Sunday Toughie No 237
by Hudson
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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It is always a delight when a new Sunday Toughie setter appears, especially so when it is from Hudson who has 83 normal toughies and many more anonymous backpagers to his name.
That this was a pangram certainly helped with 7d, I bunged the missing letters in and parsed this later.
We have 15a and 15d clues today and I have hinted half. I hope you find the checkers to cross the line, but will try and give a nudge if asked.
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. Someone else will 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!
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 Fish cut by sailor (8)
To cut a class perhaps, goes by an informal jolly sailor. A prefix for several species of fish that jump out of, or swim at the surface of the water
10a Chekhov, say, disheartened immediately (4)
The playwright rather than the Starfleet officer loses the letter at the heart of his forename
13a Pacific location known for its controlled splashdowns? (8)
A place with a Pacific coastline, famed for a controlled descent off the cliffs
17a Gangly boy taking day off – November 2 (5)
I was somewhat puzzled by the 2, until I solved 2d. A boy replaces the day abbreviation with ones for November and the answer to 2d. I am reminded of I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue invites to the food themed ball for Mr and Mrs R’otpot and their tall, withdrawn son ***** shy R’otpot
21a Endlessly provoke Sinatra when name dropping Sting? (8)
To provoke to a sudden burst of anger, without the end letter, and Frank Sinatra’s daughter without a name abbreviation
27a That is about The Greatest Romantic? (8)
A Latin that is (in full rather than the usual abbreviation) around a boxer often referred to as The Greatest
28a Delaying hearing after arresting leaders of armed robbery (8)
To hear a case in court contains the leading letters of the last two words of the clue
Down
2d Where to see Derby County fortunate to miss kick-off? (8)
A county familiar to crypticsue amongst others and a synonym of fortunate that is missing the letter it kicks off with
3d Prison on US state island bores a miser (5-7)
An abbreviated American prison and state, and a for each or every that bears a small island derived from the Gaelic innis
6d Snoop Dogg initially detained by detective – wow! (8)
An informal detective and an expression of surprise contain the initial letter of Snoop’s “surname”
7d Bad-tempered wife always welcoming kiss (4)
I bunged this in from the letters I was missing from the pangram and spent some crumpet scratching (Huntsman™) to parse. A wifely abbreviation and a poetic always welcome a letter used to signify a kiss. This leaves the first two words as the definition. This adjective can be used to describe chocolate that is badly tempered, it is capable of being bent, flexed or twisted without that familiar snap
16d London landmark cool? According to Spooner, it’s suffering (8)
The tallest landmark in London and cool or with it, when treated in the manner of the Reverend Spooner would be suffering
17d Rough Aussie poet eating ravioli on vacation (8)
A poet (long associated with The University of Hull where he worked most of his life) contains what remains of ravioli when vacated for a rough Australian lout
19d Italian corrupt politicians exercised opt out (8)
Two anagram indicators (corrupt) and (exercised) as an anagram of opt is taken out of politicians, before what remains is anagrammed for a native of a southern Italian island
24d Outcry in court as Australia lets in rapper banned in the UK (4)
A town criers call. This rapper, banned from the UK for anti-semitic comments, is inserted into an informal term for Australia. I had failed to (care) notice that he had dropped most of the name he was born with for “personal reasons” and I decline to play any of his (silent c) rap music for personal reasons of my own
Compiler
Hudson
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I have been listening to quite a bit of Van the Man, and that this album is a pretty good nudge toward 4d helped it earn a spot here. I will put it behind a spoiler for those who haven’t spotted the lurker yet
What a delightful surprise to find that Hudson has joined the ranks of the Sunday Toughie setters. This is a very entertaining puzzle (and a pangram to boot), not too tricky but with a couple of answers I needed to verify.
Both 7d and 24d were obvious from the wordplay but I needed to verify that the root of the 7d answer is an old informal term for a fit of anger (origin uncertain according to the BRB) and that the middle bit of 24d is apparently the new legal name of a rapper who has been banned from our shores (He should have been banned just for using a name like that!).
Top clues for me were 15a, 2d and 6d.
Many thanks to Hudson and SJB.
Here’s me thinking my chocolate parsing was clever. All I should have done is scrolldown the BRB app until the old informal definitions appeared doh!
As usual your correct see the foolowing correspondence with Rob…
My first time in the Sunday Toughie slot in today’s Telegraph.
Sample clue:
Promising Rovers’ striker nets second (4)
I hope it is the first of many, were you going for badly tempered chocolate or an archaic informal adjective in 7d?
Thanks for your kind message… the latter as it happens; as you say I think the chocolate reference would need *badly*-tempered
I didn’t notice the pangram and I should have done when Z and Q appeared. A lovely puzzle from Hudson that gives me an extra shot at The Mythical. I’ve never heard of the rapper but I wouldn’t have as I cannot stand the so called “music”. So many good clues that it’s difficult to pick a favourite but, if pushed, I’ll have the delayed hearing at 28a as my COTT.
Thank you, Hudson for an entertaining puzzle. Thank you, Sloops for the hints.
How is your Hudson coping with the heatwave? My black lab didnt enjoy the 1976 heatwave until we went to Bamburgh for a holiday
He hates it but still insists on running around like a dog possessed. Difficult keeping him cool in this weather. He knows the’s a portable air conditioning unit in the lounge so he waits at the door expectantly when the temperature gets to 27 degrees and above.
