Toughie No 3606 by Stick Insect
Hints and tips by Whybird
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
Greetings once again from the Wirral. Yes, you must be on the Big Dave De-colonised Universal Non-Patriarchal Behavioural Trait List, and you’ve got me blogging for a second day in succession. Things Can Only Get Better… but then look how that turned out!
Stick Insect, to whom, many thanks, has given us a very gentle puzzle by normal Wednesday standards, which made for a relaxed and enjoyable solve. The boundary clues were all solved pretty quickly which aided the process, with just a few that took a bit more thinking about (and which pretty much occupy my podium spots) but nothing too drastic. My prizes places go to 7d, 17a, with 25a with 27a equal at the top for their condensed cleverness.
Merry Christmas to all of the setters, bloggers, commenters and readers who don’t comment (and I’d love to hear from you)!
Across Clues
1 Radar distortions beginning to fall off in listening device (10,5)
TRANSISTOR RADIO An anagram (off) of “Radar” and “Distortions” lacking the initial “D” (beginning to fall)
9 Thinking correctly, soldier goes into pub (7)
LOGICAL Insert a term for a US soldier into an alternative name for a pub, one that is nearby
10 Real information I put in French article (7)
GENUINE A three letter synonym of “information” followed by a French (fiminie) article into which has been inserted (put in) the “I” from the clue
11 Some people always making excuse (4)
PLEA This synonym for “excuse” is lurking in (some) the letters of “people always”
12 Cut of meat changing hands for stamp (5)
FRANK Take the name of a cut of meat from the side of an animal, and swap the letter indicating one hand/side for the other. “Stamp” here is a verb
13 Green area on feminine, tiny jumper (4)
FLEA A name for a green area (or meadow) follows the letter indicating “feminine”. I guess “on” would normally be used to indicate the order in a down clue, but I think it works here, too
16 Destroy cycling film’s unreleased snippet (7)
OUTTAKE A (4,3) synonym of “Destroy” (or kill/remove) has the second word moved to the front. I would normally hyphenate this, but the unhyphenated version is also OK (even if the mark is important to a certain former Prince)
17 Busy bird absolutely hasn’t advanced (7)
CROWDED A charade of a type of bird (one of the members of the covid family) and a synonym of “absolutely” from which the abbreviation of “advanced” is removed (“hasn’t advance). A lot going on for a five-word clue!
18 Soldiers, leaderless, recruit second officers (7)
ENSIGNS A charade of a generic term for soldiers (probably frowned on these days) lacking its initial letter (leaderless), a synonym of “recruit” as a verb, and then the letter indicating “second”
21 Cat fraud overheard (7)
CHEETAH A species of big cat is a homonym of a word meaning “fraud” as a noun
23 Doctor Lauren not about to produce bone (4)
ULNA An anagram (Doctor) of “Lauren” lacking (not) one of the common terms meaning “about”
24 Lying about after run during exercise (5)
PRONE Take a two-letter term for exercise (as inflicted on generations of schoolchildren) and insert (during) the cricketing abbreviation for “run” followed by (after) a term meaning “about” (not the same one as 23a)
25 Drink pint from either end? (4)
PORT Spilt (1,2,1) this is how you could discuss the initial and terminal letters of “pint” as alternatives. A very clever clue, with a great surface. I’m intrigued by the idea of a drinking vessel that would enable this clue to be put into effect.
28 Cheerful lad, soldier embracing uniform (7)
BUOYANT Take a synonym for “lad” and an insect that has “soldier” amongst its types/roles, then insert the letter represented by “Uniform” in the NATO phonetic alphabet
29 Returning from Calais en masse, French souvenir lost? (7)
AMNESIA The solution is found lurking, in reverse (Returning from) in the letters of “Calais en masse” French souvenir”. There is some apparent padding here, which helps the surface, but which I can’t see has any direct link to the solution. **Updated per Celia’s Comment #6 which a bit of basic French should have made obvious. Loss of the translation of the French word souvenir improves the sense of the clue significantly. I knew I was missing something!**
30 Mobile rescuers here for training update (9,6)
REFRESHER COURSE An anagram (Mobile) of “rescuers here for”
Down Clues
1 Large amount of buzz, then feeling less (9,6)
TELEPHONE NUMBER A charade of a synonym of “buzz” as a verb in the field of communication and a synonym for feeling less as an adjective.
