Sunday Toughie No 139 by proXimal
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 22nd of September 2024
Across
1a Spooner’s metal chiller for cheese (3,9)
RED LEICESTER: Think of a plumber chilling after a long day working with his usual metal A LEAD RESTER perhaps, 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)
TITANIC: A great &lit. The AT(la)NTIC loses an abbreviation of lane LA. And is anagrammed (damaged) with the tip of iceberg I. TITANIC, The legendary Atlantic encounter between ship and iceberg
9a Bishop and pawn along row (7)
PONTIFF: The chess notation for a pawn P, goes alongside ON, a minor row TIFF
11a Chap welcoming group returning from island (7)
MALTESE: A reversal of a group SET becomes TES, welcomed in the gender of a chap MALE, MAL(TES)E someone from Malta
12a Warm review broadcast (7)
SUMMERY: A homophone (broadcast) of a review SUMMARY becomes SUMMERY some warm seasonal weather
13a Married friend in LA not initially dull (5)
MUDDY: The abbreviation of married M, replaces the initial of an American friend (in LA not initially) (B)UDDY becomes MUDDY
14a One band hanging with fashionable people somewhere in London (9)
ISLINGTON: The letter that looks like one I, a band that may support a broken arm SLING, and an originally French noun for people of fashion TON, define a fashionable suburb of London ISLINGTON
16a Unconventional magistrate ignoring current plan (9)
STRATAGEM: An anagram (unconventional) of MAG(I)STRATE when the physics symbol for current I, has been ignored
19a Excellent computer harnessing US server (5)
MAGIC: A brand of Apple computer MAC contains someone who is a server in the US military A G.I.
21a Competitor in evENT RAN Tirelessly (7)
ENTRANT: A lurker hidden in the last three words
23a Secure door fastening for salon (4,3)
NAIL BAR: Secure with tacks or pins NAIL, and a type of door fastening BAR, for a salon for manicurists
24a Box with function that’s simple (7)
SPARTAN: To train with a partner for boxing SPAR, and a mathematical function of trigonometry TAN, something as simple as a resident of the capital of the ancient Greek region of Laconia A SPARTAN
25a First of leaves remain on white plant (7)
ASTILBE: 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 ASTI that goes alongside (on) the first of leaves L, and a synonym of remain BE ASTI(L)BE
26a Unknown alien sabotaged harbours (12)
UNDETERMINED: A ten-letter synonym of sabotaged UNDERMINED contains our usual film alien ET
Down
1d Disconcerted drunk crosses line (7)
RATTLED: A slang adjective for drunk RATTED crosses an abbreviation of line L
2d Heavily refute hiding the French revolutionary (7)
DENSELY: A plural French the is reversed (revolutionary) LES becomes SEL in a synonym of refute DENY Heavily or DEN(SEL)Y
3d Forgoing key cutting (9)
ESCHEWING: A computer key ESC, and cutting with an axe perhaps HEWING ESCHEWING or forgoing
4d Coverings right to be removed from skips (5)
CAPES: R for right is removed from a synonym of skips CAPE(R)S
5d Fabulous sprinkler, small piece with feeds (7)
SANDMAN: S for small, a conjunction for with AND, plus a generic term for a chess piece MAN. A fabulous fairy who sends children to sleep by sprinkling their eyes with sleepy dust
6d Rams designed with this patent might be steam-driven (7)
EVIDENT: A trademark proXimal compound, steam-driven could be an anagram of a synonym of patent if rams was designed within STEAM-DRIVEN – RAMS = TEDIVEN the fodder for patent or EVIDENT
7d Devices for fundamental study at home uncovered great things (4-8)
ATOM-SMASHERS: AT from the clue, what remains of h)OM(e when uncovered OM, and some great things or SMASHERS. Used for the study of fundamental particles and not suitable for use in the home, unless home happens to be CERN
10d Fantastic transport that’s loud remaining vehicle in favour (6,6)
FLYING CARPET: A musical loud F, remaining prone perhaps LYING, a motor vehicle CAR, and ones favourite or PET, Aladdin’s fantastic mode of transport A FLYING CARPET
15d Tag bearing French name mounted on minute scented plant (5,4)
LEMON BALM: A tag or LABEL,around the French for name NOM reversed MON (mounted in a down clue) LE(MON) BAL(M) goes on an abbreviation of minute – more gardening but a tad easier than 25a
17d Missing son, check coach again (7)
RETRAIN: A synonym of check RESTRAIN loses an abbreviation of son to RETRAIN or coach again
18d Hot food from oven put in hamper (7)
TOASTIE: A synonym of hamper TIE, contains a specific type of oven used for drying hops or malt OAST
19d Misfortunes manoeuvring with surf – wiped out and wet (7)
MOISTEN: Another compound anagram (manoeuvring) of MI(SF)O(R)T(U)NES could be to wet if SURF is removed (wiped out)
20d Overturned container leaked and emitted rubbish (7)
GABBLED: A container is overturned BAG becomes GAB and then leaked a vital fluid BLED
22d Strained partners needing external support (5)
TENSE: One of the partnerships in a game of Bridge N&S surrounded by (needing external) a golfers support TEE TE(NS)E or strained
That’s all Folks…