Sunday Toughie No 173
by Light
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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I dont think that was as hard as the last Sunday Toughie from Light, but your experience may differ. Maybe I am just getting to grips with the new Sunday Toughie Compilers. Some definitions and synonyms were well hidden. Learning about botany, booze, politics and police along the way, but I think I got them eventually.
From a long list I will pick the lovely 12d as COTD by a nose from 14a. With 14a and 14d clues today I have hinted half. As usual some tricky clues remain unhinted, but I may be able to give a nudge or two if the WiFi at Caffè Nero permits
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 Evian’s my unfinished still drink (6)
How someone from Evian says my, and all bar the last letter of a synonym of still.
9a Former party leader who’s associated with a hammer and sharp sickle, ultimately? (6)
A superhero who is associated with a hammer and the ultimate letters of the last two words, leads to a former Liberal leader more likely to be associated with an unfortunate relationship with Norman Scott
Norman Hunter bites your legs, Norman Scott bites your pillow…
11a Fire rifle at home? It’s a bloomer (4-5)
A synonym of fire, as in to fire with enthusiasm in the morning, is joined by to rifle or steal, and our usual at home. A bloomer new to me, the plant takes its common name by analogy with the European bird, which has a red breast heralding spring
14a Operative checking trap’s set? (6,7)
A cryptic all-in-one of someone who may operate on the set you keep in your trap
17a Hornist possibly hard to find (2,5,6)
The first word of the clue “provides” the fodder for the first two words of the answer, and a synonym of provide is our anagram indicator and third word of the answer
23a Dissident publication curtailed in South America (9)
A shortened synonym of publication goes between an abbreviation of South and one of the usual Americas
27a Song boring a musician (6)
A narrative song with a recurrent refrain, bores into a preposition of each or a
Down
1d
2d When farmer’s van drops off pales to support e.g. cattle enclosures (9)
To pale or lose colour without the leading letter of farmer’s (van drops off) supports the collective term that cattle are an example of
5d Police careful in court after gangsters discharged (6,5)
A synonym of careful in the sense of not to be deceived or hoodwinked, in from the clue and an abbreviated four-sided court, contains what remains of gangsters when the contents have been discharged
6d English politician starts to rant over rubbish outside the back of Caffè Nero? (7)
E for English and an abbreviated elected politician, the back letter of Caffe and the starts to three words in the clue lead us to Nero’s unelected title
Is Light watching my movements? After scheduling the hints to be published at about 13:30, I usually take Mama Bee for coffee and cakes at my local Caffè Nero before the first comments arrive. Probably fair enough, as I was trying to find out who Light was before he added it in his Twitter/X profile
8d Somewhere in Lancashire street, glass broken by a man (2,6)
An abbreviation of street and an optical glass are broken by an objective male pronoun. Aptly, I think this place in the SW of the historical county of Lancashire is known for glass production
12d In which dish is out, presumably? (6,5)
An all-in-one of the regular naps needed to remain dishy presumably?
15d Source of fancy Met logo seen around Yard unknown (9)
The study of the sources and development of words, an anagram (fancy) of MET, LOGO, Y for Yard and one of the algebraic unknowns (another Y)
16d I can be seen in river area following one liqueur (3,5)
A river that forms most of the border between Devon and Cornwall, in which I can be seen. Followed by a Roman one and an abbreviated area. The liqueur is supposedly named for someone’s Italian Aunt Mary, who was rather secretive with the original recipe. The main ingredients are Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee beans, South Jamaican rum, vanilla, and sugar, blended to an alcoholic content of 20%.
22d
Compiler
Light
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40 years ago (yesterday) one of my favourite albums was released, for the anniversary it has gone back to the top of the charts, here is one of the less frequently played highlights
Great fun as always from Light, excellent surfaces and a good deal of thought required to complete.
For some reason I was held up by 1a as I was convinced the solution required a 2,4 split rather than a 3,3. I had two words as possible answers, neither made sense until the copper descended.
Hard to pick a podium but I’ve ended up with 14a, 1d and 2d.
Thanks to Light and SJB
1a was quite late in going in here too, I knew the prickly plant but forgot it was used to make the drink. Once I remembered it was booze rather than botanical it became easier
Another cracker. 1a’s fun, 14a & 17a are both belters and 5d almost cut my fingers! Best thanks to Light and Sloop.
I think the four-part Lego™ of 5d was the hardest to parse, but Gazza has shown it was probably 2d that needed a bit more thought
A top-notch puzzle – thanks to Light and SJB.
I think that the definition in 2d is just the last word of the clue with the letter that drops off pales being “farmer’s van”.
8d is not in Lancashire or at least it wasn’t when I last visited it 50 years ago and I don’t think it’s moved since, but I did like the ‘glass’ reference.
My top clues were 1a, 14a and 12d with my favourite being 17a.
I see 2d like you now, e.g cattle supported by what remains of pales when the farmers van drops off – I’ll amend the hint.
Those much derided “new” metropolitan boroughs have moved the glass manufacturing town from their historic county of Lancashire to Merseyside in 1972 – so 53 years and counting !
