Toughie No 3525 by Chalicea
Hints and tips by Whybird
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ****
Welcome to a very pleasant trip on Chalicea’s time-machine. We have a fair smattering of “archaic” and similar terms throughout today, but all reasonably well-known or very clearly and fairly clued. No mild grumbling from me about this being unexpectedly difficult for a Tuesday this week. Just as well as the recent Crossword Centenary articles described Tuesday’s Toughie using the “Floughie” adjective. I did wonder if they’d been paying attention over the past couple of months…
My only slight hold up with the solving part was the East coast (as a native West-coaster, I’ll not comment further…) but a little head-scratching soon sorted that out.
I’ve given my prizes today to the delightful surface in 6a and the made-me-laugh-out loud 23a.
Thank you very much to Chalicea for a very enjoyable start to the Toughie week
Please leave a comment telling us how you fared and what you liked about the puzzle.
Across Clues
1 Production of unusually neat region (10)
GENERATION An anagram (unusually) of “neat region” gives a synonym of “production”
6 Little picture encapsulates impressive story (4)
EPIC A (typically) heroic tale is lurking (encapsulates) in “Little picture”. This is a wonderful surface, and its natural flow can easily divert you from the “straight lurker” solution
9 Brightness of good well-organised male (5)
GLEAM The usual letter for “good” followed by an anagram (well-organised) of “male” gets a noun meaning “brightness”
10 Height of lean-to I’ve constructed (9)
ELEVATION An anagram (constructed) of “lean to I’ve” yields a synonym of “height”
12 Old-time visionary, enthusiast with discernment mostly (7)
FANTAST A charade of a three-letter “enthusiast” and five-letter synonym of “discernment” lacking its final letter (mostly) gives an archaic term for a dreamer. Not a word I was familiar with, but clearly and fairly clued.
13 Plant tissue in waxy lemon (5)
XYLEM A woody plant tissue is lurking (in) “waxy lemon”. I spent a little too long trying to read this with “waxy” as an anagram indicator. The very neutral use of “in” to indicate a lurker took a while to recognise.
15 Refinement in manners of sect by northern river (7)
CULTURE A term meaning “refinement” is formed from a synonym of “sect” and a commonly-encountered three-letter northern river.
16 We’re told you will record this incandescent Christmas celebration (4,3)
YULE LOG A phonynym (We’re told) of how you might say “you will” followed by a three-letter “record” gives an article traditionally burnt at Christmas (but now more usually encountered in edible form)
18 Your old inner being, the one the physician should heal (7)
THYSELF An archaic (old) way of saying “your” followed by a word meaning “inner being” gives the final word of a three-word riposte to somebody offering advice or instruction whilst being blind to their own similar failings.
20 Shower interrupting support for probationer? (7)
TRAINEE An alternative term for “probationer” is formed by inserting a word for wet weather into the usual (golfing) support.
21 Additional craft recalled by one-time mate (5)
EXTRA The usual two-letter former partner is followed aby a reversal of a three letter synonym of “craft” to get a word meaning “additional”
23 Stewed pastry dish observed (3-4)
PIE-EYED A charade of a filled pasty dish and a word meaning “observed” gets a description of one having imbibed too much falling-down water. I thought this was a wonderful clue.
25 Abnormal rage – out of sorts about ultimately defunct car device (4-5)
GEARSTICK An anagram (abnormal) of “rage” followed by a synonym of “out of sorts” (or ill) surrounding the final letter (ultimately) of “defunct” giving a feature commonly, but much less frequently in these days of hybrids, found in cars. How long before this word is confined to “archaic”?
26 Contents of memo satisfied worker, it’s locally said (5)
EMMET An archaic term for crosswordland’s usual, six-legged worker, and used as a derogatory term by the Cornish, for tourists is formed from the middle letters (contents) of “memo” and a synonym of “satisfied” (or encountered)
27 Scruff‘s downy covering on middle of chest (4)
NAPE An alternative word for “downy covering” often used with cloth followed by the middle letter of “chest” gets a synonym of of “scruff” (as in the body part)
28 Scanty money for rich, crumbly biscuit (10)
SHORTBREAD A type of biscuit is formed by a charade of synonyms of “scanty” and “money”
Down Clues
1 Grand period of time for fruit (4)
GAGE A type of plum is formed by the initial letter of “grand” followed by a period of time. I didn’t know this fruit without the attachment to a colour
2 Poverty-stricken houses having no free space, of necessity (9)
NEEDFULLY An adjective meaning “poverty stricken” surrounds (houses) a four-letter adjective meaning “having no free space” to get a synonym of “of necessity”
3 Civil or livid? Capital in either case using these? (5,8)
ROMAN NUMERALS I’m not quite sure how to explain this, even if the answer was clear enough. I think this is meant to be read as “The words “civil” and “livid” are each made up of characters which are all examples of the quantitative system employed by the capital city of an ancient empire (and current capital of a European country). Or it might just be referring to the “initial” letters, capitalised, which seems to fit better with the “in either case using” format of the second leg. I’m open to alternative suggestions! Whatever, it’s taken nearly as long to (attempt to) explain this as it did to complete the puzzle – and that usually means I’ve missed something obvious.
