Sunday Toughie No 164 by Zandio
Review by
Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 16th March 2025
Across
1a Beside/besides needs considerable delineating as a rule (2,3,5)
BY AND LARGE: Synonyms of beside BY /besides AND, and considerable LARGE, combine for a phrase alternative for as a rule BY AND LARGE
6a Cross with mum, son truncated family occasion (4)
XMAS: The letter that looks like a cross X, an informal term for mum MA, and the abbreviation of son S, come together for an occasion for families to get together, I try and avoid using this truncation myself but maybe I am a bit pedantic
9a Possibly owns foul showers (10)
SNOWSTORMS: An anagram (foul) of owns SNOW, precedes some heavy showers STORMS
10a Booze, essential for feasting (4)
ASTI: The essential four letters of feasting. If the booze isn’t Rioja its usually ASTI
12a Curry’s partner burst a blood vessel, both lacking resistance when cold’s prevalent (3,3)
ICE AGE: Something that partners well with curry (although I generally prefer a naan) RICE, and the temper that may cause a burst blood vessel RAGE, both terms are lacking the abbreviation for resistance (r)ICE (r)AGE
13a Board used after bloke crushing one’s backbone (8)
MAINSTAY: A bloke MAN, contains a Roman one I, and to board as a temporary residence STAY
15a Spread of green veg and goat oddball’s tucked into (6,6)
PEANUT BUTTER: A green veg PEA,and what goats do BUTTER, into which has been tucked a synonym of an oddball NUT
18a A 50/50 return this writer settled by reviving Universal (3-9)
ALL-EMBRACING: A from the clue, two Roman numeral fifties L L, and a synonym of reviving BRACING, contain a reversal (return) of how this writer may call himself ME becomes EM. Universal or A(LL)(EM)BRACING
21a Showdown time is off, with nobody suffering final loss (4,4)
HIGH NOON: Off or rotten HIGH, and a synonym of nobody NO ONE without its final letter
22a Restraint in a marriage should be called out (6)
BRIDLE: A homophone of matters relating to marriage BRIDAL, would be the restraint for a horse BRIDLE
24a Bordering Spain, launch pad with no apparent function? (4)
LOBE: To launch a high ball in tennis perhaps LOB, and the IVR code for Spain E, leave the last five words as the definition for the earLOBE
25a Graduate full of confusion about fiction collections (10)
ASSEMBLIES: One of our usual graduate qualifications BA, filled with confusion or chaos MESS, is reversed (about) fiction or deception LIES. B-MESS-A becomes ASSEMB plus LIES
26a Start of round – energy applied with iron to get over water hazard (4)
REEF: The start of Round and Energy RE, and a reversal (get over) of the chemical symbol of Iron Fe becomes EF. REEF a water hazard to sailors rather than golfers
27a Model accompanied by Zandio? One should put a story in print (10)
TYPESETTER: A model TYPE, is accompanied by Zandio’s job description SETTER. I would point you in the direction of the byline below but the Telegraph prefers to call Zandio and his fellows Compiler
Down
1d State of Europe‘s broken trAINS – OBjectively backward (6)
BOSNIA: I was somewhat confused by broken as an anagram indicator but together with backward it is a containment and reversal indicator. The European state is broken into in reverse two words from the clue
2d Germany and Belgium traded in mud structures for homes (6)
ABODES: Start with some mud based residences ADOBES, and swap the IVR codes of Germany and Belgium to make some more general residences ABODES
3d Row of dim teenagers getting revision (12)
DISAGREEMENT: An anagram (getting revision) of DIM TEENAGERS
4d Article regarding widely quoted author? (4)
ANON: One of the indefinite articles AN, and one of our usual regarding’s ON, are a way of quoting authors without known names in footnotes ANON.
5d Regularly ignored ugly omens at site – it cost some flexible work? (10)
GYMNASTICS: Regularly ignored is our indicator and some flexible work our definition, I will leave it to you to decide which letters to ignore from uGlY oMeNs At SiTe It CoSt
7d Girl scoffed about tango and twist (8)
MISSTATE: Synonyms of girl MISS, and scoffed ATE, around the letter that tango suggests T. To twist or MISSTATE
8d Small cart upset hosts in craft centre (8)
SHIPYARD: S for small and the reversal (upset) of a cart for carrying beer DRAY becomes YARD, hosts a synonym of in or with it HIP. A centre for making “crafts” SHIPYARD
11d Secure veil nun deployed meeting half-hearted mob (12)
INVULNERABLE: A mob of unruly people RABBLE, loses one of its heart letters RABLE, and follows an anagram (deployed) of VEIL NUN for secure or INVULNERABLE
14d English – standard with Oxford University, and knowing a lot (10)
ENORMOUSLY: An English abbreviation E, an authoritative standard NORM, the abbreviation of Oxford University OU, and a synonym of knowing or cunning SLY
16d Single from composer with capacity to go to the top (8)
BACHELOR: Ones capacity in a theatrical part is reversed (go to the top in a down clue) ROLE becomes ELOR, and follows a composer BACH. BACHELOR A male who remains single
17d Qualified in French, she welcomes international great in the ascendant (8)
ELIGIBLE: She in French ELLE, welcomes the abbreviation of international I, and a synonym of great BIG reversed (in the ascendant in a down clue) GIB. Qualified or EL(IGIB)LE
19d One can’t stop and tot up – it’s around 100 (6)
ADDICT: To tot up ADD,and IT from the clue around a Roman 100 C
20d Official in Politburo’s necessary after revolution (6)
CENSOR: A reverse lurker (in – after revolution) hidden between PolitbuRO’S NECessary
23d Fair measures, with rise for the bottom 25 per cent (4)
FETE: Imperial measures FEET, but the last letter rises up the order until it fits the definition of an event or festival
Compiler
Zandio
That’s All Folks…