Sunday Toughie No 129
by Zandio
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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Zandio taking it eas(ier) today, I managed to get hold of the puzzle about 11:30 last night and filled the grid before midnight, parsing the trickier ones took a similar amount of time and I was in the land of Nod before the news of the assassination attempt reached me.
Quite a few clues have remained unhinted but the usual plea “when in doubt look for a lurker…” should include reversals, that and anagrams should give enough checkers to get to completion. I will give a bonus nudge if required to the first to ask.
I have quite a lot of italics today (four Shakespearean characters – one from Roald Dahl and the Thunderer) but I can’t see any connection – maybe just a sub-editor being stylish
A nice even 14a and 14d clues today and I have hinted half
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. 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 Ali’s opener, meeting date with diamonds, a bit of taste (6,4)
Open with the spell that Ali Baba used to access the den of the forty thieves, meets a romantic date and D for Diamonds – A small bit of food that gives taste to many dishes such as hummus
9a Company, one accepting deficit, making great figures … (7)
An abbreviated company and the deficit one may make, around the letter that looks like one make plural figures such as that which stood over Rhodes
17a Tautology made by parrot again? (2-4)
A tautology is an error of style that repeats something already implied in the same statement. To parrot (4) already implies that you are saying this again and to include the prefix for doing it again (2) would be a tautology please do it again-agai-aga-ag…
21a Surf, maybe hoping I will become a smash (7,6)
Most of my parsing of this involved anagrams of hoping but eventually I realised it is a synonym of hoping we need but swap the I for an A and add a synonym of smash or pulverize. I am not sure if this brand is international but it is Mama Bee’s preferred choice, although I occasionally substitute the cheaper Tesco own-brand
24a Watch Romeo and Juliet perhaps, avoiding first week that’s out of costume (7)
Avoid the first letter of Romeo and Juliet’s “Star-Crossed” relationship and add what remains of week when that’s out of costume
25a Pat and Ella’s union providing joint protection (7)
A nod to Roger “Rufus” Squires’ classic clue. Big Dave’s thoughts on the clue and the Alan Connor book it inspired here https://bigdave44.com/2013/11/09/two-girls-one…
27a Spur-of-the-moment broadcast, Trump open to link with Democrat (10)
An anagram (broadcast) of TRUMP OPEN and D for Democrat. I hope the “spur of the moment” assassination attempt last night doesn’t implicate Zandio! Whose clue must have predated the action
Down
1d Notice: ‘Strip bed’ (4)
A nice triple definition to start the downs
3d Rivalry in which you’re guaranteed to lose standing (7,6)
A party game where the last person to remain standing is eliminated
4d What happens in US, OK – aid to create winter sport challenges (3,5)
This winter sport occurs when you “leap” from one letter to another, these “leaps” go with the sport to create the challenge
8d Spooner would give ultimate cad a shiner (10)
A synonym of ultimate or utmost degree and a cad worthy of contempt treated by the Reverend Spooner to by a shiner that guides those at sea
11d Bottom and Titania Hollywood-style offers chance for all to shine (8,5)
Those Shakespearean characters whose relationship occurred on a midsummer night… follow the style of Hollywood (in California not Northern Ireland)
16d Partner, resident on farm, with another casually going topless (2-6)
One of the animals found on a farm and another whose informal name is without its initial
22d Common knowledge to seize on (5)
An informal synonym of knowledge seizes on from the clue
It is common knowledge that he is one of the greatest guitarists of all time…
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Following a nudge from Huntsman both of Joe’s live albums are on heavy rotation here…
That’s All Folks…
It took me a little longer than SJB, perhaps, but I did not risk sunburn whilst solving this outside in some welcome sunshine this morning. Many candidates for favourite clues here, but the ones rising to the top of my list are 9, 12, 24 & 25 across and 2, 3, 13 & 16 down.
