Toughie No 3125 by Dada
Hints and tips by StephenL
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
Hello everyone. I’m in the same county but on the opposite coast to our esteemed blogger on today’s back-pager but it’s a similar “phew” as far as the temperature is concerned.
Tuesday regular Dada gets us underway this week with a pleasant puzzle that gave me very few problems. I’d have rated it slightly higher but I prefer a maximum of two double definitions per puzzle.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
1a Footwear with English suit, in which small flower pinned (11)
ESPADRILLES: The abbreviation for English and a suit in a pack of cards into which is inserted a small “flower” or stream.
9a Authorised walk (14)
CONSTITUTIONAL: Double definition, one an adjective, the other a noun.
11a Tender love’s ending, tear seen earlier (4)
RIPE: The final letter of lovE preceded by a synonym of tear in the sense of cut
12a Analyse position, so you can help primarily (5)
PSYCH: The first letters (primarily) of the preceding five words giving an extended definition.
13a Bullets etc, unlimited abundance of riches (4)
AMMO: Remove the outside letters from a biblical term for riches or wealth.
16a Prison sign for those in the cage? (8)
CANARIES: An informal 3-letter word for prison (probably US in origin) and a sign of the zodiac.
17a Work on barrier hit very hard (6)
WALLOP: Append a two-letter abbreviation for work to a barrier.
19a Key cut, reject (6)
ESCHEW: A key on (a computer say) keyboard and a three-letter synonym of cut.
20a Treated liver and sac in gut (8)
VISCERAL: Anagram (treated) of LIVER and SAC.
22a Curse dodges to the auditor? (4)
JINX: A homophone (to the auditor) of a synonym of dodges or sidesteps
23a Part of the face, lip (5)
CHEEK: A pretty straightforward double definition
24a Book where initial erased from agreements (4)
ACTS: Remove the initial letter from a synonym of agreements or treaties to get a biblical book.
27a “Other king” formed rowdy alliances (8,6)
CARDINAL WOLSEY: Anagram (formed) of the following two words to give an English statesman often depicted as “alter rex”
28a Insignificant two-dimensional character (6,5)
MICKEY MOUSE: Double definition, one an adjective, the other a noun.
Down
2d Mall — very quiet in here? (8,6)
SHOPPING CENTRE: The second word of the solution if applied to the first gives a musical abbreviation to play very quietly. Very smart and worth the admission fee alone.
3d Too casual, some trousers (4)
ALSO: Hidden (trousers)
4d Is girl in crimson put out again? (8)
REISSUED: Is from the clue and a girl’s name inserted into the colour that crimson is a shade of.
5d Scoff about a project (6)
LAUNCH: A synonym of scoff in the sense of consume goes around A from the clue. The solution is a verb.
6d Diabolical demon blowing top (4)
EVIL: Remove the first letter (blowing top) of Satan.
7d Plate lifted off one’s trolley, US cookies (6,8)
ANIMAL CRACKERS: A reversal (lifted) of a plate or thin layer (of rock) plus an informal adjective meaning “off one’s trolley” or crazy. Lol.
8d Knock over European, resulting in shiner? (5,6)
FLOOR POLISH: A synonym of knock over or stun and one of crosswordland’s favourite Europeans giving something that produces a shine rather than a black eye.
10d Solve case for employer with Detective Frost, perhaps, who’s exceptionally good? (11)
CRACKERJACK: A charade of a synonym of solve or figure out, the outside letters (case for) of EmployeR and (I presume) the first name or nickname of Detective Frost.
14d Shade inexperienced (5)
GREEN: Another pretty straightforward double definition
15d Light suit (5)
MATCH: See above!
18d Blaze out, ask questions (4,4)
FIRE AWAY: Whimsically this invitation to go ahead and ask questions could mean there is no blaze.
21d Say no more, level diminished (6)
SHRANK: A two-letter interjection meaning be quiet and a synonym of level in the sense of position.
25d Spot one type of pasta (4)
ZITI: An informal name for a spot often seen on the faces of teenagers and the letter that looks like the Roman numeral one. Who knew!
26d Singer composer uncovered (4)
ALTO: Remove the outer letters from a twentieth century composer with the given name William.
