- Toughie No 3526 by Prime
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty ***/**** – Enjoyment ***
I started off thinking this was going to be a difficult crossword but I gradually filled in the grid in about the right time for a mid-week Toughie. I will be interested to learn whether anyone actually knew the name of the singer in 18a or had, like me, to look her up. The extra half a difficulty star is awarded to 19d.
Please let us know what you thought
Across
1a Courage after reversal felt to be extremely lacking (6)
BOTTLE Hidden in reverse in fELT TO Be – ‘extremely lacking’ telling you to ignore the outside letters of the phrase
5a Part of a full English army unit taking exercise (8)
SAUSAGES A special forces unit of the army into which is inserted (taking) practice or custom (exercise)
10a Firm perhaps lied about taking risks originally (6)
STRONG Lied here isn’t a verb but a German word for a ballad set to music, the original letters of Taking and Risks are inserted (taking) into the English word
11a Anteater from African nation mostly in fix (8)
PANGOLIN Most of an African nation inserted into a verb meaning to fix
12a No lead coating purports to corrupt (10,5)
SUPPORTING ACTOR An anagram (to corrupt) of COATING PURPORTS
16a Prize-winner removing exterior Kansas pillars (8)
OBELISKS A winner of an annual prize instituted by the discoverer of dynamite without the outside letters (removing exterior), followed by the abbreviation for the State of Kansas
18a Titanium artist following through for Iran (6)
PERSIA The name of the vocalist on David Guetta’s song Titanium goes after (following) a synonym of through
20a Current picnic (6)
BREEZE A light wind (current) or an informal way of saying that something is delightfully easy (as is picnic)
21a Dig up wrongdoing, breaking it in German article (8)
DISINTER A moral offence (wrongdoing) inserted into (breaking) IT (from the clue), the result then inserted in the German definite article
22a Zigzag, say, and show roadside helpers acclaim when turning in road (4,11)
DUAL CARRIAGEWAY Reverse (turning) a verb meaning to move unsteadily in a zigzag fashion, the abbreviation meaning for example (say), a synonym for show, an organisation that helps fix vehicles stuck at the roadside, and a verb meaning to praise or celebrate (acclaim)
27a You and I irritated with brat passing note? (8)
OBITUARY An anagram (irritated) of YOU I and BRAT
28a Sell dog again? (6)
RETAIL Hyphenated 2-4, this could mean to follow (dog) again
29a Reform then look for board vacancy? (8)
KNOTHOLE An anagram (reform) of THEN LOOK
30a Battles haunt Guardian (6)
WARDEN A series of battles and a place the BRB defines as a haunt of vice and misery. The italics and capital G in Guardian are there to mislead
Down
2d Unpopular person freezing dwarf? (9)
OUTNUMBER Not in favour (unpopular) and a person causing a loss of sensation by freezing
3d Raise hoax football chant – Liverpool, say, swallowing mass illusion (6,1’4)
TROMPE L’OEIL A reversal (raise) of a false statement (hoax), an interjection of triumph (football chant) and a town with a harbour such as Liverpool ‘swallowing’ the abbreviation for Mass
4d Interested in overturning half-hearted music genre (5)
EAGER A reversal (overturning) of a music genre originating in Jamaica in the 1960s without the middle letter (half-hearted)
6d Poet’s quickly captivated by drama, inevitably (5)
AMAIN An archaic or poetic word meaning quickly is hidden in (captivated by) the last two words in the clue
7d Character used to sum up brand after time passes (5)
SIGMA A mark or brand without (after time passes) the abbreviation for Time. A symbol used in mathematical notation to indicate summation of numbers or quantities given
8d Unarmed top soldier getting permit (5)
GILET A definition to make the solver smile. An abbreviated American soldier and a verb meaning to permit
9d Modified grain’s packing a punch (7)
SANGRIA An anagram (modified) of GRAINS into which is inserted (packing) A (from the clue)
13d I shouldn’t trade in alcohol, according to announcement (7)
INSIDER IN (from the clue) and a homophone (according to announcement) of a type of alcoholic drink
14d Run away from fruit in goggles (5)
GAPES Stares wide-eyed in amazement (goggles) – take away the cricket abbreviation for Run from some fruit of the vine
15d Town crier sent out to circle church (11)
CIRENCESTER An anagram (out) of CRIER SENT ‘circles’ the abbreviation for the Church of England
17d Female airline whence queen arrived? (5)
