Toughie 3553

Toughie No 3553 by Dada
Hints and tips by Whybird

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BD Rating – Difficulty */**  – Enjoyment *****

Greetings from a chilly but sunny Wirral.  The past few days have seen the start of the return of the Dee Estuary’s pink-footed geese, so my morning walks with Lord Alfie have been lifted by the sight and sound of the flypasts as they disperse to do goose things in the fields of the North-west. The spectacle will only increase over the next couple of weeks – but it does mean Winter is Coming…

Dada has given us a n excellent, perfect Tuesday-level puzzle today, with plenty of clues that made me smile.  I found the North slightly chewier than the South today, which warranted the extra half-star for difficulty.  And the more I went through this writing the Blog, the more I enjoyed and appreciated it. 1d, 10a and 19a in particular all floated my boat, but in the end I’ve given my rosette to 18d.  Thank you, Dada. Chapeau!

Please leave a comment telling us how you fared and what you liked about the puzzle.

 

Across Clues

7 Come together nicely with casting of vote in parliament (8)

DOVETAIL Insert an anagram (casting) of “vote” into the lower house of the Irish parliament

9 A test of a chamber (6)

ATRIAL “A” from the clue followed by a synonym of “test” gives an adjective relating to chambers, most commonly encountered in the context of the heart.

10 Historical figure who was exposed as narcissist on journey (6)

GODIVA A charade of a two-letter “journey” (as a verb or a command) and a four letter narcissist (or temperamental celebrity) gives a Saxon noblewoman famous for the absence of riding attire

11 Boycott backed by supporter – some player? (8)

BANJOIST Nowt to do with cricket. A charade of a three-letter “boycott” and a structural support to get the name of a player of a four- or 5-stringed instrument in the guitar family

12 A tip containing rubbish, are there splashes of colour in that? (6,8)

ACTION PAINTING An anagram (rubbish) of “A tip containing” gets a style of painting focussed on the physical application method.  A load of Jackson Pollocks, perhaps? My last one in, and at first I thought the definition was pretty vague, but it is “spot on” and extremely clever.

15 Bird never heard? (4)

KNOT A phononym (heard) of a three-letter synonym of “never” gives a small wading bird famous for forming dense, swirling flocks

17 Fish in net’s tail thrashing (5)

TROUT Take the final letter (tail) of “net” and add a synonym of “thrashing” (or a complete defeat)

19 Still incomplete? Bother! (2-2)

TO-DO A double definition, the first being associated with a list of tasks to be tackled

20 Official series featuring old fruit (8,6)

MANDARIN ORANGE An official from the Imperial Chinese civil service and a five-letter “series” are separated by (featuring) the letter meaning “old” 

23 One doesn’t believe it can go wrong potting shrimps, for a start (8)

AGNOSTIC An anagram (wrong) of “it can go” into which is inserted (potting) the initial letter (for a start) of “shrimps”

25 Only purity for rookie? (6)

NOVICE Split (2,4) this is what this “rookie” could be said to have if having “only purity” 

27 Villain, name I suspect applied to rogue in the end (6)

MEANIE A “villain” (or generally unpleasant person) is an anagram (suspect) of “name I” to which is appended the final letter (in the end) of “rogue”

28 Drink where one would be putting meal (5,3)

GREEN TEA A type of drink formed from the sporting location where “putting” takes place, and an afternoon/early evening meal.

Down Clues
1 Sport for minted royals? (4)

POLO A mounted sport popular with the royal family is also a brand of mint

2 A little signage, miniature sign! (6)

GEMINI An astrological sign is lurking (“a little”) in “signage miniature”

3 Cabaret hit (4)

CLUB A double definition, the first sense being a venue rather than an act. 

4 Shooter with gun ultimately breaking law (6)

CANNON A type of weaponry is formed by inserting the final letter of “gun” (ultimately) into (breaking) religious law

5 Redesign of trains, so lighter? (8)

ARSONIST An anagram of (redesign of) “trains so” gets a criminal associated with combustion. 

6 Canine, cutie with tail (7,3)

SAUSAGE DOG A common name for a companion animal, renowned for a long body and short legs, formed by an informal, affectionate name for someone, especially a child (well, I use the word in this sense, without any association with “cutie”) and synonym of “tail” (or follow closely).  The “cutie” connection here is a bit of a “hmmm” for me, unless I’m missing something, which isn’t unknown. I guess it is just alluding to the “informal, affectionate term of address” sense

8 Con isn’t working: Muslim official on top of it (7)

AGAINST Nothing to do with criminality, the “Con” here is used in the sense of negatives. A Muslim official (or posh cooker) precedes (“on top of” in a down clue) an anagram (working) of “isn’t”

13 Once image adjusted and right, one seeing the picture (6-4)

CINEMA-GOER An anagram (adjusted) of “Once image” followed by the single letter “right”

14 Sauce, as it’s oniony, largely ignored for starters (5)

AIOLI A garlicky sauce is formed from the initial letters (for starters) of “as it’s oniony largely ignored”

16 What may be sprayed on, fading on the dancefloor? (8)

TANGOING The question mark here suggests a less direct association with “on the dancefloor” – in this case, something that you may be doing if you were there – formed from a charade of something Strictly contestants a reputed to “spray on” and a synonym of “fading” or leaving.  

18 Whitewash walls in tower a little bit (7)

TROUNCE A synonym of “whitewash” (in the sense of defeat comprehensively) is formed from the outer letters of (walls in) “tower” and a small Imperial weight

21 Cat discovered and mouse, primarily, in song (6)

ANTHEM A large cat (think Pink or Black) lacking its outer letters (discovered) followed by the initial letter (primarily) of “mouse”

22 Coming in the year of the Lord, opening (6)

ADVENT A charade of the abbreviation for the Latin phrase “year of the Lord” and a type of “opening” 

24 Devious chap, guy seen on and off? (4)

CAGY A synonym of “Devious” is found in the alternating letters (seen on and off) of “chap, guy”

26 Staff patted themselves on the back? (4)

CREW The staff (eg a ship) are also a lesser-spotted past participle of a verb meaning “to boast”