Toughie No 3598 by Hudson
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ****
We have a fairly light but very entertaining puzzle from Hudson with many well-disguised definitions. Thanks to him.
Please leave a comment telling us how you fared and what you liked about the puzzle.
Across Clues
1a Heartless barbs about American head coach expected here (3,4)
BUS STOP: the outer letters of barbs contain an abbreviation for American. Finish with an adjective meaning head.
5a Cup specialists put Joey in the side (3,4)
TEA ROOM: an informal term for a young animal known as a Joey is inserted in a synonym of side.
9a Nice big house? (7)
CHATEAU: a big house in Nice.
10a Wife, unrefined, left for Republican rolling in dough (7)
WEALTHY: the genealogical abbreviation for wife followed by an adjective meaning unrefined or coarse with the abbreviation for Republican replaced with that for left.
11a Picture Kate racing back to catch janitor (9)
CARETAKER: hidden in reverse.
12a Weather better, though not fine – this’ll help dry clothes (5)
AIRER: a comparative describing brighter weather loses its abbreviation for fine.
13a Give high praise to old flame returning fortune (5)
EXTOL: our usual ‘old flame’ and the reversal of a synonym of fortune.
15a Relative to see English spirit mate (9)
EPISCOPAL: assemble an abbreviation for English, a sort of South American brandy made from recently-fermented grapes (new to me) and a synonym of mate.
17a Queen dashed to palace to receive king (9)
CLEOPATRA: an anagram (dashed) of TO PALACE containing the Latin abbreviation for king.
19a Spirit shown by those cycling? (5)
ETHOS: cycle the letters of ‘those’.
22a Ball game organised, the last in a series (5)
OMEGA: the ball-shaped letter and an anagram (organised) of GAME.
23a US prison, I read, breaks senior officer (9)
BRIGADIER: a US slang term for prison and an anagram (breaks) of I READ.
25a Boy given light salad dinner-time wraps (7)
ALADDIN: hidden.
26a Gold digit framing copper script on screen (7)
AUTOCUE: the chemical symbol for gold and a bodily digit containing the chemical symbol for copper.
27a Back loser, as Cockney might say (7)
ENDORSE: as 3,4 this is how a Cockney might describe his selection trailing in last at Kempton Park.
28a By gum! Coal train regularly derailed here in Mexico (7)
YUCATAN: remove regular letters from the first four words.
Down Clues
1d Bishop sitting on freezing cold, empty locomotive vehicle (7)
BICYCLE: the chess abbreviation for bishop precedes an adjective meaning freezing, the abbreviation for cold and the outer letters of locomotive.
2d Gratis telly from Spooner that gives a hazy picture (3,4)
SEA FRET: a mist coming towards the land is given the Spooner treatment.
3d River water finally penetrating shelter (5)
TRENT: insert the final letter of water in a shelter.
4d Reform/UKIP sect infiltrated by Left – most daring! (9)
PLUCKIEST: an anagram (reform) of UKIP SECT with the abbreviation for left (again) inserted.
5d Keep wicket during tense over (5)
TOWER: the abbreviation for wicket goes inside the grammatical abbreviation for tense and a literary word for ‘over’.
6d Each lav at work fitted with an ice-cold shower (9)
AVALANCHE: an anagram (at work) of EACH LAV with AN built in.
7d Runs into dismissed policeman, one with stony face (7)
OUTCROP: insert the abbreviation for runs into a synonym of dismissed and an informal policeman.
8d Spring exam relating to civic office (7)
MAYORAL: split 3,4 this could be an exam in the Spring.
14d Nepal lad shivering on river – he should be used to the cold (9)
LAPLANDER: an anagram (shivering) of NEPAL LAD followed by the abbreviation for river.
16d Wise Men never carrying incense upfront – it’s not true (9)
IMAGINARY: another term for the Wise Men and a dialect adverb meaning never follow the front letter of incense.
17d Tedious work penning a principally long, slow tune (7)
CHORALE: a tedious task contains A and the principal letter of long.
18d Maintenance corps overturned a large diameter stone (7)
EMERALD: reverse the UK army corps responsible for maintenance and add A and abbreviations for large and diameter.
