Toughie No 3745 by Hudson
Hints and tips by Whybird
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Welcome to another Toughie week.
Hudson has given us a puzzle which feels just about the perfect level for a Tuesday Toughie. There’s nothing outrageously obscure (the Scottish chimney being a possible exception but that crops up reasonably regularly) but there are a fair few that required some thinking about. And all that with a good sprinkling of top-notch surfaces. There’s been quite a lot of congestion around the podium, but I’m going with 26a, 12d and 23a just being pipped by 14a. But 4a really needs an honourable mention too. Thank you, Hudson, for a wonderful start to the week.
Please let us know how you fared and what you thought of the puzzle.
Across Clues
1a Weirdo Sid Owen tackles a bit of a dance (4-2)
DOSI-DO The solution is lurking amongst (tackles) the letters of “Weirdo Sid Owen”
4a Cold Bud also served – a gassy drink lacking flavour (4,4)
CLUB SODA An anagram (served) of the usual letter indicating “Cold” and “Bud also”
9a Quiet vehicle on the way back departs Uxbridge empty (6)
SUBDUE A charade of a reversal (on the way back) of a public transport vehicle, the letter indicating “departs” and the first and last letters (empty) of “Uxbridge”. And not a dictionary in sight!
10a One likely to experience a buzz at work? (8)
APIARIST A clever, cryptic definition of someone who looks after an insect renowned for buzzing
11a Specialist at Rugby School initially caught harmful flies (5,4)
SCRUM HALF The first letter of “School” (initially), the abbreviation for “caught” followed by an anagram (flies) of “harmful”
13a Carnegie regularly displayed onset of real temper (5)
ANGER Take the even-numbered letters (regularly displayed) of “Carnegie” and add the initial letter (onset) of “real”
14a Cathedral cook toyed with a bit of Black Magic (4,9)
DARK CHOCOLATE An anagram (toyed with) of “Cathedral cook”. I’m pleased to see the capital letters used to indicate the trademark context here
17a Whisk a red pepper with oil for the perfect look (5-3,5)
APPLE-PIE ORDER An anagram (Whisk) of “a red pepper” with “oil”
21a Associated Press: China Shock (5)
APPAL The abbreviation for “Associated Press” followed by a synonym of “China” as used in Cockney rhyming slang
23a He’s sent to fetch injured Red Baron back from Blighty (6,3)
ERRAND BOY An anagram (injured) of “Red Baron” followed by the final letter (back) from “Blighty”
24a Murder of rejected university student drama (4,4)
FOUL PLAY Reverse (rejected) “of” from the clue, then add the usual letters indicating “university” and “student” (or learner) followed by a synonym of “drama”
25a Metal safe storing whiskey (6)
PEWTER Take an alternative name for “safe” (as a security device) and insert (storing) the letter indicated by “whiskey” in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet
26a Swiss bar closing early to switch walls, getting a kind of mould (5,3)
NOBLE ROT More trademark action. Take a brand of chocolate bar predominantly made in Switzerland, remove the final letter (closing early) then swap the first and last letters of the remainder. Very clever!
27a Ready for attack, Pitt taking on both Conservative wings (6)
BRACED Forget prime ministers. Take the first name of a Hollywood A-lister and insert (taking on) the first and last letters (wings) of “Conservative”
Down Clues
1d Stop son being adopted by believer in God (6)
DESIST The usual abbreviation for “son” is inserted into (being adopter by) a synonym of “believer in God”
2d Cry before party managed to clear one’s head (7,2)
SOBERED UP A charade of a synonym of “Cry”, the poetic synonym of “before” and the abbreviation for one of Northern Ireland’s political parties
3d Band member Joe famously losing stone for daughter (7)
DRUMMER Take the surname of a famous Joe who was part of a well-known band, and replace (losing… …for) the abbreviation for “stone” with that for “daughter”. Another great surface.
