Sunday Toughie No 216 by Light
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on 15th March 2026
Across
1a Shipmaster fine after eclipse cheers part of UK, Westward Ho! (7,4)
CAPTAIN HOOK: A tricky bit of Lego™ to start. We are heading to Neverland not in Devon! A synonym of fine OK, goes after all the other bits, to eclipse or surpass CAP, an informal cheers TA, a province of the UK Northern Ireland that is reversed (Westward in an across clue) NI becomes IN, and HO from the clue, CAP TA IN HO OK The master of the pirate ship The Jolly Roger in J M Barrie’s Peter Pan.
7a Having gone into herd, animal doctor misses opening in horse’s joint (7)
FETLOCK: A herd of sheep FLOCK, perhaps, contains an animal doctor(v)TE without the opening letter ET
8a Maybe loyal group of Rowling readers occasionally fear the end for Cormoran Strike (3,4)
FAN CLUB: Occasional letters of fear FA, the end one of Cormoran N, and to strike with a bludgeon CLUB. The reference to J K Rowling and her character Cormoran Strike add to the surface.
10a Arresting European suspect, impound drug smoked here (5,3)
OPIUM DEN: An anagram (suspect) of IMPOUND into which E for European has been contained (arrested)
11a Gathering agents must infiltrate mostly unescorted? (6)
SOCIAL: Most of “to travel unescorted” SOL(o), is infiltrated by some usual American CIA agents
13a Part of cooked breakfast, say, extremely generous (4)
EGGS: Say as an example EG, and the extreme letters of generous G-S
14a Ignores the wishes of stupid boss, idle git wasting time (10)
DISOBLIGES: An anagram (stupid) of BOSS IDLE GI(T) without T for time:
16a Here, secured by sailor on bow of clipper, is one of two anchors? (10)
COPRESENTS: To be here PRESENT is secured within the lowest grade of sailor OS or Ordinary Seaman, and follows the “bow” of clipper C. Is is the crucial part of the definition as He COPRESENTS and He is one of two anchors are synonymous
18a Case online tuition covers (4)
ETUI: Apart from rare appearances on antiques programs, I think I have only ever encountered this needlecase in crosswords. When in doubt you will find it lurking in onlinE TUItion
21a Ad-lib technique in rally cut short (6)
IMPROV: To rally or get better IMPROV-e, is cut short.
22a Author Deighton’s visiting Omsk, busy Russian city (8)
SMOLENSK: The forename (and ‘ess) by which the thriller writer Mr Deighton is known LEN’S goes into an anagram (busy) of OMSK, giving us another Russian city SMOLENSK. A bit of luck that this clue appeared on the day that Len Deighton died, although I doubt that he would agree
24a Poker Face, absolutely rubbish (7)
DEADPAN: Synonyms of the last two words
25a Figure Italian team will include Angelo in the middle (7)
INTEGER: The middle letters of Angelo GE, are included in the abbreviated form of an Italian football team INTER Milan
26a Ailment cheeky son lies about? That catches relative out for starters (5,6)
STREP THROAT: A synonym of humorously cheeky or forward PERT, and the genealogy abbreviation of son S are reversed (about) S TREP, followed by THAT from the clue, into which the starting letters of relative out R O, have been inserted
Down
1d Bit mean (7)
CUTTING: A double definition
2d Introductions for this writer, up first to speak (6)
PROEMS: An adjective for or in favour of PRO, and a pronoun for this writer ME, is reversed (up in a down clue) EM, and the first letter of speak S. The clue lead me to the answer but the plural preface or introduction, especially to a literary work, was new to me
3d Banter like silly kid (5-5)
ANKLE-BITER: An anagram (silly) of BANTER LIKE
4d Loud guide from the south causing a stink (4)
NIFF: The musical notation for loud F, and the guide for stabilizing fish, ships, arrows or rockets FIN are reversed (from the south) NIFF, an informal stink
5d Utterly dominate game, Chelsea full backs ultimately making mistakes (3,5)
OWN GOALS: To utterly dominate OWN, a Chinese board game GO, and the ultimate letters of Chelsea full backs A L S.
6d Taxing financial gain (7)
KILLING: A double definition
7d Female set Down clue, originally camouflaged to describe Liberal hippy (6,5)
FLOWER CHILD: A female abbreviation F, to set down LOWER, the original letter of clue C, and to have camouflaged HID, around (to describe) L for Liberal
9d I put notices up for Spooner, yet quarrel (11)
BILLSTICKER Yet or despite anything to the contrary STILL, and to quarrel over petty things BICKER, are given the Spooner treatment. STILL BICKER becomes BILLSTICKER
12d One seen around bed and seat following one’s husband (6,4)
BOTTOM FISH: The bed where you may see these creatures is under the sea. One’s seat BOTTOM, a following abbreviation F, a Roman one and its plural ’ess I’S, finish with another genealogical abbreviation of husband H
15d Undone by pressure, a bowler playing poorly (5,3)
BELOW PAR: An anagram (undone) of P for pressure and A BOWLER
17d Quiet pal so excited about rook in trees (7)
POPLARS: An anagram (excited) of PAL SO around (about) notations for quiet musically P, and the rook in chess R
19d Firm to accommodate working after dark very soon? (7)
TONIGHT: A synonym of firm TIGHT, contains (to accommodate) one of working ON
20d Prior to game of chance, lid of Biro is under the table (6)
BLOTTO: The “lid” of Biro B, goes prior to a game of chance LOTTO
23d Sudden shot (4)
SNAP: A double definition, a SNAP decision or a photographic shot or SNAP
Compiler
Light
That’s all Folks…