Toughie No 3166 by Gila
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
A ‘just right for a Wednesday’ Toughie from Gila
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought
Across
1a Small pet ultimately made children tense up (7)
STIFFEN The abbreviation for Small, a display of irritation or slight argument (pet) and the ultimate letters of madE and childreN
5a Wine-making equipment one is able to see in Italy (7)
VATICAN A large tank for fermentation (wine-making equipment) and a simple way of saying one is able
9a Frenetically busy guy in charge (5)
MANIC A male person (guy) and the abbreviation for In Charge
10a Boxer caught by right and left intermittently had hit back (9)
RETALIATE Crosswordland’s favourite boxer inserted into (caught by) the abbreviation for Right and the intermittent letter of lEfT, followed by a synonym for had [food]
11a Spades also found alongside large, empty beachfront building? (10)
SANDCASTLE The abbreviation for the suit of Spades, a conjunction meaning also, a verb meaning to make something in a mould (found) and the outside (empty) letters of LargE
12a When you’re expected to show up and initially liaise with others (2,2)
ET AL The abbreviated time you are expected to show up and the initial letter of Liaise
14a Sane lawmaker surrounded by crooked economists (6,6)
COMPOS MENTIS A Member of the House of Commons (lawmaker) inserted into (surrounded by) an anagram (crooked) of ECONOMISTS
18a Twisted hair’s tidy, but it provides no cover! (8,4)
BIRTHDAY SUIT An anagram (twisted) of HAIRS TIDY BUT
21a Assessment centre’s closing by the time most people wake up? (4)
EXAM The ‘closing’ of centrE, the letter used in measurements and multiplication sums to mean by, and the abbreviation for morning (the time most people wake up?)
22a Approximately one drink for everyone initiates a fight (5,5)
ROUNDABOUT A drink for everyone in your group, A (from the clue) and a fight
25a Ex-con almost pinched stealing a gift (9)
LAGNIAPPE A gift, bonus or gratuity. An informal term for a prisoner (ex-con) and almost all of a synonym for pinched into which is inserted (stealing) A (from the clue). The only word that fits the checking letters but, I thought, fairly clued
26a Point of disagreement for kids (5)
ISSUE Today’s ‘old friend’ of a double definition
27a Fraudster acted extremely deceitful, with little sign of hesitation (7)
DIDDLER A synonym for acted, the ‘extreme’ letters of DeceitfuL and an interjection expressing hesitation
28a Machinery from England finally produces clothing in Spain (7)
ENGINES An abbreviation for England and the final letter of produceS between which (clothing) are inserted IN (from the clue) and the IVR code for Spain
Down
1d As usual, regularly eating a second fried snack (6)
SAMOSA The even (regularly) letters of aS uSuAl ‘eating’ A (from the clue) and an informal abbreviation for a small period of time (second)
2d Ahead, having lost the lead for part of a game (6)
INNING A synonym for ahead without (having lost) its ‘lead’ letter
3d Bathroom items from France — a constant in clubs and fancy hotels (10)
FACECLOTHS The IVR code for France, A (from the clue), the mathematical abbreviation for Constant, the abbreviation for the suit of Clubs and an anagram (fancy) of HOTELS
4d Food served up for US agents (5)
NARCS My last boss came from Sunderland and always used this word for food when he went off to get something for his lunch – reverse it to reveal some American agents
5d Gets going, heading to shops following a list I’ve amended (9)
VITALISES The ‘heading’ to Shops goes after an anagram (amended) of A LIST IVE
6d Story book removed from desk (4)
TALE The abbreviation for Book should be removed from a desk
7d Purity of speed cut by 20 per cent in London? (8)
CHASTITY Remove one letter (cut by 20%) from some speed and insert what’s left into a large town (London?)
