Toughie 3138 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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Toughie 3138

by crypticsue  

Toughie No 3138 by Robyn

Hints and Tips by crypticsue

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

Another enjoyable crossword from a setter who always manages to get the difficulty level of his crosswords just right – this one was, for me anyway,  a perfect Wednesday Toughie

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought

Across

1a & 7d Supply UK dealer that is getting capital in the UK (4,6)
AULD REEKIE An anagram (supply) of UK DEALER followed by the abbreviation for that is combine to give an affectionate name for a capital city in the UK, the origins of the name coming from something less admired!

3a    No hard/soft rocks etc (3,2,5)
AND SO FORTH An anagram (rocks) of NO HARD SOFT

9a    We’re told staff 22a top (4)
POLL A verb meaning to 22a the top of a tree sounds like (we’re told) a wooden staff

10a    Pacific Ocean’s edges covered by new colour round noon (3-7)
NON-VIOLENT The ‘edges’ of OceaN covered by the abbreviation for New and a colour, the latter going round the abbreviation for Noon

11a    Put out once again, dealing with problem (7)
REISSUE Dealing with or concerning and a problem

13a    Demanding more attention, wild reindeer tailed (7)
NEEDIER An anagram (wild) of REINDEEr without the final letter (tailed)

14a    Fancy merchandise bags arrive finally in port (4,7)
GOOD HEAVENS Some merchandise ‘bags’ the final letter of arrivE inserted into a harbour (port)

18a    Not qualified to invest a billion in town, perhaps (3,3,5)
OUT AND ABOUT Insert (to invest) A (from the clue) and the abbreviation for Billion into an adjective meaning absolute, unqualified

21a    Getting half of burned rice, took dish (7)
BURRITO The first halves of BURned RIce Took

22a    Parody important moment for 15 (4,3)
TAKE OFF A verb meaning to parody or an important moment for 15d

23a    Dog wanders off, and moves from A to B, say (10)
DOWNGRADES Lowers in status (moves from A to B) – an anagram (off) of DOG WANDERS

24a    Clay head from Donatello takes precedence for artist (4)
DALI The ‘head’ from Donatello takes precedence over part of the name of the boxer formerly known as  Cassius Clay

25a    Checking average number of stars? (10)
MODERATING An average and the number of stars awarded to something, eg this crossword

26a    Stop large swallow migrating west (4)
PLUG A reversal (migrating west) of a large swallow

Down

1d    Strength of current anger after case of abuse involving politician (8)
AMPERAGE Some rage goes after the outside letters (case) of AbusE ‘involving’ or having inserted an abbreviated politician

2d    Loaf I try to make a treat for a child (8)
LOLLIPOP To lie about lazily, I (from the clue) and an informal verb meaning to try

4d    Item for hanging bouquet when hosting ball (5)
NOOSE A scent or aroma (bouquet) ‘hosting’ the letter shaped like a ball

5d    Spotted dresses happening to reveal figure (9)
SEVENTEEN A synonym for spotted ‘dresses’ or goes round a happening

6d    Fine down on dog providing support for Nigella? (6-5)
FLOWER STALK The abbreviation for Fine, a synonym for [further] down and a verb meaning to dog

7d    See 1a

8d    Those who clearly aren’t fans scoffed in chorus, periodically (6)
HATERS Part of a verb meaning devoured (scoffed) inserted into the periodic letters of cHoRuS

12d    Pickled herrings and cod man remembered for his cat? (11)
SCHRODINGER An anagram (pickled) of HERRINGS and COD

15d    One wants rocket, e.g. on North American fish wraps (9)
ASTRONAUT A conjunction or preposition meaning for instance (eg) followed by a type of fish which ‘wraps’ the abbreviation for North American

16d    Post about playing old Queen track (8)
MONORAIL Some post goes about the usual ‘playing’, the abbreviation for Old and the Latin abbreviation for queen

17d    A lot of agitation over affair that’s very steamy? (8)
STIFLING Most of a synonym for agitation goes over a brief affair