4 Descriptor of adolescents – between a dozen and a score! (7)
TEENAGE How you might describe someone who has lived for a number of years above “a dozen”, but lower than “a score”
5 Evidently old forest greenery lay empty (7)
OVERTLY The usual single letter for “old” followed by an archaic term for “forest greenery” then “lay” lacking its middle letter (empty) gets a synonym of “evidently”
7 Greek character with a large liquid container (5)
PHIAL One of the lesser-spotted Greek letters followed by “a” from the clue, and the letter meaning “large” gets a slightly archaic type of (medical) liquid container.
8 Film fan, one taken in by e.g. romance novel (6-4)
CINEMA-GOER An anagram (novel) of “eg romance” and the letter that looks like the number one yielding someone who likes seeing movies in eg theatres.
11 The role that will or might could play? (9,4)
AUXILIARY VERB A cryptic definition of the grammatical functions of “will” or “might”. My last one in, and one that could have been even more fiendish if the “will” had been capitalised (17d repetition radar notwithstanding), and the “or might” was removed.
14 Weapon succeeded with potentially urgent act (7-3)
SCATTER-GUN A type of weapon that produces a cloud of projectiles is formed from the letter indicating “succeeded” followed by an anagram (potentially) of “urgent act”
17 According to Will, violently abuse country lady embracing knight (9)
LANDDAMNE A genuine obscurity, but very fairly clued, thankfully. “According to Will” is a clear hint that we are seeking a Shakespearean term (once I’d decided this wasn’t anything to do with probate law). It’s used in The Winter’s Tale… …and yes, I looked that up! A word meaning “violently abuse” is formed from a four letter synonym of “country” followed by another term for lady (think pantomimes) surrounding the letter indicating “knight” in chess.
19 Vain and showy swimmer accepting work pressure (7)
FOPPISH Insert the two-letter “work” and the usual letter for “pressure” into a piscine swimmer to get an adjective meaning “vain and showy”
20 Essentially amateur, less powerful fine-tuner (7)
TWEAKER How you might describe someone who fine-tunes something is formed from the middle letter (essentially) of “amateur” and an adjective meaning “less powerful” (or not as strong)
22 Vagrant Frenchman caught by snare (5)
TRAMP A synonym of “vagrant” is formed by inserting the single letter for “man” in French into the (hunting) device of which “snare” is an example.
24 Boss stallion (4)
STUD A double definition. For the second, either, both or neither of horse breeding, or Joan Collins may spring to mind
Re 3d, I concur with your second parsing.
(C)ivil and (L)ivid are both examples of…..
Many thanks to Chalicea for an enjoyable puzzle, and to Whybird for the write-up.
Ignore my parsing of 3d… any one of the 10 letters in both words would be valid!
Too much Spanish sun and sangria.
About the only thing I know about The Winter’s Tale is the ursine stage direction so 17d was last in & required post completion confirmation from Mr G having followed the wordplay, as did 12a earlier. As for 3d I just saw a bunch of ‘em so bunged the answer in & moved on. Otherwise a pretty straightforward & very enjoyable solve. I’ll pick 8d as my fav because I am one & am strongly of the view that the best way to truly appreciate a film is seeing it on the big screen as a shared experience. How many I wonder have only ever seen William Wyler’s pictured 6a on TV panned & scanned version. Even with widescreen TVs & the ability to watch on blu-ray there’s no substitute for the real thing.
Thanks to Chalicea & to Whybird – you deserved a gentle one.
I know Chalicea sets gentle Tuesday Toughies and there were some fluffy clues in this one, but overall I thought today’s was as good as it gets from her. There were some excellent surfaces and clever cluing, none more than 11D which has to take my podium. A whisker behind was 18A which I also thought was quite brilliant.
Many thanks to her for the enjoyment and to Whybird for the excellent blog.
12a and new word for me as is 17d, I followed the instructions and looked it up and tip my amazement it existed, I didn’t know the Shakespeare connection. I too am unsure of the parsing of 3d. All in all pretty tricky. Favourite was 2d. Thanks to Chalicea and Whybird.
