Toughie No 3576 by Elgar
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
The clues in this Friday Toughie were a mix of “Who are you and what have you done with Elgar?” together with a few that took a bit more puzzling out. The whole was definitely friendlier than I would have expected from an Elgar Toughie
Please let us know what you thought
Across
1a Sport fans cool off in queue at gate? (12)
SNOWBOARDING The letter that remains after you have removed a verb meaning to cool from fanS and the announcement telling you to queue at an airport departure gate
8a Given permission to speak in a normal voice (5)
ALOUD A homophone (to speak) of given permission
9a Text covers the majority of duck shooters (5,4)
SMALL ARMS An abbreviation for a text message goes round (covers) almost all of a type of duck
11a Rearranging date? Reagan hasn’t a Scooby-Doo? (5,4)
GREAT DANE An anagram (rearranging) of DATE REAGaN without one of the As
12a Universal plugging elaborate epic set in winter (3,2)
ICE UP The abbreviation for Universal ‘plugging’ an anagram (elaborate) of EPIC
13a When little activity is observed from fluorine salt? (9)
OFF SEASON A preposition meaning from, the chemical symbol for Fluorine and a verb meaning to salt
16a Big tech concern almost inspiring a shock (5)
APPAL Almost all of a big tech company ‘inspiring’ A (from the clue)
18a 60 mins before noon? This is possibly sacred (5)
IHRAM An abbreviated way of writing 60 mins and the abbreviation for morning before noon. The white cotton garment worn by Muslim pilgrims to Mecca, said to bestow a holy state
19a Label, astral sign, associated with Lovecraft, say? (9)
PENTAGRAM Write a label (3,3) and the animal associated with a particular sign of the Zodiac. HP Lovecraft included this symbol in many of his writings
20a Fired up promoter (5)
HYPER Over-excited or someone who promotes enthusiasm for something or someone
22a Could it be Labour-antagonistic choice of shift? (5-4)
RIGHT-TURN If you were antagonistic about the Labour Party, you might change your allegiance from the left to the opposite direction
25a Cook rationalises squeezing out oil pods (4,5)
STAR ANISE An anagram (cook) of RATioNAlISES without the letters OIL
26a Back one in line dispensing with western networks (5)
RETIA A reversal (back) of someone in a queue without the abbreviation for Western – Networks of blood vessels or nerves
27a Took call in full pub (8,4)
WATERING HOLE A verb meaning took or consumed and another meaning to call on the telephone inserted into a synonym for full
Down
1d Reserved rowing boat? (6,3)
SPOKEN FOR The first word is a homophone indicator telling you what to do with a particular size of rowing boat
2d Second item is too much for gossip (2-3)
ON-DIT Hidden in the first two words of the clue
3d Out of line, belays orders on a ship (2,3)
BY SEA An anagram (orders) of BElAYS without the abbreviation for Line
4d Spirited maiden soon captivates legendary hero (9)
AGAMEMNON An informal word meaning spirited or enthusiastic and the cricket abbreviation for Maiden ‘captivated’ by an archaic or literary word meaning soon
5d Person who inspires African country after sticking notice up (5,4)
DALAI LAMA Insert an African country and a preposition meaning in the manner of (after) into an abbreviated notice and then reverse (up) the result
6d One’s heading into harbour for University of Scandinavia (5)
NORSE The letter ‘heading’ One replaces the abbreviation for University in a verb meaning to look after (harbour)
7d Leaving with it, bandit has not entirely gone straight, sadly this? (4,2,6)
BANG TO RIGHTS Remove the conjunction meaning with and IT from Bandit follow with an anagram (sadly) of almost all of GONe and STRAIGHT
10d Extra flexible in one’s thinking? (12)
SUPPLEMENTAL Flexible and relating to the mind (in one’s thinking)
14d European boy band doing a turn in Elgar show (9)
EMMERDALE The abbreviation for European, anda reversed (doing a turn) of a young boy and a band known by its initials inserted into how Elgar would refer to himself
15d Now one’s concerned with matter after overturning car (9)
SUPERMINI A reversal (after overturning) of current or fashionable (now), an abbreviated way of saying I am (one’s) and the usual concerned with or on the subject of, and some thick yellow matter formed by suppuration
17d Seemingly good casino game cancels ball’s last spin (9)
PIROUETTE Obtrusively sanctimonious or religious (seemingly good) and a casino game without (cancels the last letter of balL
21d Flat with scratched floor, this must have gone wrong! (4,1)
PLAN A An adjective meaning flat without its last letter (scratched floor)
23d England’s rebel captain dealing with lies on board longboat (5)
GREIG Another appearance of on the subject of (dealing with) inserted into (lies on board) a long light boat A cricket captain who lost the England captaincy by joining and promoting World Series Cricket
24d Body? Leader of investigation misses it in ball park (5)
TORSO Remove the leader of Investigation from iT and add a two-word expression meaning more or less correct (in ball park)
Well that went quite smoothly for an Elgar. Very enjoyable, 10d & 27a were my favourites. Thanks to CS and Elgar.
As per with Elgar, I spent half as long as it took to come up with a full grid, on revisiting several not fully parsed answers.
Even then I needed the blog to confirm a couple of iffy punts.
I seem to recall the Achaean king in 4d paying a visit fairly recently.
Ticks for the duck shooters in 9a and the full pub in 27a.
The hands up term in 7d raised a smile as did the teeny boppers on stage in Yorkshire at 14d.
Thanks to Elgar for the challenge and to the ever reliable Sue for the blog.
Agreed – by no means his toughest. A mix of straightforward and almost impenetrable wordplay. Not sure what “in” is doing at 14d other than helping the wordplay but otherwise all good stuff. My favourite is the neat little 23d.
Thanks to Elgar and CS.
In 14d, I think the abbreviation for European comes at the start of the answer, not the end. The reversal is the boy and band inside Elgar the right way round.
Of course. I’ve changed the hint
Gotcha – ta [and apologiess to Elgar].
Elgar has turned down his difficulty a wee bit in this enjoyable puzzle – thanks to him and CS.
Mr Lovecraft doesn’t feature on my bookshelves and, after finding out a bit about his works, that will remain the case.
Ticks from me for 1a, 27a and 5d.
Speaking of Lovecraft … in 19a I think he is the “PEN” (=”author”) with which TAG and RAM are associated, to give an &lit. Many thanks to Elgar & crypticsue!
Well that was fun, and not as mind-bendingly difficult as some of his puzzles. I much prefer to be able to get the answers albeit after some head-scratching rather than just bung in a few letters and see what happens. This was spot on, I thought, with 19a and 5d my favourites.
My thanks to Elgar and Sue.
Suckered by Sue’s mere 4* difficulty rating. Managed 17 answers before succumbing to letter reveals & needed 4 of ‘em to see me home. Of the ones I figured out on my lonesome 1,9,25&27a plus 7,10&14d particular likes.
Thanks to Elgar & to Sue.
Having snatched some time here and there in between other crosswords, this evening I finally got round to finishing this enjoyable and very satisfying puzzle.
Was relieved to see that my dodgy punts (2d,6d) were correct, and surprised at how few needed biffing. Very fair clueing, by and large.
Many thanks to Elgar and Sie