Toughie No 3146 by Hudson
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty * – Enjoyment ****
It is always a pleasure to solve a crossword from Hudson (and those of his alter egos in other places) and this friendly puzzle certainly left me smiling
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought
Across
1a Polecat longing to chase female (5)
FITCH A longing ‘chasing’ the abbreviation for Female
4a Support British artist’s choice of breakfast sarnie filling (4,5)
BACK BACON A verb meaning to support and the surname of a British artist
9a Programme implying England seamer was guilty of throwing? (9)
BROADCAST The surname of an English seam bowler and a verb meaning to throw
10a Rue absence, occasionally missing old instrument (5)
REBEC The odd letters (occasionally missing) of RuE aBsEnCe
11a After one mile heavy walk start to experience collapse (7)
IMPLODE An abbreviated way of writing one mile, a heavy walk and the ‘start’ to Experience
12a Superhuman kid playing with Lego (7)
GODLIKE An anagram (playing) of KID with LEGO
13a Area of the US after rude boy music? (6)
ALASKA A preposition meaning in the manner of (after) and some music associated with the rude boy scene which originated in Jamaica
15a Scruffy-looking cold cut of meat was first (8)
CRUMPLED The abbreviation for Cold, a cut of meat, and a simple way of saying was first
18a English cavalryman’s eating — say grace (8)
ELEGANCE An English cavalryman ‘eating’ the abbreviation meaning ‘say’
20a Idle character collecting books, rather steamy! (6)
EROTIC The forename of Mr Idle of Monty Python fame ‘collecting’ the abbreviated books of the first part of the Bible
23a Georgian city dull — it’ll probably get wet underfoot (4,3)
BATH MAT A British city known for its Georgian architecture and a synonym for dull
24a Theoretically opera prepared lead characters to naturalistically perform parts (2,5)
ON PAPER An anagram (prepared) of OPERA into which is inserted (parts) the lead characters of Naturalistically Perform
26a Reject the odds — current odds rejected (5)
SPURN Some abbreviated betting odds and the even (odds rejected) letters of cUrReNt
27a Love isn’t about being implanted with new bust (9)
INSOLVENT An anagram (about) of LOVE ISNT ‘implanted’ with the abbreviation for New
28a Large furniture store’s fashionable instantly (4,1,4)
LIKE A SHOT The abbreviation for Large, a furniture store’S, and a synonym for fashionable
29a In conclusion, the setter is correct (5)
EMEND How our setter would refer to himself inserted in a conclusion
Down
1d Make up wonderful Ms Blanchett screening Queen and Empress (9)
FABRICATE A slang adjective meaning wonderful and the first name of Ms Blanchett, the actress, ‘screening’ the Latin abbreviation meaning Queen and Empress
2d Legendary Norseman beginning to pillage ancient settlement (5)
THORP A legendary Norse God and the ‘beginning’ to pillage
3d Ate cod up, then king fish (7)
HADDOCK A synonym of ate, a reversal (up) of COD followed by (then) the chess abbreviation for King
4d Shameless British demolish entrance to Nagpur (6)
BRAZEN The abbreviation for British, a verb meaning to demolish and the ‘entrance’ to Nagpur
5d Class lexicographer turned up in Caribbean island (8)
CATEGORY A well-known lexicographer reversed (turned up) ‘inside’ a Caribbean island
6d Bedroom cavorting creates a sense of ennui (7)
BOREDOM An anagram (cavorting) of BEDROOM
7d Convertible Eclat, souped up, showcasing panache (9)
CABRIOLET An anagram (souped up) of ECLAT ‘showcasing’ some panache or liveliness
8d Mother-of-pearl lining Zegna creation (5)
NACRE Hidden (lining) in the last two words of the clue
14d Shocked as lorry appears outside empty warehouse (9)
AWESTRUCK AS (from the clue) and a lorry go outside the ‘outside’ (empty) letters of WarehousE
16d Given a medal, daughter gave a speech entertaining the City (9)
DECORATED The abbreviation for Daughter and a synonym for gave a speech ‘entertaining’ the postcode for the area of London known as the City
17d Caledonian stupefied by drink ingests Charlie (8)
SCOTTISH Insert the letter represented by Charlie in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet into an adjective meaning stupid with drink
19d Toxic chemical found in gammon I ate (7)
AMMONIA Found in the last three words of the clue
21d Husk of rice, lentils etc cause aversion (7)
REPULSE The outside (husk) of RicE and the seeds of leguminous plants (lentils etc)
22d Milky drink second son fed to bard (6)
POSSET The abbreviations for Second and Son ‘fed’ to a bard
23d Herb succeeded to breach security (5)
BASIL The abbreviation for Succeeded ‘breaches’ security given to procure the release of an accused person from custody
25d Penetrate after having sacrificed rook or knight? (5)
PIECE ‘Sacrifice’ or remove the chess abbreviation for Rook from a verb meaning to penetrate
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I didn’t know the latin abbreviation in 1d but I do now. Apart from that very straightforward but entertaining with some good clues. Favourite was 5d. Thanks to Hudson and CS.
