Sunday Toughie No 183 by proXimal
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 27th of July 2025
Across
1a Parasite acted as Prime Minister, according to Spooner (4,5)
HEAD LOUSE: The task of acting as the Prime Minister in his absence is given the Spooner treatment. LEAD the HOUSE becomes HEAD LOUSE. As Gazza pointed out, it is not the Leader of the House’s responsibility to act for the Prime Minister. I guess proXimal and I need to brush up on parliamentary protocol.
6a Not completely unassuming object (5)
DEMUR: Most of an affectedly modest or unassuming synonym DEMURE becomes to object or DEMUR.
9a Number of people in attendance switch off (7)
TURNOUT: A double definition. Split (4,3) means to switch off the lights.
10a Tearful graduate rejected love of the Parisian (7)
MAUDLIN: A higher arts graduate MA, then a reversals of “of” in French DU, and a score that is the same as love NIL. Tearful or MAUDLIN. I was reminded of a childhood nickname for someone a bit weepy as a Reginald, after Reginald Maudling the former Chancellor and Home Secretary
11a Shining silver base (5)
AGLOW: The chemical symbol of silver AG, and base, mean or vulgar LOW.
12a Heard those testing recorders (9)
ANNALISTS: Recorders or those who write annual records, are a homophone (heard) of those who test by scientific method ANALYSTS becomes ANNALISTS.
13a How chess opponents see each other is affecting everyone (6-3-5)
ACROSS-THE-BOARD: A double definition.
16a Law enforcement groups displaying “Fraud’s unacceptable” on front of large sign (14)
CONSTABULARIES: Lego™ Time. Start with some frauds CONS, add a variant spelling of unacceptable or forbidden TABU, a large abbreviation L, and one of the signs of the zodiac ARIES.
20a Independent manner ultimately displeased hosts (9)
UNRELATED: The ultimate letter of manner R, is hosted in a synonym of displeased UNELATED, which is formed from a negative prefix UN, and a synonym of pleased RELATED.
22a Not odd time for competition (5)
EVENT: The opposite of odd EVEN, and T for time.
23a Sacking on article splits (7)
RAIDING: I had several possibilities here, but when I dismissed the splitting of The County of Yorkshire into thirds or RIDINGS, I went with a synonym of on a horse or bicycle, perhaps RIDING, split by the indefinite article A. I also considered RAISING with A I SING being a from the clue and a synonym of splits or grasses, leaving R for on. This didn’t work, and for ‘RAZING’ to be synonymous with ‘sacking,’ it needs the Z spelling.
24a Issue about tenure (7)
RELEASE: One of our usual abouts RE, and the tenure of a rented property, LEASE.
25a Small piece of material circling around neck (5)
SCRAG: A small abbreviation S, and a usual on or around C for circa, and a piece of material RAG.
26a Clearly play second fiddle to marshal, abandoning plans of rebelling (9)
DECIDEDLY: The proXimal™ compound anagram – (marshal) the letters of (PLA)Y (S)EC(ON)D (F)IDDLE into a synonym of clearly, but “abandon” an anagram (rebelling) of “PLANS OF” before the shuffling.
Down
1d Killer – popular song starts to make Adamski notable (6)
HITMAN: The starts to the last three words MAN, follow a popular song or HIT.
https://youtu.be/rPQ6a6f9-yA?si=Sg6q8Qmd1EEukUMq
2d Adult keen, say, with vigorous speed cut material (7)
ACRYLIC: To keen or wail over the dead CRY follows an adult abbreviation A CRY, followed by travelling at a vigorous speed or LIC(K) that has been cut.
3d Can you see orator that’s rich? (4,4,7)
LOOK WHO’S TALKING: A phrase like “that’s rich” that points out hypocrisy, to see or observe LOOK, and an identifying phrase for the orator WHO’S TALKING.
4d Extreme mullets regularly seen on soldiers (5)
ULTRA: Regular letters of mullets ULT, and artillery soldiers RA.
5d Cooking himself, the man setting aside fish prepared cheese (9)
EMMENTHAL: Another proXimal™ compound anagram (cooking) of (HI)M(S)EL(F) THE MAN, but set aside an anagram (prepared) of FISH.
6d Description of Day-Lewis’s stunt replacement stowed in vessel (6-9)
DOUBLE-BARRELLED: A stuntman who replaces an actor in dangerous scenes, chosen for his close resemblance DOUBLE, and stowed in vessels BARRELLED.
I am reminded of my Grandad Emm, unlike me, his preferred tipple was rum. He always related the tale of the death of Nelson and the temporary “barrel” used to preserve his body. Grandad always wanted to find that “coffin” to move the bones to one side and drink the “soup.”. I don’t want it pointed out that Nelson’s body was actually kept in a Brandy barrel, as I prefer to remember Grandad Emms version.
7d Name of woman borne by camel is Sarah (7)
MELLISSA: A lurker hidden in the last three words.
8d Call on team close to match (8)
RINGSIDE: Having a prime seat to watch a boxing match perhaps. To call or RING goes on a team or SIDE
14d Spoiled goat’s beard tidied up with no resistance (9)
SABOTAGED: An anagram (tidied up) of GOAT’S BEA(R)D without R for resistance.
15d Cops, ones arresting jerk endlessly (8)
ACQUIRES: An informal synonym of cops. The ones in a deck of cards ACES, contains most of (endlessly) a sudden turn, twist or jerk QUIR(k).
17d Not so confident approach ignoring a rival (7)
NERVIER: A noun for one who is a rival VIER, follows to approach without the a NEaR. NERVIER or less confident.
18d Stone mass circumvented by leader at sea (7)
EMERALD: An anagram (at sea) of LEADER and M for mass.
19d Strong shelter put up in animal pen (6)
STEELY: A reversal (put up in a down clue) of the sheltered side LEE becomes EEL, it goes into an animal pen STY.
21d Dialect of doctor entertaining scientific group (5)
DORIC: An informal doctor DOC, around the abbreviation R.I. of the scientific group that give the entertaining Christmas lectures, The Royal Institute.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doric_dialect_(Scotland)
Compiler
proXimal
That’s all Folks…