2 Increase in gold federal agents start to tackle (7)
AUGMENT A charade of the chemical symbol for “gold”, a (1-3) term for US federal agents, and then the initial letter of (start to) “tackle”
3 Violent blow from South Ham not hot (4)
SOCK The letter indicating “South” is followed by a joint of meat usually associated with “ham”, but lacking the abbreviation for “hot”
4 Occasionally supply incitement to spend a lot (7)
SPLURGE Alternating letters (Occasionally) of “supply” is followed by a synonym of “incitement”
5 Structural failing in cargo (7)
ORGANIC An anagram (failing) of “in cargo”. To me at least, this is an unusual sense of the solution, but it is perfectly legitimate and correct
6 Old character last to retire after career (4)
RUNE A synonym of “career” as a verb followed by (after) the final letter of (last to) “retire”
7 Bored king badly engaged in half-hearted exploit (7)
DRILLED Take the regal signature used by a king and a synonym of “badly” and insert those into (engaged in) a synonym of “exploit” as a noun, but lacking one of the two identical central letters (half-hearted)
8 Detective’s easy task, Sudanese chap not devious (4-3-4,4)
OPEN-AND-SHUT-CASE An anagram (devious) of “Sudanese chap not”
14 In prison, do unending scrounge (5)
CADGE Remove the final letter (unending) from “do” and put that into (In) a synonym of “prison”
15 Instant gain for artist (5)
MONET A two-letter, informal term for an “instant” (or short interval of time) followed by a synonym of “gain”. Or at least that’s the impression I formed…
19 Rag turned up for wrapping round car part (7)
SUNROOF A tabloid newspaper followed by an inversion (turned up) of “for” from the clue into which is inserted (rapping) the “round” letter.
20 US hospital department abandoning transport for wounded is exaggeration (7)
STRETCH Remove (abandoning) a two-letter abbreviation for an American hospital department from a device used to carry the wounded
21 Perceive dread, we hear, in mythological creature (7)
CENTAUR Homophones of both “Perceive” and “dread” (or amazement) give this type of mythological creature
22 Steal banks of their river, right? (7)
TROUSER Take the external letters (banks) of “their”, add one of Crosswordland’s popular rivers and then the abbreviation for “right”
26 Just amazing diamond easily tops ornamental stone (4)
JADE This stone is formed from the initial letters (“tops” in a down clue) of “Just amazing diamond easily”
27 Open goods taken from setter (4)
UNDO Remove both instances of the abbreviation for “good” from the generic class of which the canine “setter” is an example
An excellent and very enjoyable puzzle although I did need help with two of the short ones – 25a and 26d. I can’t see the parsing so will need the hints for enlightenment. I loved 4d because it’s such a wonderful word and Dr. Lauren raised a smile. I took an inordinately long time to get the fraudulent cat at 21a. It was an obvious answer but I simply could not see it. My COTT is the detective’s easy task at 8d.
Thank you, Stick Insect for a most enjoyable puzzle. Thank you, Whybird for the hints.
I see the answer to 26d was hiding in plain sight!
Very gentle yet very entertaining.
The only one I struggled with was the first part of the homophone at 21d (perceive=sense was my initial thought).
Top three for me were 25a, 29a, and 27d.
Many thanks to Stick Insect and to Whybird.
Hope everyone enjoys tomorrow.
I also couldn’t see what the French souvenir had to do with 29a but it was a lurker so I put it in and moved on. Apart from that pleasantly straightforward with a couple of head scratchers. Favourite was 27d. Thanks to Stick Insect and Whybird.
I’m with those commenting over in t’other place who found this marginally easier than the back-pager. I’m a fan of grids that give you 4 long ‘uns round the periphery & especially so if the clues are very gettable from the off. Didn’t have any real favourite clue but thoroughly enjoyed the pleasingly gentle solve. Was also flummoxed as to what the French souvenir had to do with the price of fish at 29a but otherwise smooth sailing. Happy Christmas all.
Thanks to Sticky & Whybird (sounds like a kid’s animation show).
I’ll go along with Jezza’s “gentle yet entertaining” assessment as well as his podium selection.
A few of the surface readings jarred a little but, never mind, it’s the season of goodwill.
Many thanks to Stick Insect and to Whybird.
Very clever and fun and not too hard for me. I had a few parsing queries (1,18a and 7d) but once they were thoroughly perused, they sorted themselves out — all except 21d that is! The padding you mention in 29a is what souvenir in French means in English. Thank you, Stick Insect for the jolly entertainment and Whybird for doing double time 😀
Thanks Celia. Hint now updated.
