Sunday Toughie No 169
by Light
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
Happy Easter, folks…
I had to take a good, long look at the BRB to find the pigeon and the nut, that and a couple of dodgy parsings (1d) and new to me knowledge (9a) meant this was probably Light’s toughest Toughie to date (for me™)
We have 14a and 14d clues today and I have hinted half, a bonus nudge may be available if asked
Here we go, Folks…
As it is a Prize puzzle I can only hint at a few and hope that will give you the checkers and inspiration to go further. I’ll return with the full review blog just after the closing date. Don’t forget to follow BD’s instructions in RED at the bottom of the hints!
Most of the terms used in these hints are explained in the Glossary and examples are available by clicking on the entry under “See also” Where the hint describes a construct as “usual” this means that more help can be found in The Usual Suspects, which gives a number of the elements commonly used in the wordplay. Another useful page is Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, which features words with meanings that are not always immediately obvious. Don’t forget the Mine of Useful information that Big Dave and his son Richard so meticulously prepared for us.
A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions. Some hints follow: Remember the site rules and play nicely.
Across
1a Old man on wild tracks being mindful of livestock (6,9)
Your old man would be one half of a marriage, it follows a synonym of wild and finishes with the tracks that trains run on
9a Suspect fugitive is former US criminal (3-6)
Synonyms of the first two words lead to a crime of transporting alcohol to the United States during prohibition. I found some interesting stuff on a dive through Wikipedia about one of the main protagonists, which gave rise to the phrase “The Real McCoy”
12a Problem of pigeon caught in tight cord – I’m thinking (9)
I had a problem here, I saw the anagram (tight) of cord followed by an interjection indicating thinking, but I had to look deeply in the BRB and Wikipedia to catch a pigeon with feathers on its head in the style of a woman of the cloth
16a Make stupid wager, going round Ascot ignoring the odds (5)
A small wager around the even letters of Ascot
23a Shimmer of emerald initially found in some rock (5)
An initial letter in a style of rock music that did nothing for our dress sense in the 70’s
24a Nut in a new hotel overturning shrub (5)
A reversal of A from the clue, N for new and H for hotel was clear to me, but how to explain the other two letters that have sneaked in? Another deep dive into the BRB here, the tenth definition of Nut provides the printer’s space we insert into the reversal for a shrub that is the source of a semi-permanent style of tattoo
26a Weird insect next to plant – it’s befuddled genius (6,9)
A plant that may be known as arugula in North America followed by two anagrams (weird and befuddled) of insect and its
Down
1d Kind of exercise: lying about spies to conceal tap (7)
An American spy organisation conceals the “tap” for oil, gas, maple syrup or beer, then reverse the lot (about)
I may have missed something lying here, but I can’t find a better explanation
3d Play covered way in which Pinball Wizard’s performed (9,6)
A covered way of shops follows play or light entertainment. Where Tommy, that deaf, dumb, and blind kid sure plays a mean pinball.
4d Report that slowly reveals dissatisfaction (8)
Normally a “report” that indicates audience approval, when performed slowly reveals dissatisfaction
6d Contrary to others’ wishes, objecting to whisky? (7,3,5)
Those opposed to whisky. No e in whisky so it can only refer to Scotch made from malted barley; other unmalted sources of starch are contrary and rub me up the wrong way.
15d Beef done rare originally by friend in Montmartre (8)
A synonym of done, an original letter and how someone from Montmartre may refer to a friend
16d My king is in trouble (7)
A bit of trouble contains a Latin king. My is an interjection that brought to mind Derek Nimmo who often heard this interjection of kinship
21d Words of warning about constant bullies (6)
Plural golfers’ words of warning go about a constant abbreviation
Compiler
Light
Could new readers please read the Welcome Post and the FAQ before posting comments or asking questions about the site.
As this is a Prize crossword, please don’t put any ANSWERS, whether WHOLE, PARTIAL or INCORRECT or any ALTERNATIVE CLUES in your comment.
Please read these instructions carefully – they are not subject to debate or discussion. Offending comments may be redacted or, in extreme cases, deleted. In all cases the administrator’s decision is final.
If you don’t understand, or don’t wish to comply with, the conventions for commenting on weekend prize puzzles then save yourself a lot of trouble and don’t leave a comment.
