Toughie 3154

Toughie No 3154 by Giovanni

Hints and tips by crypticsue

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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty **/*** – Enjoyment ***

A typical Giovanni Toughie, with some [fairly clued but not often used] words, a chance to brush up on your Latin (especially useful if you were in the German stream at school), and an ear worm to boot!

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Across

1a    Intemperate learner, one with intelligence keeping in the same place (10)
LIBIDINOUS Indulging to excess. The abbreviation for Learner, the letter representing one, and some intelligence between which is inserted (keeping) the Latin abbreviation meaning in the same place

6a    Plant found in wet territory either side of river (4)
FERN Some low marshy land (wet territory) goes round the letter found at either side of RiveR

9a    House for fellow a bit deficient, but not entirely casual? (10)
SEMIFORMAL A type of house, FOR (from the clue) and a man (fellow) without his final letter (a bit deficient)

10a    Principally weak little devil who quivers when facing trouble? (4)
WIMP The principal letter of Weak and a little devil

12a    Like operation of mower in meadow? (3-3)
ONE-MAN A reference to the traditional counting rhyme

13a    Maybe Sussex chaps in club rooms below? (8)
BASEMENT How chaps from Sussex could be described (based on the part of the country where Sussex is) inserted into a club

15a    What’s prior to put in religious houses? Plants (12)
FRITILLARIES A preposition meaning up until the time off (prior) inserted into some religious houses

18a    What any sweetheart wants to obtain her Bill (12)
TOGETHERNESS TO (from the clue), a synonym for obtain, HER (from the clue) and a headland (bill)

21a    Graduate’s publicity agent supplies document (3,5)
PROFORMA Split 3, 3 2, this document could be seen to be a publicity agent [working] on behalf of an abbreviated graduate

22a    Hospital cuts returning — one brings message from above? (6)
SERAPH A reversal (returning) of the abbreviation for Hospital and a synonym for cuts

24a    “Within earshot” may cover it (4)
NEAR Hidden in the first two words of the clue

25a    Protesters criticise teams across part of Oz (10)
DISSIDENTS A slang verb meaning to criticise and some teams, the latter going across the abbreviation for part of Australia

26a    Rubbish deposited by a vale (2-2)
TA-TA Vale here being an [originally Latin] interjection of farewell – some rubbish and A (from the clue)

27a    Schedule in heart unit (10)
CENTIMETRE A verb meaning to schedule inserted into the heart of something

Down

1d    The French ship with huge ropes (6)
LASSOS The French female definite article, an abbreviated ship and the abbreviation used to indicate that something is extremely large (huge)

2d    Rude word accompanying a difficult delivery (6)
BUMPER Another word for a bouncer (a difficult delivery of a cricket ball) – a rude word and a preposition meaning for each

3d    Fed up with food for prisoner perhaps burning all of a sudden? (12)
DEFLAGRATION A reversal (up) of FED followed by a convict (prisoner) and their allowance of food

4d    Invader wanting an authoritative standard (4)
NORM Someone who invaded this country back in 1066 without (wanting) the AN

5d    A Greek character upset, very unwell and ineffectual (10)
UNAVAILING A (from the clue) and the thirteenth letter of the Greek alphabet reversed (upset) and followed by the abbreviation for Very and an adjective meaning unwell

7d    Long account about the same classical disease (8)
EPIDEMIC A long narrative poem (account) goes ‘about’ the Latin (classical) pronoun meaning the same

8d    I stop men working — an unfair employment procedure? (8)
NEPOTISM An anagram (working) of I STOP MEN

11d    Smart dame may be suggested by city’s old name (3,9)
NEW AMSTERDAM The name for the city that is now known as New York – an anagram indicator which may be suggesting you rearrange SMART DAME

14d    Better to go with the flow? (10)
STREAMLINE To make something work better with the natural flow of air

16d    Hurry to give silly advice regarding banana skin? (4,2,2)
STEP ON IT The worst advice to give someone approaching a banana skin

17d    Bottom in lesson with zero rating — exceptionally this? (8)
IGNORANT The letter at the ‘bottom’ of lessoN, the letter representing zero and an anagram (exceptionally) of RATING

19d    Hair needs two securing devices (6)
BARNET Cockney rhyming slang for hair – two different securing devices

20d    Pure speed — beyond maximum speed! (6)
CHASTE Urgency or speed goes after (beyond) the symbol for the speed of light (maximum speed)

23d    Attention-seeker in job wanting prizes ultimately for nothing (4)
PSST Replace the O (nothing) in job with the ultimate letter of prizeS