Sunday Toughie No 149 by proXimal
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 1st of December 2024
Across
1a Spooner’s assigned money for rock album (3,6)
PET SOUNDS: A synonym of assigned SET, and the money we use here POUNDS, swap initial sounds for an album that is practically perfect in every way Thanks from Sloop John Bee to the other SJB proXimal
6a Clapped-out station wagon would normally be so (5)
TIRED: What an American who drives a station wagon uses to keep his muffler off the ground is used here as a term for being clapped-out or “exhaust”ed
9a Happy and relaxed by pool on vacation (7)
PLEASED: What remains of pool when vacated P_L, and a synonym of relaxed EASED
10a Regularly visited Dieppe on ship to place (7)
DEPOSIT: Alternate letters (regularly visited) DiEpPe On ShIp To, defined by the last Place or DEPOSIT
11a Full chopper evacuating core from naval base (5)
CLEAR: Take a chopper CLEAVER, and remove the core of naval -V, and the letter that defines the base of logarithms -E
12a Staggers around following everyone and drops from cliff (9)
ROCKFALLS: Staggers or reels ROCKS, goes around the abbreviation of following F, and a synonym for everyone ALL
13a Dish from America she once cooked (8,6)
MACARONI CHEESE: An anagram (cooked) of AMERICA SHE ONCE. A delightful dish never bettered by the station café at Border Books in Alnwick, especially with crispy bacon crumbled on top
16a Maybe one church dignitary dead on back (8,6)
CARDINAL NUMBER: One of our usual on’s is reversed RE becomes ER, and follows a church dignitary CARDINAL, and dead or unfeeling NUMB. One is a definition by example (maybe)
20a Public gathering poet’s near during hours of darkness (9)
OVERNIGHT: A synonym of public OVERT, contains a poetic term for near NIGH
22a Old-style railway system runs for miles (5)
RETRO: A railway system (used in Newcastle upon Tyne and Paris amongst others METRO) swaps abbreviations of miles for runs Metro becomes RETRO
23a Perhaps sonnet right to be included in advanced class (3,4)
ART FORM: A two-letter abbreviation of right RT, is to be included between an abbreviation of advanced A, and a classroom or FORM. Sonnet is another definition by example (perhaps)
24a Was monarch restrained in conversation? (7)
REIGNED: A homophone (in conversation) of restrained (a horse perhaps) REINED becomes REIGNED
25a Bird rues having clipped wings (5)
EGRET: A synonym of rues R)EGRET(S is clipped of both “wings”
26a Eccentric purges own internet forum (9)
NEWSGROUP: An anagram (eccentric) of PURGES OWN
Down
1d Father involved in fast for period of bishop’s ruling (6)
PAPACY: Specifically the period of rule of The Bishop of Rome, a contraction of father PA, in a synonym of fast PACY
2d Woman rested with us after cycling (7)
THERESA: A (4,3) phrase for rested with us HERE SAT(in a chair) cycles one letter to become THERESA
3d Remark with mail where watch is located (11,4)
OBSERVATION POST: Synonyms of a remark or OBSERVATION, and mail POST, define where a watchman is located
4d Extreme caution a director displays (5)
NADIR: An extreme low point, it is a lurker (displays) in the other three words
5d Barking “I couldn’t care less”, ignoring funny caller’s charm (9)
SEDUCTION: Two anagram indicators (barking and funny) as callers isn’t removed whole from “I couldn’t care less”, leaving the fodder for the art of charming or enticing. Our first proXimal™ compound anagram I COULDN’T CARE LESS minus CALLERS leaves IOUDNTCES the fodder for charm or SEDUCTION
6d Greeting chief frequently heard lamenting past ambassador (3,2,3,7)
TOP OF THE MORNING: Synonyms of chief TOP, and frequently OFT and a homophone (heard) of lamenting a past life MOURNING becomes MORNING, around the abbreviated title of an ambassador HE. A greeting frequently heard before noon in Ireland TOP OF THE MORNING
7d Decide turn with South taking over from first victor (7)
RESOLVE: A synonym of turn REVOLVE, swaps the first instance of the letter that victor suggests with the abbreviation of south REVOLVE becomes RESOLVE a decision
8d Obnoxious journos taking opposing views about trial (8)
DETESTED: Two of our usual journos DE (one reversed – taking opposing views)and ED go about a trial TEST. Obnoxious or DETESTED
14d Protestant Oscar called celebrity up (9)
ORANGEMAN: The letter that Oscar suggests O, called on a phone perhaps RANG, and a reversal (up) of celebrity NAME becomes EMAN or a Protestant ORANGEMAN
15d Sit-ins can be organised with such recognition for social distance (8)
ACCOLADE: A second proXimal™ compound anagram. The synonym of “such recognition” when combined with sit ins will anagram as SOCIAL DISTANCE minus SIT INS leaves OCALDACE the fodder for such recognition ACCOLADE
17d Once more register tenant accepting lease finally (2-5)
RE-ENTER: A tenant or RENTER, accepts the final letter of lease E to register again or RE-ENTER
18d Use up each Spanish red (3,4)
EAT INTO: An abbreviation of each and how the Spanish refer to red wine
19d Keep back, hidden in auditorium (4,2)
HOLD UP: A homophone (in auditorium) of hidden HOLED UP becomes HOLD UP
21d Projected broadcast from beginning to end (5)
THREW: Another homophone (broadcast) of from beginning to end. THROUGH becomes THREW
That’s all Folks…