Toughie No 3295 by Beam
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
It’s Beam’s turn today and he’s given us a relatively straightforward puzzle. Thanks to him.
Please leave a comment telling us how you fared and what you liked about the puzzle.
Across Clues
1a Unequipped to cross frozen water plain (10)
NOTICEABLE: unequipped (3,4) containing frozen water.
6a Old French artist practically flipped (4)
AGED: reverse the surname of a French impressionist artist without its last letter.
10a Quickly passed rejected estimate for recount (7)
NARRATE: reverse a verb meaning quickly passed or rushed and add a verb to estimate.
11a Spectacles presented by good girls (7)
GLASSES: the abbreviation for good followed by a synonym of girls.
12a Draw out some caramel on gateau (8)
ELONGATE: hidden.
13a Bracing air from area with oxygen (5)
OZONE: an area or district attached to the chemical symbol for oxygen.
15a Upset runner losing international championship (7)
SKITTLE: stick together a runner used in winter sports and a championship or trophy without the abbreviation for international.
17a Hone small instrument case for Elton (7)
SHARPEN: assemble the clothing abbreviation for small, a musical instrument and the outer letters of Elton.
19a State of organ after tip’s cut (7)
ENGLAND: a bodily organ follows a tip or extremity without its last letter.
21a Genuine singing periodically for group again (7)
REALIGN: a synonym of genuine and the even letters of singing.
22a Quiet beer is what produces gas? (5)
SHALE: an injunction to be quiet and a type of beer.
24a Attack family over son then hide (8)
GOATSKIN: a phrasal verb to attack (2,2) and a word for family bracket the genealogical abbreviation for son.
27a Covering for head of the clergy? (7)
BIRETTA: cryptic definition of a head covering worn by Roman Catholic clergy.
28a Bombshell split party holding power (7)
TORPEDO: cement together a verb meaning split or ripped and an informal word for a party or social event and insert the physics abbreviation for power.
29a Drain taking top off jug (4)
EWER: remove the leading letter of a drain used for carrying away waste matter.
30a Observe gathering terror, occasionally looking back (10)
RETROSPECT: a verb to observe or show regard for containing the odd letters of ‘terror’.
Down Clues
1d Zero time used up around noon (4)
NONE: the reversal of a long period of time containing the abbreviation for noon.
2d Object about channel getting sensational (9)
THRILLING: a non-specific term for an object contains a shallow channel.
3d Bond feature with adult content (5)
CHAIN: a facial feature with the film classification meaning ‘adult only’ inserted in it.
4d Mean state is on decline (7)
AVERAGE: charade of a verb to state and a verb to decline or wither.
5d Tight lines dressing, say, curvy figure (7)
LEGLESS: two abbreviations for line clothe the usual abbreviation for ‘say’ or ‘for instance’. Finish with the curviest letter of the alphabet.
7d Enjoyment is over following sudden wind (5)
GUSTO: the cricket abbreviation for over follows a sudden rush of wind.
8d Circle clearing without a sound (10)
DISCERNING: a circular object followed by a present participle meaning clearing or being paid without A.
9d Show hat worn by sailors, maybe (8)
PANORAMA: a type of hat contains the abbreviation for rank and file military staff.
14d Seeming old and wise taking time (10)
OSTENSIBLE: the abbreviation for old and an adjective meaning wise or prudent containing the abbreviation for time.
16d Caricaturist raves, typically about caricature (8)
TRAVESTY: hidden.
18d Victorian English assuming repugnant birthright (9)
PRIVILEGE: another word for a Victorian or self-righteous moralistic person contains an adjective meaning repugnant.
20d Shame lifeless sweetheart embracing vacuous geezer (7)
DEGRADE: an adjective meaning lifeless or inanimate and Beam’s usual swEetheart contain the outer letters of geezer.
21d Energy supplier connected to star, perhaps (7)
REACTOR: a prefix meaning ‘connected to’ and what a star or leading man or woman might be.
23d Square generation accepts rise of Queen (5)
AGREE: a word for generation or stage of life contains the reversal of our late Queen’s cipher.
25d Southern Asian robes in silk, initially (5)
SARIS: initial letters.
26d Quarrel seen in bar (4)
BOLT: double definition, the first a type of arrow shot from a crossbow.
The clues I liked best were 15a, 19a and 8d. Which one(s) took your fancy?
Superb cartoon for 18d, quite brilliant!
Great puzzle, Beam in very benign mood indeed. All the trademarks, absolutely cracking, though I’m not sure why “maybe” is needed in 9d. I’ll go for a podium comprising 28a, 30a and 5d.
Many thanks both to Beam and Gazza
Some beautifully smart definitions, as ever. 8d, 23d, etc. Pretty light in the main (11a and 27a in particular) but a fine romp. Very pleasing solve, this. 15a is especially elegant. Many thanks to Beam and Gazza. Grand to see Dorset’s giant get an 18d look-in!
Thought Mr T was attempting to compensate for Silvanus giving us a fairly easy ride with the back-pager, I had to reach further than usual to arrive at some of his synonyms.
Tops for me were 30a plus 5&21d.
Devotions as ever to Mr T/Beam and many thanks to Gazza for the review and cartoons – loved the discussion between the umpires and the politically correct adjustment to the chalk giant!
Loved this. 15a raised the biggest smile.
Thanks to Gazza and Beam.
The usual excellence from Beam but I didn’t find this a walk in the park as I found quite a few of the clues and the parsings challenging to say the least. Favourite was 5d. Thanks to Beam and Gazza.
Another fine puzzle from Beam in great form. Favourites were 15a 19a and 24a but best of all was 5d which took me ages. Many thanks to RayT.
Evening all. Thanks to Gazza for the elucidation and to all for your comments.
RayT
Great puzzle, Ray. Many thanks and please keep them coming.
Thanks also to Gazza, of course.
All the usual pleasure that we can expect when we see the name Beam on the website. 19a gets our vote for best clue.
Thanks Beam and Gazza.
Wonderful! Toughies don’t get much better than this.
Many thanks to Beam and to Gazza.
Excellent puzzle. Completed over 21hrs ago & enjoyed it all. 26d was last in & the arrow penny was a reluctant drop. Ticks aplenty with 8d my fav if pressed.
Thanks to Beam & Gazza.