Sunday Toughie No 212
by Beam
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
A generous 16a and 16d clues today, and I have hinted half, I hope you find the checkers to finish. I will try to give an extra nudge if you ask.
Mama Bee needs shopping, so I may be replying from the aisles. I will get back as soon as I am able.
Here we go, Folks…
As it is a Prize puzzle I can only hint at a few and hope that will give you the checkers and inspiration to go further. I’ll return with the full review blog just after the closing date. Don’t forget to follow BD’s instructions in RED at the bottom of the hints!
Most of the terms used in these hints are explained in the Glossary and examples are available by clicking on the entry under “See also” Where the hint describes a construct as “usual” this means that more help can be found in The Usual Suspects, which gives a number of the elements commonly used in the wordplay. Another useful page is Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, which features words with meanings that are not always immediately obvious. Don’t forget the Mine of Useful information that Big Dave and his son Richard so meticulously prepared for us.
A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions. Some hints follow: Remember the site rules and play nicely.
Across
1a Soldier dropped in suitable American gear (9)
A mobile soldier who drops from the sky, in a synonym of suitable, followed by one of our usual Americans.
11a Loathe a pong partner holds in (9)
A bit of Lego™ here. A from the clue, the pong that results from poor personal hygiene, and one’s partner holding in from the clue
12a Marine possibly acquires objectives (7)
An informal term for one who works in a marine environment and a synonym of acquires
16a Search around over valley (5)
A detailed search around a crickety over. The Welsh (3) or Scottish (6) term for the valley sits easier with me, but doesn’t fit
21a Old lady regretted backing majesty (8)
A synonym of regretted is reversed (backing) and follows one of your parents’ mothers
25a Nearly fail to charge certain suspect (7)
Nearly all of a synonym of fail is contained in (to charge) something certain
27a Blab and reveal unattached person (9)
To blab or divulge confidential information and a (3,2) phrase for reveal
30a After fish, go into chippy (9)
Chippy is an informal term for this tradesman, from a type of freshwater fish, and to go into
You know the version I would like to put here – go listen to Karen instead
Down
1d Excellent golf score for handicap? (9)
A double definition, three under par or a millstone round the neck perhaps?
Under a spoiler but a cracking version
4d Beam‘s van taking motorway (8)
A van takes the single-letter abbreviation that indicates a motorway. To beam across the airways
5d Ships with puddle rising on board (6)
An initialism of screw driven and steam powered ships contains a puddle of water that has been reversed (rising on board)
I am eponymously linked to this for all time (thanks to the much-missed Julie B) I wont link to the obvious tune but one of their other hits
7d Large curse roughly being offensive (9)
A large abbreviation, a curse and a synonym of roughly
9d Choose short cut fine for outing (6)
A synonym of to choose is shortened, and one of fine is cut
17d One providing skill in drinking spree? (9)
A cryptic all-in-one of someone who provides the means for drinking, from a drinking spree, containing a skill
20d Tweet involving hashtag’s initial buzz (6)
A tweet or birdsong containing the initial letter of the character also known as the octothorp #
24d
26d Lives on rented piece of land (5)
A synonym of lives or exists on one of rented or hired
Compiler
Beam
Could new readers please read the Welcome Post and the FAQ before posting comments or asking questions about the site.
As this is a Prize crossword, please don’t put any ANSWERS, whether WHOLE, PARTIAL or INCORRECT or any ALTERNATIVE CLUES in your comment.
Please read these instructions carefully – they are not subject to debate or discussion. Offending comments may be redacted or, in extreme cases, deleted. In all cases the administrator’s decision is final.
If you don’t understand, or don’t wish to comply with, the conventions for commenting on weekend prize puzzles then save yourself a lot of trouble and don’t leave a comment.
I didn’t find this easy, but following the instructions eventually led me to the answers (funny that, eh!).
Favourites are 1d, (I’ll never forget that Python sketch), 4d and 17d.
Nice name check for the Yottie – to whom many thanks – and of course to Mr Beam.
A stormy petrel on a stick perhaps!
Lark’s vomit too, i recall.
I prefer my Lark’s Tongues in Aspic…
Think the setter is having a bit of fun including his name in a clue and an esteemed hinters nickname in an answer.
Most entertaining on a sunny (at last)
Aberdeenshire afternoon.
Thanks to both the above.
We had the sun yesterday, back to sideways rain today.