19d    Setter’s nurses stay in the same place (6)
IBIDEM How our setter might say he was going to ‘nurses’ a Scottish/archaic word meaning to stay

20d    Boiled e.g. little chickens, it’s said (6)
BREWED A homophone (it’s said) of a clutch of little chickens

22d    Picked up Asian hostelry’s derivative product (3-2)
TIE-IN A homophone (picked up) of an Asian hostelry

19 comments on “Toughie 3138”

  1. Excellent from a setter who never lets us down. I’ll even forgive him for the cross-referencing clues, a pet hate of mine.
    Winners all over the court but I’ll mention 1a/7d plus14,18&24 plus 17d.
    Many thanks to Robyn, I very much hope that you’ll be quickly restored to your rightful place in the Tuesday spot, and Sue for her review.

  2. I enjoyed this. Favourite clue being 12d. I think have been pronouncing 9a differently to our setter. Thanks to Robyn and CS.

    1. I wondered about that. But I guess “to poll” a tree is different from “to pollard” a tree.

      Fun puzzle **/***. Good blend of clues. Thanks Robyn.

  3. Robyn once again provides an object lesson in how to compile an enjoyable Toughie without having to resort to obscurities – thanks to him and to CS.
    My ticks were awarded to 14a, 18a, 21a, 25a and 5d.

  5. Sublime, as ever, AKA Robyn “never fails to disappoint” © Tom! As CS says, his ability to negotiate difficulty levels to suit is astonishing. I’m not sure anyone can fluctuate so smoothy between easy, middling or tough quite like him. Typically clever today, with some wonderful misdirects and use of language. Too many ticks to list but I did especially admire 23d. Yes, it’s an anagram and not too difficult but I just love the way his brain works. And, as per SL, I’m not a huge fan of CF either – especially when I had to do this scrolling on my phone which made it even more irksome – but when it’s so expertly done, who could possibly quibble? Huge thanks to this marvellous setter, and CS, of course.

  6. This was nicely challenging and great fun. An excellent puzzle – even though 12d bizarrely seems to be rapidly becoming an old chestnut.

    It was quite a struggle to pick a favourite from such a good selection but I’ll settle for 14a.

    Many thanks to Robyn and to CS.

  7. Found this very tough but got there in the finish after several breaks. Great to see Salvador with one of his ocelots again, many thanks to our setter today.

  8. A fine Wednesday puzzle, sound cluing throughout,
    Favourite was 12d, remembered my physics! and whittington did’nt fit.
    Thought 19d was from the Latin?
    Thanks to setter .

    1. The 19d answer is from the Latin but the bit in the middle is Germanic/Old English/Archaic as CS points out in the hint 👍

  9. Another quality offering from Robyn, pitched perfectly for a midweek Toughie. Lots of great clues with clever surfaces; favourites being 3a, 14a & 12d.

    Thank you Robyn and CrypticSue.

  10. Top quality as ever from this setter. Alas I had Pole for 9a, reasoning that take off top alluded to motor racing’s pole position. Must downgrade myself accordingly. Thanks all :-)

  11. Didn’t find this as marvellous as others have done but it was nevertheless a clever compilation. Think my favourite was 17d.

    Thanks to Robyn and to CS for the review.

  12. As one who has recently graduated from the back page to Toughies, I found that this puzzle was to take much of the day and ended in a mini-DNF. Nonetheless, it was quite satisfying and it always pays never to give up. I must ask Brian for his opinion……

    1. Well done for persevering Hugh!

      I think I could probably guess Brian’s response 🙄… though he did enjoy the back-pager today.

  14. Completed (though sadly not unaided) earlier today & great fun it was too. Robyn’s place in my dream team of setters is rock solid – as Sue says a perfect Wed Toughie. Last in was 6d which took a couple of stabs having forgotten (if I ever knew) that Nigella was a plant & initially failing to twig the wordplay. Also had the wrong end letter at 9a. Too many ticks to even begin to pick out a fav
    Thanks to Robyn & Sue

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