Toughie No 3705 by Gila
Hints and tips by Whybird
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
Welcome to the Toughie Week! This is a rare Toughie appearance for Gila and is certainly the first chance I’ve had to Blog one of his puzzles and that always increases the nervousness, but I needn’t have worried. The two long anagrams at 1a and 1d made for a rapid start, and I was thinking about a fractional difficulty rating. Then I got bogged down on 19a and 20d, which took me longer than the rest of the puzzle, although neither clue was objectively all that tricky. Prizes go to 5d, 10d (I can never remember the spelling – now I won’t forget) and the aforesaid 20d, with 21d pinching the top spot by a nose.
The clues are all well put together, so no concerns on that score, but my minor local difficulty in the SE notwithstanding, for me, this would have sat better on the back page. This blurring of the between inside and back page difficulties seems to be a frequent occurrence recently and is something I think the Puzzles Team should address. But remind me I said that when a full-on four- or five-star puzzle lands on my watch on a quiet Tuesday morning.
Thanks to Gila for a pleasant start to a sunny Tuesday.
Please let us know how you fared and what you thought of the puzzle.
Across Clues
1a Sanctimonious author in hotel upset about heating, primarily (6-4-4)
HOLIER-THAN-THOU An anagram (upset) of “author in hotel” surrounding (about) the initial letter (primarily) of “heating”
8a King and others returned in due course (5)
LATER The letter used in the regal signature of a “king” and a (2,2) expression meaning “and others” are reversed (returned)
9a Clear initial couple of requirements when working with editor (8)
REASONED A charade of the first two letters (initial couple) of “requirements”, two-letter synonyms of “when” and “working” and the usual abbreviation for “editor”
11a Each increasingly uncompromising person from New York, say (9)
EASTERNER A two-letter abbreviation for “Each” followed by a synonym of “increasingly uncompromising” The term makes sense when viewed from eg Texas or California and the BRB clearly notes the US-specific sense
12a Grub is hot stuff, we’re told (5)
LARVA The solution is a homophone (we’re told) of something hot and geological
13a Very, very meh! (2-2)
SO-SO Combine two instances of the same synonym of “very”
14a Celebrity artist with some money, but no power (8)
EMINENCE A contemporary “artist” (noted for questionable bed linen and camping gear) followed by an item of British currency from which the usual letter indicating “power” is lacking
17a Network computer attached to old, second-rate monitor (8)
OBSERVER Take the usual letter indicating “old”, the letter indicating “second-rate” (eg in school grades) and add (attached) another term for a “Network computer”
19a Food cooked principally in Chinese way? (4)
TACO The initial letter (principally) of “cooked” is inserted into an eastern philosophical principle based on a Chinese word/symbol meaning “way” or “road”
23a Avoid publicity during the period before an event (5)
EVADE A two-letter synonym for “publicity” is inserted into (during) a synonym of “the period before an event” as used in eg 24th December
24a Items that collapse in messy heap, sorta (5,4)
OPERA HATS An anagram (messy) of “heap sorta”
25a Visionary concept catalogue (8)
IDEALIST A charade of four-letter synonyms of “concept” and “catalogue”
26a Wooden crosspiece protecting small plant (5)
BASIL A term for a wooden crosspiece (used in cricket) has inserted (protecting) the usual abbreviation for “small”
27a Tricky game? (8,6)
CONTRACT BRIDGE A cryptic definition of a card game for four players which involves the attempt to determine and then take a number of tricks
Down Clues
1d Interstellar object shall yet come around (7,5)
HALLEY’S COMET An anagram (around) of “shall yet come”
2d Musicians longing to hold note steadily at the start (7)
LUTISTS A four-letter synonym of “longing” has a musical note from the tonic sol-fa inserted (hold) and then the initially letter (at the start) of “steadily” appended
3d Trainee initially ignored something profitable (6)
EARNER Remove the first letter (initially ignored) from a synonym of “Trainee”
4d Many people run in beachwear (6)
THRONG The usual abbreviation for “run” is inserted into a (skimpy) item of “beachwear”
5d Makes do, learning from old grannie? (8)
ANAGRAMS The solution is a term that describes what you have to do to the letters of “old grannie” to make “do learning” based on a noun that will be very familiar to Crossword Solvers. I don’t like the term used as a verb, but the BRB accepts this sense, so wrinkle my nose and move on… …although I did enjoy working out what the clue was going on about in the first place. Denominalisation, apparently, but Bill Watterson puts it better.