Very enjoyable, as has been commented over on today’s back pager blog, more like a back pager than a Toughie – 1.5*/4*
Candidates for favourite – 28a, 1d, 3d, 14d, and 25d – and the winner is 3d.
Thanks to Hudson and CS.
Super puzzle, very friendly Indeed but great fun as is invariably the case with this setter.
I’ll highlight 9,26,(lol) &27a plus 6(good spot)&25d.
Many thanks to Hudson and Sue
Well, I have about 6 left to do and will continue without reading the hints but it is a bit depressing when I suddenly spot it only has one star for difficulty but then again I didn’t think the back pager merited 3 stars for difficulty as I sailed through it. Horses for courses I suppose. Thanks to this site and all the wonderful people on it, I would not have managed a Toughie at all 2 or 3 years ago. Thanks to Hudson and CS whose hints I will read when I have finished. Did learn a new word for the polecat.
Much easier than yesterday but just as much fun. Fave clue 13a [good to see Rudy get a day out].
Thanks to CS and Hudson.
Fairly gentle but very enjoyable – thanks to Hudson and CS.
The clues I liked best were 9a, 23a, 28a and 25d.
I did need to check on the polecat and was thrown a bit by the rude boy but had fun with a lot of the clues. Possibly a little too much verbosity in 24a?
Rosettes went to 4&28a plus 3&14d.
Thanks to Hudson and to CS for the review.
Really enjoyed this one. Ticks all over the shop – 9,26,27&28a + 3,6,17&25d particular likes but frankly there wasn’t a dud in there. I thought the wordplay excellent throughout with some super surfaces.
Thanks to Hudson & to Sue
First ever toughie…whoop whoop!
Not sure about the parsing of 18a even with the hint. I thought that the ‘say’ was put into something that belonged to a cavalryman, hence the possessive. However, I am more than prepared to bow to the much greater experience and knowledge of toughies than mine.
My favourite was 28a with 9a a close second.
Thanks to the setter and for the hints.
I checked in the dictionary to make sure the word meant a cavalryman as well as the weapon
Thanks for the blog, dear crypticsue, and thanks to those who have posted a comment. This is my 50th puzzle in this series which seems weird, since I feel very much a newbie still. The fact that it’s fully five years since my first Toughie has brought it home to me that I seem to have reached the age where there’s no present like the time.
Best wishes to all, Rob/Hudson
Usually only do the back-pager but tackled this thanks to a suggestion from one of the contributors. I really enjoyed it and only needed confirmation on 1 across and the drunken state in 17 down.
I think the explanation for 3 down should be a synonym of ate followed by an anagram of cod, then the king. Sorry, sounds a bit nit-picking I know 🙄😁.
Thanks to Hudson and as ever to CS – much appreciated.
So it should
It’s a reversal of cod rather than an anagram surely?
It’s been a long warm day which isn’t really a defence but that’s possibly my excuse
Warm day Sue! Bloomin freezing here and pouring.
22 here this afternoon. We are promised rain overnight but it has been so long since we had any significant rain, I’ll believe it when it happens. We even had to top up the fish pond at the weekend
Not as difficult as Tuesdays puzzle but more enjoyable for me;
Liked 12a for- in the manner of.
Looked up the abbreviation of the queen and empress, a new one for me.and hopefully one to remember next time!
Going for a 1.5*/****.thanks to Hudson and CS
One of the easier Toughies, but most enjoyable. Thanks to Hudson & CS.
I needed to look up Regina et Imperatrix.
And now for something completely different from Mr. Idle at his very best:
Worked on this on and off all day. Now enjoying a celebratory drink. COTD the simple, amusing 23a
Not too toughie today but it had a certain 18 across. Thank you, Hudson.
Gentle and enjoyable seems to be the consensus with which I will happily concur. 9 and 23a were my particular favourites.
Many thanks to Hudson for the fun and to CS.
Very late getting on to this and so glad that we did find the time to do so.
Great fun and a real pleasure to solve.
Thanks Hudson and CS.
First ever Toughie completed without looking at the hints! Feels like a triumph though I was a little chastened to see its solitary star rating for difficulty. Never mind it’s still a win.
Got there just before lights out, liked 2d because we have a 2d just up river from us I tried to justify drinks in 22 as S(Will)S as the Bard. I don’t like what it turned out to be as it is also the name given to upchucked baby milk and no right-minded person would volunteer to consume that. Thanks to Sue and Setter
And a very good night from him…
1*/4* ….
liked 11A “After one mile heavy walk start to experience collapse (7)”
As one who has recently promoted himself from doing just the Back-pagers, I must say how satisfying this puzzle was. **/*****. It took a while to crack, but persistance paid off. Thanks to Hudson (more please !) and Crypticsue.
Only attempted this because of the tip from Stephen and Gazza .
Completed in very satisfactory time
Many thanks both. Keep em coming