Sunday Toughie No 231 by Beam
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 28th of June 2026
Across
8a Fancy that game with empty stomach (4)
GOSH: A board game from the far east GO, and what remains of stomach when emptied SH, GOSH Fancy that!
9a Playing in time practised right (10)
HONOURABLE: Playing or going ON, in a period of time HOUR, followed by a synonym of practised ABLE. Right or H-ON-OUR ABLE
10a Row follows judge being more generous (8)
HEARTIER: To judge in court HEAR, followed by a row TIER. A more generous or HEARTIER serving
11a Still Caledonian’s first dressed in tartan (6)
PLACID: Another word for tartan PLAID, contains the first letter of Caledonian C. Still or PLA(C)ID
12a Gold one found inside quiet tomb (9)
MAUSOLEUM: The chemical symbol for gold AU, and the condition of being just one only SOLE, go inside an informal term for being quiet MUM. A tomb or M(AU)(SOLE)UM
13a Small part obtained, not tons (5)
CAMEO: A (4,2) phrase for obtained a final total CAME TO, loses the tons abbreviation. A small part or CAMEO as frequently performed by Colin Dexter in most episodes of Morse, Lewis or Endeavour
15a Wife shrinking strong material (7)
WEBBING: A synonym of shrinking (like a tide) EBBING, follows a wifely abbreviation W
17a Maybe dish out again for order (7)
RESERVE: Split this (2-5) and you may dish out a meal again RE-SERVE. As (7) it would be to secure the table, or other booking, in the first place RESERVE
20a One recorded hit with Queen (5)
TAPER: A brief hit TAP,and our late Queen’s regnal cipher ER
22a Marine is fierce suppressing fear, oddly (9)
SEAFARING: A fierce hot temperature like the current heatwave SEARING, around the odd letters of fear FA
25a Amorous heart accepting sex appeal returned (6)
EROTIC: Take the heart of an apple perhaps CORE, that contains informal sex appeal IT, then reverse it (returned) for amorous or sexually charged. C-IT-ORE becomes EROTIC
26a Under pressure, fools possibly flipped (8)
STRESSED: Fools are an example of the final course of many meals DESSERTS, then flip your answer to be STRESSED or under pressure
27a Hostile man, aggressive, dropping one (10)
MALEVOLENT: Man as a gender MALE, and a synonym of aggressive V(I)OLENT, but drop the Roman letter for one. MALE-VOLENT or hostile
28a Reportedly spoils instrument (4)
LUTE: The spoils of theft LOOT, as a homophone, a musical instrument or LUTE
Down
1d Reporting about finished on time (8)
COVERAGE: A usual about C for Circa, something finished or OVER, and a longer period of time than the one needed for 9a an AGE. Reporting or C(OVER)AGE
2d Drinks purchasing bar’s last drinks (6)
SHORTS: Drinks is the definition, but which one? I have gone for the last one. Some drinks usually served neat in small glasses SHOTS, containing the last letter of bar R, they are also drinks to which a mixer may be added SHORTS
3d Object about channel being sensational (9)
THRILLING: A very small brook or channel RILL, with an object or TH-ING going about it. Being sensational or THRILLING
4d United almost start trying (7)
ONEROUS: Being united as ONE, and almost all of to start or cause to become awake ROUS-E. ONEROUS or trying
5d Discards useless material, perhaps scrap initially (5)
DUMPS: Beam’s ™ initialism, the initial letters of the first five words
6d Shell swiftly supporting Ferrari? (8)
CARAPACE: A synonym of swiftly APACE, supports what Ferrari? is an example of CAR, A shell or CARAPACE. As Steve C pointed out a nice surface as Shell were and are sponsors of Ferrari
7d Fish in spot catching current (6)
PLAICE: The spot where something is located PLACE, contains the physics symbol for electric current I. A flat fish or PLAICE
14d Punch from barkeeper for a teetotaller (9)
PERFORATE: A lurker (from) the rest of the clue
16d Rest beloved’s head, pretty embracing sweetheart (8)
BREATHER: The head of beloved B, a synonym of pretty or considerably RATHER, that has embraced Beam’s ™ swEetheart E. A rest or B(R-E-ATHER)
18d Batted, never getting upset about rivalry (8)
VENDETTA: A lurker (getting) that is reversed (upset about) in the first two words
19d Transparent material in glasses when delivered (7)
PERSPEX: Through or in PER, and a homophone (when delivered) of an informal term for glasses SPECS becomes SPEX
21d Sailor on route to foreign parts (6)
ABROAD: A seaman ranked just above ordinary an (AB)le Seaman on a route or path ROAD
23d Take stock of other people? (6)
RUSTLE: A cryptic definition of stealing the livestock of other people
24d Rubbish roughly revolting thespian (5)
ACTOR: Something rubbish ROT, and our usual roughly or approximately CA, are reversed (revolting) ROT-CA becomes a thespian or ACTOR
Compiler
Beam
That’s all Folks…