SHEBA The feminine form of the third person and an abbreviated airline. Her arrival was the title of a sinfonia by Handel
19d Repeating initially, but not entirely repeating (9)
ITERATIVE I have spent longer staring at this clue than parsing all the rest altogether. Should I underline the first or last word as the definition? What does the rest of it mean? Could it be an adjective meaning characterised by repetition without the first two letters? It has been a very long morning including the first of two outpatients appointments today, so I’m going to schedule this post, eat some lunch, and see if anyone can come up with an explanation later. Gazza to the rescue – it is ALLITERATIVE (repeating initially) without (not) the first three letters which are a synonym for entirely
20d Fred’s home principles (7)
BEDROCK The home of Fred Flintstone or fundamental principles
23d Alcaraz’s familiar sporting error – I’m getting ace returns (5)
AMIGO The friend (familiar) of someone from Spain (like Carlos Alcaraz) – a reversal (returns) of an error in sport such as football, IM (from the clue) and the abbreviation for Ace
24d Thing to press (5)
CRUSH A slang infatuation (thing) or a verb meaning to press
25d At first Ronnie Wallwork’s not getting cap for country? (5)
RURAL The first letter of Ronnie and a decoration (especially a painting) on a wall. The surface reading of the clue relates to the fact that Ronnie Wallwork is a former football player
26d Quarrel, or a multi-headed quarrel? (5)
ARROW Something used in a crossbow – A (from the clue) and a synonym for a quarrel with a repeated (multi-headed) first letter
I thought this was excellent – up there in contention for one of my most enjoyable puzzles of 2025.
I started off ticking the ones I liked, then stopped; as I would have ticked all of them!
I did not know the Titanium artist, but Iran=PER??? was pretty obvious.
My last one in was 3d.
I thought 25d was clever.
Many thanks to Prime and to CS. 5* for enjoyment.
Typically entertaining and smart. I’m afraid I did know the singer – but only because my daughter used to love that tune. 19d’s very sharp indeed – took me a while to parse, I must admit. Best thanks to Prime and CS.
A welcome return to a toughish toughie.
I mentioned the Aussie artist in 13a to my wife and granddaughters and they burst in to a chorus of ‘Chandelier’. ??? Me neither.
The passing note in 27a, the Jamaican choons suggested by 4d and the gay old time we had in 20d are my top three.
3d also ticked, I do like to see the artwork when abroad, it is very clever.
Thanks to Prime and CS.
Quite tricky and enjoyable – thanks to Prime and CS.
I liked several clues including 5a, 22a, 27a and 2d but easily my favourite (for the superb definition) is 8d.
That was definitely a Toughie but all fairly clued. Last one in was 3D with the help of Mrs PJ. 18D had to be what it was from the checkers but I also didn’t know the singer. There were so many to like and worth a mention were 20 and 29A 8 and 26D with favourite going to 5A.
Many thanks to ALP for the blog, especially parsing 19D and to Prime for an enjoyable challenge.
Lots to like here tho I too failed to parse 19d. i particularly liked the full English [5a] the freezing dwarf [2d] the unarmed top [8d] and the trade in alcohol [13d] but there are plenty more to admire. I think you missed the “show” part of the 5 part reverse charade at 22a Sue [can’t say I blame you!]
Thanks for the blog and thanks to Prime for a top puzzle.
I think the poor old brain gave up halfway through and I didn’t look carefully enough at the scribble on my piece of paper
Too tired to do this justice & probably above my pay grade anyway. Got lazy & revealed a few checkers to get me over the finish line. 19d is very clever & NTS I didn’t parse it & one or two others.
Thanks to Prime & to Sue
Our solving experience was much the same as Sue is reporting and we were quite surprised when we got to the end and looked at the clock that it had taken pretty much the usual solving time. Agree with Gazza that the clever definition for 8d makes it our favourite too.
Thanks Prime and CS.
Late on parade due to work, but I still wanted to comment to say his much I enjoyed this. Like CS, I thought I was in for a Wednesday Elgar-level, but persistence made things click eventually. Lots of wonderful misdirections, so big thanks to Prime for a great puzzle. Thanks also to CS for the blog and explaining the Titanium piece. Just about heard of the singer, but no connection with the song!