Sunday Toughie No 133
by proXimal
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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Starting with a Spoonerism and a couple of compound clues (one unhinted :o ) it has to be proXimal
24a is not quite as regular as I would like but can’t find a better interpretation
We have 14a and 14d clues today and I have hinted half, a few unhinted clues may still be a bit tricky so I will give a nudge to the first to ask
Here we go, Folks…
As it is a Prize puzzle I can only hint at a few and hope that will give you the checkers and inspiration to go further. I’ll return with the full review blog just after the closing date. Don’t forget to follow BD’s instructions in RED at the bottom of the hints!
I hope I don’t have to redact any comments but I am new at this and don’t want to rock the boat. If in doubt, I’ll rub it out! I think that sentence is a bit redundant. You have all been so helpful in sorting out prior parsing failures, and I am sure I will need similar help again.
Most of the terms used in these hints are explained in the Glossary and examples are available by clicking on the entry under “See also” Where the hint describes a construct as “usual” this means that more help can be found in The Usual Suspects, which gives a number of the elements commonly used in the wordplay. Another useful page is Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, which features words with meanings that are not always immediately obvious. Don’t forget the Mine of Useful information that Big Dave and his son Richard so meticulously prepared for us.
A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions. Some hints follow: Remember the site rules and play nicely.
Across
1a Spooner’s crone offspring makes foul liquid (10)
Start with a crone with magical powers and her female offspring and treat them according to the Reverend Doctor to be a proverbially dull cup of tea perhaps
9a Careful food store worker trapping pest (10)
An abbreviated store that sells high-quality cooked meats and cheeses and the worker insect I am eponymously attached to that has trapped a rodent pest
13a Keep isn’t surrounded by water (8)
An informal contraction such as isn’t surrounded by a large body of water, to keep in the style to which one has been accustomed
15a Immensely flash penning letter to Greek friend (12)
A brief flash of time penning the thirteenth letter of the Greek alphabet, followed by a friend
22a Rush around with reminder after memory’s lapsed (6)
One of the usual arounds or about, a reminder in reference to and an interjection expressing doubt or a failing of memory and what remains of re(mind)er when the place where memory occurs is removed (lapsed) may lead you to rush wildly. Thanks Gazza
24a Flower seen in wine regions regularly (4)
Not perfectly regular but the answer is found by taking the 2nd then every 3rd letter of two words in the clue – Is this allowed or are we missing something?
25a One could arrange duet with such mixes for audio cassettes (10)
A compound anagram (one could arrange – such) The answer we seek when mixed with duet could make audio cassettes
Down
1d Gather two swallows died (6)
I gather that this is a term for the two in cards or dice (that appears to be an unindicated Americanism :o ) it swallows the abbreviation of died
3d Making attire for sisters is addictive (5-7)
Addictive such as a taker will find it difficult or impossible to give up using is like making the attire for sisters in a religious order
8d Horses having cut joints we’re told (8)
A breed of horse ideal for carriage driving, a synonym of cut roughly and a homophone of a joint in the leg
11d Art exhibition in depot enthralling everyone (12)
In from the clue and the depot where trains or buses depart contain a synonym of everyone
14d Eat with authoress, losing heart to beautiful storyteller (10)
A fabulous or exaggerated storyteller from a synonym of to eat or chew and a well-known female author without the central letter of beautiful
17d Name of woman pounding grain (8)
A synonym of pounding and the grain of a type of grass give us the name of a woman
20d Lively cook is heading for kitchen blocks (6)
To cook in oil in a broad shallow “skillet” contains (blocks) is from the clue and the heading for kitchen
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Pretty tricksy in places today and a real treat. Loved the Spooner. 18a is, of course, horrid, and 22a made me sweat. 26a is proper smart and ‘twas great to see a compound anagram just before. Ta lots to the mighty proXimal and Sloop. Can’t beat a bit of the Bluesbreakers
Enjoyable stuff – thanks to proXimal and SJB.
I’ve never heard of 14d but the wordplay is generous.
I took 22a to require us to delete a synonym of memory from ‘reminder’ for the last four letters.
Top clues for me were 6a, 26a, 27a and 3d.
I agree. It took me a while to fathom but I reckon that’s most likely. I did love Sloop’s ingenuity though!
Terry Gilliam did a film about the notorious storyteller that is 14d and …er! You are right about 22a too
I will amend the hint when we get home from listening to this band who are playing at the bandstand as I type
This was them last year
We were sat between the cameraman and the bandstand this year so Mama Bee and I will probably be in a future YT video of the Old Silkstone Brass Band at Wetherby
The Crossword Editor has been very friendly with us today: Dada @ 16d; proXimal @ 7d.
I’m sure that :o has some significance in SJB’s blog … but it’s beyond me?
Just me trying to do emoticons but they don’t seem to work where I typed this blog :o =
😮. To express surprise that I dared leave a proXimal compound unhinted
Mightily relieved to discover that I didn’t need in depth knowledge of electrical components to get 18a!
Absolute favourite was the smile-inducing 3d and I also enjoyed the reverend and the art exhibition.
Thanks to proXimal and to SJB for the hints – stomach-churning illustration for 9a!
Sorry about 9a – blame Google image search but once seen it had to go in the blog
I did like the 3d pic as they are supposed to look like the sisters in their attire and they are quite addictive too
I don’t know how 18a’s work either just glad the kitchen isn’t full of steam every time I boil a kettle
Got there in the end but did need SJB’s hints for my last couple as couldn’t see how the regularity worked in 24a nor how a gerund can clue a verb in 17d. No doubt I’m missing something. Thought the Spoonerism was terrific and 3d got another smile. Most pleased though to have spotted the compound anagram in 25a.
Thanks to Proximal for the workout and SJB for the helpful hints.
I did want the first part of of the fodder for 24a to have five letters but twine or brine is not a good surface, maybe olive regions would have worked better but even 2,5,8,11 is a proper arithmetic progression if you start at 0
The pounding of a drum perhaps
Very good! I knew I was missing something. I regularly miss a beat!
Largely straightforward up top but hopelessly all at sea down under. Missed the subtractive anagram (hint needed), couldn’t properly figure out the why at 24a, never heard of the electrical component but pegged it from the fodder (eventually), missed the memory lapsed parsing & wrongly thought the absent T ain’t in the heart of Jane’s surname. Add to that I still can’t complete 26a plus 16&19d.
Should have declared at the equator. Loved the Spoonerism though.
Thanks to proXimal & to John – didn’t attempt the puzzle but well done on doing an Elgar review.
26a is another compound clue but not an anagram 16d involves the fat you have with toast, 19d is a seat taken on a Sunday with a new to me abbreviation but not the BRB obviously
I really recommend the Elgar, as Gazza said it is as easy as he is likely to get (but I wouldn’t have been able to solve it without the weeks notice)
I too didn’t get 24a spot on without Gazza’s help
Ta John – must have thought of every metal bar that one
Pleasant but gentle. */*. 3d just wins.
The pic for 3d are actually called “Religieuse” but I prefer to call them “Nun Buns”
My edition of the BRB (13th Revised) does not satisfactorily parse 10a. Is more investment needed?
Welcome to the blog
Welcome from me too,
although the answer is a bit more than metallic it certainly is metal. This is more a case of setters licence
But the Chambers app is very useful and worth getting. I use it a lot
It defines the required word as ‘a short shrill humming sound’. You have to lose the last letter (briefly) and add the abbreviation for caught.
Tough going at the start but got there in the end.