Sunday Toughie No 184 by Beam
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 3rd of August 2025
Across
1a Sailor on oceans reported guiding light (8)
LODESTAR: An informal sailor TAR, follows a homophone (reported) of oceans as a vast quantity LOADS becomes LODES. LODESTAR, the guiding light, is a figurative noun for the Pole Star.
5a Superior sailor meets Virgin Queen (6)
ABBESS: An abbreviated sailor AB, and the informal name of the first Queen Elizabeth BESS. This superior may lead a convent as an ABBESS.
9a Shocks holding resistance in power cuts (8)
OUTRAGES: A period during which power is cut off OUTAGE, holds the abbreviation for resistance R. Shocks or OUTRAGES.
10a Bird carried away by old rook (6)
RAPTOR: To be wholly engrossed or carried away RAPT, and abbreviated old O, and the chess notation for a rook R.
12a In budget a remuneration’s backed number (9)
ENUMERATE: To number or count. A lurker (in) that is reversed (backed) between the indicators.
13a Went up against son in race (5)
SPEED: Went for “Number Ones” PEED, follows an abbreviated son S. To race or SPEED.
14a Queen roughly rejected port (4)
ACRE: The late Queen’s regnal cipher ER, and one of our usual abouts CA are reversed (rejected) ACRE, for a port in the Middle East.
16a Singular number clothing small honey? (7)
SWEETEN: A singular abbreviation S, and a number between nine and eleven TEN, clothe an informal Scottish small WEE. To SWEETEN or honey.
19a Joined in lair lizard rolled over (7)
ALIGNED: A venomous lizard, whose full name is GILA monster, and an animal’s lair DEN, are reversed (rolled over). Joined or ALIGNED
21a Munch cold chop (4)
CHEW: Abbreviated cold C, and to chop with an axe HEW.
24a Empty role with first female magistrate (5)
REEVE: What remains of role when emptied RE, and the first ever female EVE, makes an ever more familiar magistrate REEVE.
25a View of loch including small head (9)
LANDSCAPE: The map abbreviation of loch L, a conjunction for including AND, S for small and a head or point of land jutting into the sea, lake or loch CAPE. A view or LANDSCAPE.
27a Feature about work revealing composer (6)
CHOPIN: An abbreviated musical piece of work OP, with a facial feature CHIN, going about.
28a Housing people imprisoned by conviction (8)
TENEMENT: A conviction or belief TENET, “imprisons” a term for people that ignores gender MEN.
29a Recites letters in order for incantations (6)
SPELLS: A double definition.
30a Trespasses sorted involving judge (8)
ASSESSOR: A lurker (involving) is hidden in the first two words.
Down
1d Toilet’s even vacant and free (6)
LOOSEN: What remains of even when vacant EN, follows another trip to the plural toilet’s LOOS.
2d Regretted going north taking to byroad? (6)
DETOUR: A synonym of ‘regretted’ RUED, is ‘reversed’ (going north in a down clue) DE-UR, around TO from the clue.
3d Remorse of cheat covers sweetheart (5)
SHAME: To cheat or counterfeit SHAM, covers the Beam™ sweetheart E.
4d Top gallery showing film (7)
ACETATE: The topmost airman, an ACE, and a well-known art gallery the TATE. The film ACETATE.
6d Undergarment that is about below neck (9)
BRASSIERE: Neck or cheek BRASS, an abbreviated Latin that is IE, and one of our usual abouts RE.
7d Cry wolf, perhaps, in account (8)
ENTREATY: To wolf down one’s dinner EAT, goes into an account or log ENTRY.
8d Piercing Spartacus finally with spear (8)
STRIDENT: A final letter S,and a three-pronged spear TRIDENT.
11d Notice following raised charges (4)
FEES: To notice SEE, and a following abbreviation F, is reversed (raised in a down clue) for FEES or charges
15d It’s nice and natural wasting time (9)
CONGENIAL: Natural because it is written in your genes CONGENI(T)AL, loses T for time, for nice and CONGENIAL.
17d Poles carrying strain making camp (8)
BARRACKS: Poles or rods BARS, around the strain caused when forcing a square structure into a parallelogram RACK, making camp or BARRACKS.
18d Book about passion’s lacking interest (8)
TIRESOME: A large book TOME, goes about plural anger, rage or passion IRES.
20d Puppet dancing on long lines, initially? (4)
DOLL: A Beam™ initial letters clue.
21d Admit prisoner with iron shackles, gutted (7)
CONFESS: One of our usual prisoners CON, with the chemical symbol of iron FE, and what remains of shackles when gutted SS.
22d Touch of caution’s gripping socialist’s leader (6)
CARESS: The cautions or concerns that beset us all periodically CARES, around the leading letter of socialist S.
23d Raise possibly from gambler (6)
BETTER: To raise oneself or possibly the stakes A BETTER.
26d Rocked for the audience in leather? (5)
SUEDE: A homophone of a synonym of rocked SWAYED becomes SUEDE.
Compiler
Beam
That’s all Folks…