I thought this an absolutely wonderful puzzle (hence promoting it in my post on the other blog) – and of the three completed while plugged in to the platelets machine (Back-page, Toughie & Sunday Times) I thought this the best of the lot.
Started in the SW and finished in the NW, and held up in particular by the not-Evian drink protective boot. But ticks appeared everywhere (as they did on my dogs following this morning’s walk!) and I thought some of the oblique/cryptic definitions were wonderful. Honours to COTD 14a, 5d & 12d, with runner-up 17a.
Many thanks indeed to Light and to SJB
I admire your devotion, I refuse to pay for the Sunday Times as the price of the DT paywall is high enough for me. I havent seen a Sunday Times puzzle since solving one with Dutch at a Pre-Covid Birthday Bash
I have a puzzles-only subscription to the DT (although until a few days ago the puzzles were all accessible FOC, without having to sign-in, and had been for many months …) but a full online-only sub to The Times. PM me if you wish – you have access to my email address and I think I still have an unused gift sub to The Times I can offer to someone. Unfortunately the “my account” section of their website is currently inaccessible, so I cannot confirm yet!
You have mail 👍
Made heavy weather of this one and struggled to get on the setter’s wavelength today.
I have managed to parse all my answers apart from 19d so a wee prod in the right direction would be appreciated if you are feeling generous….
24a favourite for me.
Thanks to Light for the enjoyable challenge and SJB for the hints.
Something at the peak of form swaps first and last letters and goes on a synonym of tired or to drop off (I think!)
Make sense, thanks.
Just had another look at the clues and 26a is my new favourite.
You need two words (the first a 3-letter adjective meaning ‘in good form’ or ‘in good shape’ and the second a 4-letter verb meaning to become tired or ‘lose its attraction’). Then swap their first letters (swapped at the front).
Once more you have hit the nail on the head, whilst I missed the nail and bent it all out of shape. I am in awe of your experience and look forward to seeing how the master does it on the 8th of June
Back to School for me!
Thank you to Sloop for the assistance, especially for ‘careful’ in 5d, where I only knew the North American meaning of the required adjective (having learnt it from The Offspring). And I didn’t know the 1a drink, either. I always enjoy Twm’s crosswords — and 3 in a week is a treat! — but my solving is not (yet?) at Light-Toughie-level, so it’s appreciated having these hints to unlock the fun.
My top few were 9a’s hammer and sickle, the clever 6d with Caffè Nero, and not running off in 26a.
I seem to have Betty’s tastes but a Caffè Nero budget. Mama Bee will drink anything as long as it’s wet
The 10yo went to Bettys shop recently and after much perusing and considering, decided to buy one of the marzipan frogs with their own money — more than a week’s pocket money for one item. But the shop assistant, apparently taken with our little customer, that they said they wouldn’t be able to sell all the frogs before their date so put a second one into the box free. The 10yo was most impressed!
Now that is customer service, we usually get a Christmas Cake from Betty’s but the real bargain is buying another one in January at half price
I beg to differ with SJB’s assessment – the NE and SW corners were filled in with barely a pause, but I found the NW and SE corners quite tricky. However, I did complete the puzzle this morning before our guests arrived for the day. Now the house is quiet and the BBQ stowed, so on with the blog…
My favourites today were all the long clues forming the crossroads in the centre: 14a, 17a, 5d & 12d. Last one in was 11a, which I hadn’t heard of and couldn’t be ‘Ragged…’ or ‘Red…’. I needed the first two checkers to uncover the subtle synonym of ‘Fire’ and then find the appropriate reference.
My thanks to Light for the puzzle and to SJB for the hints – especially the horn concerto, albeit I didn’t enjoy the reminder of the Covid-era ‘dress code’.
I did enjoy the horn solo too. We normally like to watch the band’s at Wetherby Bandstand most Sundays, but it was a bit too chilly to have Mama Bee sat outside by the river. This is a performance from this time last year.
That’s impressive — both the playing and the arrangement.
It is a pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon, especially if the ice cream van and Sun is there. Blogging from there can suffer as the WiFi is a bit patchy. Like Ilkley the Ings is a bathing suitable area, but that just means they check the water regularly
Very frustrating. Undone by 3 in the NW (1a,2d & the fire synonym at11a) otherwise pretty straightforward. My pitiful French to blame as I had the singular masculine & completely forgot about my friends – didn’t twig despite having the truncated still synonym though to be fair I thought the drink was spelt with a Z. Didn’t read 2d correctly either.
Enjoyed the puzzle immensely. I’d have gone all in 17a would be Gazza’s pick & it was mine too – 9,14,23&26a plus 5,12,15&18d other particular likes.
Thanks to Light & to John – I like the San Antonio live stuff on the 40th Anniversary reissue
I think I automatically go for the dictionary when faced with things like 11a especially when the 1d label was clear. There is an alternative spelling at 1a with a Z but I couldn’t make that fit with 2d.
Although I managed a grid fill in a pretty good time Gazza has captured a couple of errors in parsing (2d and 19d)
B minus must do better next time
I have just downloaded the 40th reissue and am enjoying the SA Live stuff too