Sunday Toughie 230 (Review) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

Sunday Toughie No 230 by Silvanus

Review by Sloop John Bee

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This puzzle was published on the 21st of June 2026

Across

1a Television programme rock drummer missed or … (8,7)

MIDSOMER MURDERS: The first two words of the clue are the definition, the third is an anagram indicator, “rock” the letters of DRUMMER MISSED OR for MIDSOMER MURDERS

9a … saw by middle of June, day not specified (7)

UNDATED: The middle two letters of June UN, are followed by “saw” in a romantic sense DATED

10a University feeds craze concerning art, literature etc (7)

CULTURE: A usually religious craze CULT, followed by a university abbreviation U, and one of our usual concernings RE. Art, literature are examples of CULTURE

11a Bribe corrupt Western Europeans being seized (9)

SWEETENER: An anagram (corrupt) of WESTERN and two European abbreviations E E

12a Go for Glaswegian group committing crimes? (4)

GANG: A Scots verb for to go GANG, is also a group who may commit crimes a GANG

13a Offer Cambridge University loan previously (6)

SUBMIT: An informal loan or advance payment SUB, goes before (previously) the American university in Cambridge, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology or MIT. To offer or SUBMIT

15a Historian, one breaking down on the radio (8)

ANNALIST: One who breaks down information to core principles is an exact homophone (on the radio) of one who updates historical records yearly. An ANALYST becomes the historian who writes annals an ANNALIST

18a Type of table sauce (8)

DRESSING: A double definition, a DRESSING table in the bedroom or a sauce for a salad DRESSING

19a Those not scared about holding sparklers, maybe (6)

STONES: A lurker (holding) that is reversed (about) in the first three words of the clue

22a Knot bow tie at last (4)

NODE: A bending or bow of the neck NOD, and the last letter of tie E, NODE a knob, lump or knot

23a Discovered idiot guards sick prisoner showing determination (9)

WILLPOWER: What remains of a slang term for a silly or idiotic person TWERP, when discovered WER, goes around (guards) one who is a sick ILL, prisoner during a conflict POW, showing determination or W(ILL-POW)ER

26a “Fatty” Arbuckle, originally flipping religious, shot bears (7)

ADIPOSE: The original letter of Arbuckle A, and a shot of medicine DOSE, that contains (bears) an informal adjective for obtrusively religious PI, that has been reversed (flipping) IP. Fatty or A(D(IP)OSE)

27a Popular service, wrong to be cut back (7)

MASSIVE: A religious service MASS, and a reversal (back) of a sinful wrong EVIL, that has been cut of its last letter. EVIL becomes (l)IVE. Popular or MASS-IVE

28a How to avoid a sunburnt back? Stay cool (4,4,5,2)

KEEP ONES SHIRT ON: A double definition, providing that the item of outerwear has sufficient UV resistance. A phrase used to urge one to stay cool is also how to avoid a sunburnt back

Down

1d Hebrew teacher inspires American hairstyling products (7)

MOUSSES: One of our usual Americans US, in a Hebrew teacher who led the Israelites out of slavery MOSES. Hairstyling products or MO(US)SES

2d Trick hollow mirrors removed from fairground amusement (5)

DODGE: A fairground amusement DODGEMS, but remove the letters that remain when mirrors is hollow. DODGEMS minus MS gives us a DODGE or trick

3d Leaves behind away team’s kit heading for stadium (9)

OUTSTRIPS: Being away from home OUT, a team’s kit STRIP, and the heading for stadium S

4d Rascal escapes imminent death (6)

ENDING: A synonym of imminent (IMP)ENDING, from which a rascal or IMP has been removed

5d Batty woman arrived briefly upsetting centrepiece of musical medley (8)

MACARONI: A reversal (upsetting) of a character from Last of the Summer Wine NORA Batty and most of a synonym of arrived CAMe, NORA CAM becomes MAC ARON, followed by the centrepiece letter of musIcal. MACARONI is a synonym of medly

6d Bank just ignores graduate (4)

RELY: A synonym of just BARELY, ignores the bachelor of the arts graduate (BA)RELY. To bank on or RELY

7d Cautioned when playing, gets coaching (9)

EDUCATION: An anagram (when playing) of CAUTIONED becomes coaching or EDUCATION

8d Cunning minor takes drug (7)

SLEIGHT: Something minor or insignificant SLIGHT, takes the drug Ecstasy in its abbreviated form E. Cunning or SL-E-IGHT of hand

14d Those queuing for free food rebel, and I worried (9)

BREADLINE: An anagram (worried) of REBEL AND I

16d Hors d’oeuvres and beer consumed by social worker, quietly downing two litres (9)

ANTIPASTI: A social worker insect ANT,and a heavily hopped beer created for export to the sub-continent IPA, and a synonym of quietly STI(LL), from which two litre abbreviations has been removed -LL. Italian hors d’oeuvres or ANTIPASTI

17d Husband enters New Year drunk in whatever location (8)

ANYWHERE: An anagram (drunk) of NEW YEAR and H for husband

18d Emotion drained, male is in gloomy state (7)

DENMARK: Drain EmotioN EN, add a male M, and put it in a synonym of gloomy DARK. The state of D(EN)(M)ARK

20d Jerk working as ship’s doctor (7)

SURGEON: To jerk or rush SURGE, around a synonym of working ON

21d Flops down, perhaps exhausted after endless work mending pipes? (6)

PLUMPS: Exhaust PerhapS PS, and put it after work mending pipes PLUMB, without its end letter B. Flops down or PLUM-PS

24d Place to find spare tyre lying unused reportedly (5)

WAIST: A homophone (reportedly) of lying unused WASTE becomes where your adipose spare tyre may be found WAIST

25d Kitty ultimately raised for game (4)

POLO: A kitty or fund of money held in common POOL, but raise the ultimate letter until you get the game of POLO