Sunday Toughie No 174 by proXimal
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 25th of May 2025
Across
1a Spooner’s anorak’s optimal layer sits within it (5-4)
BIRDS-NEST: The words to Spoonerise are anorak’s or geek’s NERD’S, and a superlative for optimal BEST. NERD’S BEST becomes BIRDS NEST. Those who lay eggs sit within it
6a Be excited overlooking area in section of flight (4)
STIR: The flight is the wooden hill to Bedfordshire STAIR, with the abbreviation for area A, omitted
10a Friend having some links with the Middle East (5)
CHINA: Something that has links CHAIN, moves its middle letter to the east, for a Cockney friend CHINA
11a Clearly outlined some internally abandoned cold cases (9)
CHISELLED: Abandon the internal letters of some S_E, and encase them in a synonym of cold CHI_LLED
12a Respected person agreed to hide money abroad (7)
DOYENNE: A word for agreeing to a deal DONE, hides some Japanese money YEN for a doyenne
13a Type of bread relative fairly regularly consumed (7)
GRANARY: An informal older relative GRAN, and what remains of fAiRlY after regular letters are consumed ARY
14a Gull flying out of building also shattered glass (8)
OBSIDIAN: 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
16a River turned, bearing west finally (5)
STOUR: When the milk has turned bad SOUR, contains the final letter of west T
19a Stone handles not totally genuine jet (5)
SPURT: The abbreviation for 14 lbs ST, contains most of a synonym of genuine PURe. A jet or S PUR T
21a Instructed fellow with saw (8)
MANDATED: A fellow or chap MAN, saw a companion for a romantic liaison DATED.
24a Girl beat back snubbed stranger (7)
NATALIE: A reversal of to beat TAN becomes NAT and most of (snubbed) a stranger from foreign parts ALIEn
25a Suspect demon expelled from mountainside moved country (7)
TUNISIA: The second trademark compound anagram, A country can be found in an anagram (moved) of
mo-UNTAI n SI de after an anagram (suspect) of demon has been expelled
27a One cleans false leg uncovered in rubbish (9)
SHAMPOOER: A synonym of false SHAM, and a synonym of rubbish POOR, that contains what remains of leg when it has been uncovered l)E(g
28a Crack on far side of offshore rig (5)
EQUIP: A crack or witticism QUIP, goes on the far side of offshore E
29a Place name spoken aloud (4)
SITE: A homophone (spoken aloud) of to name or quote a source CITE becomes SITE
30a Sanitise wound inflicted – not large, but small (9)
DISINFECT: An anagram (wound) of inflicted but swap the abbreviation of large for that for small INF(S)ICTED becomes DISINFECT
Down
1d Within seconds, lowering settings (9)
BACKDROPS: A plural verb for seconds or supports BACKS, contains a synonym of lowering DROP
2d Wet fish in slices (5)
RAINY: Cartilaginous fish RAY, are sliced apart by IN from the clue
3d Second piece journalist generated (7)
SPAWNED: An abbreviated second S, a chess piece PAWN, and our usual journalist ED, generated the solution SPAWNED
4d Escape that man with one line rejection (8)
ESCHEWAL: The abbreviated escape key ESC, an objective male pronoun HE, the abbreviation of with W, and a singular one A, and the abbreviation of line L
5d Momentary pain left-winger absorbs (6)
TWINGE: A lurker (absorbs) into the third and fourth words
7d That’s a great example of debate (4,5)
TALK ABOUT: A double definition. To debate or discuss, and a phrase that may be used when discussing a great example
8d Clear guy gets disheartened being ribbed (5)
RIDGY: To clear or eliminate RID, and what remains of guy when disheartened GY
9d Outsiders from Saint-Étienne in French cars (6)
SEDANS: The outermost letters of the place S E, and how a French person would say in DANS.
15d Great time being put up in royal house in European city (9)
STUTTGART: The Royal House of STUART, contains a reversal (put up) of abbreviations of great GT, and time T STU(TTG)ART
17d One’s laid on the ground before the stars come out (3,6)
RED CARPET: A cryptic definition of the surface laid on the ground, on which stars, celebrities or Royals may walk
18d Standards beginning to lower amongst ridiculous works (8)
SALTIRES: The beginning of lower L, goes amongst some ridiculous or lampooning works SATIRES, for standards flown to honour Saint Andrew
20d Plants Titchmarsh uses primarily on borders (6)
TULIPS: Initial letters of Titchmarsh and uses TU, go on a synonym of the borders that stop your mouth from fraying LIPS
22d Poet’s cycling moderately slowly (7)
DANTEAN: A musical term for moderately slowly ANDANTE, cycles two letters for an adjective relating to a particular poet’s works DANTEAN
23d See what thick type grasps (6)
BEHOLD: Thick type BOLD, grasps an interjection for what EH!
24d Missing India’s sounds and smells (5)
NOSES: A synonym of sounds NOISES, without the letter that India suggests
26d Really enjoy pickle (5)
SOUSE: Synonyms of the first two words SO and USE, may be a way of pickling herring
Compiler
proXimal
That’s all Folks…