaded by, although the alternative ‘mess deck’ sounded even more unlikely. Not to worry, it obviously works for our setter and editor!
Biggest smiles came from 1&16a plus 19d.
Thanks to Stick Insect and to CS for the review.
17d was also my final entry in this very user friendly and enjoyable puzzle. There were just enough trickier clues to keep this solver on his toes, and I particularly liked 19d.
My thanks to Stick Insect and SL.
A decent puzzle but not one that rated too highly on the smilometer. I don’t understand the significance of the twin desks.
My favourite clue was 19d.
Thanks to Stick Insect and CS.
I enjoyed this but beaten by 17D which I suspected might be MESS DECK in some bizarre reference to submarines, but I accept the correct solution. Not so sure about 23A which in my World is all to do with sex!
I should imagine you get some odd looks then if you announce that you’re “going down to the pub for a quickie”! 😉
I’m 100pc with William on this!
Very jolly indeed. Huge thanks to SI, and CS of course. Personally, I rather enjoyed 17D. My only v minor quibble is that subs never actually sit there – it’s another bench entirely!
We also found 17d to be the stumbling block that extended our solving time considerably.
A pleasant solve for us.
Thanks Stick Insect and CS.
Pretty straightforward puzzle which took me longer than it should have. Although I rarely choose an anagram as favourite I’m going with 5d. Thanks to Stick Insect and CS.