Sunday Toughie 198 (Review)

Sunday Toughie No 198 by Beam

Review by Sloop John Bee

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This puzzle was published on the 9th of November 2025

Across

1a          Mocking tips for dressage on horseback? (8)

DERIDING:        The tips or extreme letters of dressage D-E, plus what you are doing when on horseback RIDING.

5a          Occasionally sick putting collar on nape (6)

SCRUFF:            Occasional letters of sick SC, and an old-fashioned collar RUFF.

10a       Cancel announced cuts (5)

NICKS:               A homophone (announced) of a slang term to cancel, NIX becomes NICKS.

11a       Italian in pole position? (9)

GONDOLIER:   A type of Italian “punter” Although his means of propulsion is more of an oar than a punters pole.

12a       Method said to produce delicious food (5)

MANNA:             A homophone (said) of a method or MANNER, produces heavenly food of the Gods MANNA.

13a       Recover from illnesses so persistently returning (9)

REPOSSESS:     A lurker (from), that is reversed (returning) in the rest of the clue.

14a       Bomb nearly finished advanced country (7)

GRENADA:        Most of a hand-held bomb GRENAD E and an abbreviation of advanced A.

15a       Husband in wrong till quarrel (7)

SHINDIG:          One of the seven classical wrongs SIN contain an abbreviation of husband H, followed by to till soil, perhaps DIG. I thought this was more of a celebration than a quarrel, but of course, the BRB supports Beam.

18a       Zenist regularly on waves showing stuff (7)

SURFEIT:            Regular letters of Zenist EIT, follow some breaking waves SURF. In 1135, King Henry I died from stuffing himself with Lampreys – a SURFEIT of eels, perhaps.

20a       Acknowledgement from right admitting constituent backing (7)

RECEIPT:            An acknowledgement of a debt paid, a two-letter abbreviation of right RT, contains a reversal (backing) of a constituent or part PIECE becomes R-ECEIP-T.

21a       Stern about point with Republican official (9)

REGISTRAR:      The stern of a ship REAR, contains the main point GIST, and a Republican abbreviation R. A RE-GIST-R-AR

24a       Sweetheart in time wearing ring (5)

PETAL:                In this case, sweetheart is not Beam’s ™ way of clueing E, it is the definition. A ring of bells PEAL, “wears” T for time.

26a       Panicked blunder provided, held by United (9)

TERRIFIED:        To make a blunder ERR, and a conditional conjunction for provided IF, are held within a synonym of united TIED.

27a       Glint round river reveals fish (5)

BREAM:              A glint of light in our setter’s eye BEAM, around an abbreviation of river R.

28a       Second step upset batsman (6)

SLEDGE:            S for second and the “step” where Fairport Convention meet at the end of their concerts LEDGE. To SLEDGE or make derogatory comments to upset batsmen.

29a       One agrees while Queen takes broadcast (8)

ASSENTER:       There are two spellings of this noun for someone who agrees, but Beam with his “Queen”™ tells us which one to use. A synonym of while AS, and our late queen’s regnal cipher ER, contains (takes) a synonym of broadcast SENT.

Down

1d         Material excavated being brought up (5)

DENIM:              A reversal (being brought up – in a down clue) of excavated coal, perhaps. MINED becomes DENIM.

2d         Grass conveying fake regret about storyteller (9)

RACONTEUR:   A grass or informer RAT, containing to fake by dishonest means CON, followed by a synonym of regret RUE that is reversed (about) EUR. A RA-CON-T-EUR or storyteller.

3d         Malign detectives over usual degenerate (9)

DISPARAGE:     Some detectives DI’S, a golfer’s usual score PAR, and to degenerate with the passage of time AGE.

4d         Atmosphere with English spirit lifted nation (7)

NIGERIA:           The atmosphere we breathe AIR, an English abbreviation E, and a spirituous beverage GIN, are reversed (lifted) NIG-E-RIA.       

6d         Cuts, hacks or possibly slices, initially (5)

CHOPS:             A Beam™ initial letters clue. The initial letters of the first five words spell out a synonym of cuts hacks or slices

7d         Join a French sweetheart embracing sex (5)

UNITE:                A French indefinite article UN, and Beam’s™ sweetheart way of clueing E, embrace an informal synonym of sex IT.

8d         Whisper in woods sharing small anticipation (9)

FORESIGHT:     A wood or FOREST contains the sound of a whisper SIGH, but they share an ess for small.

9d         Criticisms of energy-saving cuts (6)

SNIPES:             Some cuts SNIPS, containing E for energy.

14d       Wind almost common with one’s illness (9)

GASTRITIS:        The physical state of windborne elements GAS, most of a synonym of common TRIT E and plural Roman one’s IS. An illness that may produce “wind” GASTRITIS.

16d       Useless at home, guy protects father (9)

INCAPABLE:     Our usual at home IN, and a strong guy, rope or chain CABLE, “protecting” PA, a father.

17d       Prettiest daughter commonly isn’t keeping relationships (9)

DAINTIEST:       A daughterly abbreviation D, followed by a common word for isn’t AIN’T, containing (keeping) some relationships or TIES. D-AIN-TIES-T

19d       Steamy, revolting, detailed, terrible rubbish (6)

TORRID:             A synonym of terrible that has been de-tailed DIR-E-, and some rubbish ROT, all reversed (revolting) to be steamy or TORRID.

20d       Screen of pure red, ostensibly (7)

REREDOS:         A lurker (of) contained in the rest of the clue.

22d       Devour pig’s tail surrounded by blood (5)

GORGE:             The tail-letter of pig G, is contained in a bloody mess GORE.

23d       Discontented, sleeping around can hurt (5)

STING:               What remains of sleeping when “discontented” S-G,  goes around a type of can TIN.

25d       Animal gripping bird in both hands? (5)

LEMUR:              A flightless bird EMU, gripped by both left and right hands L-EMU-R.

Compiler

Beam

That’s all Folks…