Toughie 3448

Toughie  No 3448 by Elgar

Hints and Tips by crypticsue

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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty *****+ – Enjoyment ***

As Elgar’s Toughies seem to be getting increasingly brain-mangling, I got up extra early so that I could solve the crossword in stages – get as far as I could and then go off and do something else while that part of the brain that works out cryptic clues while you aren’t even thinking about them, gets on with the task of solving the crossword.  After returning a couple of times, a full grid was eventually achieved, with the bonus of  a sparkly clean bathroom, and two loads of washing out on the line.  Even after all that, I had to ‘phone a friend’ to parse one clue.

Please let us know what you thought

Across

8a           Ill-deserved smacker possibly rejected by native (8)
UNEARNED One of the meanings of native is unsophisticated.  Remove (rejected) the L (smacker is an informal name for a £ Sterling)

9a           Props loading one crateful after another (6)
FULCRA Write out crateful twice (one after another) and you should find some props or supports hiding in the middle

11a         Loose snake accounting for pawnbroker’s right hand (7)
UNCLASP Remove the letter at the right-hand side of a slang name for a pawnbroker and replace with a type of snake

12a         How French, this remark (7)
COMMENT The French word for how or a remark

13a         Way back, just after dipping into single chapter novel (4,5)
LONG SINCE A preposition meaning just inserted into an anagram (novel) of SINGLE C (Chapter)

14a         Returning zero fish caught in sea trip, one could deal blow (5)
NARCO Blow is British slang for cannabis and American slang for cocaine – a reversal (returning) of the number zero and a measure of capacity for herrings just landed in port

16a         Show these people question is gender fluid (3,6,6)
THE MASKED SINGER A pronoun meaning these people a verb meaning to question and an anagram (fluid) of IS GENDER

19a         Toast success in Geneva’s banks (5)
SINGE Hiding (banked by) succesS IN GEneva

20a         Make retrospective claim first off, and refuse to go ahead (5,4)
BRAND NAME A reversal (respective) of a synonym for claim without its first letter which is preceded by (to go ahead) husks of grain or the coarse part or refuse of anything

23a         Poet on radio mocking suspension (7)
RHYMIST A writer of verses – a homophone (on radio) of a synonym for mocking and a suspension of liquid in a gas

25a         I could mention more at another time having cross to bear (3,2,2)
AND SO ON An archaic adverb meaning at another time into which is inserted (having … to bear) an abbreviated military award in the shape of a cross

27a         Recognised group of people more affected by shock? (6)
NUMBER As the clue says, a recognised group of people, or more stupefied (affected by shock)

28a         Showing respect at all times during split (8)
REVERENT An adverb meaning at all times inserted into (during) a verb meaning to split or tear

Down

1d           African people talked about ZSL facilities? (4)
ZULU A homophone (talked about) of some facilities at a place where animals are kept, possibly run by the ZSL

2d           Man at the outset thinks: might youth mess with booze? (3,7)
WET CANTEEN A cafeteria for soldiers in which alcoholic drinks are served.  Referring to us as human beings (man), the first letter (at the outset) of Thinks, a synonym for might and a young person

3d           Wroxham and Malthouse? We may lead you there! (6)
BROADS The two places are examples of lakes in East Anglia.  Split 1,5 these minor roads might lead you there

4d           Following set-up, pinch and take home skittle (6)
TENPIN A reversal (set up) of a pinch and clear of deductions (take home)

5d           Badly unillumined line overlooked by penetrating earthly light (3,5)
LUX MUNDI A Latin phrase meaning light of the world.  An anagram (badly) of UNILlUMineD ‘overlooking’ LINE and inserting (penetrating) the letter used to mean by in measurements and multiplication sums

6d           One heartlessly has children in the firing line? (4)
OCHE Remove the middle letter (heartlessly) of OnE and replace with abbreviated children

7d           Resort northern? To be sure, a southern resort (10)
EASTBOURNE An anagram (resort) of N (northern) TO BE SURE A

10d         Part of organ at the end of Viz strip (6)
SCREED Part of a musical organ goes at the end of a Latin abbreviation meaning namely (as is viz)

13d         Pilot dons seductive glossy material (10)
LUTESTRING An alternative spelling of a type of glossy material.  A pilot or trial of something inserted into a synonym for enticing or seductive

15d         Doctor and Master characters brought together complex storylines? (10)
RIGMAROLES Doctor or manipulate, an abbreviated Masters degree, and some characters in a play, perhaps

17d         Needs an operative to cover current bases (8)
ADENINES An anagram (operative) of NEEDS AN covers the symbol for electrical current – one of the four bases in DNA

18d         Picked up fragments after rolling one kilo butt in (6)
KIBITZ A Yiddish word meaning to give unwanted advice – a homophone of fragments goes after a reversal of the Roman numeral for one and the abbreviation for Kilo

21d         A misleadingly named fillet (6)
ANADEM A fillet, chaplet or wreath – A (from the clue) and an anagram (misleadingly) of NAMED

22d         Bumper celebration for one daughter about to get married (6)
DODGEM An informal party (celebration), a reversal (about) of the abbreviated way of saying for one and the abbreviation for Daughter, the abbreviation for Married being added at the end

24d         Tubers heading for Stanmore might, on northbound route (4)
YAMS A reversal (on northbound route) of a synonym for might in the sense of could and the ‘heading’ for Stanmore

26d         Signatory brings Western powers together (4)
NATO Hidden in the first word of the clue