5d Is it Victor’s round? (3,2,6)
LAP OF HONOUR The capital letter of “Victor” is a misdirection in this one. A cryptic definition of the “round” (or circuit) that could be undertaken by a winner
6d Swaggering display from Charlie’s predecessor screening commercial (7)
BRAVADO In the NATO phonetic alphabet, the letter that comes before (predecessor) “Charlie” surrounds (screening) and abbreviation meaning “commercial”
7d Due over £1000 after securing victory (5)
OWING The usual abbreviation for “over” and an abbreviation for a slang expression for £1000 surround (securing) a synonym of “victory”
8d Lawyer dined outside, in two minds over starter of yakitori (8)
ATTORNEY A synonym of “dined” surrounds (outside) a four-letter word that can mean “in two minds” and is then followed by (“over” in a Down clue) the initial letter (starter) of “yakitori”
12d Each April, go around the Aegean (11)
ARCHIPELAGO An anagram (around) of “Each April go” gives something of which the Aegean (Islands) are an example. I think a question mark would have helped to indicate the “for example” aspect of the clue
15d Like a tumbler going from bar to bar? (9)
ACROBATIC I’ve concluded that this is a cryptic, all-in-one, with the “going from bar to bar” complementing the “like a tumbler” aspect. The solution is an adjective that could describe someone who performs “tumbling” as well as eg a gymnast performing on parallel or asymmetric bars. Alternative parsings welcome!
16d Fuel smell upset airborne soldier at the front (8)
PARAFFIN A synonym of “smell” is reversed (upset) and preceded (at the front) by a four-letter term meaning “airborne soldier”
18d Overshadow cuts in electronic energy (7)
ECLIPSE A synonym of “cuts” is surrounded by (in) the usual abbreviations for “electronic” and “energy”
19d Desperate character rues playing a bloke in tights (7)
DANSEUR The name of a well-known Desperate (cartoon) character is followed by an anagram (playing) of “rues”
20d Stuck in Agadir by hotel, flipping cross (6)
HYBRID The solution is found, in reverse (“stuck in”; “flipping”) amongst the letters of “Agadir by hotel”
22d Vertical chimney oil company put up outside (5)
PLUMB A Scottish term for “chimney” is surrounded by a reversal (put up outside) of a two-letter major oil company
Very much a floughie Toughie requiring about the same amount of effort as the backpager. Nonetheless I found it extremely enjoyable with ticks all over. Shout-outs for the Rugby specialist, the Black Magic and the mould at 27a, but having given up my hives this year, my COTT is 10a the buzz at work.
Many thanks to Hudson and Whybird.
1*/4*
What an enjoyable puzzle! Hardly a toughie, but the lack of difficulty was more than offset by the humour packed into so many clues.
Nice to see The Clash frontman performing again at 3d and I particularly enjoyed the misdirections of the specialist at Rugby School in 11a, and the Black Magic at 14a.
My favourite though was the Swiss bar closing early at 26a…
Whenever we’re returning from abroad with a bit of spare dosh, I have a gander around the airport duty-free to see what I can squander it on and make a beeline for the aforementioned. No matter where I am in the world, it is invariably advertised as being discounted but in reality is at least twice the price they have it in supermarkets back at home when it’s full-priced!
I’m not having it!
I’d rather go without, put my shrapnel in the charity box and get it at Tesco’s, particularly as they’ve done away with the 14a version.
Anyway, rant over, I feel better now. My thanks to Hudson and Whybird.
I really enjoyed this. Floughie, yes, but huge fun from start to finish.
I’ve got too many ticks on my page to try to pick a favourite or even a podium selection.
Many thanks to Hudson and to Whybird.
As Croye Dave wrote, a Floughie Toughie that was very enjoyable with the solve being helped by three of the four long ‘uns being anagrams – 1.5*/4.5*
Candidates for favourite – 10a, 14a, 23a, 5d, 6d, and 22d – and the winner is the 22d upright Scottish chimney!
Thanks to Huson and Whybird.
A joy from start to finish – thanks to Hudson and Whybird.
My initial thought also was that 12d needed a question mark but consulting the BRB and Collins revealed that in the sixteenth century the answer specifically meant the Aegean.
Ticks from me for 26a, 27a, 5d and 16d.
Hugely enjoyable, don’t get me wrong, with so many cracking surfaces, but it’s a shame a puzzle like this occupies a Toughie slot when it was, if anything, more straightforward than AP’s traditional Tuesday gimme this morning.
Broad smiles from the start with 1a, but COTD went to the Victor at 5d, followed closely by the Swiss bar at 26a, with 8d’s lawyer and 23a’s gopher scrapping for bronze.
Many thanks indeed to Hudson and to Whybird.
Completely agree MG – it’s a perfect Wed back-pager that deserves a much wider audience
Hear hear
I’m part of the wider audience who doesn’t usually complete the toughie. But I did finish this one, without being able to parse 2 or 3 clues. An enjoyable half slog.
