Sunday Toughie No 204 by Dada
Review by
Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 21st December 2025
Nothing against the crossword; it was a good exercise for the brain cells, but I am not a fan of Dada getting both Prize Puzzles on the same day. As Huntsman said about the absence of a Toughie on a Monday, Telegraph Towers have a large enough roster of setters to share them out a bit more or even give a Rookie a shot!.
Across
7a Diver netting old bike (7)
SCOOTER: A particular diving bird SCOTER, round O for old.
8a Destructive element? Suppose I disagree (7)
INFERNO: To suppose or imply INFER, and a word to disagree NO.
10a Monster chasing mother and boy not entirely hokum (5-5)
MUMBO-JUMBO: An informal mother MUM, not entirely all of the boy BO, are chased by an elephantine monster JUMBO.
11a Brew in can heading for mouth (4)
LOOM: Can as an informal term for the toilet should be replaced by another LOO, then append the heading for mouth M. A storm may brew/LOOM in this manner.
12a Setter and one-time solver’s stone alongside a gem (8)
AMETHYST: Start with A from the clue, add how the setter refers to himself ME, then a one-time term for you the solver THY, and finish with the abbreviation of 14lbs in weight ST.
14a Regulated banks also owning estates, say (6)
LANDED: A synonym of regulated, ran or controlled from the front LED, around (banks) a synonym of also AND.
15a Buy joint in graceful descent (7-4)
SWALLOW-DIVE: A slang term for buy as in accept or believe SWALLOW, and a seedy disreputable joint DIVE.
19a Blood flowing back in lateral canal (6)
CLARET: An informal term for blood is found reversed (flowing back) lurking (in) the last two words of the clue.
20a Funny composition with citrus twist? (8)
LIMERICK: A citrus fruit LIME, and a twist in the neck perhaps RICK.
22a Covering 6 Down (4)
FOIL: Dada’s personal thesaurus to the fore, Is the answer the covering that is used in a particular form and colour WOOL Felt Baize, to cover just part of the answer to 6d A SNOOKER Table. Or perhaps Dada wants us to use the word that “covers” the clue to 6d? FOOL, Maybe even the shade or covering for the light that illuminates the playing surface COWL. Your guess is as good as mine, but I have (with help from Lie-in-King!) plumped for a double definition of a covering for a Christmas roast FOIL, that is synonymous with to deceive or SNOOKER. Hmm…
23a Deep as nitrogen, or inert gas on rocks (10)
RESONATING: An anagram (rocks) of INERT GAS ON.
25a Piece of music by jazz fan wearing jazzy coat! (7)
TOCCATA: A fan of jazz CAT, wearing an anagram (jazzy) of COAT.
26a Student, one ain’t poor (7)
ETONIAN: A student of an expensive public school is an anagram (poor) of ONE AIN’T.
Down
1d Dirty gags right tasty! (7)
SCRUMMY: Dirty like the ring around a bath SCUMMY, around R for right.
2d Packet, mine? (4)
BOMB: A double definition.
3d Runner and winger, entertaining player? (6)
DEEJAY: A particular runner, the river DEE, and a particular winger or bird JAY, A DEEJAY would entertain us by playing music.
4d Clean lino used all over the place (8)
UNSOILED: An anagram (all over the place) of LINO USED.
5d Exceptionally popular always – is that a fact? (4,1,5)
WELL I NEVER: A (4,2) phrase for exceptionally popular WELL IN and a synonym of always EVER.
6d Fool referring to pop artist the wrong way (7)
SNOOKER: A Latin preposition for referring to RE, and a reversal (the wrong way) of a pop artist known (by some) for his sculptures depicting everyday objects, including balloon animals Jeff KOONS. SNOOKER To fool a person or a plan by placing an obstacle in the way.
9d Remote peak in Estonia, frozen (11)
EMOTIONLESS: The peak of Estonia E, and a synonym of frozen MOTIONLESS.
13d Where to find a flat bowl with rocket, in a salad (5,5)
TOWER BLOCK: An anagram (in a salad) of BOWL and ROCKET.
16d Diet, cost learned (8)
LITERATE: An adjective for diet or low in calories LITE, and the amount corresponding to the cost RATE.
17d A perceptible giggle holding unfinished wine up – that’s the drug in it! (7)
ALCOHOL: A from the clue an abbreviation or textspeak for a giggle that is perceptible LOL for Laugh Out Loud, around most of a white wine from the Rhine valley that has been reversed (up) HOCk becomes COH. A L COH OL being the drug in HOCK or other wines.
18d Cockroaches originally found in shoe – shocker! (7)
SCANDAL: An open-toed shoe SANDAL, around the original letter of Cockroach C.
21d Almost imperceptible time … (6)
MINUTE: A double definition.
24d … negligible during moment in year (4)
TINY: A negligible or TINY lurker (during) the last three words.
Compiler
Dada
That’s All Folks…