Sunday Toughie No 111 by
Robyn
Review by Sloop John Bee
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
This puzzle was published on the 10th of March 2024
Across
1a Is the chair uncovered in lodge? (6)
RESIDE: The person who acts as the chair of a meeting PRESIDER, loses the covering letters to lodge in accommodation or RESIDE
4a State loudly and badly a load of rubbish (8)
LANDFILL: Musically loud F for Forte, and badly or unwell ILL, follow one’s state or nation LAND
9a Assistant turning fruit crop up (6)
APPEAR: An abbreviated personal assistant PA, is turned to AP, followed by a type of fruit PEAR
10a After onset of stress, mean to slacken off (4,4)
SLOWDOWN: The onset of stress S, followed by someone mean or ornery LOWDOWN To slacken off or SLOW DOWN
12a With a trio of kings invading, ruin developing area (8)
DARKROOM: A from the clue and three kings (two Latin R for Rex. and one chess piece K – giving RKR) invade impending ruin or DOOM, gives us a DARKROOM an area in which photographs are developed
13a Stitched pockets tailor’s coat covered (6)
STREWN: A synonym of stitched SEWN, pockets the coating letters of tailor TR
15a Vainly hope set of eggs and tarts was cooked (6,2,6)
CLUTCH AT STRAWS: A set of recently laid eggs CLUTCH and an anagram (cooked) of TARTS WAS to vainly hope or CLUTCH AT STRAWS
18a Inappropriate conviction concerning two criminals smuggling passport? (14)
OVERCONFIDENCE: A synonym of concerning OVER and then two types of criminal activity (deception or CON, and dealing in stolen goods FENCE) around the purpose of a passport or similar papers ID OVER(CON)(F(ID)ENCE Inappropriate conviction or faith that is unfounded
20a Standing by head of CID returning plain clothes (2,4)
ON CALL: The plain was a bit tricky to see but it is one of the vast steppes or plains in northern S America LLANO, then reversed ON_ALL, about the head of CID C. ON CALL or standing by
22a Large netting — a little of this may be dangerous? (8)
LEARNING: An abbreviation of large L, and netting in your pay packet EARNING a little LEARNING may be dangerous
24a Kind of skirt is donned by a very unusual type (4,4)
RARA AVIS: A short gathered or pleated skirt RA-RA, A from the clue, an abbreviation of very V, and IS from the clue and you have the Latin for a very unusual type of creature RARA AVIS, but Juvenal adapted it to mean any rare person or thing
25a Appeal, catching member lying (6)
SUPINE: To appeal in a court of law SUE, catches an informal member or limb PIN for a bit more Latin SUPINE or lying
26a Maybe Bourbon houses right for displaying large sideboards (8)
WHISKERY: Bourbon is a type of this spiritous liquor, and it distinguishes itself from Scotch by including an E WHISKEY, if you also include R for right you are displaying large sideboards or WHISKERY
27a What’s reflected in bidet I deftly polished (6)
EDITED: The mental image of Robyn’s backside reflected in his bidet as he prepared for “polishing” disturbed me somewhat, but here polished is the definition and what’s reflected in is the indicator to look for a reverse lurker. The polishing that Chris Lancaster applies to Robyn’s crosswords rather than his bathroom fittings or backside! Hidden in reverse as shown biDET I DEftly
Down
1d Artist capturing something magical in country (6)
RWANDA: Our usual artist RA, around a magical device or WAND
2d Foolishly sleep with guru, a bonding specialist? (9)
SUPERGLUE: An anagram (foolishly) of SLEEP and GURU
3d Vital to stop girl capsizing boat? It could be grave (11,4)
DIACRITICAL MARK: Gravè is an example of this part of text that indicates a fall in pitch somewhat. These marks in general are a synonym of vital CRITICAL, with a young girl or MAID reversed DIA-M around it followed by Noah’s boat ARK DIA(CRITICAL)M ARK
5d Marry count after losing head (4)
ALLY: A synonym of count TALLY, loses its initial letter, to ALLY or create a union or alliance such as to Marry
6d Fully drink some spirits, say, after hot drinks (4,2,3,6)
DOWN TO THE GROUND: An informal phrase for fully. To drink a small whisky in one DOWN TOT, the letter hot indicates H, say as an example or EG, and a collection of drinks bought when it is your turn ROUND – DOWN TO T(H)(E G)ROUND
7d Combined home working with back in office (2,3)
IN ONE: To drink a small whisky, synonyms of home IN, and working ON, followed by the back of office E many things Combined IN ONE
8d Figure climbing cuts heel, which is red (8)
LENINIST: A figure between eight and ten NINE, is reversed (climbing) ENIN, in a synonym of heel (of a ship) that leans to one side LIST- A L(ENIN)IST being one on the red side of the political spectrum
11d Making Sally exercise holding part of leg (7)
JOSHING: The capitalisation of Sally is deceptive. Making sally is to make a witty remark or retort, from a gentle paced run JOG, around part of the lower leg SHIN
14d Small child’s vehicle runs forward (7)
STRIKER: S for small, a child’s three-wheeled vehicle TRIKE, and the crickety run R, gives the forward in football a STRIKER
16d Record collector knowing first about classical quartet (9)
ARCHIVIST: A synonym of knowing ARCH, and the letters that look like first in ordinal numbering 1ST IST,follow a Roman quartet IV giving the collector of records an ARCH(IV)IST
17d Unusually long feature cut about revolutionary Queen vocalist (8)
MONOBROW: I spent a long time reversing Mr Mercury before the penny dropped, Reverse a different vocalist of the Irish band U2 BONO becomes ONOB into a synonym of cut the grass MOW, and Queen supplies a Latin Regina or R M(ONOB)(R)OW the unusually long hair pattern where eyebrows meet in the middle
19d Periodically sang and instrument chimed (6)
AGREED: Periodic letters of sAnG and the source of sound from many wind instruments REED, chimed is a synonym of the solution AGREED, rather than the sound of the instrument
21d Fancy that American who serves royal favourite (5)
CORGI: A synonym of fancy that as an expression of surprise COR! and the letters that signify an American who serves in the military GI. I think Andrew now looks after the late Queen’s favourite pets
23d British deserting European river bank (4)
TIER: A European river The TIBER but the B for British is deserting, a bank or TIER