Toughie No 3422 by Hudson
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty * – Enjoyment *****
It is always a joy and a pleasure to solve one of this setter’s crosswords (wherever he appears) and this one didn’t disappoint!
Please let us know what you thought
Across
1a When the lads play inside, lassies tag wee Ken Dalglish (4,7)
STAG WEEKEND A men-only chance to ‘play’ is found hidden in the last five words of the clue
10a Dance company starts to negotiate generous agreement (5)
CONGA An abbreviated company and the ‘starts’ to Negotiate Generous Agreement
11a Formerly let indefinite number into Red China erroneously (9)
HINDRANCE A prevention or obstacle, archaically (formerly) known as a let – insert N (indefinite number) into an anagram (erroneously) of RED CHINA
12a “Smoke coming from cook’s equipment!” a bank clerk shouted (9)
PANATELLA A piece of cook’s equipment, A (from the clue) and a homophone (shouted) of a bank clerk
13a Goodness! High explosive wiped out plant (5)
AVENS An expression of surprise (goodness) without (wiped out) the abbreviation for High Explosive
14a Philosophy from the east embraced by North American city (6)
NAGOYA A reversal (from the east in an Across solution) of a Hind philosophy ‘embraced’ by the abbreviation for North American to produce a Japanese city
16a York gets behind increased sports stadium (4,4)
ROSE BOWL York here being a cricket reference, a synonym for which should be put After (goes behind) another word for increased – the sports stadium is in California
18a Wife punches little chap, English Romeo who’s always chasing the birds (8)
TWITCHER The abbreviation for Wife ‘punches’ an informal name for a very small person, the result followed by the abbreviation for English and the letter represented by Romeo in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet
20a They hang between the legs to reach the calves (6)
UDDERS A splendid cryptic definition of parts of a cow
23a Part of flight more dangerous leaving outskirts of Karachi (5)
RISER More dangerous without (leaving) the outside letters (outskirts) of KarachI
24a From up north wearing no pants? (9)
NORWEGIAN Once I’d moved past thinking ‘that’ll be cold!’, I realised we needed an anagram (pants) of WEARING NO
26a Very late eating cooked bar food (4,5)
SODA BREAD An adverb meaning very and an adjective meaning deceased (late) into which is inserted (eating) an anagram (cooked) of BAR
27a New York city without its A&E unit for ages (5)
YONKS A New Year city without its abbreviated A&E Department leaves us with an informal word for a very long time (ages)
28a One suit that’s seen aboard naval ship? (11)
QUARTERDECK There are four suits in a pack of cards, so one suit could be described as ….
Down
2d It projects sign of confidence in acrobat when somersaulting (5)
TENON A projection at the end of a piece of wood could, if reversed (when somersaulting) and split 2,3 give you a sign of confidence in an acrobat
3d Hideous Grand Hotel demolished last year (7)
GHASTLY The abbreviation for Grand, the letter represented by Hotel in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet, an anagram (demolished) of LAST and the abbreviation for Year
4d Blow out as former husband goes on the beer (6)
EXHALE The usual ‘former’, the abbreviation for Husband and some beer
5d Jumper having a pocket at the front? (8)
KANGAROO Another lovely cryptic definition
6d Ran over traitor, finally live to tell the tale (7)
NARRATE A reversal (over) of RAN, a traitor and the final letter of livE
7d Dab hand with needles cut up curtains at work (13)
ACUPUNCTURIST An anagram (at work) of CUT UP CURTAINS
8d Springbok for one put bet on run (8)
ANTELOPE A fixed bet put down by a poker player and run with a long stride
9d Idiocy of twelve points learner driver collected? (13)
SENSELESSNESS Twelve letters representing points of the compass ‘collecting’ the letter used to indicate a learner driver
15d Degas sculpted Iris held in ballet step (8)
GLISSADE Another name for the iris ‘held’ in an anagram (sculpted) of DEGAS
17d Dancer, say, reportedly ruled in this place in East London? (8)
REINDEER A homophone (reportedly) of how someone from the East End of London might say ruled in this place
19d Maybe Canadian Range Rover vehicle I purchased, 50% off (7)
CARIBOU Lovely use of misleading capitals – a vehicle, I (from the clue) and the first half of a synonym for purchased
21d Dosh I’d spoken about, looking naive (3-4)
DOE-EYED Homophones (spoken about) of a slang word for money (dosh being another one) and I’d
22d One rocked up in field archaeology (6)
CRADLE Hidden in reverse (up) in the last two words of the clue
25d Symbolic chapter omitted relating to some old Greeks (5)
IONIC A synonym for symbolic without (omitted) the first appearance of the abbreviation for Chapter
Plenty to enjoy in this one. The only part I struggled to parse was the 3 letter flower in 15d (my fault; I should have looked it up in Chambers).
My favourite out of a long selection was 9d.
Thanks to Hudson and to CS.
Sheer excellence, can’t remember ever having enjoyed a solve so much. Every clue awarded a tick with my doubles going to 18,19&28a plus 2,7,9&22d.
Many thanks to Hudson for the pleasure and to CS for the review.
