Sunday Toughie No 108 by proXimal
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 18th of February 2024
Across
1a Unbelievable! Spooner’s cutting the grass without looking (4-7)
MIND-BLOWING: The act of cutting the grass whilst being unable to see is treated by the Reverend Doctor to be an unbelievable phrase!
7a Miscreant from prison with missing relative in sect (7)
CULPRIT: A sect or CULT contains what is left of PRIson when a young male relative (SON) has been removed. A miscreant or CULPRIT
8a Such plates bistro ordered might show abnormalities (7)
LAMINAE: proXimal’s trademark reverse anagram, Thin plates of rock or bone when anagrammed with bistro might be abnormalities
10a Aircraft bringing individual back with delay? Indeed (5,3)
ENOLA GAY: A very specific aircraft, an individual ONE, is reversed ENO, then a delay or LAG, and finishing with an exclamation for indeed AY. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enola_Gay
11a Mean after all’s said and done in Yorkshire? (6)
INTEND: A three-word phrase equivalent to all’s said and done IN THE END as said in a Yorkshire accent becomes IN T’END
13a Slavic fellow removing daughter from bed (4)
IVAN: D for daughter is removed from a bed or DIVAN to leave a common Slavic male forename
14a Take control of company browser to follow 1,000 staff (10)
COMMANDEER: Take control of abbreviations of company CO, thousand M, and to staff MAN, followed by a browsing even-toed animal DEER
16a Heard shaggy-haired beast and Solo act half-heartedly without weapons (10)
BAREHANDED: A homophone of a shaggy-haired beast BEAR become BARE, the forename of the Star Wars character HAN Solo, and a four-letter act DEED after one of its central E’s has been removed BARE(HAN)DED
18a Work with aluminium and stone (4)
OPAL: An abbreviated OPus or piece of work OP plus the chemical symbol of Aluminium AL. The precious stone OPAL
21a That’s woeful overlapping music style somewhere in America (6)
ALASKA: A synonym of woeful ALAS, shares its last letter with the first of a style of music similar to reggae SKA
ALA(S)KA
22a Reject papers turned yellowish (8)
DISALLOW: Your papers or ID are turned DI and a synonym of yellowish SALLOW to reject or DISALLOW
24a Unusual hindrance withdrawing gunners hit (7)
CHINNED: An informal hit to the face from an anagram (unusual) of HINDRANCE when the gunners or RA (Royal Artillery) have been withdrawn
25a One seducing gents, vices are completely without limits (7)
ENTICER: One seducing from gENTs vICEs aRe when the limiting letters of each word are removed
26a Concerning to Parisian, small debts unchanging (11)
REPETITIOUS: One of our usual concerning’s or about’s RE, how a Parisian may say small PETIT, and promissory notes that acknowledge debts IOUS
Down
1d Market’s opening early before eggs land (7)
MOLDOVA: An opening letter M, a synonym of early OLD, go before some biological eggs OVA, for a land in Eastern Europe MOLDOVA
2d Standard of Spain or Malta (6)
NORMAL: A Standard lurker hidden between SpaiN OR MALta
3d Discusses sportspeople on a circuit (4,6)
BATS AROUND: Sportspeople who wield the willow BATS, A from the clue and a synonym of circuit ROUND to informally discuss in a back-and-forth way BATS AROUND
4d Private Confederate officer said is just (4)
ONLY: A homophone (said) of something private or ones OWN plus the Confederate General LEE OWN LEE becomes ONLY (just)
5d Approaching one mile in underground tunnel, not hollowed out (8)
IMMINENT: The letter that looks like one I, an abbreviation of mile M, an underground tunnel for the extraction of valuable commodities MINE and what remains of not when it has been hollowed out NT. Approaching or IMMINENT
6d Italian’s refusal to feed birds (7)
GENOESE: Some birds or GEESE contain a refusal or NO to be Italians from Genoa
7d Wine barrel emptied in inn, chance for recycling? (6,5)
CHENIN BLANC: An anagram (for recycling) of INN CHANCE + BL (BarreL emptied) gives us A rather nice white wine CHENIN BLANC
9d Tribal adviser and fine subordinate blossom (11)
ELDERFLOWER: A tribal advisor who is the most senior in wisdom and experience ELDER, an abbreviation of fine F, and to be subordinate or LOWER, is the blossom that is a refreshing additive to many drinks ELDERFLOWER
12d Remorseless training inept men to accept Information Technology (10)
IMPENITENT: An anagram of INEPT MEN accepts IT as the abbreviation of Information Technology
15d Shocked when fish tail from bin’s found in drink (6,2)
SHAKEN UP: To take a drink SUP, goes around a type of fish HAKE and the tail letter of bin N Shocked or S(HAKE){N} UP
17d Long boards behind fitter (7)
READIER: to long or DIE for, goes within (boards) behind or REAR. REA(DIE)R or fitter
19d Splendid residences friend serves well (7)
PALACES: A friend or PAL and to serve unreturnable tennis shots ACES PALACES the splendid residences of Royalty
20d Revolutionary sent gold to the north (6)
CASTRO: To send or throw CAST, and a reversal of heraldic gold OR becomes RO CASTRO the revolutionary leader of Cuba
23d Modify belief that disregards the King (4)
To believe or trust CREDIT, disregards the King’s regnal cipher CR to modify or EDIT
That’s all Folks…