Toughie No 3611 by Samuel
Hints and tips by ALP
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Toughie difficulty * – Enjoyment *****
A very happy New Year to you all, one made brighter still by the appearance of Samuel – the one-and-only Chris Lancaster. It’s been a while since we’ve seen one of his Toughies, so this was an especial treat. Suitably gentle-ish for January 1, and impeccably fair, but fizzing with wit, as one would expect. I particularly enjoyed seeing a grown-up set 3d, i.e, properly! All yours.
Across
1a Pay twice when rep cut short cryptic greeting (5,3,4)
HAPPY NEW YEAR: PAY+PAY+WHEN+RE[P], cryptic.
9a Right to visit apparently unpopulated part of the country (7)
NORFOLK: Abbreviated “right” visits/is contained by how one might say “(apparently) unpopulated” as (2,4).
10a In Bow, tricky to go after vehicle? Mug! (7)
TANKARD: A Cockney’s (in Bow) tricky/difficult after (tracked) vehicle.
11a Curse at gracious hosts (4)
OATH: Gracious/crikey hosts/contains ‘AT’.
12a When all undressed, show earl odd collection (5)
HOARD: Inside letters (all undressed) of the fourth, fifth and sixth words.
13a Putt hit with this feeling could display aptitude (4)
IDEA: Compound anagram. PUTT when hit/anagrammed with the answer = APTITUDE.
16a Intend to purchase copies initially of construction materials? (7)
MECCANO: Intend/aim purchases/contains abbreviated (carbon) “copies” + O[F].
17a Economical aircon installed by Colin Moulding (7)
LACONIC: Nowt to do with XTC’s singer and bass player. Abbreviated “aircon” installed by/inside COLIN, moulding.
18a Somebody incompetent? (7)
NOTABLE: Another way to say “incompetent” (3,4).
21a Fish served with dock leaves (7)
GARLAND: One of setters’ favourite fish + dock/(reach) shore.
23a Hands clapped themselves? (4)
CREW: Definition (noun) + definition by example (past tense).
24a I invested in old Labour MP’s land (5)
BENIN: ‘I’ invested in/inside “old (tea-loving – he drank 18 pints a day, allegedly) Labour MP”.
25a Fit in extra guest (4)
AGUE: Lurker, hidden in the last two words. Very simple, but it reads so sweetly.
28a Count drivers in some French city (7)
DRACULA: Drivers (not AA) inside “some” in French + one of the usual two-letter cities.
29a Perhaps tip drink over in expression of disgust (7)
FREEBIE: (Alcoholic) drink reversed/over inside an “expression of disgust” that I’ve only ever heard in panto. So, seasonally appropriate!
30a Feeling sick in the head? (12)
HYPOCHONDRIA: A lovely cryptic definition that, if it’s been done before, I’ve not seen. Tickled me.
Down
1d Dissident in this position almost opposite of cross? (7)
HERETIC: In this position/place + “opposite of cross” (homework, etc), minus the last letter (almost).
2d As leaving typical pensioner, stay (4)
PROP: Typical/standard and pensioner/senior citizen (3,3) are both left by the letter ‘A’ (“As”).
3d Artist’s son took toy over? Not to start! (4,3)
YOKO ONO: Reverse (over) the second, third and fourth words, minus their first letters. This gave me real joy (I really must get out more) as I have been wondering how to clue this since trying (and failing miserably) to set it in my first, best-forgotten Rookie. This is, of course, the way to do it!
4d Doctor learnt to go around hospital entrance (7)
ENTHRAL: LEARNT, doctored, going around/containing abbreviated “hospital”.
5d Something beastly about “New New Yorker”? (4)
YANK: Something beastly/a beast about/containing abbreviated “new”.
6d Stripping off, Salah adds wink for show (7)
ALADDIN: Inside letters (stripping off) of the third, fourth and fifth words.
7d Funny man in comic duo is out of touch (13)
INCOMMUNICADO: MANINCOMICDUO, funny.
8d A qualification? (8,5)
ADVANCED LEVEL: A gentle cryptic definition, relating to what ‘A’ stands for in such a qualification.
14d Howl? The compiler? For Spooner? Possibly! (5)
MAYBE: Howl (at the moon, etc) + the usual “compiler”, Spoonerised.
15d My son, spurning love, inspires contempt (5)
SCORN: My/blimey (that) S[O]N inspires/contains.
19d Beat this when acquitted, and finally try treatment (7)
THERAPY: What one beats when acquitted/avoiding punishment + [finall]Y.
20d Rubbish solution for irritated viewers (7
EYEWASH: Double definition. Nice use of “solution” here.
21d Monster improvising when cycling (7)
GRIFFIN: “Improvising” (on the guitar, say), cycled (last letter to first in this case).
22d Pupil finally in time with support for school subject (7)
ALGEBRA: [Pupi]L inside time/era + setters’ favourite “support”.
26d United in funny old game (4)
LUDO: Abbreviated “united” in OLD, funny. This, to my mind, is an instance where a three-letter anagram works beautifully!
27d River Don (4)
WEAR: Double definition, noun and verb.
Samuel has gifted us six anagrams (including a compound), two cryptic definitions, two doubles, a lurker and a Spooner. Cutting down my favourites to a less-than-grovelling list proved nigh on impossible, but I loved 11a, 17a, 23a, 2d and 3d. 13a had me from hello. What did you think?
I know we all send Chris and his family our very best wishes as well as happy thanks to him for a massive shift and yet another snorter.
Gentle Toughie on NYD, and lovely to see a puzzle from CL/Samuel.