20d Musical scrapped – it means a loss for bondholders (7)
HAIRCUT: a 1960s musical and an adjective meaning scrapped. The answer is a discount applied to volatile stocks to guard against risk.
21d One responsible for cuts in the workplace? (7)
SURGEON: cryptic definition, the workplace being a theatre.
23d Chuck out case of Glenmorangie bottles drained during this? (5)
BINGE: an informal verb to chuck out and the outer letters of Glenmorangie.
24d Opposed to Conservative buffoon from the past (5)
ANTIC: a preposition meaning ‘opposed to’ and an abbreviation for Conservative. The BRB confirms that the answer has the archaic meaning of a buffoon or clown.
Lots to like here – I’ll just mention 1a, 5a, 15a, 25a, 5d and 23d. Which clues were the highlights for you?
I found this slightly easier than today’s back-pager, but it was very good fun to solve.
As an almost life-long wicket keeper, 5d gets my vote as favourite. It is joined on my podium by 5a & 23d.
Many thanks to Hudson and to Gazza.
A not particularly tough Toughie.
Which makes me wonder how such a puzzle is defined as one. Is it down to the setter’s opinion or is it up to the Puzzles Editor?
That’s not a complaint by the way, this had some fine surfaces and one or two to muse over post completion, just a shame it didn’t last longer.
I did learn about Peruvian neck oil in 15a though.
I liked the clues with left-field definitions, the cup specialists in 5a, and the stony face in 7d among them.
The unrefined wife running off with the rich American in 10a was my favourite though.
My thanks to Hudson and Gazza.
Always a joy and a pleasure to solve a Hudson crossword although I’m beginning to wonder whether Elgar will be providing this week’s only Toughie
Thanks very much to Hudson and Gazza
A very enjoyable solve although I did need help with two. There were some very amusing clues and, for once, the reverend did not phase me. “By gum” at 28a made me smile as did the dismissed policeman at 7d. My COTT is keeping wicket at 5d.
Thank you, Hudson for a fun puzzle. Thank you, Gazza for the hints and toons.
A gentle fill in and like others, felt this was easier than the backpager. Learnt about the Peruvian gut rot at 15a, although in all fairness the Google description makes it sound quite palatable. Favourites were 1a, 5a, 11a, 27a and the Spoonerism at 2d which gets my top spot.
2*/3*
An enjoyable puzzle for me too. Too many good’uns to pick a favourite.
Thanks to Hudson and Gazza.
I second Moonrakers comment. Thanks to Hudson and Gazza.
Many thanks to Hudson and to Gazza.
My only question mark went against 20d, as I was unaware of the financial meaning.
Certainly no more difficult than the back-pager. The Peruvian brandy (I’ll stick with Glenmorangie thanks), the financial context of 20d & the archaic meaning of 24d all needed post completion research but an otherwise problem free & brisk grid fill.
As ever with this setter hugely entertaining & with ticks aplenty – 10a my fav with podium spots for 2d&5a.
Apologies – thanks Hudson & Gazza
Another thoroughly enjoyable offering from this superb setter. 15a gets our vote for top clue but there were heaps of other contenders.
Thanks Hudson and Gazza.
The same did not knows as others but hey ho. An enjoyable solve. Onwards and upwards. Favourite was 26a. Thanks to Hudson and Gazza.
I liked this toughie today as I get ready to walk the dog for a second time today. Will be enduring a pineapple express hitting the west coast of BC, or as they call it these days an atmospheric river. All in a name.
Favourites for me 26a, 27a, 1d, 20d & 21d — with winners 26a & 21d
Thanks to Hudson & Gazza
Very clever stuff again, and two excellent Toughies on the bounce. I took to this better than the back-pager. Only the spirit and the buffoon needed looking up to confirm my suspicions, but they had to be… Lots of inventive clues; even the Spoonerism made me smile, but my prizes go to 5a and 9a.
Thanks to Hudson and Gazza.
Didn’t think I would have time for this today, even tonight! But, having read comments which suggested that the Toughie was easier than the back pager, I thought I would have to give it a go. I did it, but it took me a bit longer! It was good fun with plenty of ticks. The Cockney backer is my CoTD
1*/4* …
liked 23D “Chuck out case of Glenmorangie bottles drained during this? (5)”