6d Consultant ultimately subject to regular review for being controversial online (8)
TROLLING The final letter (ultimately) of “Consultant” precedes a term meaning “subject to regular review” often use to describe on-going contracts, etc
7d Exceeded the limit in a Rover, travelling north (7)
OVERRAN An anagram (travelling) of “a Rover” to which is added the abbreviation for “north”
10d French lady produced wine around Italy (12)
MADEMOISELLE A charade of a four-letter synonym of “produced” and a type of wine (French spelling) into which is inserted the usual letter indicating “Italy”
15d Item of interest in piece of info presented by a broadcaster in Ireland (8)
ARTEFACT A synonym of “piece of info” follows (presented by) “a” from the clue and the name of an Irish broadcaster
16d A melon is dished out for pudding, perhaps (8)
SEMOLINA An anagram (dished out) of “A melon is”
18d Unpleasant individual, 13? (2-3-2)
SO-AND-SO The solution is a way you could describe the two elements of the answer to 13a
20d The sound of a radio transmitter is picked up (7)
AMASSED The solution is a homophone of a (1,4) synonym of “a radio transmitter”
21d Go and remain occupied in some activity (4,2)
BEAT IT Split (2,2,2) the solution is a phrase meaning “remain occupied in some activity”
22d Constant warning light for curvy section of road (6)
CAMBER A charade of the letter indicating the speed of light and the colour of light used as a warning
Two clues turned this crossword from a 2* backpager to a 3.5* backpager. Once I’d spotted that 20d had to start with A from the clue, the food item couldn’t be anything else. The solution to 20d only works if you come from part of the country where people pronounce the radio transmitter in a certain way
Thanks to Gila and Whybird
Spot-on summation, Whybird – you nailed it. Best thanks both.
My last two in were also 19a and 20d, both excellent clues.
Celebrity at 14a and the clever 5d also received ticks, so my appraisal pretty much tallies with our blogger. I paused at the spelling of 10d too, until 14a was inserted.
My thanks to Gila and Whybird.
Nothing too tricky here but an enjoyable puzzle – thanks to Gila and Whybird.
For my podium I’ve selected 17a, 26a and 4d.
Completed whilst waiting for a cataract op, only 2 in front of me now.
Like others last in were 19a and 20d, I needed Whybird to enlighten me as to the Chinese way and I agree with CS, having worked on TV transmitters in my early life, I would never have pronounced it thus. My favourite is the item at 15d.
Many thanks to Gila and Whybird.
2*/3*
I was unfamiliar with the word meh so had to check it, not one I’ll be using in the near future or ever if it comes to it. Nothing held me up for too long but that didn’t detract from the enjoyment. Favourite was 26a. Thanks to Gila and Whybird.
An enjoyable and gentle Toughie. Well-crafted clues and lots of good surfaces. LOI was 20d – add me to the list of those for whom the homophone does not work. Fair’s fair, usually they work for me but not for others! Honours to 14a, 26a & 5d.
Many thanks to Gila and of course also to Whybird
Add me to the held up by 19a and 20d club. Were it not prohibited by the 10d checkers I really wanted 19a to be chow. An enjoyable start to toughie week. Thanks to Gila and Whybird.
You and me both with Chow, Jonners.
Like Taylor, I did not know “Meh” but I couldn’t think of anything else for the answer. Lots to like but my COTT is powerless celebrity artist at 14a.
Thank you, Gila for the fun. Thank you, Whybird for the hints, a couple of which I needed.