Sunday Toughie 80 (Hints)

     Sunday Toughie No 80

by Zandio

      Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee

     + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

Zandio with a tricky but solvable Toughie today, as usual, I have run out of hints before all the tricky ones are hinted so if you want an extra nudge ask away and I will try to help

An even 14a 14d clues today and I have hinted half(ish) with a couple of bonuses, don’t forget the Maxim of when in doubt look for a lurker ( both forward and backwards today)

 

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 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. Dont 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 Way to get all-inclusive meals (12)
A comprehensive all-inclusive synonym and food for the table combine to give a “way” open at both ends

8a Love food, lying in bed and having a dip (7)
A “love food” that is supposed to increase one’s libido or sexual desire, they grow in beds and are dipped in the sea

12a One takes up art, dropping behind when tense (3,4)
An art or talent drops its behind letter, adds a conditional for when and an abbreviation of tense
16a Poser concerning this setter’s twisted disguise (9)
A poser or pretentious person who has a “corner” in Private Eye for their pretentious ramblings, a preposition for concerning this and a reversal (twisted) of this setters possessive adjective, the whole being the disguise that Zandio has adopted

21a Fifty-fifty splitting two hundred? It’s criminal (7)
Lots of Roman numerals here, start with the Roman for two, split it with fifty twice, add a hundred and it from the clue

23a Overpriced in Paris, the towering spire? (7)
Something vertiginously overpriced, and how a Parisian may say the. The towering spire of many cathedrals such as this one in Paris


26a Consecutive numbers figured in this record (7-5)
Two consecutive numbers next to each other, when written out in full, are the way we refer to records that revolve at a specific speed

 

Down

1d Trying to give thanks hurt (7)
A brief thanks and the hurt that a wasp may give when trying or sampling cream cakes at a picnic

3d Old boy sitting on “sitting thing” (9)
Our usual Old Boy and the term that a court or public body calls its sittings, a fixed idea you “sit” on

4d 

7d Fuel found in Crosby maybe, essence that could lead to explosion (7,5)
A fossil fuel in an old crooner, followed by the essence or purpose of something


10d One cuts right angle? (6,6)
The character that when capitalised looks like a right angle and what you may use to cut it (or an envelope)

15d Bishop enthralled by Thomas, saint with unique memorial (9)
An abbreviated Thomas, Bishop and Saint followed by something sole or unique is the memorial applied to your grave

17d

18d Thirty-one days rest — 15 could follow that (7)
An abbreviated month of 31 days and to rest or relax, what happens before you get a 15d

20d Cleopatra’s unspoken last words surfacing in America? (7)
Split 3,4 this could be what Cleopatra may have said to persuade the snake clasped to her bosom to desist, but alas she was too late, as (7) it is an Americanism for the surfacing of roads. Unlike 4d this time it is indicated but the BRB doesn’t suggest it is specifically American – go figure!

Could new readers please read the Welcome Post and the FAQ before posting comments or asking questions about the site.

As this is a Prize crossword, please don’t put any ANSWERS, whether WHOLE, PARTIAL or INCORRECT or any ALTERNATIVE CLUES in your comment.
Please read these instructions carefully – they are not subject to debate or discussion. Offending comments may be redacted or, in extreme cases, deleted. In all cases the administrator’s decision is final.
If you don’t understand, or don’t wish to comply with, the conventions for commenting on weekend prize puzzles then save yourself a lot of trouble and don’t leave a comment.

Global warming is probably responsible for the unusual islands of 19d here is The Marsh Family take on this…

That’s All Folks!