Sunday Toughie 106 (Review)

Sunday Toughie No 106 by Zandio

Review by Sloop John Bee

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This puzzle was published on the 4th of February 2024

     

                Across

1a           Underground base with accommodation and emergency exits (6,6)
RABBIT WARREN: A cryptic definition of a home where a group of animals live and breed, which has many ways in and out

8a           Selling point of suit incorporating uniform (7)
AUCTION: A place to sell, from a legal suit ACTION incorporating the letter that uniform  suggests U

9a           Bird — duck — rolling across street (7)
OSTRICH: The letter that looks like a duck on a cricket scorer’s notes O, an abbreviation of street ST, and rolling is an expression of the wealth that follows RICH

11a Harem murder implicates backing musician (7)
DRUMMER: A lurker (implicates) reversed (backing) at the start of the clue

12a        Kind of painting breaking RA rules? (7)
SURREAL: An anagram (breaking) of RA RULES – The style of art that Salvador Dali of 25a was known for

13a        Written without Sheeran? (5)
NOTED: A synonym of without NOT, precedes the singers abbreviated forename ED

14a        What’s disturbed DC — Epstein under investigation (9)
INSPECTED: An anagram (what’s disturbed) of DC EPSTEIN

16a        Higher than natural, I had sung like a hawk? (5-4)
SHARP EYED: A note one-half step higher than a natural SHARP, and a homophone (sung) of a shortened I had or I’d becomes EYED To have the visual acuity of a hawk or similar bird of prey

19a        Welsh town has limited double parking for one in seven workers (5)
HAPPY: A Welsh town (on the River Wye) HAY on Wye, contains two instances of the letter that indicates parking HA(PP)Y one of the Seven Dwarves

21a        Sees pale, raw looking behind, showing evidence of this? (7)
RELAPSE: A reverse lurker (looking behind) in the first three words RELAPSE, but the whole clue is the definition. If you are pale and raw looking your condition may be showing evidence of suffering a setback

23a        West-facing state perhaps in Commonwealth country (7)
NIGERIA: To state a grievance perhaps AIR, an abbreviation of perhaps as an example EG, and IN from the clue are reversed (West-facing in an across clue) AIR EG IN becomes NIGERIA

24a        Leaf set down by insect procession (7)
PAGEANT: The leaf of a book PAGE, is set down next to an insect ANT

25a        Dali, for instance — Spain’s entertainer (7)
ARTISTE: Dali is an example of the creative type ARTIST, add the IVR code on Spanish cars E, for an entertainer or ARTISTE

26a        Bottom’s adornment enthrals Fairyland’s central character for ages (7,5)
DONKEYS YEARS: A bit of Shakespeare here, the adornment that Puck makes Nick Bottom wear in A Midsummer Night’s Dream DONKEYS EARS, around the central character of fairyland Y

               

Down

1d           ‘Playground rugby’ — I finally put sign up (7)
RECRUIT: Abbreviations of a playground REC, one of the Rugby football codes RU, I from the clue and the final letter of put T. To sign up or RECRUIT

2d           Married twice, partly reformed bride’s brought in and welled up (7)
BRIMMED: Two abbreviations of Marriage go into an only partly reformed bride BRI(MM)ED

3d           Urban? A cruciverbalist might see it! (5-4)
INNER-CITY: Where a cruciverbalist looking for hidden words may see “it” IN A CITY becomes INNER-CITY

4d           Legendary golfer‘s clubs (5)
WOODS: A double definition of Tiger Woods or one of the type of clubs he uses

5d           One’s getting on, and over wearing formal work gear (7)
RETIREE: An all-in-one for someone of an age when formal work attire is not necessary

6d           Tesla, say, I’d parked before time, keeping small space clear (7)
EVIDENT: Tesla is an example of a battery-powered car whose abbreviation we need here EV, I’D from the clue, a small printer’s space EN, and T for time should make the answer clear or EVIDENT

7d           Taking off in limited space? Or limited space for taking off (7,5)
LANDING STRIP: The small space at the top of the stairs LANDING, where you may STRIP off clothes or the place where your aircraft takes off

10d        One sunbathing, maybe big hit covering nothing on top (12)
HOLIDAYMAKER: A well-telegraphed hit or punch like the action of a farmworker HAYMAKER, around the letter that looks like nothing O and a covering LID H(O)(LID)AYMAKER

15d        Sitting in position around study, heading off change (9)
SEDENTARY: To position or place SET, around a study DEN and a synonym of change v(ARY) without its first letter SE(DEN)T(ARY

17d        Quick, everyone! Ogre’s on the move (7)
ALLEGRO: A musical instruction from everyone ALL, and an anagram of OGRE. My first car ( well Mama Bee’s car actually) was an ALLEGRO, and anything but quick

18d        Ring about working out King’s speech, which should be inspiring (3,4)
PEP TALK: The ringing of a bell PEAL, around an abbreviation of working out or exercise PT for Physical Training, go before the chess notation for a King K PE(PT)AL-K

19d        On drugs, initially thrown inside for year, one’s served around four (4,3)
HIGH TEA: Your mental state when on drugs HIGH, the initial letter  of thrown T, and the inside of yEAr. HIGH TEA is traditionally served around four pm

20d        Studies Greek hero with more northern university (7)
PERUSES: A Greek hero (who slew the Gorgon) PERSEUS, moves the abbreviation of university to the north in a down clue, Studies or PERUSES

22d        Appearance of jeans oddly out of place on judge (5)
ENTRY: The odd letters are removed from jeans leaving EN, and placed on a synonym of judge TRY

That’s All Folks!