Sunday Toughie No 132 by Zandio
Review by
Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 4th of August 2024
Across
1a Judge makes a Republican resentful, not every time (7)
ARBITER: A from the clue and R for Republican join a synonym of resentful BITTER, but one of the abbreviations for time is omitted
5a Correspondence should be upright and appropriate (7)
POSTBAG: The upright part of a fence perhaps POST, and a verb meaning to appropriate BAG
9a UK politician some Americans might find a contradiction in terms? (7,8)
LIBERAL DEMOCRAT: A UK political party (since 1988) comprised of two terms that Americans find in slightly different parts of the political spectrum
10a Spinning twice when hosting line dance (5)
SALSA: A synonym of when AS, appears twice but reversed (spinning) SA SA, it hosts the abbreviation for line L
11a Where Agassi won Steffi originally in this? (9)
COURTSHIP: The sportsground where Agassi played and won tennis matches COURT, the original letter of Steffi S, and a synonym of in HIP, combine to be how Andre Agassi won the hand of Ms Graf
12a Crazy thing fiscally, to divorce from Formula One star’s girl (9)
SCALLYWAG: Divorce an abbreviation of Formula One from fiscally (FI) SCALLY, and add an informal term for wives and girlfriends of a star or celebrity WAG
14a Film about southern cruise (5)
COAST: The film you may paint on walls or doors COAT, around the point of the compass S
15a People supported one’s sit-in movement (5)
SEDAN: A somewhat outdated place to sit that was supported by people to facilitate movement A SEDAN chair
16a Knackered car, petrol guzzling, great way to make an entrance (3,6)
RED CARPET: A lurker (guzzling) in the first three words The way someone who is a great filmstar or royal may make an entrance
18a Playing quieter covers is essential (9)
REQUISITE: An anagram (playing) of QUIETER, it contains IS from the clue
21a Thanks to West German one had sausages say at home (3,2)
ATE IN: An informal thanks is reversed TA (to west in an across clue) AT, and a German one EIN, meaning to dine at home – ATE IN
22a Trunks and knickers put by from these? (6,2,7)
CHESTS OF DRAWERS: Synonyms of trunks CHESTS, from OF, and knickers DRAWERS, maybe the place to keep underwear.
23a Approve bringing in a little support to frame king as symbol of strength (3,4)
OAK TREE: A sign of approval OK, contains A from the clue and the small support a golfer uses TEE, frames an abbreviation of king R The symbol of strength that is an O(A)K T( R)EE
24a What’s tasty in tandoori? Cottage cheese (7)
RICOTTA: Another lurker (what’s tasty in) This turophile doesn’t find this particularly tasty but it is found in two words of the clue. Does the penultimate word belong in the definition? And can it do that and still be part of the lurker?
Down
1d Places shown here abbreviated in the end with directions (7)
ATLASES: A phrase for in the end AT LAS(T), loses its last letter and adds two points of the compass ES, to be the plural of a book that has maps showing places
2d Partners feeling the heat in bank squabble, due to go bust (6,3,6)
BUBBLE AND SQUEAK: An anagram (to go bust) of BANK SQUABBLE DUE, mashed potates and cabbage feel the heat together when fried – named for the noises made when cooking
3d Canvas showing sailor attracting saint in (9)
TARPAULIN: One of our usual sailor synonyms TAR, and IN from the clue around a Saint also known as Saul of Tarsus PAUL A canvas TAR(PAUL)IN
4d One’s survived ordeal since suffering regular depredations (5)
RELIC: Alternate letters (suffering regular depredations) are removed from two words in the clue oRdEaL sInCe leaving a survivor or RELIC
5d Condemned unheard – dredge up manoeuvres to confine Juliet and … (9)
PREJUDGED: An anagram (manoeuvres) of DREDGE UP confines the radio code letter that Juliet suggests J
6d … attempt to crush Romeo’s spirit (5)
SHORT: The elision… can be ignored, it just emphasises the surface of the Shakespearean lovers. A synonym of attempt SHOT, contains the radio code letter that Romeo suggests R. A spirit or SHORT. Make mine a Laphroaig
7d Delivery on time, here is something nice? (8,7)
BIRTHDAY PRESENT: A delivery assisted by a midwife BIRTH, a time period of 24 hours DAY, and a synonym of here PRESENT, would be something nice to receive on the anniversary of your delivery
8d Step up to the pool table, maybe fall off (2,2,3)
GO TO POT: A double definition
13d Fall Out Boy music’s one right racket when turned up, causing disturbance (9)
WORRISOME: The genre of music that Fall Out Boy plays (and the plural ‘s) EMO’S, the letter that looks like one I, and R for right and a synonym of racket ROW are all reversed (when turned up) WOR R I SOME
14d Below ruined arch, American outlaw caught coach (9)
CHARABANC: Start with an anagram (ruined) of arch CHAR, then one of our usual Americans A, a synonym of outlaw BAN, and a crickety caught C, and you should have a coach that was formerly, a long open vehicle with rows of transverse seats, but more recently a tourist coach
15d This person eaten by croc, so decomposed, giving wind (7)
SIROCCO: A pronoun for this person I, in an anagram (decomposed) of CROC SO – a hot wind that blows from N Africa to the Med
17d Fish we see is ‘i’ inside ‘place’ (7)
TUNISIA: It was easy to see that I inside place gives a fish, but that is only 6 letters. A different fish TUNA with IS and I inside reveals TUNISIA a place where the SIROCCO blows
19d Put down underground play’s opening rejected by dramatist (5)
INTER: A well-known dramatist Harold PINTER, loses his opening letter to be a synonym of to bury underground INTER
20d Revolutionary communist in Paris, the keeper of the flame? (5)
ELDER: A reversal (revolutionary) of a Parisian definite article LE, and the colour associated with a communist RED are reversed to be an ELDER