Sunday Toughie No 174
by proXimal
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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proXimal gave me a rather stern test last night, and I had to email a friend to see the standards (thanks Gazza and Mike. A spoonerism to start and a couple of compound anagrams sign this better than any byline
We have a generous 16a and 16d clues and I have hinted half, I hope you get the checkers to solve this fine puzzle but I will try and give a nudge or two if required.
Time to take Mama Bee out for coffee and a listen to the brass bands in Wetherby. I will help if I can and if the WiFi by The Ings is up to it
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!
I hope I don’t have to redact any comments but I am new at this and don’t want to rock the boat. If in doubt, I’ll rub it out! I think that sentence is a bit redundant. You have all been so helpful in sorting out prior parsing failures, and I am sure I will need similar help again.
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 Spooner’s anorak’s optimal layer sits within it (5-4)
The words to Spoonerise are an anorak or geek and a superlative for optimal
11a Clearly outlined some internally abandoned cold cases (9)
Abandon the internal letters of some and encase them in a synonym of cold
12a Respected person agreed to hide money abroad (7)
A word for agreeing to a deal hides some foreign money
14a Gull flying out of building also shattered glass (8)
The first trademark proXimal™ compound anagram. Dark volcanic glass can be found in an anagram (shattered) of BUILDING ALSO when the letters of GULL have flown
21a Instructed fellow with saw (8)
A fellow or chap saw a companion for a romantic liaison. I am not sure how many politicians take being instructed in this way
25a Suspect demon expelled from mountainside moved country (7)
The second trademark compound anagram, A country can be found in an anagram (moved) of mountainside after an anagram (suspect) of demon has been expelled
27a One cleans false leg uncovered in rubbish (9)
A synonym of false and a synonym of rubbish that contains what remains of leg when it has been uncovered
30a Sanitise wound inflicted – not large, but small (9)
An anagram (wound) of inflicted but swap the abbreviation of large for that for small
Down
1d Within seconds, lowering settings (9)
A plural verb for seconds or supports contains a synonym of lowering
3d Second piece journalist generated (7)
An abbreviated second, a chess piece and our usual journalist generated the solution
4d Escape that man with one line rejection (8)
The abbreviated escape key, an objective male pronoun, the abbreviation of with, and a singular one and the abbreviation of line
7d That’s a great example of debate (4,5)
To debate or discuss, and a phrase that may be used when discussing a great example
15d Great time being put up in royal house in European city (9)
A royal house contains a reversal (put up) of abbreviations of great and time
18d Standards beginning to lower amongst ridiculous works (8)
I had to “phone email a friend” here as I was hung up on a wrong answer, many thanks to Gazza and Prolixic. The beginning of lower goes amongst some ridiculous or lampooning works for standards flown to honour Saint Andrew
22d Poet’s cycling moderately slowly (7)
A musical term for moderately slowly, cycles two letters for an adjective relating to a particular poet’s works
23d See what thick type grasps (6)
Thick type grasps an interjection for what
26d
Compiler
proXimal
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A thoroughly enjoyable ST from proXimal, with all his trademark clue types.
The Spoonerism was not immediately obvious and unusually, one of my last ones in, as I completed this one in quarters going clockwise from NE.
The smoothly worded 24a, 28a and 24d were all contenders for my Victor Ludorum while the rather obvious 17d and the awkward sounding solution to 8d slugged it out for my Victor Meldrew.
Shouts going out to SJB and proXimal.
The Spoonerism was one of my last in too.
I wouldn’t condone the 4d of any of your choices but 15 and 22d join them on my podium
The 1a Spoonerism and one of the compound anagrams, 14a, appear on my across podium – joined by 21a. The down podium comprises 2, 7 & 23. The down direction also hosted three good PDMs, including the ‘Standards’ that exercised SJB last night; the other two being the ‘piece’ in 3d and the ‘Poet’s’ in 22d.
My thanks to proXimal for another entertaining puzzle – I always look forward to the trademark clues, and to SJB for posting the hints.
14a lead me down a bit of a rabbit hole of volcanic glass and the similar stuff that occurs when lightning⚡⚡ strikes sand
Good choice of hinted clues John as I needed most of them to struggle over the finishing line.
15d for my top prodium place today.
Saw your illustration for 1a under construction the year before the Games. Seem to remember that bamboo scaffolding was in use.
Thanks to proXimal and SJB for the hints. Enjoy you coffee and music.
Winds and 2d weather have driven us home, but the coffee was good. I think my niece was in Beijing at the same time, teaching English as a foreign language
Excellent puzzle and blog. I do love looking out for Proximal’s compound anagrams and getting two today was. Special treat.
One small correction SJB. At 4 down the explanation omits one letter!
Thanks all
Sorry, I must have had a bad night, the abbreviation of with accounts for the missing letter. Thanks – Hint amended
Not just you having a bad night. Ran the clues through Danword (after I finished I hasten to add) and their answer for 18d appears to be a bit wide of the mark.
I suspect that those with an engineering bent may have found the same synonym for standards, it certainly was my first thought. The rest of the wordplay (and Gazza’s nudge) put me on the right track
An excellent puzzle which I really enjoyed – thanks to proXimal and SJB.
The leading contenders for my podium are 16a, 21a and 23d.
Thanks again for the help and for the cover on the 8th. It was a PDM when the milk turned too
Having grown up in a village beside the Worcestershire version (there are 5 in Britain) the answer to 16a was immediately apparent so, for me at least, neither a leading contender nor a PDM
Beaten by several clues which is by no means unusual with this setter’s Toughies, he’s doubtless above my pay grade! I did enjoy the ones I solved unaided and my podium contenders mirror Gazza’s with the addition of 20d.
Thanks to proXimal and to SJB for the much needed hints.
A good use of Mr Titchmarsh indeed
I spent far too much time on this brilliant puzzle from ProXimal.
Very pleased with myself that I understood what was going on in 25a and 14a. Compound anagrams, apparently?
Still don’t understand why SJB’s picture clue is in 1d rather than 17d?
Thanks to all!
The picture covers both clues in one, it is a 1d for a graduation perhaps and the floor covering for stars too.
Those proXimal™ compounds are a treat when you spot them
Like FrankieM I too started in the NE & crawled round the grid in a clockwise direction late last night until the eyelids gave up with 4 in the NW & 27a still to solve. Finished this morning but it all added up to a solve time that took way longer than I’d usually spend on a puzzle & had it been an available option I’m sure I would have succumbed to either the check facility or a letter reveal. On the plus side I pegged the two compound anagrams immediately. Ticks aplenty in a tough but very enjoyable puzzle – 12,21&30a plus 7,15,17,18&23d particular likes.
Thanks to proXimal & to John
I maybe wouldn’t have struggled with 18d if the reveal was still available
Like Huntsman I have only just cracked it. Been sitting at the breakfast table muttering away whilst George devours the news! I was completely stumped by the SW corner – I had the city but just could not fit it in. 24a was far too clever for me until I cracked 24d. Since we are being asked for best three I’ll go for 14a, 13a and 18d in that order. Well, thanks a lot ProXimal for taking up so much of the limited amount of time I have left on this earth – at least it has sharpened the great matter. And thanks to SJB for the hints which I devoured. I’d better start the day now! Tardy but unbeaten!
The tortoise 🐢 beats the hare
Even slower – only just finished over morning coffee – also spent far too long on it but good to get there in the end with lots of help – thanks for the blog !
Thanks for the thanks, a finish is good even if it takes a bit longer