Sunday Toughie 216 (Hints)

Sunday Toughie No 216

by Light

Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee

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It is Light’s turn to have two Prize Puzzles this weekend. If yesterday was his 100th puzzle for The Telegraph is this his 101st? I don’t know for sure, as they may count the anonymous back pagers differently from Toughies. This is definitely his 14th Sunday Toughie as Light and with 8 so far in the other toughie, that leaves at least 79 anonymous backpage puzzles that have entertained us since he graduated from these shores. An impressive output in such a short time.

Anagrams and double definitions have hit the cutting room floor today, and don’t forget the maxim: When in doubt…

14a and 14d clues today and I have hinted at half. I will try and provide a nudge or two if you ask, but as it is Mother’s Day, my normal Coffee and Cake outing with Mama Bee will probably be Betty’s rather than the local Caffè Nero, I may take a little longer to reply

 

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          Shipmaster fine after eclipse cheers part of UK, Westward Ho! (7,4)

A tricky bit of Lego™ to start. We are heading to JM Barrie’s Neverland, not Devon! A synonym of fine goes after all the other bits, to eclipse or surpass, an informal cheers, a province of the UK that is reversed (Westward in an across clue) and Ho from the clue

8a          Maybe loyal group of Rowling readers occasionally fear the end for Cormoran Strike (3,4)

Occasional letters of fear, the end one of Cormoran, and to strike with a bludgeon. The reference to J K Rowling and her character Cormoran Strike adds to the surface.

11a        Gathering agents must infiltrate mostly unescorted? (6)

Most of “to travel unescorted” is infiltrated by some usual American agents

13a        Part of cooked breakfast, say, extremely generous (4)

Say as an example and the extreme letters of generous

16a        Here, secured by sailor on bow of clipper, is one of two anchors? (10)

To be here is secured within the lowest grade of sailor and follows the “bow” of clipper. I am having difficulty seeing why the verb rather than the noun is required

21a        Ad-lib technique in rally cut short (6)

To rally or get better is cut short. We all send Jane our best wishes and hope that she rallies soon

22a A musical interlude that mentions many Russian cities but not the one we need

26a        Ailment cheeky son lies about? That catches relative out for starters (5,6)

A synonym of humorously cheeky or forward, and the genealogy abbreviation of son are reversed (about), followed by that from the clue into which the starting letters of relative out have been inserted

Down

2d          Introductions for this writer, up first to speak (6)

An adjective for or in favour of, and a pronoun for this writer is reversed (up in a down clue) and a first letter. The clue lead me to the answer but the plural preface or introduction, especially to a literary work, was new to me

4d          Loud guide from the south causing a stink (4)

The musical notation for loud and the guide for stabilizing fish, ships, arrows or rockets are reversed (from the south), an informal stink

5d          Utterly dominate game, Chelsea full backs ultimately making mistakes (3,5)

To utterly dominate, a Chinese board game and the ultimate letters of Chelsea full backs.    “So, Terence, what did go wrong on the Fulham Road yesterday afternoon/evening?” Senf ™

7d          Female set Down clue, originally camouflaged to describe Liberal hippy (6,5)

A female abbreviation, to set down, the original letter of clue and to have camouflaged around (to describe) L for Liberal

9d          I put notices up for Spooner, yet quarrel (11)

Yet or despite anything to the contrary, and to quarrel over petty things are given the Spooner treatment. (He is an innocent man by the way)

12d       One seen around bed and seat following one’s husband (6,4)

The bed where you may see these creatures is under the sea. One’s seat a following abbreviation, a Roman one and its plural ’ess finish with another genealogical abbreviation

19d       Firm to accommodate working after dark very soon? (7)

A synonym of firm contains (to accommodate) one of working

 

Compiler

Light

 

 

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