Thanks, Zandio, for the enjoyment – in addition to allowing me to tackle the chores I really needed to get done today instead of drinking multiple cups of coffee whilst solving crosswords! Thanks to SJB for posting the hints – I’ll check out the 25a link you provided before returning to my chores…
A grey day eminently suitable for crosswords here in deepest Yorkshire
Zandio’s well up to his usual standard today. Thanks to him and SJB.
I’m not very keen on 23d – did anyone ever actually use two letters rather than three for the old currency?
My selections for the highlights reel were 21a, 3d, 4d and 16d.
I tend to agree re 23d but as a child of the sixties my pocket money never rose to the giddy heights of £ even a Ten bob note rarely crossed my palm
Super puzzle. A surprisingly brisk solve with a minimum of head scratching. Hand down winner for me was 3d even if it did reawaken long buried memories of bursting into tears at my own birthday party when a girl called Melissa nabbed the last seat & knocked me out. Podium spots for 16d&21a
Thanks to Zandio & John – love PG’s FM but the Santana cover of that particular track edges it for me
I too suffered the ignominy of defeat at 3d – I no longer remember the name though as he or she cheated by hanging on to the furniture as they made the turn. The injustice still rankles
This two comments made me laugh! I remember it so well!
Hello, compiler here. Thanks very much for taking the time to solve, hint and discuss.
Thanks for a fine puzzle, it must be nice when the news ties in with a clue
Interesting selection of music as ever, SJB. I used to love Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac.
This would be my choice to go with the joke in 12a — a great English band paying tribute to another great English band, and everybody having a laugh:
By the way, John Pidgeon (known in these parts as the crossword setter Petitjean) wrote a best-selling book called ‘Slade In Flame’, for which he went on tour as their roadie.
I keep my copy with some of my crossword books – and appropriately next to Ian Hunter’s classic Diary of a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star!
(From what I remember, JP’s book isn’t a straight novelization of the film, which is what I half expected. Definitely recommended.)
I am sure you are aware of the Welsh Wizard that is Deke Leonard but if the Legendary Man Band escaped your attention I recommend Rhinos Winos and Lunatics. A very funny book on life on the road
Thanks, JB, yes I read it a long time ago. He had a great laconic voice. (It was a library book though – last time I looked it was ridiculously expensive to buy.)
I doubt that it had a large print run, but I am tempted to invest in some of his other Kindle books
Wow – what a dream! I’ve enlarges the photo and noted the titles. I shall now be haunting charity shops and second hand book stalls! Thank you.
Indeed they do look like they are having a good time, IMO the closing song for Our Friends in the North will go down in history
And thanks for the Petitjean tip – another book to put on my search list
I was somewhat uncomfortable with our setter plagiarising Mr Squires’ work but if others want to see it as a tribute then so be it.
12a raised a smile – amazing what lengths our setters will resort to when the anagram fodder doesn’t quite work out!
Best clue for me was 1a.
Thanks to Zandio for the puzzle and to SJB for the hints – rather liked that Lighthouse Family number.
I am sure the tribute was ahead of any hint of plagiarism by both Zandio and Alan Connor. It regularly appears in lists of classic clues
Indeed it did start well with 1a and kept up the high standard all the way just like Tadej Pogacar did on the Plateau de Beille today
21a brought back memories of my nan’s mangle in our back yard in Bermondsey, though I seem to recall she was more of a Daz or Omo kind o’ gal.
Great fun, thanks to Z and SJB.
Don’t mention the mangle to Mama Bee, she almost lost a finger to one wielded by her Mama in Ashington
Ouch! We put life and limb at risk just to get the chores done in those days, John. Still, toughened us up, it did. And we never complained…
Still struggling with this on Wednesday morning. Sunday was busy with my belated birthday party and guests staying the weekend. I’m almost there! Thanks to Zandio and SJB. My mother had a huge electric or washing machine before the war. I tried to get my dolls clothes through the electric mangle and my right arm went through! Ouch. I was dangling over the tub by my arm.
Ouch that must have hurt