Sunday Toughie No 139
by proXimal
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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A lovely Spoonerism to start that I found most toothsome, I sailed through most of these but came to a grinding halt when my lack of gardening knowledge became apparent (25a particularly but 15d tested me as well)
Lots to like today but I did find 1a and 18d most toothsome with 8a and 5d fighting for the bronze
I have hinted at half of 14a and 14d clues but a nudge for some of the unhinted clues may be possible if I can manage it
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 metal chiller for cheese (3,9)
Think of a plumber chilling after a long day working with his usual metal and swap the initial sounds for a nice bit of cheese – I would recommend a nice one from the Sparkenhoe Dairy very nice on an 18d
8a Ship leaving lane in Atlantic damaged with tip of iceberg (7)
A great &lit. The Atlantic loses an abbreviation of lane and is anagrammed (damaged) with the tip of iceberg. The legendary Atlantic encounter between ship and iceberg
13a Married friend in LA not initially dull (5)
The abbreviation of married replaces the initial of an American friend (in LA not initially)
Any of McKinley Morganfield’s songs would fit but of course I have to go with the Honey Bee
14a One band hanging with fashionable people somewhere in London (9)
The letter that looks like one, a band that may support a broken arm and an originally French noun for people of fashion define a fashionable suburb of London
23a Secure door fastening for salon (4,3)
Secure with tacks or pins and a type of door fastening for a salon for manicurists
25a First of leaves remain on white plant (7)
My last one in (and last to parse by a country mile) With all the checkers and a feeling that the definition was white plant I found a perennial plant that fitted, but it wasn’t exclusively white, so white here provides a slightly sparkling Italian wine that goes alongside (on) the first of leaves and a synonym of remain
I am no Monty Don or Percy Thrower so this was a bit of a stretch for me
26a Unknown alien sabotaged harbours (12)
A ten-letter synonym of sabotaged contains our usual film alien
Down
1d Disconcerted drunk crosses line (7)
A slang adjective for drunk crosses an abbreviation of line
5d Fabulous sprinkler, small piece with feeds (7)
S for small, a conjunction for with, plus a generic term for a chess piece. A fabulous fairy who sends children to sleep by sprinkling their eyes with sleepy dust
A rather too obvious musical link has been 3d’ed so here is some other Metallica I like
6d Rams designed with this patent might be steam-driven (7)
A trademark proXimal compound, steam-driven could be an anagram of a synonym of patent if rams was designed within
7d
10d Fantastic transport that’s loud remaining vehicle in favour (6,6)
A musical loud, remaining prone perhaps, a motor vehicleand ones favourite, Aladdin’s fantastic mode of transport
15d Tag bearing French name mounted on minute scented plant (5,4)
A tag around the French for name reversed (mounted in a down clue) goes on an abbreviation of minute – more gardening but a tad easier than 25a
18d Hot food from oven put in hamper (7)
A synonym of hamper contains a specific type of oven used for drying hops or malt – 1a is excellent for this hot snack
19d Misfortunes manoeuvring with surf – wiped out and wet (7)
Another compound anagram (manoeuvring) of misfortunes could be to wet if surf is removed (wiped out)
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I was supposed to be going to see BBT in Newark tonight but unfortunately, I can’t – I wonder how they will manage this without the much-missed David Longden
A very enjoyable romp. 14a, 25a, 26a, 6d and 19d did it for me. Very nicely done and nothing to fuse the kettle, which was a relief. Many thanks to proXimal and Sloop. Lovely bit of Muddy there.
I liked 19d more when I remembered the Dick Dale connection, otherwise you may have got some Warm Wet Circles from Marillion!
Got off to a great start with the Spoonerism melting easily and quickly decided that our setter was giving us an easier ride than usual which was most welcome. Tops for me were 1d with the fantasy stuff of 5&10d playing support.
Thanks to proXimal for a most enjoyable Sunday offering and thanks also to SJB for the hints – sorry that you won’t be able to make this evening’s concert.
A different set of faves to ALP suggests a crossword suitable for a wide range of solvers
Shame about the concert, but I booked it so long ago I forgot to keep the diary free – if anyone out there has access to a printer and the desire to go to Newark for 19:30 today I could email my barcode
Enjoyable and not too tricky – thanks to proXimal and SJB.
My ticks went to 14a, 19a, 5d and 20d.
After sleeping on it, it was only a flash of inspiration over the first coffee of the day that stopped an email to horticulturalists, I would bet that 25a was the last one into the grid for proXimal too. It looks like the only thing that would fit those checkers
At first straightforward but then hit a brick wall; a short doze later it all started to flow again. The Spoonerism leapt off the page, and I was relieved to spot and overcome the compound and subtractive anagrams. Definition of 5d was unfamiliar but it could be nothing else. Solid Sunday Toughie fare.
Many thanks to Proximal and SJB
Eventually completed the grid but by no means unaided. Used Bradford’s Lists for 25a & needed the pic for the first word of 7d (should have clocked the indicator) & only then pegged 11a. Needed to read the hints to solve both 5&6d – might have got the latter had I had the correct vowel in at the 12a homophone. Enjoyed the puzzle despite making very hard work of it. 1,8&13a plus 3d my picks from the clues.
Thanks to proXimal & to John – sorry but you can keep Metallica (listened to their obvious track then listened to Vaughn Monroe + covers by The Chordettes & Chet Atkins of the Mr song from which I ought to have twigged fabulous sprinkler) but a great clip of Muddy at the Ashgrove.
I had forgot about the Chet version – he was certainly young in the clip I just watched, Dave Alvin added to my playlist too
Almost there. Delicious Spoonerism in all senses. I have the two horticultural clues in my garden no problems with that – my weakness is football! I’ll have another go in the morning but I am feeling optimistic. Many thanks to proXimal for keeping my brain active and to SJB for his hints, even though you didn’t cover the ones I’m pondering on!
We will have to swap interests for a while my gardening knowledge is poor, btw I couldn’t find anything footbally in this
Thanks to proXimal for another very enjoyable challenge. I love the trademark Spoonerisms and extraction anagrams. The solution definition placed in the middle of the clue adds to the fun.
Many thanks to John for Big Big Train. Strangely they have never rolled along my track but I’m busily making up for their late arrival via Spotify. A Genesis/Fairport/Yes hybrid with Peter Gabriel/Paul Carrack stylie vocals. I’ll be travelling a lot in the coming week so shall be correcting the oversight in my musical education, which I very much look forward to.
English Electric is my favourite album of theirs, but as you say they do cover a wide range and you may find different things to like
Didn’t get to this until Monday and then the Radler NTSPP held up my visit to the blog until now. Another fine puzzle from proXimal, with the usual tick for the 1a Spoonerism, joined on the across podium by 19 & 26. The down podium was awarded to 5, 7 & 22 – a somewhat different selection to other reviewers, indeed indicating a crossword suitable for a wide range of solvers. The 25a plant did require the use of a dictionary…
Thanks to proXimal and to SJB. I’ll check out your music clips now – I don’t necessarily like all your picks, but you do come up with interesting stuff!
Me too with 25a, I had to find a word that fitted the checkers and reverse parse it, but I have never been a big fan of gardening
Interesting is what I aim for with music I don’t always get it right but I try
Got there in the end – long struggle w 25a.
From the above you will see you were not alone with 25a – one for the gardeners amongst us