Dear Whybird and friends. I’m coming in early, today, to comment on your blog which I do so much enjoying reading, thank you, to clarify (or confirm) 3d – a true stinker to clue, you will agree. There’s always a considerable gap between the setting and appearance of these toughies and the assistant editor does quite a lot of gifted tweaking. I gazed at that clue in mystification then went to my original notes and found that I explained it, simply, as ‘CIVIL LIVID = Roman numerals’. That would probably have been rejected as a back-page clue but possibly earns a smile in a toughie. I agree, though, that 23ac is a better clue.
Thank you for dropping in, Chalicea! I was going to suggest that there may have been some editorial input into 3d, but decided against in case I had to refer myself for moderation… I don’t mind the ambiguity, as you end up at the right answer however you look at it. Like the famous image of the two faces or the cup (or whatever it is).
And thank you again for a very enjoyable and educational puzzle
Thanks, I always enjoy your puzzles and wish we saw you more often on the cryptic page.
In the other place, 17d would be a candidate for The List. I had to look at the hints, and then berated myself for not simply following the instructions, doh. I don’t normally attempt toughies but always make the exception for a Chalicea challenge, and I’m glad I did today. Cotd for me on smile factor alone is 20d. Thanks to Chalicea and Whybird.
17d is a good example of what I call a “made-up word” clue. The Present Lady Whybird is very familiar with the phrase at varying volumes, often with one or more of a range of associated adjectival expletives, depending on how long I’ve been staring at the clue. This one had no expletives, just pleasant surprise when it turned out to be a real word!
Lovely to see Chalicea back on duty, most enjoyable. Thanks also to Whybird.
Great to see Chalicea. Wish we saw more of her. My favourite setter.
Wonderful toughie. As with Prawn, I only attempt hers and always please to complete it
I do love Toughies by Chalicea! They give we lesser mortals a chance to complete one, which I did with this. Very enjoyable as are all by this lady. Plenty to like such as the he physician at 18a and the showy swimmer at 19d. My favourite clue is the scanty money at 28a once I stopped trying to find a version of Garibaldi that would fit. I know it doesn’t parse but whenever I see “biscuit” in a clue my mind immediately goes to the Italian general.
Thank you, Chalicea for a fun puzzle. Thank you, Whybird for the hints.
Overall I enjoyed this puzzle. Had no clue to the word in 17d even with the hint.
12a & 26a were also unknown words to me. Live and learn today!
Favourites 16a, 28a, 3d & 11d — with winner 3d
Thanks to Chalicea & Whybird
I do not normally venture into toughie territory, but a couple of posts in the other place exhorted us to do so and, as I am currently in holiday and thus have the time to do more than one crossword, I did so.
Very pleased I did. I thoroughly enjoyed this – even 17d where I obediently followed the instructions and found myself with a word that I had to look up, but found to my astonishment to be an actual word.
Thank you to Chalicea – I shall now look out for your puzzles, and to Whybird for helping me to understand some of the parsing.
A most enjoyable early-week back-page puzzle, other than for 17d which was all that I could come up with but still looked mystifying and wrong! COTD the brilliant 3d.
Many thanks to Chalicea and Whybird
On behalf of fellow manual drivers, I almost lost my gruntle at the description of my 25a as defunct, but then I worked out what defunct added to to the clue. I didn’t mind the Roman maths as Zandio has been bringing a few to my attention recently.
Thanks to Chalicea for a gentler toughie after the celebratory nature of the weekend.
Thanks to Whybird for explaining 17d it surprised me to follow the instructions and find a new word
Thanks SJB. I was heading down the same track with the manual/auto thing, then had the same reaction and actually the “defunct” adds a lot to the surface given the (to me, annoying) trend for cars to @think” for themselves.
Oh Chalicea I am shocked to know that assistant editors can do this. I learned several new words today, but I won’t be using 17d in my everyday conversation. Thank you for your explanations and an enjoyable crossword.
A very satisfying puzzle, with hints for only 26a and 17d, and the knowledge that I can occasionally tackle a Toughie, albeit mostly only on Chalicea days. I always print them up and have ready for future solving. So thank you Chalicea and Whybird.
Just got around to this Tuesday gift from Chalicea. I completed it with no help but had to check 12A was what I thought was a word and the etymology of 26A. What a cleverly structured crossword. Top marks. “Will” would have undoubtedly found a better way to phrase it!
1*/4* ….
liked 23A “Stewed pastry dish observed (3-4)”