Fingers crossed that tomorrow’s Wed back-pager is a decent Wed back-pager
Thanks for dropping in, Hudson. And thanks for an excellent puzzle. I’m firmly I’m in the camp that this was a perfect Tuesday Toughie. And if tomorrow’s back-pager is as good as this, we’re being very well served indeed!
Thank you, Hudson for a most entertaining puzzle and for popping in. It is always appreciated when a setter comments.
An excellent if not too difficult Tuesday Toughie that was chock full of superb clues. I needed my trusty to pin to select a winner which was 1d.
Thanks to both Hudson and Whybird.
A very enjoyable fluffy Toughie, which I have just finished. I’m pleased 1a was a lurker otherwise I would not have solved it in a month of Sundays. The chimney was no problem because my Scottish wife always used to say “Long may yer 22d reek”. to anyone who would listen. I see The Clash’s frontman is back again at 3d. My COTT is the Victor’s round at 5d.
Thank you, Hudson and Whybird.
What a delightful puzzle. I’ve ticks all over my sheet.
Top picks for me were 14a, 26a, 25a, 5d and 15d.
Thanks to Whybird and Hudson.
Lots to like here and just right for a Tuesday. Tops for me were the bit of black magic at 14a, the mouldy confectionery at 26a, Victor’s round at 5d and the cunning construction of 8d. I too spent a long time looking for wordplay in 15d.
Thanks to Hudson and Whybird [nice pick of tunes].
Loved it! Sort of all fell into place nicely with lots of well constructed clues. I agree with those who thought it easier than the back pager. Didn’t know the chimney but do now. Didn’t notice it was a lurker in 1a and initially put a z in it which didn’t help. Anyway, thanks for an absorbing puzzle today and to Whybird.
Needed the hint to parse 26a, too clever for me. LOI was 1a, thank goodness it was a lurker. Generally straightforward but some needed a bit of serious thinking about. The same difficulty as others in picking a favourite but I’ll go with 2d. Thanks to Hudson and Whybird.
A most entertaining puzzle.
I particularly liked 14a and 5d.
Many thanks to Hudson and Whybird.
Top notch & the full 5* enjoyment rating in my book. Not a dud to be found & you could stick a ✅ next to pretty well all of ‘em. Just a shame it was all over so quickly really. Can’t say I’d ever given any thought to how you’d spell 1a but the required one probably wouldn’t have been my stab – it immediately sent me to You Tube to watch Bryn & Nessa doing Kenny & Dolly with their rendition cut short by Jason’s arrival.
Tough to pick a fav but Hecate up to her dark arts in the kitchen at St Paul’s was great fodder & hard to beat.
Brad over William plus Joe & Victor great clues together with the nifty cryptic def. Other particular likes were to be found at 9,11,24&26a + 2,6&20d.
Thanks to Hudson & to Whybird – love the Peter Green original but Santana’s cover even better.
I confess I was too lazy to track down the original, but felt I had to plump for this live version as the sleeve cover on the official video was perhaps a little risqué… Damn fine tune any which way, though.
Just found a great live version of the original
Peter Green, Danny Kirwan and Jeremy Spencer…endlessly talented but not without their troubles sadly
You ain’t kidding.
I still occasionally listen to some of Jeremy’s instrumental stuff.
I thought Peter Green was a fantastic guitarist. He seemed to stroke the strings rather than pluck them making the notes sound almost ethereal. “Albatross” is a case in point but “Coming Your Way” from the album “Then Play On” is a prime example.
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=Nz4xF7g4pno&si=ncfpN4njIIukEEw9
Very much enjoyed this one. A steady solve
COTD and last one in was the mouldy Swiss bar. I did like victors round at 5d too!
Thanks all
Thoroughly enjoyable all the way through. 26a gets top rating from us.
Thanks Hudson and Whybird.
Good evening
A rare stab at the Toughie today. Made it through with several hiccups – some excellent clueing, not least my last to fall, 26a, which is my COTD.
Not sure when I’ll make it back to Toughie-land! We’ll see!
Many thanks to Hudson and to Whybird
1* / 4* A thoroughly enjoyable rare toe dip into Toughieland for me.
Lots of cracking clues, favourites being 5d victor’s round and 14a Black Magic
Thanks to Hudson and Whybird