Welcome to the Sunday Toughie slot, Hudson! However, you’ve caused me loads of grief today as I have too many ticked clues to fit onto my customary Across & Down podiums…
I didn’t know the ‘Rough Aussie’ but my letter juggling struck gold at the second attempt. Sadly, I failed to spot the pangram, although I did hunt for a Nina without success. Continuing SJB’s dog theme, I was clearly barking up the wrong tree! Anyway, ignoring the podiums, my favourites were 17, 18 (that brought back memories!), 20 (nice surface), 27 & 28 Across, and 2 (I’m another xxxx resident, although I can’t claim to be a Man of xxxxbas I wasn’t born here), 8 (LOI – I like the use of ‘Discussed’ here), 16 (always a fan of a good Spoonerism) & 19 Down. I must mention 15a in dispatches as the idea made me laugh (although Stuart Broad would have switched it to the off side, perhaps).
Many thanks to Hudson for a fun puzzle, and to SJB for the hints and illustrations.
I haven’t checked, but a spinner like Shane Warne would probably be required to remove just that particular piece of the Wicket
Shane Warne was more likely to pitch outside leg and remove the other piece of the wicket (to a right hander, e.g. Mike Gatting bowled by ‘The Ball of the Century’ in 1993).
Stuart Broad famously (to some of us) swapped these pieces of the wicket over as a way of bringing luck against the Aussies – which it did, with a wicket the very next ball!
I have checked since and it was a clever trick to induce an edge and a catch. There are some new fangled “crosspieces” that light up when struck, but sometimes they fail to fall off
Oops, my apologies, SJB, for being explicit about the ‘County’ and being XXXX’d
Mind you, having referenced the links in your hints before commenting I was somewhat blind-sided…
18a may have brought back memories for me, but so did your comments on 17a – ISIHAC was required listening back in the day
To turn on the computer and see “Toughie 237 by Hudson” was the best start to the morning I could possibly have, even after the treat of solving two of this setter’s crosswords yesterday
Lots to enjoy throughout but I particularly liked 17a
Thanks to Hudson and SJB
I am sure I have a memory of episode of ISIHAC where Mr and Mrs R’otpot appeared, but I couldn’t find a YT link
Great Sunday debut, and very enjoyable.
So excited when the penny dropped for 24d, I forgot to check for the obvious pangram. Particularly with 21a and 7d
Yes, 7d has the last entry into the BRB; also in Wictionary. New meaning for me. Joins a long list of synonyms my wife uses to describe me…
Thanks for parsing 17a. Devious!
Thanks all, both paid and unpaid,
Excellent debut and great fun. Particularly liked the 2d and 17a combo for the PDM.
I did have to check a few of the 4 letter answers.
And 13a doesn’t seem particularly cryptic to me.
Thanks to all.
I may well have had a distinct edge in knowing that this was a pangram having read the comments on the back-pager. Either way it was a gentle affair but a joy (as is always the case with Hudson) to breeze through. Pleased the wordplay was clear as I wasn’t familiar with 7d’s context, 17d sort of rang a bell but Philip (who I once met at Hull uni) got me out of trouble & the stupid name for the odious Mr West needed a check.
Ticks all over the shop – 13,21&23a + 2,3&6d my picks with Pride Park (The Baseball Ground in Clough’s day) my fav.
Thanks to Rob & to John – I assume you’ve listened to the album (AW) Live at the Hollywood Bowl?
His 44 days in charge at Elland Road still touch a few nerves in these parts.
I have heard the live album, but usually go to the original version (memo to self – compare and contrast)
I have to confess to using a lot of help on this one – I had the wrong word in at 21a and this caused me much angst. Sporty clues mostly go over my head and I go on the theory that if it all fits in it must be right. I liked the thin strategy at 8d and the 17d rough Aussie is a word which should be better known. It is 7.45 and still too hot to go indoors. Phew. Many thanks to Hudson for his lovely guzzle and to SJB for his helpful hints.
Gave this a go, pleased to make it to the end, with my wife helping too. A few clues doubled the solving time, LOI was 21A’s stinger.
Grateful for the hints on 27A and 17A – I’d meant to look at 2D once it was in place to see if it helped 17A, then forgot. Meaning I couldn’t explain the KY 🙈
3D – still unsure of the parsing after reading SJB’s hint. Does the second word come entirely from an island ?
Pody picks – 17A. 21A and 17D which reminds me of Joe Mangle in Neighbours 📺
Thanks to Hudson and SJB ⭐️
The island is in a preposition for each or a.
Ok got it now, thank you, will need to get used to these Toughie subtleties. Didn’t know this island so that didn’t help 😸 a good one to remember.
Very enjoyable and happy to manage most of this unaided.
Am stuck on one clue and it’s only one letter I need so I feel very stoopid! 18a !!
COTD was 17d – an unfamiliar word but very well clued. Also honourable mention to 12d which was my first in. I tend to start a crossword with either the longest or shortest words as they are usually an easy way in.
Have been to the Piece hall Halifax tonight to see the scissor sisters hence the late contributions
I’d like to see SS again – were they good? They’re playing Victorious festival in Southsea but not on the days we’re going.
18A – assuming you’ve got the 3 intersecting letters right (12D, 19D, 8D), that leaves the 2nd letter. Tried all the vowels?
Yes but can’t make any of them make sense with the clue I may just have to bung one in
SS were brilliant, thoroughly recommend! The support act was quite astonishing 🙃
May just double check my spellings of the crossers now, my poor spelling often lets me down.
Had a penny drop moment with 18a and now this is my COTD. And yes 8d was not correct. Now all untangled.
Thank you for your help
I woud like to say that the striker plays for a fictional Rovers, he adds an abbreviation and comes out a “promising” hue
Thanks and that was exactly the penny drop moment.
I was making it hard for myself as I had the wrong word in 8 d which unfortunately ended with a letter that I could make fit “nets second” in 18a.