Sunday Toughie No 241
by Zandio
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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As seems to be usual with Telegraph Towers, the first puzzle of the month is slow to appear. I got this at about quarter past midnight, but sped through this fairly quickly for a Zandio. 23d and 18d needed a bit of thought but I think I have parsed them now.
I will try and give a nudge if you are struggling; just ask. We have pulses here 4d and in the Dada 27a with Senf. Are the setters on a bit of a health kick? With all the healthy eating you are entitled to an extra 12a for afters
Here We Go…
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. I’ll be back just after the closing date with the full blog. Don’t forget to follow BD’s instructions in RED at the bottom of the hints!
I hope I don’t have to redact any comments, but I am not so new at this and don’t want to rock the boat. If in doubt, I’ll rub it out! I think that sentence is a bit redundant. You have all been so helpful in sorting out prior parsing failures, and I am sure I will need similar help again.
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 Dad writing stuff, more unwell apparently – here’s the solution (10)
A usual term for dad, the stuff you use to fill a pen and a comparative more unwell may be the solution to whatever ails him
10a This country rejected stand by Italy originating from another country (7)
The abbreviation for this country of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is reversed (rejected), add to stand by and the IVR code for Italy
12a Like a Christie sleuth with verbosity and delicacy (7,6)
The nationality of an Agatha Christie sleuth, and an informal term for verbosity – particularly nice with fresh fruit and whipped cream
15a Reserved unopened passes for veterans (3,5)
A chilly term for reserved, without its opening letter and passes from one person to another
19a Oddly applied dirty broom to decay (3,3)
A type of decay from odd letters of dirty broom to
24a King visits universities – twinning the French one comes with strings attached (7)
The chess notation for the king, between two university abbreviations and twin French definite articles
26a Bound to study Kew’s borderless garden (4)
A study is bound to what remains of Kew when borderless. Adam and Eve went 27a in this garden
Down
1d The old man‘s two secretaries (4)
Two instances of an abbreviation for secretaries
4d Pulse advanced – one that’s over fifty (6)
Advanced temporarily and a Roman one and fifty
11d Distressed in hearing If by Victorian writer offering everyday fare (7-6)
Homophones (in hearing) of a synonym of if, and the Victorian writer of a book of everyday recipes and household management
13d Surgical procedure time given by hospital pre-empts oxygen depletion in theatre (5,5)
An abbreviated surgical procedure, a geological time period, abbreviations of hospital and oxygen, and a synonym of depletion
18d Wild devourer leaves nothing in this? (7)
Of the four words that fit the checkers this fresh greenery seems to fit the best, particularly as it is an anagram (wild) of DEVoURER, from which the letter that looks like nothing leaves, As leaves are usually fresh and green. I am going to call this an all-in-one or &lit
21d Account of this person stuck on motorway somewhere in South America, backed up (6)
A name I call myself, a motorway abbreviation and a reversal (backed up) of somewhere in South America
23d Ran and fell down, scratching tummy briefly (4)
My first guess was crickety, when the tummy has been removed from the wicket that has been felled, but the 25a checker caused a change of mind. Ran like an open wound, from a synonym of fell down, but scratch an abbreviation of your tummy.
Compiler
Zandio
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Maybe I should save this for the end of the month, but this is what I listened to while waiting for the puzzle to drop
That’s All Folks…
An enjoyable puzzle. LOI was 2d as I got the answer but it then took far too long to parse it which is silly as it wasn’t difficult compared to other clues.
Top picks for me were 1a, 24a, 13d, 11d and 20d.
Thanks to SJB and Zandio.
Benign for a Sunday Toughie prize puzzle. 1a and 1d went straight in and a steady solve thereafter.
5d LOI as a new word for me.
18d and 23d favourites today.
Thanks to SJB and Zandio
Very much enjoyed this and completed unaided!!
5d was the last in and a new word to me, however gettable once the checkers were in.
favourites today were 11d and 22a, both of them had me on the wrong path, 11d I was thinking of railway fares and 22a I was fixated on the hotel!
thanks for the puzzle and the explanations
I didn’t find this that easy.
Some of the solutions were clear, but the parsing of them took longer.
The two I liked most were 14a and 27a.
Thanks to Zandio and to SJB.