Sunday Toughie 225 (Hints)

Sunday Toughie No 225

by proXimal

 

Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee

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Chaotic in the Beehive this weekend, but solar panels are now installed and just the scaffolding to be removed. I struggled to parse 11a and may have missed something in my Ham and 22a Stottie Cake, but it is time to go out for coffee with the Queen Bee.

I have hinted half of 14a and 14d clues but will try and give a nudge if required.

 

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!

I hope I don’t have to redact any comments, but you have all been so well-behaved that the red pencil is likely to remain in retirement.

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          Spooner’s one not revealing partner that’s web-user under cover (5,6)

A marital partner and one who doesn’t reveal is given the Spooner treatment

8a          Zoom with AI character and fine team player (3,4)

To zoom along at great pace, the Artificial Intelligence created by Arthur C Clarke for 2001  A Space Odyssey and a fine pencil abbreviation

10a        A group receiving tips for cardiovascular exercise (2,6)

A from the clue and an informal grouping contain the tips of CardiovasculaR

11a        Object returned, carried by stray hairy beast (6)

I had a plausible answer early doors, but the parsing came on the night bus! An object or goal is reversed and is carried by a straying from God’s path

14a        Party protecting popular revolutionary fellows ultimately against exile (10)

An informal party contains a reversal (revolutionary) of a popular synonym, followed by some fellows and the ultimate letter of against

22a        Peach fruit cut as ingredient for stew, perhaps (5,3)

What you have to do to the peach to make it a suitable ingredient for stews

Also great in a Ham Stottie

26a        Employees gathering got leader to definitively make improvements (4,7)

Employees gather a synonym of got and a leading letter

Down

1d          Bean counter’s head lowered in carriage (7)

A carriage for Roman soldiers lowers its leading letter down the order

6d          Get on case after second bit of evidence goes missing (7)

One of our usual ons or abouts and a small French case from which the second letter of evidence has been removed

7d          After couple of drinks, play equipment to make dance song (3-3,5)

Two cups of tea and a trip to the kids playground may make you try this song and dance routine. I will spare you the earworm, but if you really want to have it in your head for the rest of the day, look up DJ Caspar

12d       Somehow see such turmoil might be serendipitous (10)

When you find the definition in the middle it is probably a compound anagram. (somehow) – Somehow see and the answer we seek can be found in serendipitous

15d       Comparatively wet week at lake with onset of rain (8)

An abbreviation of week, at from the clue, one of the Great Lakes and the onset of rain give a comparative term for wet or overdiluted

17d       City’s luminosity inspiring when on top of Gherkin (7)

Luminosity contains (inspiring) a synonym of when and the top of Gherkin

According to Google Maps, the city we seek is actually 414 miles north of The Gherkin

20d       American ready, tackling disheartened pal’s depression (6)

A small American coin contains what remains of pal when disheartened

Compiler

proXimal

 

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