Sunday Toughie 193 (Hints)

Sunday Toughie No 193

by Light

 

Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee

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I struggled to get going last night, but I think I can blame the woolly-headedness on the lingering cold that is slooowly releasing its grip on my nasal cavities.

I did like 7 and 8d, but I may be overthinking the archery link

A somewhat imbalanced 16a and 13d clues today, and I have hinted half(ish) I hope you get the checkers to finish, I will give a nudge or two if required.

 

Here we go, Folks…

As it is a Prize puzzle I can only hint at a few and hope that will give you the checkers and inspiration to go further. I’ll return with the full review blog just after the closing date. Don’t forget to follow BD’s instructions in RED at the bottom of the hints!

Most of the terms used in these hints are explained in the Glossary and examples are available by clicking on the entry under “See also” Where the hint describes a construct as “usual” this means that more help can be found in The Usual Suspects, which gives a number of the elements commonly used in the wordplay. Another useful page is Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, which features words with meanings that are not always immediately obvious. Don’t forget the Mine of Useful information that Big Dave and his son Richard so meticulously prepared for us.

A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions. Some hints follow: Remember the site rules and play nicely.   

 

Across

1a             Hedges unlikely to be planted in drained swamps (6)

An “unlikely” story is planted in what remains of swamps when drained.

5a             Elusive ginger cat in hole near motorway area (8)

A hole in the tooth perhaps follows abbreviations of the last two words in the clue. Anagrammists’ favourite poet and playwright, T. S. Eliot wrote about him, “he’s called the Hidden Paw … For he’s the master criminal who can defy the Law …”

11a          Star writing at home about strict regimen (8)

The brightest star in the constellation of Lyra, followed by a reversal (about) of a usual at-home and an abbreviated piece of writing.

12a          Wrong headings in report? This shouldn’t be wrong in the paper! (6)

A couple of homophones (in report), the first being one of seven “wrongs”, the second homophone is headings taken by a sailing boat when changing direction.

18a          Contemptible person taking in adult now and then, right? (8)

A contemptible person, who behaves like a pig, contains alternate letters of adult and finishes with R for right.

21a          Sweetheart briefly in thrall to drink, missing Eastern European (6)

A shortened sweetheart (briefly) is inserted into what remains of a Japanese wine that is missing E for East.

26a          This writer’s flannel quite possibly irrelevant (10)

A contraction for this writer, and what flannel is an example of.

28a          Maybe princes greatly impress old Republican, on reflection (6)

A transitive verb to greatly impress, and two abbreviations are reversed (on reflection).

 

Down

3d         Freshen up new house at first for lender (9)

To freshen clothes perhaps and N for new, are reversed (up in a down clue) and follow an astrological house, a lender of books.

4d         Grand picture house graduate leaves about six, initially uplifted (6)

Another reversal (uplifted in a down clue). A picture house without an arts graduate, one of our usual abouts and the initial letter of six, are all uplifted.

5d      The Byrds debut single  

7d         Binary digital message? (1-4)

Binary-two, digits-fingers. Think Churchill (or apocryphally Archers at Agincourt)✌️

8d         Pick out a cracking Archer character (4,5)

A particular Swiss archer, a from the clue and the character played by an actor.

14d       Order boring new clue to be changed as not acceptable (9)

A meritorious order bores into an anagram (to be changed) of NEW CLUE

17d      😘🥴

24d       Saint Nick is one in no hurry (5)

An informal Nick, of a felon perhaps, follows a single letter saintly abbreviation.

Compiler

Light

 

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