Sunday Toughie No 80 by Zandio
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 6th of August 2023
Across
1a Way to get all-inclusive meals (12)
THOROUGHFARE; A comprehensive all-inclusive synonym THOROUGH, and food for the table FARE, combine to give a road or “way” open at both ends
8a Love food, lying in bed and having a dip (7)
OYSTERS; A “love food” that is supposed to increase one’s libido or sexual desire, they grow in beds and are the main ingredient of Oyster Dip, Oyster Dip is new to me but I am not terribly fond of raw oysters – they are a bit like drinking a spitoon – once you start you can’t stop!
9a What’s the point of surgery? (7)
SCALPEL; What is the pointed tool used by surgeons? a SCALPEL of course
11a Partner’s using it to plaster over five lounges (7)
LOITERS; Remove a Roman five from sexual or romantic partners LO(V)ERS, plaster over it with IT from the clue. to give us lounges or LOITERS about
12a One takes up art, dropping behind when tense (3,4)
SKI LIFT; An art or talent SKIL(L)drops its behind letter, adds a conditional for when IF, and an abbreviation of tense T, for the device that takes skiers up the mountain
13a Chess piece, not king, that’s black in comparison (5)
NIGHT; Find a chess piece, other than the King (K)NIGHT and remove the notation that represents the King, and what remains is as black as NIGHT in comparison
14a Blend of cigarette tar — get nicotine-free for rolling (9)
INTEGRATE; When in doubt…of and free indicate that the answer we seek is within the clue, for rolling suggests looking the other way. A reverse lurker as shown in red
16a Poser concerning this setter’s twisted disguise (9)
PSEUDONYM; A poser or pretentious person who has a “Pseuds Corner” in Private Eye for their pretentious ramblings PSEUD, a preposition for concerning this ON, and a reversal (twisted) of this setters possessive adjective MY becomes YM, the whole being the disguise that Zandio has adopted as the PSEUDONYM for his crosswords
19a I had a bit of a laugh here? (5)
IDAHO; A contraction of I had I’D, A from the clue and a bit of a laugh HO give us a place here? The question mark tells us that here? means we are looking for a place that fits the wordplay
21a Fifty-fifty splitting two hundred? It’s criminal (7)
ILLICIT; Lots of Roman numerals here, start with the Roman for two I I, split it with fifty twice ILLI, add a hundred C, and IT from the clue, for something criminal or illicit
23a Overpriced in Paris, the towering spire? (7)
STEEPLE; Something vertiginously overpriced STEEP, and how a Parisian may say the LE. The towering spire of many cathedrals such as this one in Paris
24a Misbehave one time, starting domestic row (7)
TERRACE; To misbehave ERR, is human, to forgive divine, the playing card with one pip ACE, and starting with T for time for a row of domestic houses
25a Employ 9 characters for developer at Exeter (7)
OPERATE; When in doubt…(characters for) what the answer for 9a SCALPEL is employed for. A lurker hidden in red
26a Consecutive numbers figured in this record (7-5)
SEVENTY-EIGHT; Two consecutive numbers 7 and 8 next to each other 78, then written out in full are the way we refer to records that revolve at a specific speed SEVENTY-EIGHT rpm
Down
1d Trying to give thanks hurt (7)
TASTING; A brief thanks TA, and the hurt that a wasp may give STING, when trying or sampling cream cakes at a picnic perhaps…
2d Cram in too much duck — avert reprocessing with English stuffing (7)
OVEREAT; The score that a duck represents at cricket O, an anagram of avert VER-AT, stuff E for English inside, what may happen when you try to cram in too much cream cake before the wasps get you
3d Old boy sitting on “sitting thing” (9)
OBSESSION; Our usual Old Boy OB, and the term that a court or public body calls its sittings SESSION, a fixed idea you “sit” on
4d Wow, addition to script is pants (5)
GASPS; To wow, impress or thrill GAS, (US slang – unindicated but they are obviously ok with setters and editors) followed by the post scriptum remarks you may add to a letter PS
Its a GAS, GAS, GAS
5d Damned like souls in Hell? (7)
FLAMING; An adjective for the eternal fire that souls in Hell have to endure
6d “River plaice” battered — must be fake (7)
REPLICA; An anagram (battered) of R for river and plaice, for a fake or copy REPLICA
7d Fuel found in Crosby maybe, essence that could lead to explosion (7,5)
BOILING POINT; A fossil fuel OIL, in an old crooner BING Crosby, followed by the essence or purpose of something POINT
10d One cuts right angle? (6,6)
LETTER OPENER; The character that when capitalised looks like a right angle L, and what you may use to cut it (or an envelope)
15d Bishop enthralled by Thomas, saint with unique memorial (9)
TOMBSTONE; An abbreviated Thomas TOM, Bishop B, and Saint ST, followed by something sole or unique ONE, is the memorial applied to your grave TOMBSTONE
17d Clinging on to plaice finally, angler is disposed to do this? (7)
ENLARGE; I can’t find a separate definition so it must be an all-in-one/&lit it refers to the propensity of anglers to exaggerate the size of their catch, formed from the last letter of PlaicE and and an anagram (is disposed) of ANGLER
18d Thirty-one days rest — 15 could follow that (7)
DECEASE; An abbreviated month of 31 days DEC(ember) and to rest or relax EASE, what happens before you get a 15d
19d Unusual island … Cos? No, but similar (7)
ICEBERG; Not the Greek island (usually spelt with a different initial) but a foodstuff similar to a Cos Lettuce that is also an unusual island due to its temporary nature
20d Cleopatra’s unspoken last words surfacing in America? (7)
ASPHALT; Split 3,4 this could be what Cleopatra may have said to persuade the snake clasped to her bosom to desist ASP HALT!, but alas she was too late, as (7) ASPHALT, it is an Americanism for the surfacing of roads. This time it is indicated but the BRB doesn’t suggest it is specifically American – go figure!
22d Better to avoid beer — it admits little communication (5)
TWEET; Remove the beer from (be)TT(er) and admit a Scottish adjective for little WEE. It could be the communication of a small bird as the other little communication has recently been re-named by Mr Musk. as X
That’s All Folks!