Sunday Toughie No 123
by Zandio
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 2nd of June 2024
Across
1a Where Do Broken Hearts Go? – a good lyric, jazzed up (10)
CARDIOLOGY: From the bottom, an anagram indicator (jazzed up), the fodder for said anagram A GOOD LYRIC, and before the ?- the cryptic definition of the hospital department that treats heart problems CARDIOLOGY
6a Banquet not catering for English diet (4)
FAST: Remove E for English from a Banquet or FEAST, and what remains is a meagre diet of no food at all FAST
9a Admire accessory – i.e. wanting a swap (10)
COMPLIMENT: A synonym of accessory that goes well with your wardrobe perhaps COMPLEMENT, swaps an E for an I, To admire or COMPLIMENT
10a Cut up and pass, going around 100 (4)
DICE: To pass from this world to the next DIE, around the Roman 100 C, DICE to cut up vegetables rather than motorists
12a Wound up seeing quintet at, say, shows with hits and misses (6)
UNEASY: A synonym of wound up or alarmed can be found when seeing that “qUiNtEt At, SaY” contain alternate letters (hits and misses)
13a Improved after losing first half, dropping final point (8)
TERMINUS: A synonym of improved loses its first half betTER, a mathematical function for dropping MINUS, follows to the final point or end of the line TERMINUS
15a One’s seen listing sadly in the wet Dorset rains – pot, terracotta, should cover it (12)
TRAINSPOTTER: My own experience with this hobby was never done sadly in the wet. I “cabbed” a Peak (Tryfan) and saw a Deltic start-up, but it has become synonymous with sad blokes in anoraks listing DMUs in the rain. it is a rather clever lurker (should cover it)
18a Adaptable groups, they’re contracted to keep things tight (7,5)
ELASTIC BANDS: Two synonyms Adaptable or ELASTIC and groups or BANDS, contract around things to keep them tightly together
21a Edible summer treat that’s found around wood (3,5)
ICE LOLLY: A cryptic definition of the frozen “drink on a stick” I think they tried alternatives to wood for a while but found that wood adheres to the treat better
22a Suffering for having missed opening bargain (6)
ORDEAL: The second word of the clue misses its opening fOR, and attaches itself to a bargain DEAL
24a Rejected study showing Spain doubled poverty (4)
NEED: Cruciverbalists’ favourite study DEN, is reversed around the IVR code for Spain E Poverty or NEED
25a Grow herb in America, planted reportedly to make one trimmer (5,5)
RAZOR BLADE: A dodgy homophobe here I don’t think I pronounce this the same way as an American says herb. A synonym of grow RAISE. how an American says herb ERB, and a homophone (reportedly) of planted LAID. RAISE ERB LAID becomes RAZOR BLADE
26a Soldiers and coppers are often on this tax (4)
DUTY: A double definition, Soldiers and Policemen are often on DUTY and DUTY is a Tax on imports
27a Honey upset being kinky part of triangle (10)
HYPOTENUSE: Being kinky is the anagram indicator, and part of triangle is the definition leaving the first two words as the fodder HONEY UPSET becomes HYPOTENUSE the side of a triangle opposite the right angle, the square of which adds up to the sum of the square of the other two sides
Down
1d States tracking carbon show growth (6)
CACTUS: The symbol for Carbon C, and how we refer to the United States US, go around a synonym of show ACT CACTUS a rather spiky growth
2d Parking in capital to go on Delta, getting frisked (6)
ROMPED: A capital city ROME, around the map/road sign symbol for Parking P, and the code letter that Delta suggests D. ROMPED or frisked about in a frolicsome way
3d In France he will encounter passion on allotment, for example (12)
ILLUSTRATION: The French for he IL, encounters a synonym of passion LUST, and an allotment or allowance RATION.
4d This person’s invested in vinyl record, Stumble (4)
LIMP: A contraction of this person’s I’M, goes into an album-length vinyl record LP and stumbles down the road with an uneven gait LIMP
5d That’s sweet (and hot!) — group’s lead vocalist taking top off before photo (10)
GINGER SNAP: The leading letter of group G, and a vocalist without its topmost letter sINGER, go before an informal photo SNAP GINGER SNAP a spicy sweet biscuit
7d Turn away from ET – ‘et’, as some say (8)
ALIENATE: An Extra-Terrestrial ALIEN, and the “proper” pronunciation of the dialect ‘et ATE, To turn away or ALIENATE
8d Bank transfer’s first advanced in Surrey for regeneration (8)
TREASURY: The first letter of transfer T, and an advanced level examination A, in an anagram (for regeneration) of SURREY A bank or TREASURY
11d Rascal over in Germany the expert finds mysterious (12)
IMPONDERABLE: A three-letter rascal IMP goes over or above ON, the German for the DER, and an adjective for expert ABLE Mysterious or IMPONDERABLE
14d A lot of housing is small room variety (10)
MISCELLANY: A synonym of a lot of MANY, housing IS from the clue and a small room favoured by a variety of monks and prisoners CELL A variety or MISCELLANY
16d Stoical downtrodden GI sergeant is bearing up (8)
RESIGNED: Is bearing up is a reverse lurker indicator, so look for a synonym of Stoical in the rest of the clue
17d Found gents toilet at either end in cellar (8)
BASEMENT: To found or begin BASE, another word for gents plural MEN, and either of the end letters of toilet T A BASEMENT or Cellar
19d Imagination making a comeback? (4,2)
DEJA VU: I imagine this clue is making a comeback, but I may be confused and be experiencing it for the first time The feeling of having experienced before something that is really being experienced for the first time
20d Sting‘s escape, joining Electronic to tour clubs (6)
FLEECE: A synonym of escape FLEE, and an abbreviation of Electronic E, around the abbreviation for the Club suit of cards C to sting or FLEECE
23d One’s long-dead affair echoed with the sound of ‘money, money!’ (4)
DODO: An affair or informal function DO, is echoed DODO, but Zandio helps even more by telling us it is also a homophone (sound of) an informal term for money that is repeated DOUGH DOUGH or the long dead DODO
That’s All Folks!