Toughie 3484 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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Toughie 3484

by Gazza  

Toughie No 3484 by Karla
Hints and tips by Gazza

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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****

Thanks to Karla for a puzzle that’s not too tricky (for a Friday) and very entertaining.

Please leave a comment telling us how you fared and what you liked about the puzzle.

Across Clues

1a Bonus question on a location east of India (10)
PERQUISITE: an abbreviation for question follows ‘a’ (i.e. for each). Add a synonym of location after the letter that India represents in the Nato Phonetic Alphabet.
6a Drink unlimited drink (4)
ASTI: an aniseed-flavoured drink without its outer letters.

9a Cheese and so on rolled around centre of dome (5)
COMTÉ: the reversal of ‘and so on’ containing the central letters of dome.

10a How one might deliver scam for renegades (9)
TURNCOATS: split your answer 4,5 and obey the instruction to end up with ‘scam’.
12a Key shelter hosts principal cycling show? (13)
ENTERTAINMENT: a keyboard key and a canvas shelter contain an adjective meaning principal with its first letter cycled to the end.

14a Climber perhaps heard lines by president (8)
ROSEBUSH: a homophone of a synonym of lines or tiers and a US president (you have a choice of two).

15a Puritan regularly assumes highest state of bliss? (6)
UTOPIA: regular letters from puritan contain an adjective meaning highest.

17a Layman Trevor is content initially on church team (6)
CELTIC: the initial letters of the first four words follow an abbreviation for church.

19a Vengeful act on king is inspired by friend (8)
REPRISAL: start with a preposition meaning on or concerning then insert the Latin abbreviation for king and IS into another word for friend.
22a New Dutch tart stuffed with poultry was up to snuff (3,3,7)
CUT THE MUSTARD: an anagram (new) of DUTCH TART into which some Australian birds get stuffed. It’s a bit of a stretch to describe these birds as poultry – you’d need a very large oven to roast one for Sunday lunch!

24a Exaggerates image of old retired small district vicar (9)
OVERDRAWS: start with the abbreviation for old then reverse the abbreviation for small, an electoral district and the abbreviated title of a vicar.

25a Best distribution of cards on second part of display (5)
IDEAL: a distribution of playing cards follows the second letter of display.

26a Island app used to communicate when power cut (4)
SKYE: remove the physics abbreviation for power from a communications app which became very popular during Covid but which is now being axed by Microsoft.
27a Composed motets in A and E flat (10)
MAISONETTE: an anagram (composed) of MOTETS IN A E.

Down Clues

1d Agreement in full announced (4)
PACT: this sounds like full or rammed.

2d Vessel mirrors partly rotated without frames (7)
RIMLESS: hidden in reverse.

3d Not settled in lab set up within university outhouse (13)
UNESTABLISHED: an anagram (up) of IN LAB SET goes between an abbreviation for university and an outhouse.

4d Ridicule composer briefly over pay award (8)
SATIRISE: the name of a French composer without his last letter precedes a pay award.
5d Husband in present danger (6)
THREAT: insert the genealogical abbreviation for husband into a present or gift.

7d Mix fish into broth that Oscar’s left (5,2)
SHAKE UP: a food fish goes into a type of broth without the letter that Oscar represents in the Nato Phonetic Alphabet.

8d One terribly lean bat is always after blood? (10)
INSATIABLE: the Roman numeral for one is followed by an anagram (terribly) of LEAN BAT IS.

11d Dismay Leo maybe turning learners into sailors (13)
CONSTERNATION: what Leo is an example of in the heavens has its two abbreviations for learner replaced by the abbreviation for our senior service.

13d Company protected by ring in novel advanced (10)
PRECOCIOUS: the abbreviation for company is surrounded by what I assume describes a ring in a Tolkien novel. I’ve tried several times to read Tolkien but never managed to get past the first few pages.
16d Head counts 100 eastern Poles on applications (8)
CENSUSES: assemble the Roman numeral for 100, abbreviations for eastern and the two earthly poles and a synonym of applications.
18d Crowd outside of theatre tracks ticketed game? (7)
LOTTERY: string together a word for a crowd or large number, the outside letters of theatre and the abbreviation for tracks.

20d Most low diamonds singer keeps with spades out at last (7)
SADDEST: the stage name of a Nigerian-British singer contains the abbreviation for the card suit diamonds. Append the abbreviation for spades and the last letter of ‘out’.

21d Rascal in the way of an African animal (6)
IMPALA: a young rascal and a preposition (1,2) meaning ‘in the way of’.
23d Runner returning somewhat enfeebled (4)
ELBE: hidden in reverse is a major European ‘runner’.

For my podium I’ve selected 1a, 10a and 16d. Which one(s) 22a for you?

 

12 comments on “Toughie 3484”

  1. Puzzle of the week for me. Not too tricky and a lot of enjoyment to be had.
    13d was my last to parse.

    Ticks to 1a, 10a, 22a, 27a, 11d. My favourite being 27a.

    Many thanks to Karla (please keep these coming), and to CS.

    1. I meant to write thanks to Gazza for the write-up; my mind was elsewhere when I posted!

  2. A lovely puzzle, surprisingly gentle and back-page-ish for a Friday Toughie. Some great surfaces and imaginative clueing. Honours to 10a, 3d & 1a.

    Many thanks indeed to Karla (was there a Nina? I looked but could not find) and to Gazza. And yes, re 13d, the “one ring to rule them all” from The Hobbit & LOTR was called “My …….” by Gollum.

    1. I forgot to mention it but I think ‘The circus’ can be found in the grid.

      1. Oh, very cleverly hidden … and sharp eyes for spotting it, Gazza! I do enjoy the Smiley books, particularly since downloading BBC Radio’s complete dramatisation of them all and being able to listen while dog-walking, rowing (machine not a river craft!), driving etc. I probably replay the whole lot every 18 months or so.

        1. I recently read “Karla’s Choice” by Nick Harkaway (John le Carrè’s son) which brings back Smiley. I enjoyed it.

  3. A cracking Friday Toughie.
    I spent quite a while after completing this on going back over a few answers I was initially unsure of parsing. Time well spent, as when the proverbial dropped, there was even more to admire.
    My COTD is 13d for the clever Gollum reference.

    Honourable mentions also for 10a, 12a and 18d.

    Thanks Karla and Gazza, loved the impala cartoon. 

  4. Enjoyed this a lot and it wasn’t too taxing for a Friday. Some clever clueing – 10a, 19a, 22a [it may not be quite poultry but it made me laugh] and 11d. I did manage to wade thro LOTR and the ring [13d] still passed me by.
    Thanks to Karla and Gazza.

  5. Hello all from sun-kissed Ambleside where we have spent very pleasant fortnight. Thanks Gazza for the blog and for all of the comments today. Well spotted, Gazza: THE CIRCUS hidden in plain sight.

    Emus. I did wonder about this, but Wiki does confirm them as ‘poultry’ so I thought I’d wing it. Which is more than they can.

    Have a great weekend everyone, see you next time.

  6. Thanks to Karla for providing a terrific Friday Toughie solvable by not just the A Team. Ticks all over the shop but 10a has to be the pick for the parsing penny drop.
    Thanks Gazza for the review & great cartoon illustrations.
    Ps I can’t find the circus – can someone please provide directions

    1. Start at the last letter of 5d and proceed in a SW direction. Then do a hairpin turn after the last letter of 17a and proceed towards the NE.

      1. No wonder I couldn’t see it – spot the bloody ball back in the day was easier….

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