Sunday Toughie 78 (Review)

 Sunday Toughie No 78  by proXimal

Review by Sloop John Bee

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This puzzle was published on the 23rd of July 2023

 

Across

1a Papers around in person’s bag, as flying? (8,6)
BOARDING PASSES; We start with an all-in-one &lit. The papers you need to get on a plane are also an anagram (flying) of “person’s bag as” plus some other papers we carry ID reversed (around)

10a Bitter Englishman discontented tranquil hosts (9)
RESENTFUL; What remains of an Englishman when discontented E_N, goes in a synonym of tranquil RESTFUL

11a One in pair who sets rate of travel (5)
PACER; One who sets the rate of travel from a card with one pip ACE, in an abbreviation of pair PR

12a Beset by storm, left working vessel (7)
GALLEON; This sailing vessel is a wind of force 8 GALE, around L and a synonym of working ON

13a Lynx in early history entering ark, maybe (6)
BOBCAT; Ark, maybe indicates another type of vessel BOAT, around those years prior to the start date of many religions BC

15a Figure having half of malty drink (4)
OVAL; The first half of a malty drink that thankfully I was not forced to drink OVAL(TINE)

17a Disgruntled old dons chef feeds crackers (7,3)
CHEESED OFF; An anagram (crackers) of CHEF FEEDS, and it contains/wears/dons O for old

19a Reddish-brown back seat to car retains covers (10)
TERRACOTTA; When in doubt look for a lurker, and a reverse lurker to boot indicated by (back…covers) contained in four words of the clue This reddish-brown colour is from the Italian for baked (cotta) earth (terra)

20a Smart and charismatic, flawed star I am to leave (4)
CHIC; Remove an anagram (flawed) of star i am from CH(arismat)IC and what remains is smart

22a Bladed tool cutting hard metal (6)
COPPER; A bladed tool for cutting down a tree perhaps CHOPPER, loses an abbreviation for hard

23a Come into cool hotel turning weary (7)
INHERIT; To come into some money or other valuables from something that is cool IN, the letter that Hotel represents in the NATO phonetic alphabet H, and a reversal (turning) of a synonym of weary, TIRE becomes ERIT

26a Leader of Turkey that is welcoming outsiders in loud foreign accent (5)
TILDE; An initial of Turkey T, a Latin abbreviation for that is I.E., and the outside letters of LouD give us a diacritical accent mark used to modify sounds in Spanish and Portuguese ~

27a One taking pictures from pop artist, retired Australian unknown (9)
PAPARAZZO; A bit of Lego here, start with ones Pop or Father PAPA, add an artist displayed at the Royal Academy RA, and finish with a reversal (retired) of an Australian OZ, and an unknown number in an equation Z

28a Record one in room at home, a politician being prejudiced (14)
DISCRIMINATORY; More lego here, Start with a record DISC, add an abbreviation of room with the letter that looks like one inside R1M, a synonym of at home IN, and a politician of a blue hue A TORY.

Down

2d Parasite bringing down large bird (5)
OUSEL; Start with a parasitic wingless insect LOUSE, and bring the L for large down the order until you have a bird that resembles the blackbird

3d Water flowing right on the market (6)
RUNLET;  R for right and a property that is still on the market as it is looking for a tenant R+UN-LET

4d Sketchy info to hand? It’s early stage (10)
INFANTHOOD; The early stage of life is an anagram (sketchy) of INFO TO HAND

5d Reviewed performance record with foxtrot and what follows? (4)
GOLF; A reversal (reviewed) of a performance record LOG becomes GOL, and the letter that foxtrot represents  F, give us the sport currently contested at Hoylake, but where is the definition I hear you say it is what follows foxtrot in the NATO phonetic code
No sniggering at the back it is not Oscar!

6d Lapsed drunk consuming house plant (8)
ASPHODEL; An anagram (drunk) of LAPSED contains an abbreviation of house HO

7d Fool in bed on hard coarse material (9)
SACKCLOTH; An informal term for ones bed the SACK, a thick fool CLOT,and an abbreviation of hard H,give us a coarse material worn in mourning or penance (SACKCLOTH and Ashes) or used to carry potatoes

8d Endorsement supporting stone layering (14)
STRATIFICATION; The procedure to approve sanction and endorse RATIFICATION, goes beneath (supporting) an abbreviation for a stone in weight ST. To deposit form or arrange in layers

9d Professional wordless musical piece taken up before journalist predicted (14)
PROGNOSTICATED; Start with an abbreviated professional PRO, then a reversal (taken up) of unspoken or wordless and a musical piece TACIT and SONG become GNOS TICAT,  and our usual journalist ED

14d Seemed correction fluid gets expended by new writer (4-3,3)
FELT-TIP PEN; A synonym of seemed FELT, and a brand of correction fluid TIPPEX with the X (expended) replaced by N for new

16d A storage tower erected contains produce for citadel (9)
ACROPOLIS; A from the clue and a reversal of a storage tower (erected)SILO becomes OLIS contain the produce of agriculture that may be contained in the storage tower CROP, give us a citadel esp. that of Athens Topically featured in a Matt cartoon this week

18d Beastly driver having fight in vehicle (8)
CAMELEER; A confused, noisy fight MELEE, goes into a motor vehicle CAR, to be someone who drives or rides the ships of the desert

21d Desire of those people lacking energy and time (6)
THIRST; A pronoun for of or belonging to those people THEIRS, lacks the E for energy and adds a T for time

24d Sharp, pronounced vertical in flight (5)
RAZOR; erm this vertical part of a flight of stairs is not a homophone of this sharp thing in my personal lexicon, but the missing a is in the BRB so fair enough, RAISER is a better homophone of RAZOR it isjust me that seems to prefer RISER for the vertical portion of a stair

25d Climbing charts: Monty Python repeat? (4)
SPAM; A reversal (climbing) of some charts MAPS, also a foodstuff celebrated in song by Monty Python 

Spam Spam Spam, Spamitty Spam!

That’s all Folks…