Sunday Toughie 106 (Hints)

Sunday Toughie No 106

by Zandio

Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee

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Zandio brings us a fine Sunday Toughie (his 33rd) which I found at least as much fun as his Friday backpager
I think I have parsed them but 18d was most of the trouble and I hope I have got the gist I am sure you will put me right

We have 14a and 14d clues today and I have hinted half
Here we go…

As it is a Prize puzzle I can only hint at a few and hope that will give you the checkers and inspiration to go further. I’ll be back just after the closing date with the full blog. Don’t forget to follow BD’s instructions in RED at the bottom of the hints!

I hope I don’t have to redact any comments but I am new at this and don’t want to rock the boat. If in doubt, I’ll rub it out! – I think that sentence is a bit redundant. You have all been so helpful in sorting out prior parsing failures, and I am sure I will need similar help again.

Most of the terms used in these hints are explained in the Glossary and examples are available by clicking on the entry under “See also” Where the hint describes a construct as “usual” this means that more help can be found in The Usual Suspects, which gives a number of the elements commonly used in the wordplay. Another useful page is Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, which features words with meanings that are not always immediately obvious. Don’t forget the Mine of useful information that Big Dave and his son Richard so meticulously prepared for us.

A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions. Some hints follow: Remember the site rules and play nicely.

 

                Across

1a           Underground base with accommodation and emergency exits (6,6)
A cryptic definition of a home where a group of animals live and breed, which has many ways in and out

9a           Bird — duck — rolling across street (7)
The letter that looks like a duck on a cricket scorer’s notes, an abbreviation of street and rolling is an expression of the wealth that follows

12a&25a

16a        Higher than natural, I had sung like a hawk? (5-4)
A note one-half step higher than a natural and a homophone (sung) of I had To have the visual acuity of a hawk or similar bird of prey

19a        Welsh town has limited double parking for one in seven workers (5)
A Welsh town (on the River Wye) contains two instances of the letter that indicates parking

21a        Sees pale, raw looking behind, showing evidence of this? (7)
A reverse lurker (looking behind) but the whole clue is the definition. If you are pale and raw looking your condition may be showing evidence of suffering a setback

23a        West-facing state perhaps in Commonwealth country (7)
To state a grievance perhaps, an abbreviation of perhaps as an example and in from the clue are reversed (West-facing in an across clue)

26a        Bottom’s adornment enthrals Fairyland’s central character for ages (7,5)
A bit of Shakespeare here, the adornment that Puck makes Nick Bottom wear, around the central character of fairyland

               

Down

1d           ‘Playground rugby’ — I finally put sign up (7)
Abbreviations of a playground, one of the Rugby football codes, I from the clue and a final letter

5d           One’s getting on, and over wearing formal work gear (7)
Two of our usual ons or overs about a piece of formal work gear

6d           Tesla, say, I’d parked before time, keeping small space clear (7)
Tesla is an example of the battery-powered car whose abbreviation we need here, I’d from the clue, a small printer’s space and t for time should make the answer clear

7d           Taking off in limited space? Or limited space for taking off (7,5)
The small space at the top of the stairs where you may remove clothes or the place where your aircraft takes off – make sure safe search is on before doing a google image search!

15d        Sitting in position around study, heading off change (9)
To position or place around a study and a synonym of change without its first letter

17d        Quick, everyone! Ogre’s on the move (7)
A musical instruction from everyone and an anagram of ogre. My first car ( well Mama Bee’s car actually) was anything but quick especially after I ditched it by Percy’s Cross

 

18d        Ring about working out King’s speech, which should be inspiring (3,4)
I may be missing something here but I am sure you will help, a preposition for each or about and an abbreviation of the manner of speech of monarchs lose two Latin Kings and go before to ring or communicate by phone. This was easier to parse when a football manager was used.    The ringing of a bell around an abbreviation of working out or exercise go before a chess piece – Thanks again Gazza

   

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I certainly drove Mama Bee’s 17d too far when I pranged it – a talented 11a here too and two more 25a’s equally talented

That’s All Folks…