A lovely friendly crossword ideal for a busy day where there are a number of good crosswords to solve in between setting up our new cooker which, fortunately for Christmas dinner was delivered first thing this morning
Seasons greetings and thanks to Stick Insect and Whybird
Much easier than yesterday’s. The only bits that held me up were the first words of 1a and 1d [probably too much Christmas cheer].
I think “French souvenir” is part of the definition in 29a, which is what elevated it a bit. Other goodies were 25a and 27d.
Thanks to Sticky and Whybird.
Pretty gentle for a Toughie but enjoyable – thanks to Stick Insect and Whybird and Happy Christmas to both.
I agree with halcyon that the definition in 29a is the last 3 words with ‘souvenir’ in French meaning memory.
Top clues for me were 25a, 1d, 7d and 27d.
Very enjoyable. In French, souvenir is memory so not really padding. Thanks to Stick Insect snd Whybird.
Not too demanding yet most enjoyable. The very concise 27d was my particular favourite.
Many thanks to SI and Whybird.
Very enjoyable and not too tricky. Solved sitting in the car on Orford Quay in high wind watching the tempestuous sea, very relaxing. Thanks all and Happy Christmas.
“Sitting in the car on Oxford Quay,
In high wind watching the tempestuous sea” is just asking to be turned into a poem.
Or a Blues track…
Oh just think what Joe Bonamassa could do with it!
Didn’t Otis Redding get there first?
The copyright lawyers will have a field day!
Orford Quay, not Oxford Steve! Beautiful Suffolk, see it and believe it.
Don’t you just love spellchecker?
Merry Christmas to all
26 d defeated me until I realised my stupidity 😆
Wirral? Me too!
People’s Republic of Neston for me. What about you?
Thankfully this was a straightforward solve, as I’ve had a busy day.
The four peripheral clues fell easily, which provided the checkers to crack the puzzle open.
Some smooth surfaces, I particularly liked the rag which turned up in 19d.
My thanks to Stick Insect and Whybird.
Seasonal salutations to one and all.
Nice puzzle for Christmas Eve. I needed help with two but Whybird’s hints helped me out. Thanks!
Merry Christmas to all and to all a Happy New Year! 🥂
2*/ 3.5* Tried the Toughie again after being advised it was easier than the regular cryptic !
Completed in reasonable time, but I wouldn’t say easier. Good puzzle though with some excellent clues, including 22d steal, car part at 19d and I can’t remember the other, could be 29a
Thanks to Stick Insect and Whybird
A cracking puzzle that took little longer than the back pager today. I will join the Wirral collective in praising 25a for a fine surface. It took a little glass of a dry white variety to release the grey matter.
I tried to find a seven letter solution to go with 12a to make it a bit Christmasy but to no avail.
Thanks to Stick Insect and Whybird.
Just noticed the click here thingy has missed 9a – only noticed because I would have taken the opportunity to play some Supertramp
Thanks SJB – now corrected. Blogging Lesson: do not rush out to take your dog for a walk at Leasowe Gunsights, however nice the weather!
Always forgiven if it is to take a furry friend out to the beach…
Listening to Carols from King’s and watching Olive and Mabel is as relaxing as Manders view of Orford Quay
So, no nod to Christmas over here either – what is happening at Telegraph Towers?
A rather enjoyable puzzle anyway, despite a few questionable surface reads, and a piece of French homework that my brain obviously hadn’t retained!
Ticks here went to 16&25a plus 4&21d, the last of those being my final entry.
Thanks to Stick Insect and also to Whybird for the review – very best of festive wishes to both of you.
I tried to cram incense in somewhere to go with 12a, gold is covered in 2d but no Myrhh to be found anywhere.
Finally got round to tackling this puzzle after prepping the fodder for tomorrow.
Pretty steady going for me doing a Toughie, but I needed the hints for 12a and 14d, both of which I should have realised with a little more application. I got the mythical creature at 21d, but am still at pains to recognise the first part of the homophone for “perceive” as hinted by Whybird?
Thanks CD. Merry Christmas! The 21d homophone seems fine to me. To xxxxx something is a permissible alternative to perceive. Perhaps not the most obvious, but well within Toughie Tolerances, I think.
Thanks Whybird. I was going down the “sense” road for the homophone and needless to say it didn’t work. Another one for my crosswording data-bank.
1*/3*….
liked 14D “In prison, do unending scrounge (5)”