Didn’t parse my (correct) answer to 13 — not for the first time failing to spot a compound anagram. Honours to 3d and 28a.
Many thanks and best wishes to CL, and thanks also to ALP
A treat for New Year’s Day, with a mix of the old friend and clues requiring a bit more thought. The compound anagram topped the list of clues I really liked
Thanks to ALP- I agree with your BD rating. Thanks to Chris for a great crossword while continuing to send you and the family positive thoughts
A fine way to start the new year, this was a pleasure to solve. Not many bung-ins, but nothing too obscure either.
Of the many excellent clues, my own honours list consists of the count in 28a, the artist in 3d and the monster in 21d.
Thanks and 1a to Chris and ALP.
It was a delightful surprise to find a Samuel Toughie today, providing us with a reminder of how much we have missed them.
Regarding 19d, I would have said that “beat the rap” is an American expression. The BRB agrees.
That aside, I had plenty of ticks with 13a my favourite when the penny finally dropped.
Many thanks to Samuel and ALP.
A very 1a to all, especially to Samuel and family.
I have got to love 13a too. Those tricky hidden definitions I learned from proXimal, he brings at least one compound to his Toughies. It looks like he learned well from the boss. A nice Spooner as well.
Thanks and good wishes to CL and family. Thanks to ALP for explanations and Derek W Dick.
An unexpected New Year’s Day treat from Samuel – thanks to him for a splendid puzzle and good wishes to him and his family. Thanks to ALP for the review.
Cutting down my long list of ‘likes’ to a more manageable size I’m left with 28a, 3d, 8d and 27d together with my favourite 30a.
For me this was a mix of bung-ins and really quite tough clues. I missed the anagram at 7d until the very end so maybe I was having a dim day. Tops for me were 9a [not seen that before, surprisingly] the rather obvious when you’ve finally solved it 8d and the novel 19d.
Thanks to Samuel and ALP.
Having read ALP’s email notification of a CL puzzle, I couldn’t resist an immediate look. It is perfect light entertainment to enhance a 1a, beautifully crafted with some lovely surfaces. I could have ticked more, but I still have a long list of ‘likes’, which I won’t attempt to cut down, including 9a, 18a, 29a, 30a, 2d, 4d, 7d, 8d, 15d & 19d. Unlike others, I didn’t go for 13a – possibly because proXimal has immunised my subconscious with regular heavy doses! Last to parse was 2d – bringing a smile when the penny dropped.
Many thanks to Samuel and to ALP, especially for the ‘heads-up’ in the email introduction.
Oops – appears I must have mis-typed my email address again!
What an unexpected New Year’s Day treat from Mr Ed, I’ve really missed seeing him wearing his Samuel hat. Quite a few pauses for thought during the solve but a great sense of satisfaction when I breasted the tape. Ticks aplenty with particular nods to 9,10,18,29&30a plus 7,26&27d.
Many thanks and positive thoughts winging their way to Chris with thanks also to ALP for the review.
Same as Halcyon, a mix of fairly straightforward clues and some real toughies but a very enjoyable tussle. Lots of good clues, of course, but I liked 9a and 10a. This is the first Samuel toughie I’ve tried, I wonder if there are more in the archives.
Thanks and best wishes to Chris. And thanks to ALP for the hints.
1a to you all.
I thought this a real belter. 5* enjoyment here too. Not sure when Chris last set a Toughie but I hadn’t realised he was Samuel until RD mentioned it over in t’other place. Only a failure to figure the why at 2d (A plural d’oh) took a wee bit of gloss of a brisk(ish) solve by my standards. Stick a tick next to pretty well all of ‘em but if forced to pick a podium 9,13&30a will do.
Many thanks & best wishes to Chris & to ALP
A really enjoyable start to the year and a very appropriate 1A. Needed ALP’s help to parse my 2 bung-ins 2D and 13A. Now they’ve been explained, they have to be my picks along with 30A.
Many thanks to ALP as always and to Samuel who I’ve now met for the first time.
Happy New Year to them and all involved with Big Dave’s Blog.
I haven’t been solving Toughies for a particularly long time, so this was my first Samuel, and a very enjoyable solve it was as well. 24a and 30a held me up a bit at the end, but I enjoyed both when the pennies dropped, so they can be my COTDs.
Thanks Samuel and ALP, and Happy New Year everyone.
What a treat to have a puzzle from Samuel. We ended up with a gap for 24a, but feel we can be forgiven for not being able to recall the GK required there. Too many ticks to be able to chose a favourite.
Thanks and best wishes Samuel and thanks ALP.
Having updated my Toughie Database (phew – it took a while), I can say that this is the 45th appearance of Samuel in the Telegraph Toughie.
He first appeared in Toughie 1385 28/04/2015 blogged by Toro (LTNS)
6 more times in 2015, 10 times in 2016, 12 in 2017, 7 in 2018, 5 in 2019.
He brought us three more in 2020 (2383, 2500[with a notable Nina for the significant milestone] and 2543 -18th November 2020 blogged by Gazza) All the blogs still exist here but only the last two (2500, 2543) are available in the Toughie Archive for subscribers.
Chris has brought us many more backpagers of course, but the Telegraph is rightly proud of the anonymity of its main crossword. We are only aware of who sets the backpage puzzle from experienced “guesses” or if the setter comes here to let us know.
Thanks again to ALP and continued best wishes to Chris.
I can provide a spreadsheet with links to all the blogs and as many actual puzzles as the Telegraph has in its archive. It would be good if The Telegraph could extend its archive.
1*/5* ..
liked 21D “Monster improvising when cycling (7)”