8d Unnecessary hype leads to severe sadness (8)
NEEDLESS An informal word for a hypodermic injection (hype) and the ‘leads’ to Severe and Sadness
13d Thinking about the thing, I get damn upset (10)
MEDITATING An anagram (upset) of I GET DAMN goes about an informal word meaning the [very] thing
15d Games area becomes essentially shrouded in great, thick fog (3-6)
PEA-SOUPER An abbreviation for school games, the abbreviation for Area and the ‘essential’ letter of becOmes inserted into an adjective meaning great
16d Wretched lie-abeds let themselves down? (8)
ABSEILED An anagram (wretched) of LIE ABEDS
17d A bottle of wine gave a buzz internally? Sorted! (8)
ARRANGED A (from the clue again!) and an informal way of referring to a bottle of wine into which is inserted (internally) a synonym for telephoned (gave a buzz)
19d Perhaps Penny’s adopting uncle’s first son or his daughter? (6)
COUSIN An item of money such as a penny ‘adopting’ the first letter of Uncle and the abbreviation for Son
20d With no top on, insists on lifting weight (6)
STRESS A reversal (lifting) of part of a verb meaning insists on without its first letter (no top on)
23d Relative occasionally invited to join church (5)
NIECE The occasional letters of iNvItEd join an abbreviation for the Church of England
24d Tiresome person quietly suffering (4)
PILL The musical abbreviation meaning quietly and unwell (suffering) – the tiresome person might be considered to be unpleasant or hard to swallow!
Used a few electrons on 25a but otherwise a straight forward solve. 18a gets my vote.
Thanks to Gila and for the second time today, CS.
The usual good fun from Gila but not really a Toughie…or I was bang on wavelength.
I liked 27a but to me the surface read is grammatically incorrect but obviously wouldn’t work with the adverb form of deceitful. 24d a new meaning for me but the wordplay was very sympathetic.
My picks are 1,11&12&21a plus16d.
Many thanks to Gila and Sue.
An enjoyable midweek Toughie with no obscurities apart from 25a – thanks to Gila and CS.
The 27a grammar is a bit dodgy.
I must admit to assuming that the wake-up time in 21a was 10 am (thinking perhaps that Gila lived in a house full of students!). CS’s interpretation is much better.
My ticks went to 5a, 10a and 8d.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Apart from 25a I did not have any difficulty in completing the grid.
24d was a new definition to me, but it couldn’t have been anything else.
Many thanks to Gila and to CS. 2*/4* for me.
Quite a refreshing change of setter in the Wednesday slot and a new word for me in 25a. Had to dig deep for the 4d food and 24d was something of a guess, can’t say that I’ve ever heard it used in relation to a person.
The surface of 14a made me smile and my ticks went to 1,5,18&22a.
Thanks to Gila and to CS for the review.
To me 2d is an unindicated Americanism but no-one else has commented so maybe I’m wrong. I needed the hints to parse 1a (I think I’ve got caught by ‘pet’ before) and 20d. 25a is a new word to me and probably should be put on ‘the list’ and 24d was a new meaning. Apart from those the rest were quite doable. Favourite was 11a. Thanks to Gila and CS.
Re 2d, I’ve never heard it used in English sport, and definitively never in cricket as a singular word.
Forgot to comment earlier but popped in to say thanks to Gila for a very satisfying solve, and to CS for the blog.
The new word in 25a was our stumbling block too in what was an enjoyable solve.
Favourite 5a.
Thanks Gila and CS.
Good evening
I don’t often attempt Toughies, but on a day off with no plans other than dog-walking, a swim and cooking dinner, why not? And I actually finished it, albeit with E-help for 25a, which is a new one on me!
My thanks to Gila and to CS
Like others, I learnt a fresh word in 25 across, but I doubt if I will ever find a way of bringing it into conversation though. ;-) Otherwise a nice midweek Toughie that wouldn’t look out of place on the back page. I enjoyed all the longer clues/answers, but my choice for tops is 18a. Thanks to Gila and to CS
Mercifully easier than Donny yesterday which must be why Stephen has deemed it not really a Toughie as he only gave that one a ** difficulty rating (gently teasing). Very enjoyable with only 25a requiring confirmation – I vaguely recall having encountered it before & was quite chuffed to peg it from the wordplay.
11a my runaway fav.
Thanks to Gila & to CS
Not a bad puzzle (that’s actually praise!). It took more than a day’s effort but that paid off. Quite satisfying. ***/***. Thx to all.