Toughie No 3362 by Stick Insect
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
It has been a while since we had a Toughie set by Stick Insect. This one was mostly straightforward but with a couple of tricky bits to keep you on your toes
Please let us know what you thought
Across
1a Immediately make up for involving Conservative (2,4)
AT ONCE A verb meaning to make up for into which is inserted (involving) the abbreviation for Conservative
4a Offer support, repulsing the French therefore (8)
PROPOSAL A support and a reversal (repulsing) the French female definite article and a synonym for therefore
9a Very sad time for one, Havana in revolution (6)
TRAGIC The abbreviation for Time and a reversal (in revolution) of a something to smoke, of which a Havana is a fine example
10a Badly born, do OK getting means of entry (8)
DOORKNOB An anagram (badly) of BORN DO OK
12a Insect carries pokers (8)
BUGBEARS An insect and a synonym for carries combine to get objects of dislike or annoyance (the third definition of poker in the BRB)
13a Disputed low tide sprays without current (6)
MOOTED A sound made by cattle (low) and an anagram (sprays) of TiDE without the symbol for electrical current
15a Shore buffeted two ships showing skill in managing bays, perhaps (12)
HORSEMANSHIP An anagram (buffeted) of SHORE followed by two ships, the first usually accompanied by the words ‘of war’ and the other just a vessel. This confused me for a while as I couldn’t see how this could be correct when the second vessel appeared in both the clue and the solution
18a Nationalist talk surrounding upper-class French wine is focus for Nice (12)
CHAUVINISTIC An informal talk ‘surrounding’ the letter representing Upper-class, some French wine and IS (from the clue), followed by the middle letters (focus for) of nICe
21a Eliminate waste in Washington bureau (6)
OFFICE Take away or eliminate and US criminal slang (as used in Washington) for kill (waste)
22a Leg advanced towards the front in item of clothing (8)
PINAFORE An informal term for a leg, the abbreviation for Advanced and an adverb meaning towards the front
24a Before fraught broadcast show (8)
PRETENCE A preposition meaning before and a homophone (broadcast) of a synonym of fraught
25a Straight order (6)
DIRECT An adjective meaning straight or a verb meaning to order
26a Orchid, spliced with Michaelmas daisy, is failure (8)
DISASTER An African orchid “spliced” with a Michaelmas daisy – the last letter of the former being the same as the first letter of the latter
27a Harmonious insolvency arranged, though no love lost (2,4)
IN SYNC An anagram (rearranged) of INSolveNCY without (no) the LOVE, lost telling you that they aren’t in that order in the anagram fodder
Down
1d Express route in America about New Haven emptied (8)
AUTOBAHN The abbreviation for America, an anagram (new) of ABOUT and the outside (emptied) letters of HaveN
2d Fruit-growing location, alternatively nettle yard (8)
ORANGERY A conjunction meaning alternatively, a verb meaning to nettle and the abbreviation for Yard
3d Playing nice chess around hot creek, wild board game (7,8)
CHINESE CHECKERS An anagram (playing) of NICE CHESS, the abbreviation for Hot and another anagram (wild) of CREEK
5d City tango is great success (4)
RIOT Crosswordland’s favourite South American city and the letter represented by Tango in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet
6d For each offspring, I lie about adult representation (15)
PERSONIFICATION For each male offspring, I (from the clue) and something false or invented (lie), the latter going about the abbreviation for Adult
7d Governing body chosen at election internally (6)
SENATE Hidden (internally) in choSEN AT Election
8d Strong urge in pool to pocket black one (6)
LIBIDO An open-air swimming pool ‘pockets’ the abbreviation for Black and the Roman numeral for one
11d English deserter caught by odd mistake (7)
ERRATUM The abbreviation for English and a deserter caught by or inserted into a slang word meaning odd or strange
14d Desiring endless relief from pain (7)
ASPIRIN Desiring or hoping for without the final letter (endless)
16d Unnecessarily loose, it disturbed morality finally (8)
OTIOSELY An anagram (disturbed) of LOOSE IT followed by the final letter of moralitY
17d Broad church backing Glasgow team, first half over (8)
ECLECTIC A reversal (backing) of the abbreviation for the Church of England, followed by a Glasgow football team, the first half of which is reversed (over)
19d Played with guy outside mouth of Mississippi Delta (6)
ROMPED A cord used to steady something (guy) goes outside the first letter (mouth) of Mississippi) followed by the letter represented by Delta in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet
20d Presents loaf of wet rusk occasionally (6)
OFFERS The occasional letters of lOaF oF wEt RuSk
23d Spots a shape, not ordinary (4)
ACNE A (from the clue) and a solid shape tapering to a fixed point without the O (no Ordinary)
This was light but good fun, although 15a was a bit strange for the reason given by CS, and 3d uses the American spelling of the game. 👎
I couldn’t parse the first three letters of 26a even though the answer was obvious from the definition and checking letters.
