Sunday Toughie No 137 by
Robyn
Review by Sloop John Bee
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
This puzzle was published on the 8th of September 2024
Across
1a My behaviour’s pretentious in August (8)
IMPOSING: How Robyn would say his behaviour was pretentious (2,6) I’M POSING, becomes a synonym of August when enumerated (8)
5a Shadowy characters needing return fare from Asia (3,3)
DIM SUM: Shadowy or in low light DIM, adds the plural reversal of the twelfth character of the Greek alphabet MU’S becomes SUM
9a Skimpy garment‘s attractive with copper edging (5)
DHOTI: Something attractive or HOT, is edged by an investigative “copper” of the rank above sergeant but below chief A Detective Inspector or D.I. edging around HOT
10a Loose cryptic clues cracked by revered figure (9)
LECHEROUS: An anagram (cryptic) of CLUES around a revered figure HERO, loose morally perhaps
12a Land carp? It’s food for Americans (6,4)
GROUND BEEF: The land we walk on GROUND, and to carp or moan BEEF, is how an American would refer to what we call mince
13a Contemptuous remark about Liberal’s waffle (4)
BLAH: An interjection expressing contempt, most famously used by Ebeneezer Scrooge BAH Humbug, contains the abbreviation of Liberal for some waffle BLAH
15a Wife drops iron, making a mess of sweeping (4-7)
WIDE-RANGING: The chemical symbol for iron is removed from WI(fe) and it goes before making a mess of DERANGING
16a How thick dough’s regularly cut (3)
DUH: Another interjection, this time suggesting stupidity, can be found by cutting regular letters from DoUgH’s
17a Kind of television screens one covered (3)
HID: A kind of television High Definition or HD, screens the letter that looks like one
18a Charge nuisance, chronic cheat taking people in (11)
IMPEACHMENT: A mischievous child IMP, and an anagram of CHEAT containing a synonym of people MEN
20a Gruff ambassador ignored rows (4)
OARS: A synonym of gruff of voice HOARSE, loses the letters that an ambassador is entitled H.E. to use leaving the means to row a boat OARS
21a Pirate with a case for rare cups etc (10)
SILVERWARE: A fictional pirate Long John SILVER, an abbreviation of with W, A from the clue and the case letters of rare RE. SILVERWARE The cups etc. of a winning team
24a Wine you picked up in southern French city (9)
SAUVIGNON: The abbreviation for southern S, and the letter that sounds like you U, in a French city in Provence AVIGNON
26a Goddess, an incarnation of Diana? (5)
NAIAD: An anagram (an incarnation of ) DIANA – a Greek goddess of fresh-water
27a Cook miserable wraps in pan (2,4)
DO DOWN: To cook “books” perhaps DO, in a synonym of miserable DOWN. DOWN wraps around DO
28a Batter’s opening run before wrong dismissal (5-3)
BRUSH-OFF: An opening letter B, a synonym of run RUSH, and wrong such as food that is no longer fit for consumption OFF
Down
1d Like following trendy disc – Kind of Blue? (6)
INDIGO: A synonym of like DIG, follows one of trendy IN, and then add letter that looks like a disc O
2d Plug old sinks in quiet space (5)
PROMO: A musical quiet P, and a space or chamber ROOM, but “sink” one of the abbreviations of old down the order to a shortening of a plug or PROMOtion
3d Broadcaster declines to cover current news, or reveals all? (6-4)
SKINNY-DIPS: A satellite broadcaster SKY, covers the physics symbol for current I, and plural news abbreviations NN, followed by a synonym of declines DIPS reveals all when swimming naked SK(I)(NN)Y DIPS
4d How graduate starts merriment, putting away litres (3)
GEE: A synonym of merriment G(L)EE without the abbreviation of litres is how you say the start of graduate GEE
6d Lie falsely and kiss Holly? (4)
ILEX: An anagram (falsely) of LIE around the letter that represents a kiss X. ILEX, The botanical genus of Holly plants
7d Focus on leading revolutionary beset by snub (9)
SPOTLIGHT: A synonym of leading is reversed (revolutionary) TOP becomes POT, and goes in a snub or SLIGHT
8d Crazy lines succeeded – two articles in part of paper (8)
MASTHEAD: A synonym of crazy MAD, lined by an abbreviation of succeeded S, and definite THE, and indefinite articles A
10d Pitch into African opponent of nanny state (11)
LIBERTARIAN: A resident of a West African country LIBERIAN, contains some stick black pitch or TAR
11d Barefaced crook, at first, is inclined to get port (5-6)
CLEAN-SHAVEN: The first letter of crook C, is inclined LEANS, and a generic term for a port HAVEN, Barefaced or CLEAN-SHAVEN
14d Car racing gives a new image to troublemakers (10)
FIREBRANDS: To give a new image to RE-BRANDS, follows an alphanumeric for Formula One motor-racing F1
15d Collection of Kitty‘s whiskey and cool drinks (4-5)
WHIP-ROUND: Whiskey with an E indicates the radio code letter we need W, with a synonym of cool HIP, and several drinks bought together ROUND, would be the collection of a kitty to purchase said drinks perhaps
16d PC’s key bit of information applied, made bug-free (8)
DELOUSED: A computer key DEL, and the letter that looks like zero, one of the binary bits of information O, and a synonym of applied USED
19d Irish singer put up stage, loudly hosting party (6)
GELDOF: A reversal (put up) of a stage LEG becomes GEL, and a musical loudly F, hosts one of our usual parties DO The Irish singer Bob GEL(DO)F
22d Fighter in a ring, someone close to you (5)
AMIGO: A Russian fighter jet MIG, goes between A from the clue and the letter that looks like a ring O
23d Survey opinion (4)
VIEW: A double definition
25d Actor brags, bagging Golden Globe? (3)
ORB: A lurker hidden in the first two words
That’s All Folks…