Quite superb from start to finish. One which on its own makes the puzzles subscription worthwhile.
From the genius lurker at 1a to the nudge-nudge-pfnarr & penny-dropping moment of 20a; the brilliance of 28a and so-clever cryptic & surface read of 9d; the delightful “Canadian Range Rover”! and my absolute COTD for hiding Dancer in such plain sight.
Truly wonderful and I do hope this puzzle gets the wider – nay, global – audience it so richly deserves.
Thank you so much, Hudson, and thank you also CS
Thank you, Mustafa G for your recommendation in the Weds back pager comments to tackle this superb Toughie. I live in California so by the time I eventually get round to the crossword it’s well past bedtime in the UK and so I rarely comment on the site (which is a much needed oasis of humour and goodwill). I couldn’t agree with you more about the quality of the puzzle. An absolute joy from beginning to end.
Lovely puzzle – and a delight that 17 and 19 are actually the same answer.
Mr T
Boston
I agree that this was great / cannot remember when I last did the toughie straight after the back pager. Must confess I did a bung in without parsing 28a and needed the hint for the sports ground and had to check on 14a. 20a made me shudder. 🙂. 7d my favourite. Many thanks to Messrs Setter and Hinter for the morale boost
It’s a while since I chuckled so much over a crossword. Narrowing down the tick list was quite a job but I’ve got it down to these:
12 and 27a, 4, 9, 17 and 18d with my gold star going to the Canadian Range Rover.
Thanks to Hudson and CS.
A tremendous puzzle bringing joy from start to finish and chuckles galore – many thanks to Hudson and CS.
I have masses of ticks including 1a, 20a, 9d, 17d, 19d and 21d.
Really enjoyed this challenge from the setter who never disappoints. Every clue deserves a tick with special mention to 1,20,and 28A, 1,and 7D. Favourite has to be 9D, which I thought quite brilliant.
Many thanks CS for the blog and to Hudson for the enjoyment.
Lots of likes from start to finish. 12a, 26a, 28a, 7d and 9d, but my favourite was 20a. Although I had the wrong stadium, the cricket ground in Southampton fitted quite neatly with York.
Thanks CS and Hudson
Hudson is an absolute joy. Before I begin when I see he is the compiler I start my smiling early knowing my grin will get wider as I go on. Impossible to name a favourite. They are all
My favourite.
Many many thanks to Hudson and to CS
A big laugh from start to finish.
Thanks to Hudson, Sue, and to all of the back pagers who recommended i look at it!
Most worthwhile.
I have to agree with Jane that this was one of the most enjoyable and giggle-worthy Toughies for some time. There were so many excellent cryptic clues, in the true sense of the word, including my favourites, 7 and 9d. Great fun. I hope those solvers who don’t normally attempt the Toughie give this one a go, as it was a real delight and very user-friendly.
My thanks to Hudson and Sue.
A great puzzle which I thoroughly enjoyed. I’m not a fan of sports clues so york meant nothing to me until I looked it up. I like a bit of rugby but have a knowledge blank spot when it comes to cricket, football, tennis, golf etc, though I’m getting familiar with some of the regularly used terms now as they’re a bit par for the course in cryptic crosswords. I thought 9d was a superb clue. Thanks to Hudson and crypticsue.
I thought this was as good as it gets in crosswordland. A joy from start to finish with ticks galore on my page.
After a considerable struggle to pick a podium selection, I am going for 1a, 28a & 9d.
Many thanks to Hudson and to CS.
I enjoyed today’s back later but this was in a different league! Did not know the Japanese city nor the alternative name for Iris but they were both generously c!ued. Tried to find a top three but have ended up with 8 at least! Plaudits go to 1, 12, 26 and 28a, 3, 5, 9 and 19d.
Thanks Hudson and CS.
Meant backpager!
I wish Hudson had a regular weekly slot.This was a joy – straight out of the traps with a terrific lurker & zingers aplenty to follow. Impossible to pick a fav from so many ticks but 7,9&19d are podium certs.
Many thanks to Hudson & to Sue whose review I’ll now read.
We want to add our appreciation for this terrific puzzle.
Well done Hudson and many thanks.
Thanks to CS too.
Like others I didn’t know the plant or the city so had to check them. I didn’t find this as straightforward as some but I enjoyed the challenge. Thanks to Hudson and CS.
As others have said above, this was from the top drawer providing the perfect example of why a crossword doesn’t have to be difficult to be enjoyable. A delight from start to finish.
Many thanks to Hudson and to CS for the blog.
Superb. Total enjoyment from start to finish.
Ticks throughout and a toss-up for favourite between 9d and 19d.
Thanks to CS and to Hudson. Outstanding.
Some brilliant clues here. The surface of 24a was magnificent, and 9d is genius!
I only attempted this puzzle as so many on the back pager blog said how good it was. I have to agree with them, this was an absolute better. Can’t pick a top three as there are so many great clues.
Thanks to Hudson, CS whose hints I didn’t need but were there on standby and to those who recommended the puzzle.
2*/5* ….
liked 9D “Idiocy of twelve points learner driver collected? (13)”