One for Easter…
Very light, I thought, and less tricky than the back-pager. Re 1d, (to) tap is also an engineering term, opposite of die. Off for a libation now, Happy Easter everyone, and thanks. 🐰🐰🐰
Yes the female part of a thread cutter, that’s better than my ramblings about maple trees and beer. I’ll revise the hint when I get home from tea with Mama Bee
The tap is the male tool (sorry) that cuts the threads in a hole for a bolt.
But what it does is cut by ***ing the thread in the female “hole” without getting too gynaecological for a Sunday
Great fun. I actually thought that was gentler than his last one. “Nut” and “pigeon” were dead smart. 1d’s parsing (to pierce, etc) looks spot on to me. 4d’s jolly. “Mostly acting unpaid” tickled me too. Best thanks to Light and Sloop.
I certainly learned a lot about pigeons and bootleggers but enjoyed the schooling “session” too
I too thought today’s Light offering to be gentler than his last one.
12a and 8d get my seal of approval for their clever construction, as does 21d for its smooth surface.
Thanks to Light and SJB.
Obviously just me that struggled, but I enjoyed it anyway.
Think I recall the pigeon from a previous puzzle some time ago but I still checked on him along with the nut which I’d totally forgotten. The old man in charge of livestock amused as did the befuddled genius but my top two were 18a & 3d.
Thanks to Light and to SJB for the hints – don’t eat too much chocolate today, it will bring you out in spots as my Mum used to say!
I have just been reminded that today’s puzzle is # thirteensquared, maybe Light could add a quick crossword or a pun.
Good fun and not too tricky – thanks to Light and SJB.
I remembered the ‘nut’ (probably from a previous crossword) but I needed to check the pigeon.
My ticks went to 11a, 4d and 8d.
I struggled a bit with 8d as I balked at further shortening of the already abbreviated unpaid actors
Managed to complete while directing traffic for an Easter Egg Hunt at Fyvie Castle.
Favourite the 26a botanist 😀.
Thanks to Light and SJB.
He’s not a botanist ( or a (,9)) he’s an engineer.
It matters not. It will never get off the ground.
Too near the naughty step to explain the botanist comment.
I got it!! Nice one!
I agree with earlier comments that this was not the toughest of toughies, but neither was it a gimme. The ‘nut’ and the ‘pigeon’ required a rummage in the dictionary to confirm the parsing, and the ‘mostly acting unpaid’ provided a penny-drop moment. Not so many ticks on my printout today; but 18a, 26a and 5d did emerge onto the podium steps. Podium place for best comment goes to DaveP’s “26a botanist” :-)
My thanks to Light and to SJB, especially for the musical hints – but I think I’ll forgo playing the clip of Sweet…
You are forgiven for not listening to Sweet – it was the decade that taste forgot
Ooh a bit harsh methinks. Although a partially 50s, and mainly 60s rocker, the 70s weren’t that bad. Better than 80s and 90s I think, although that may be an age thing. The bones won’t let me jive any more!!
The music was great (largely) but those clothes were ridiculous
Plenty tough enough for me though I was distracted by watching the golf (volume muted) while prompted to listen to Rory’s 6d album from 1975 (a great decade of brilliant music – Bowie, Neil Y, Elton, Stevie W, Van etc at their peak with a top 20 list that would compare with any). Easier than his one in the week though.
Knew neither the nut nor the pigeon & didn’t investigate but 18a out the answers anyway. The long ‘uns at top & bottom my picks
Thanks to Light & John.
Ps Who’s Next – best album of the decade for me.
I wouldn’t argue with Who’s Next but certainly a lot of classic stuff to choose from. I’d forgotten about 6d from RG but I couldn’t have played it here as I would have had to censor myself. I still contend the fashions were ridiculous – if you ever saw someone on a windy day with flares wider than the waistband
What else to do on a wet Lancashire Easter Monday? Set off with some trepidation, as I don’t normally do the prize toughie, but it all slowly fell into place. I liked 26a and having sussed that one, it got me going in the south. Thanks to Light for the entertainment and SJB for the blog and help parsing a couple.
I hope you enjoyed it, the Sunday Toughie is usually at the friendlier end of the spectrum. I think Chris Lancaster said it should be aimed at a Tuesday/Wednesday Toughie level and in my experience it usually is