Came across this on YouTube the other day. Pure talent.
Good stuff. My favourite was 2d, which were your hot clues today?
Dada in a very friendly frame of mind, I would have really enjoyed having this as a Sunday Prize Puzzle to blog – **/****
Candidates for favourite – 9a, 16a, 19a, 5d, and 18d – and the winner is 19a.
Thanks to Dada and StephenL.
Nice Tuesday Toughie
Thanks to Dada and Stephen
A very pleasant puzzle to solve to go with my coffee, just at the right level for me and I did enjoy the YouTube video, 9a was my FOI. I spent too much time on 27a as I picked the wrong letters to anagram, you live and learn I suppose.
Sitting in the sun just finushed the toughie,a **/**** for me a tad more straitforward than usual but enjoyable,
Originally put in Lark for 26d, uncovered Clarke!
When the checking letters revealed L O all fell into place-assumed Walton this time.
Time to light the Barby.
Thanks to setter and SL
An enjoyable Dada – thanks to him and SL.
Top clues for me were 28a, 2d and 7d.
The pasta was new to me but whilst it’s doubtless perfectly innocuous I don’t feel the urge to rush out and buy some!
Enjoyable Toughie from our setter although I didn’t find it quite as straightforward as Senf and Stephen seem to have done.
Biggest ticks here went to 9&28a plus 2&18d.
Thanks to Dada and to Stephen for the review.
Straightforward and just right for a Tuesday although I needed the hint to parse 27a as I was unaware of that fact about that particular gentleman, I know it now. I hadn’t heard of the pasta but easily got from the clue. Favourite was 28a. Thanks to Dada and SL.
Great Tuesday Toughie – I found the last half-dozen in the S/SW slightly more challenging than the rest, possibly because I just couldn’t “see” the anagram solution in 27a until I had 5 checking letters, at which point the scales fell from my eyes – not often I have to write out an anagram, but Dada had me flummoxed for a while. COTD for me 2a – simple but so clever, too.
2* / 4*
Many thanks to Dada and to Stephen
Very satisfying puzzle to solve, thank you, Dada and Stephen for explaining where the er came from in 10d as I had the definition as the first 2 words of the clue.
Gentle fun although 25d required some research. Thanks to Dada and SL.
It was only when I finished this did I realise it was aToughie. I’ve never known Dada so benevolent. I really enjoyed it. 2d was an absolutely brilliant clue but I certainly do not fancy the 25d pasta!
A masterclass, really. Not a word wasted, no trick missed and perfectly pitched for a Tuesday. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen 2d before but it’s still lovely. Every clue was a cracker, to be fair, but I especially loved 28a. And I thought I was the only “grown-up” who used it in this context! Thanks to all, as ever.
Good evening
I rarely attempt Toughies, they are above my pay grade, but as I’m on leave, I thought I’d give it a shot. All done bar 19a, which I looked up on here (thanks StephenL) so it’s a DNF, but I’ll take it. Worn out after almost 4 hours, though!
Thanks again StephenL and to Dada.
What with the back pager and this wonderful Toughie, this novice cruciverbalist is in crossword heaven! I knew 1a straight away but didn’t enter it because I wasn’t sure of the spelling – I never can spell that word. I get the vowels all mixed up. I have no real favourites because I was just happy to finish.
Thank you, Dada for letting me get another Toughie under my belt. Thank you, SL for the hints a couple of which I needed.
A couple of letter reveals (well, four actually) got me over the finish line. It’s a good while since I finished a toughie, so I’m a happy camper. 7D and 10D are my picks. Thanks to Stephen and Dada.
A good fun Tuesday Toughie.
Lots of ticks and biggest one for 28a.
Thanks Dada and SL.
Dada very friendly here, just about finished in my lunch break. A 10d of a guzzle to get the Toughies off to great start!! I’ve never seen that mystery pasta in Sainsburys but 2d is brilliant. Thanks Dada and Stephen for the review.
Very enjoyable indeed. Perfect pre lights out solve after a long day. The pasta new & Wolsey aka the other kingneeded some research but otherwise straightforward. Got the PP centre wordplay without quite linking it to a musical instruction. 28a my fav
Thanks to D & the other S