Toughie No 3227 by Kcit
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
I found the top half of this puzzle very gentle although it did get a little tougher towards the bottom. Thanks to Kcit.
Please leave a comment telling us how you fared and what you liked about the puzzle.
Across Clues
1a “Fundamental to include soil in variety of muck” in notes not really picked up (10,5)
BACKGROUND MUSIC: an adjective meaning fundamental includes an anagram (variety) of MUCK containing a synonym of soil or earth.
9a Sign of wound, granted, displays colour of blood (7)
SCARLET: evidence of an old wound and a verb meaning granted.
10a Show insect behind leaf (7)
PAGEANT: an insect follows a leaf (of a book).
11a Lorry‘s freezing, though not cold at first showing (5)
ARTIC: an informal adjective meaning freezing without the first of its abbreviations for cold.
12a Sort of cap covering a new cigar (9)
PANATELLA: a bodily cap containing A and the abbreviation for new.
14a Holiday from Orient Express terminus (6)
EASTER: express or expel the final letter from an adjective meaning orient.
16a What navigator’s looking to secure maiden voyage in this? (8)
LANDMARK: assemble a verb to secure, the cricket abbreviation for maiden and a seagoing vessel.
18a Explanation accordingly provided by corruption politician overlooked (8)
SOLUTION: start with an adverb meaning accordingly and add a synonym of corruption or defilement without the 3-letter abbreviation for politician.
19a Charm stubborn person into returning thanks (6)
AMULET: insert a metaphor for a stubborn person into the reversal of a short word of thanks.
21a Plane leaving Spain no later than one’s agreed (9)
CONCORDAT: join a fast passenger plane without the IVR code for Spain and a preposition meaning ‘no later than’.
25a Tribal symbol as those people envisage it? Not hard (5)
TOTEM: a phrase (2,4) meaning ‘as those people envisage it’ without the pencil abbreviation for hard.
27a Commotion about soldiers backing attrition (7)
EROSION: a word for a commotion contains the abbreviation for rank-and-file soldiers. Reverse the lot.
28a Long to take on board science of fish (7)
PISCINE: a verb to long or yearn containing the abbreviation for science.
29a Charts restoring Rotten’s band (6,9)
STRING ORCHESTRA: an anagram (rotten) of CHARTS RESTORING.
Down Clues
1d Transport route a source of misery after American line invested (3,4)
BUS LANE: a word for a source of misery or cause of great distress contains abbreviations for American and line.
2d Shore/ drift (5)
COAST: double definition, the second a verb to drift or proceed with no definite aim.
3d Good to get experienced Conservative — others getting the bird (9)
GOLDCREST: cement together the abbreviation for good, an adjective meaning experienced or mature, an abbreviation for Conservative and a synonym of others.
4d Elderly person keeping heritage body readily available (2,3)
ON TAP: an abbreviation for an elderly person contains the abbreviation for the UK charity dedicated to heritage conservation.
5d Interpose — and again, after reflection? (3,2)
NIP IN: a palindromic phrasal verb to interpose.
6d Male just lacking initial strength (5)
MIGHT: start with the abbreviation for male and add an adjective meaning just or correct without its initial letter.
7d Is confused with manilla envelope’s content? (5,4)
SNAIL MAIL: an anagram (confused) of IS MANILLA.
8d About to discuss retaining women’s fashion show location (7)
CATWALK: an abbreviation meaning about or approximately followed by a verb to discuss containing the abbreviation for women’s.
13d Georgian city computer network in time repeatedly linking both sides of Asia (7)
ATLANTA: a Russian doll clue – the abbreviation for a restricted computer network is bracketed by two abbreviations for time and that all goes inside the outer letters of Asia.
15d Special grant shared between us for brilliant show (9)
SPLENDOUR: concatenate an abbreviation for special, a verb to grant or bestow and a possessive adjective meaning ‘shared between us’.
17d Quantity of coffee is steamed badly (9)
DEMITASSE: an anagram (badly) of IS STEAMED.
18d Win after spending hours in what game? (7)
SUCCESS: start with what could be an admiring description of a board game (4,5) and remove both of the abbreviations for hour.
20d Tune: primarily audiovisual artist’s medium (7)
TEMPERA: a verb to tune the notes on a keyboard instrument followed by the primary letter of audiovisual.
22d Heavenly figure‘s prayer neglecting son (5)
ORION: an old word for a prayer without the genealogical abbreviation for son.
23d Wild creature‘s roar and energy (5)
DINGO: combine synonyms of roar or noise and energy or oomph.
24d Best reserve missing second part of season — that’s the issue (5)
TOPIC: a verb to best or surpass and a synonym of reserve or frigidity without the second letter of season.
26d I wanted something additional to eat and something additional to drink (5)
TWIST: double definition, the second a slice of lemon, say, added to your drink.
The clues I liked best were 25a and 26d. Which one(s) appealed to you?
I’m afraid this felt more work than fun. It didn’t actually take that long, it just felt like it in places. Undeniably clever, with some great Lego. But 1a – that all-important first clue – just set the tone for me: smartly constructed but too long, too odd. Not a surface to love. But I did think 29a (yes, it’s an anagram but a great one) was a fabulous read. I just wish Kcit had started with that. And I do agree re 26d. Excellent. Thanks to Kcit and Gazza. Top cartoons, as ever.
I see what ALP means – it was important to separate the elements of some clues particularly accurately. But I found it a pleasant-enough solve and was especially taken by 14a [orient express, very clever] 29a [great surface] and 26d [there’s also the pontoon meaning of “I want an additional card” but I digress].
Thanks to Kcit and Gazza.
Very friendly for both a Toughie and a Thursday
Thanks to Kcit and Gazza
Agree that the south was a good bit more demanding than the south. A fairly quick grid fill but fell down on a couple of parsings. 26d was last in, thought pontoon & bunged in the answer – Dickens & a G&T never crossed my mind. I also had east for Orient & didn’t peg the express terminus wordplay. Unlike ALP I rather liked 1a as a starter but my fav was 29a simply for conjuring up the mental image of Sid Vicious on the cello.
Thanks to Kcit for a very enjoyable puzzle & to Gazza for the whys & his usual array of cartoons.
I too found the top half went in fairly quickly, but I had to tussle with the south. Although I knew 18D was correct, I couldn’t parse it, so thank you Gazza for the explanation. I thought 14A was clever but 26D was a gem and my favourite.
Many thanks to Gazza for the enlightenment and fun ( I always enjoy the cartoons) and of course to Kcit for the workout.
The clever 14a gets my nod for top clue from this largely uncomplicated yet entertaining tussle. An honourable mention, too, for the excellent surface of 29a.
Thanks to Kcit for the challenge, and to Gazza.
Enjoyable and light, as others have said. A bit verbose in places but biffing a few answers (eg 1a, 14a, 20d) and moving on without stopping to parse resulted in a satisfactory conclusion and a correct grid. Podium places for me went to 1d, 15d and 26d.
Thank you to Kcit and to Gazza.
Apart from a couple of bung-ins 22d and 26d I didn’t have to much trouble. That said I got the answer first and the parsing second several times in the south. Favourite was 3d. Thanks to Kcit and Gazza.
9a is very similar to the very first cryptic clue that I solved at the knee of my dear Grandfather, over 50 years ago. I still remember it today “Colour seen when old wound bled”.
Thanks to all.
It all went in smoothly for us with lots of unpicking to do on clever clues.
An enjoyable solve.
Thanks Kcit and Gazza.