Sunday Toughie No 130 by proXimal
Review by Sloop John Bee
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
This puzzle was published on the 21st of July 2024
Across
6a As Spooner says, brave lot for sports competition category (13)
FEATHERWEIGHT: Synonyms of brave WEATHER, and lot FATE, when Spoonerised define a category of Boxing
8a Comedy’s Nick and Fanny on Broadway (6)
BOTTOM: The surname of Nick, a character in a Shakespearean comedy is what an American (on Broadway) would refer to as a Fanny – No laughing at the back
9a Carries cash to catch one tram occasionally (8)
CONTAINS: The hard cash in pocket or purse COINS, has to catch occasional letters of oNe TrAm CO(NTA)INS
10a First of bears moved to behind tree (3)
ASH: A synonym of bears HAS, moves its first letter behind the other two to be a species of tree ASH
11a After one becomes sheltered, turn organ (6)
SPLEEN: A synonym of turn SPIN, swaps the letter that looks like one I, for the sheltered side away from the wind LEE. SP(LEE)N
12a Shown in multiscreen, this player shot with cue (8)
MINSTREL: A signature compound anagram (shot) The player we seek can be found in multiscreen when cue has been removed
14a Drip returned with pipe broken by a spanner (7)
VIADUCT: The drip that provides post-operative fluids I.V. is reversed VI, along with a pipe DUCT, separated by A from the clue
16a Vocally provoke awareness (7)
INSIGHT: A homophone (vocally) of to provoke or INCITE becomes INSIGHT
20a Vehicle test time, held in centre (8)
CORVETTE: A synonym of centre CORE, holds within one of test VET, and T for time – A marque of the Chevrolet motor company that took its name from another type of ocean-going vehicle
23a Smack back in countering returned attacks (4,2)
GETS AT: A reversal (returned) of smack or savour TASTE, and the backmost letter of countering G
24a Sink at right angles to an identical one? (3)
SAG: Although the definition is easy to spot and we have two out of three letters checked for us, how on earth do we leap to the middle letter? The only thing I can see is that this group of letters is at right angles to identical ones in 19d, So it would appear to be
25a Moves this compiler’s overturned jars (8)
MIGRATES: A synonym of jars GRATES, follows a contraction of how this compiler refers to himself I’M becomes MI, MIGRATES or moves abroad
26a Stretch of nights regularly spent in the French hotel (6)
LENGTH: Regular letters of nights NGH, go between one of the French definite articles LE, and the letter that hotel suggests H
27a Good development facility overlooking centre of Montrose becoming more influential (7,6)
GAINING GROUND: A sports development facility TRAINING GROUND, replaces the two central letters of MonTRose with G for good
Down
1d Like article in Barking news title (8)
MASTHEAD: A slang adjective for barking MAD, contains a synonym of like AS, and THE definite article. The name of a newspaper in the form in which it normally appears
2d Priest’s guy I found in unfinished cabin (8)
SHAMANIC: A MAN and I from the clue are found in most of a roughly-built cabin or SHAC(K)
3d Switzerland stops production for replaced currency (7)
DRACHMA: The IVR code for Switzerland CH, goes into a theatrical production DRAMA for the former currency of Greece that was replaced by the €uro
4d Scottish singer disregarding unknown northern musician (6)
LENNON: A Scottish singer Annie LENNOX, becomes another musician when the mathematical unknown is swapped for an N for northern John LENNON
5d Shocked stag hastily hides (6)
AGHAST: A lurker (hides)
6d Woe that won’t affect fare dodgers? (4,9)
FOOD POISONING:A cryptic definition of an ailment that you cant catch if you don’t eat your fare
7d Banks of Europeans let this kind loose in Threadneedle Street (6-7)
TENDER HEARTED: Another compound anagram is indicated by this. An anagram (loose) of a phrase for kind or loving can be found in Threadneedle Street, but remove LET and the banking letters of Europeans ES, beforehand THREADNEEDLE STREET -LETES leves the fodder for kind or TENDER HEARTED
13d Dodgy behaviour of South American (3)
SUS: An abbreviation of South and one of our usual Americans US, give a slang term for dodgy behaviour that raises doubts SUS a contractionof SUSpicion
15d Employ Liverpudlian’s pronoun after being told (3)
USE: A homophone (after being told) of how a Liverpudlian may refer to more than one person YOUSE becomes USE
17d Newton amused people when ignoring top critics (8)
NIGGLERS: Amused people who may be laughing at the back of the class GIGGLERS, lose their first letter and replace it with the physical symbol for the Newton N
18d Unsuitable bar borders foreign city (8)
ISTANBUL: A partial anagram – this foreign city is found in u)NSUITABL(e bar its bordering letters
19d News manipulation with East replacing first of two articles (7)
MESSAGE: Therapeutic manipulation MASSAGE, replaces the first indefinite article A with an E for east for a MESSAGE or news
21d Such pests divided and caught by Ned would give us no worries (6)
VERMIN: Not a compound anagram more of a compound synonym, a synonym of no worries NE)VERMIN(D, contains such pests when Ned is removed
22d Picked up grubby plant in Perth (6)
TATTIE: There are several places called Perth but only one that refers to the staple carbohydrate plant as a homophone (picked up) of grubby or dishevelled, TATTY becomes TATTIE
That’s all Folks…