A run up Farndale and Rosedale Chimney Bank possible even with the snow – too early for the Daffs though
For a toughie relatively benign IMHO.
3
17d COTD
MT to Beam and Sloop, who both appear in the challenge
The illustration at 24d means nothing to me, I’m afraid.
Me either, but according to Mr Google that is Ali G the leader of the Staines Massive (or his alter ego Sacha Baron Cohen) 😉
Thanks for the explanation. It confirms my solution. I cut my teeth on Ximines in a different Sunday, years ago, so present-day slang is beyond me.
Beam’s puzzles are always so skillfully and silkily constructed it is difficult, if not churlish, to designate ‘winners’; nevertheless I have gone for 27a, 17d and 18d as my picks of a very good bunch. Last one in was 24d where I didn’t know the slang use of ‘massive’ (which is duly listed at #7 in Collins Online), nor was I aware of the association with Staines and Ali G. I was interested to read, though, that Staines has changed it’s name to Staines-upon-Thames, possibly as a result of the notoriety engendered by Ali G…?!
Many thanks to Beam and to SJB. I am looking forward to playing the clip of Peter Green later on, but right now I have some recorded rugby I need to catch up on…
a spurious g in your email sent you briefly into moderation, I would have corrected it but you beat me to it.
I seem to recall an advert for cider That included someone singing Get rid of Ugly Staines to the tune of I Hear you Knocking
Really enjoyed the Peter Green clip, so thanks for that. I wasn’t aware of The Peter Green Splinter Group so checked them out on my streaming service. A favourite of mine, The Green Manalishi, doesn’t have the manic intensity of the Fleetwood Mac original but Green’s artistry on guitar is undiminished.
I can only echo Spartacus’s first few words, Beam/Ray T puzzles are just so cleverly put together and a real joy to solve. A very pleasant way to while away some time on a damp Lancashire day.
Thanks to Beam for the puzzle and SJB for the hints (glad you get a mention!).
I had a very cheesy grin when I spotted the name check too
Rain, rain go away, but if it has to be so wet at least we have had two super duper guzzles today. Many thanks to Beam for bringing some light (that and Olympic gold medals ) and to SJB for giving a clue for 24d the picture meant nothing to me!
24d was the last one to hit the cutting room floor and quite tricky to see the act synonym into which the leading letter should go. I left the image of Ali G in the blog as I had to hint 26d
Thanks for the explanation. It confirms my solution. I cut my teeth on Ximines in a different Sunday, years ago, so present-day slang is beyond me.
This was between a steady plod and a bit of a slog for me, but chuffed that I completed it between the rugby, cooking the Sunday roast and watching the golf from Pebble Beech, where the weather is not too different to here in Hampshire.
No real difficulty apart from the well documented Staines Massive, which like others, I had not heard of and had to check with Mr G; not the Ali one! Needless to say it was also my LOI.
Difficult to pick a winner, but I’ll go with the valley at 16a.
Thank yous to Beam and SLB
I liked the valley too but maybe more after I dismissed the pic of Bobby Charlton’s ridiculous hairstyle that the wordplay suggested
A quicker completion than the Dada puzzle & very enjoyable too. A nice round off to a wonderful tapas meal at a local restaurant recommended by the hotel. Last in 25a my fav.
Thanks to Beam & John – Christmas Card From A Hooker in Minneapolis possibly my fav TW tune; check out Thorbjørn Risager’s cover off the album Taking The Good With The Bad.
Will do – I’ll add it to my AH playlist
A very gentle and entertaining puzzle that I solved earlier this morning.
The one I liked the most was 17d… one providing skill indeed! I remember waking up one morning roughly 30 years ago with the worst hangover of all time after drinking countless cocktails called “woo woo” in a nightclub in Kingston Upon Thames called Volts.
Thanks to Beam and to SJB. I liked the Tom Waits video. I got introduced to his music around 40 years ago and used to have many of his albums on the old TDK cassettes.
I was probably just over the river in The Angel at the time
Was that the Angel on The Portsmouth Road, Giggs Hill Green, which I remember had particularly low ceilings and a full size snooker table?
Could be, I vaguely recall some marathon snooker sessions, if not there it would be The Anglers at Teddington. I seem to recall an old church nearby where A-ha filmed a video when I was there
I’m always pleased when I finish a beam puzzle and I thoroughly enjoyed doing that today . Many lues flew in others not so much especially 10a and 24d . Thanks to all . favourite 17d