Sunday Toughie No 113 by Zandio
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 24th of March 2024
Oops a bit rushed, I will expand on this in a bit
Across
1a Discard half of that egg on seeing crack (7)
ATTEMPT: Let’s take a crack at this first, discard half of that AT and add a synonym of to egg on TEMPT
5a Wind back instalment of virtual art simulation (7)
MISTRAL: A reverse lurker (back instalment of) hidden in virtuaL ART SIMulation The MISTRAL a wind of southern France
9a Times names relations (5)
TERMS: A rather nice triple-definition
10a Model with bit of bottle gets rowdy (9)
ROUGHNECK: A synonym of to model or sketch out a plan ROUGH, before part of a bottle NECK
11a Polish perhaps bound to be shrinking (6-4)
TONGUE TIED: A shrinking violet from the language Poland perhaps is an example of TONGUE, and a synonym of bound TIED
12a Sci-fi screening, vacuous Empire Returns 9 (4)
Abbreviate Science Fiction even further to SF, “screening” it around what remains of Empire when vacuous EE, then return it for a fourth definition of 9a TERMS or FEES
14a Firmly covered up romance, cuddling Romeo — Papa dealt roughly (6-6)
ARMOUR-PLATED: Two radio code letters here, one goes in a French-flavoured romance AMOUR + R Romeo, and the other precedes dealt when treated roughly, P for Papa and an anagram of DEALT becomes PLATED
18a Sort of school exam result that’s given to a high-flier? (8,4)
BOARDING PASS: The type of school where Jennings and Darbyshire entertained us (but Diana’s brother Charles Spencer had a rather different experience) BOARDING, and a satisfactory exam result PASS, allow one to be a high-flier a BOARDING PASS
21a Twisted heart of Dante’s Inferno (4)
ETNA: This Inferno is also Italian like Dante and is twisted in the heart of DANTE’S
22a Writing item in Echo & Times, tinker half-heartedly — it’s throwaway (10)
EXPENDABLE: Another radio code letter E for Echo, and a mathematical symbol X for Times, precede a writing instrument PEN, and a synonym of tinker DABBLE,with one of its central B’s removed E(X)PENDAB(B)LE EXPENDABLE or throwaway
25a Ending of blue joke delivered in the wrong order (9)
A synonym of blue DOWN, and a joke or witticism CRACK, are delivered in the reverse order to be an ending of unruly behaviour a CRACKDOWN
26a Homeric character, nothing great (5)
One of the characters of Homer’s mother language, the character that looks like nothing O, and a synonym of great MEGA = OMEGA the last letter of the Greek alphabet
27a Jolly, spinning the Devil’s music (7)
A reversal (spinning) of the singular Devil SATAN becomes NATAS, follows an Interjection SO expressing an adverb form of jolly well or very much SO SO(NATAS) – thanks Philbert
28a Dark psychological profile? (3-4)
A dark splodge used by Rorschach in psychological profiling
Down
1d Crafty sea trout, dropping or rising freely (6)
ASTUTE: An anagram of SEA T(ro)UT but dropping or, or allowing or to rise free (two anagram indicators to allow or to rise free in the wrong order) Crafty or ASTUTE
2d Bottom place for royal projected broadcast (6)
THRONE: The place for a Royal Bottom, a homophone (broadcast) of a synonym of projected THROWN becomes THRONE
3d Plug in marquee’s animated front (10)
MASQUERADE: A plug or promotional short AD, goes in an anagram (animated) of marquee’s
4d They’ll lay out a fortune to turn traitor over (5)
TAROT: To turn traitor TO RAT, is turned over to be the deck laid out to tell your fortune TAROT
5d Little snapper bit rolls covered with instant milk (9)
MOUSETRAP: A small bit is reversed (rolls) PART becomes TRAP, covered with a small instant of time MO, and a synonym of milk or exploit USE.
6d Do a bunk after husband’s put down bit of capital (4)
SOHO: A word uttered when you want a fly or wasp to do a bunk SHOO, moves H for husband down the order to be a bit of our Capital city SOHO
7d Article from Spain written in secret, revolutionary puts in post again (2-6)
RE-ELECTS: A Spanish definite article EL, in an anagram (revolutionary) of SECRET
8d Tucked into cornflakes, I’d eaten with water at hand (8)
LAKESIDE: A lurker (tucked into) cornfLAKES, I’D Eaten
13d Done reading mystery (6,4)
CLOSED BOOK: A double definition
15d Revolting old boy with debts hanging around Number 10 (9)
OBNOXIOUS: An old boy OB, and his debts or promissory notes IOUS, hangs around an abbreviated number NO, and a Roman 10 X to be revolting or OB(NO)X(IOUS)
16d Away days holding black magic seances (8)
ABSENCES: An anagram (magic) of SEANCES around B for black
17d Keep in good condition or state (8)
MAINTAIN: Another double definition
19d Muscles stretch out making a climb or quick descent (6)
ABSEIL: The means of making a quick descent from a mountain, from some muscles in the torso ABS, and a synonym of stretch out LIE, that is reversed (making a climb in a down clue)to become EIL – ABS-EIL
20d Flexible shelter housing a new resident (6)
TENANT: A from the clue and N for new are housed within a flexible canvas shelter TENT, a TEN(A)(N)T or resident in a rented property
23d Feelings of discontent with uneven losses mean an audit (5)
ENNUI: Feelings of discontent or boredom are hidden in the last three words when the odd letters are removed mEaN aN aUdIt
24d Funny item showing edge Mirror ultimately edited out (4)
The edge of a dress or hovercraft SKIRT, without the ultimate letter of mirroR a funny sketch or SKIT
Sorry about the delay – I hope you weren’t waiting too long for explanations
That’s All Folks!