My top picks were 4a, 18a, 25a & 6d.
Many thanks to Stick Insect and to CS.
Really enjoyed this lunchtime puzzle, with the exception of 15a which I thought with the inclusion of such a key part of the answer in the wordplay sacrificed clue quality for the sake of a good surface, even if the deception of ‘bays’ was only momentary. I kept thinking “there has to be more to it than that”. I’m with RD on 3d, but it could have been even worse IMV: ‘proper'(!) spelling would have required committing the sin of splitting an answer across two sets of lights.
We have more than a dozen orchids and I thought I was reasonably familiar with the more common types, but had never heard of these, not that it mattered. 17d my COTD, followed by 19a.
Thank you Stick Insect, and also CS
Yes, that “ships” was a shame but this was a romp all the same. 27a’s fun, 6d’s nicely built and 17d’s a cracker. Many thanks to Stick Insect and CS.
Pleasant puzzle that didn’t really hit the heights. Thanks to Sticky and CS.
15a is indeed rather odd. I wonder whether the clue was as originally submitted by the setter or whether it was ‘improved’ during the editorial process.
I’d never heard of the 26a orchid but luckily Mrs Bradford had.
“Sticky”?
You sound like Disappointing Tom/Sir Linkalot or whatever his name is.😉
Light, mostly enjoyable crossword.
Second day on the run for me successfully completing a Toughie, so I must be improving! Enjoyed this one. Favourite was 14D. Last in was 16d – a new word to add to my vocabulary!
Rather ordinaire I felt and agree 15a is a bit of a dud. 18a is neatly complex and 17d raised a smile but that’s it.
Thanks to SI and CS.
Didn’t know the name of the orchid and doubt that I would ever slip 16d into a conversation but I did enjoy 17d, lovely word, and the nod to our ‘New Yorker’ in 10a.
Thanks to Stick Insect for his company whilst dealing with the ironing and to CS for the review and orchid illustrations.
I enjoyed this. It protracted my lunch!
I particularly liked 17d and 14d, as well as 6d and the nod to a fellow setter in 10a.
15a had me really puzzled, doubting my answer for the same reason as crypticsue.
I struggled to work out the anagram for 16d and eventually gave up. Thank you very much crytpicsue for the enightenment and for the lovely illustrated review.
Many thanks to Stick Insect for the entertaining Toughie.
Romped through this and just held up at the end with 16d / 21a combo. Thanks Sue for verifying a 16d, a word I’d not come across before. Don’t understand how ships slipped into 15a when plenty of other words would have worked. Did not know the orchid but was an obvious bung in.
Particularly liked 12 and18 across, 1 and 17d. Thanks Stick Insect for the fun and of course to CS.
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A light enjoyable Wednesday “not so toughie.” Shame about the construction of 15A which I found a little clumsy. Apart from that, all went smoothly.
Liked 18, 22 and 24A and 6 and 17D.
Many thanks to CS as always, and to Stick Insect.
Much more straightforward for me than yesterday’s, which took ages. I agree 15a is a little odd. Didn’t know the orchid, I was wondering if there was another meaning for it to do with the underworld, where Dis is equated with Pluto in Roman mythology. African orchid much better idea though!
Thanks to CS and to Stick Insect
It’s all been said about 15a, add me to the list of those educated by the orchid. 17d gets my vote. Thanks to CS and Stick Insect.
Pleasant solve for us. We also now know the name of an orchid that we didn’t know yesterday.
Thanks Stick Insect and CS.
A faster finish here than the back-pager though with a couple unparsed – 15a (but see it was a bit iffy) & that orchid. 17d my fav. Enjoyed it.
Thanks to Sue & Stick Insect
I’m generally not a big fan of Friday’s back pagers, often finding them too difficult to be enjoyable (that’s not a criticism of Friday’s setters!), so often save a toughie from earlier in the week. This was an absolute delight, one of the most enjoyable solves for a while. Not come across the orchid before, so thanks for explains that one Sue.
Thanks to Stick Insect for the fun.