Toughie 3701

Toughie No 3701 by Beam
Hints and tips by Whybird

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BD Rating – Difficulty */**   – Enjoyment ****

Well, well!  Another Tuesday appearance for King Concision… You wait ages to blog a Beam puzzle, then two come along (almost) at once.  That’s all to the good as far as I am concerned! We have three six-word clues, and everything else is even more concise. 

I started off at a rate of knots and was starting to wonder whether “Floughie” and “Beam” had ever been linked in a Blog.  I should have known better, and the South-west corner, along with 2d put up a valiant fight, the end result being pretty much spot-on for a Tuesday.  I have ticks all over the place, notably 2d, 15d, 16d, 18d, 21a and 27a, but I’m giving my Gold Star to 12a. Thanks to Beam for a very enjoyable tussle.

Please accept my apologies for the absence of illustrations and the like.  In the short time since competing the puzzle and typing the blog, I’ve started an attack of man-flu or the like, and need to leave it here.

Please let us know how you fared and what you thought of the puzzle. 

Across Clues

1a Revulsion from within somewhat reduced (6)

HATRED The solution is lurking amongst (within) the letters of “somewhat reduced”

5a Buried shot inside stronghold (6)

FORGOT Insert a synonym of “shot” (as in “attempt”) into (inside) a type of stronghold

10a Lands winning shots taking runs (5)

ACRES A name for a particular clean, winning shot in lawn tennis surrounds (taking) the usual abbreviation for “runs”

11a Partially cover Bali’s eastern state (9)

VERBALISE The solution is lurking (Partially) within the letters of “cover Bali’s eastern”

12a Circular part of tree (7)

LEAFLET A double definition.  “Circular” here is a noun not an adjective

13a Cross snake with long exterior (7)

WASPISH A synonym of “long” (for) surrounds (exterior) a type of snake

14a Occasionally admits pet getting disease (9)

DISTEMPER A charade of the even letters (Occasionally) of “admits” and a synonym of “pet” (in the sense of “strop”)

17a Philosopher helping detailed observation, firstly (5)

PLATO A synonym of “helping” (as in “portion”) has the final letter removed (detailed) and the initial letter (firstly) of “observation” appended

18a Caught yobbo providing smack (5)

CLOUT The usual letter meaning “caught” followed by a synonym of “yobbo”

19a Rude about head of Venus bust (9)

INSOLVENT A synonym of “Rude” surrounds (about) the initial letter (head) of “Venus”

21a Control over Queen wearing crown (7)

OPERATE Take the usual letter indicating “Over” then follow with a synonym of “crown” (or head) into which has been inserted the two-letter identifier of our Late Queen (Queen wearing)

23a Eleven, for example, in Milan team? (7)

INTEGER The two letters meaning “for example” are inserted into the abbreviated name for one of Milan’s two association football teams 

25a Audacity namely concerning undergarment (9)

BRASSIERE A charade of a synonym of “Audacity”, two letters meaning “namely” and another two letters meaning “concerning”

26a Provokes bear in test, oddly (5)

BAITS The answer is found by taking the odd-numbered letters (oddly) of “bear in test”

27a Possibly runs chasing sweetheart? (6)

ELOPES A very clever all-in-one clue with “runs chasing sweetheart” doing double duty, which is suggested by the question mark. A synonym of “runs” as a verb follows (chases) the middle letter (heart) of “sweet”

28a Ogled in shelter, shamefaced (6)

LEERED A charade of a synonym of “shelter” a synonym of (or colour associated with being) “shamefaced”

Down Clues
2d Courts seeing a case unresolved? (5)

ATRIA Take “a” from the clue then add a synonym of (court) “case” from which the final letter is removed (unresolved).  My LOI  it took a long time to get my brain away from the “legal surface”

3d Troops speechless about one being tough (9)

RESILIENT Take a two-letter abbreviation for a part of the British Army then append a synonym of “speechless” into which the letter that resembles the number “one” is inserted (about) 

4d Cover from twosome covering verse (5)

DUVET The letter indicating “verse” is inserted into a (musical) “twosome”

5d Separates admitting anger with outburst (9)

FIREWORKS Take a synonym of “separates” (eg in the sense of roads) and insert (admitting) a synonym of “anger” and the letter indicating “with”

6d Rambles, often aimlessly, maybe slowly initially (5)

ROAMS The solution is made up of the first letters  (initially) of “Rambles often aimlessly maybe slowly”

7d Start talk swallowing single drink (9)

ORIGINATE Take a synonym of “talk” and insert (swallowing) the letter that resembles the number “one” and a distilled spirit

8d Song and dance over a Democrat (6)

BALLAD A synonym of “dance” if followed by (“over” in a Down clue) “a” from the clue and the letter indicating “Democrat”

9d Time repetition encapsulates new music (6)

TECHNO The usual letter indicating ”Time” is followed by a synonym of “repetition” into which is inserted (encapsulates) the letter indicating “new”. Not a musical genre that features in my playlists!

15d Single woman’s first in cubicle block (9)

STONEWALL Start with a synonym of “cubicle” and insert a numeric synonym of “Single” and the initial letter (first) of “woman”  Another clever surface that took time for my brain to move away from the “changing room” context

16d Funny pilaf’s starter lacking main ingredient? (9)

PRICELESS A charade of the initial letter (starter) of “pilaf” and then a term you could use to describe the absence of the main ingredient of a “pilaf” (and many other dishes).  Very clever!

17d Delicious, a drink raised on board (9)

PALATABLE Take “a” from the clue and a synonym of “drink” (as a verb), reverse these (raised) in a Down clue and the append a synonym of “board” (in the sense of furniture) 

18d Searches round old valleys (6)

COOMBS A synonym of “Searches” (as a verb) has the letter indicating “old” inserted (round)

20d Care bottling hot jam (6)

THRUST A synonym of “Care” (often used in the context of financial arrangements) has the abbreviation for “hot” inserted (bottling)

22d Sit up following ace storyteller (5)

AESOP A reversal (“up” in a Down clue) of a synonym of “Sit” (as in “model”) is preceded by (following) the letter indicating “ace”

23d International treaty is absolute (5)

IDEAL A charade of the letter meaning “International” and a synonym of “treaty”

24d Broadcast of men’s show (5)

GUISE The solution is a homophone of a synonym of “men’s”