Sunday Toughie 244 (Hints)

Sunday Toughie No 244

by Light

 

Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee

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Light has brought a great Toughie today, with some clever surfaces and a bit of investigoogling to check the 3d novelist and 23a cocktail. I hesitate to call it floughie as I was off base last week and there were a few crumpet scratches to get across the finish line.

I hope you find the checkers to cross the line too, but as usual I 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. Gazza 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 Tense journalist chasing beer with short is stupid (4-6) 

A small amount of beer, a shortened with and abbreviated tense and a senior journalist is stupid 

10a Character from abroad returning before twelve US soldiers (5) 

A reversal (returning) of the hours before twelve noon and some plural US soldiers  

12a Might one make you feel better with a floral bouquet? (14) 

Someone who makes you feel better using essential plant oils such as the fragrant lavender or 14a

14a Part of windmill contained rolls and bloomers (7) 

That part of a windmill that is driven by the wind and a synonym of contained are reversed (rolls)

17a Award puts out second hip American music producer (7) 

A film award puts out the second abbreviation, adds a synonym of hip or with it and a usual American 

 

20a Provisions are disposed of at morning meeting here? (9,5) 

Where you meet to dispose of your morning provisions, Terrence may dispose of gruel and orange juice (without bits). I would go for a  bacon butty, double espresso, and OJ with bits 

24a Private Victor Watts has deserted (5) 

Ignore the capitals. The victor of a competition is deserted by the abbreviation of watts

A musical interlude from Sting;

Although Firestarter may be a better hint

 

Down 

2d Chattering incessantly, yellow bird south of wood (9) 

Heraldic yellow and a flightless bird go beneath (south of in a down clue) a lump of wood 

3d James’s work with innovative AI makes hit novel (4,6,4) 

I think we must abbreviate with, or hit in the clue becomes redundant. An abbreviation of with, an anagram (innovative) of AI MAKES HIT, all followed by a synonym of novel. I reversed into the answer when I tried to think of an author with the surname James

7d Old people online civil in retirement? Not entirely (5) 

The best-known member of this old race of people is probably Boudicca. A lurker (not entirely) that is reversed (in retirement) in the other two words of the clue 

 

9d Taking a drug out of Java, perhaps? (14) 

A cryptic definition of the act of removing the stimulating part of Java 

I will be taking part in James’ next mass tasting on the fermentation of coffee beans

13d A musical interlude from Bob Dylan

16d Temporary shelter erected to protect fish trap at sea (6,3) 

A temporary shelter is reversed around a verb for to fish with rod and line

18d Article on excellent pub coming up, “Knight & Horse” (7) 

Start with an indefinite article, then reverse an alphanumeric excellent and a pub (coming up in a down clue) and finish with the notation for a chess piece 

22d Reportedly takes home containers for drinks (4) 

A homophone (reportedly) of what you take home. Containers for water, tea or ashes 

 

Compiler 

Light 

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