Sunday Toughie 176 by Beam
Hints and Tips by Gazza
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SJB is having a well-deserved day off to celebrate his birthday (Many Happy Returns, John) so I’m providing a few hints for the Sunday Toughie.
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.
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A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions.
Across
1a Break in using crowbar, possibly daring (12)
When split 5,7 the answer could mean to gain admittance using an implement such as a crowbar.
12a In speech turned a little nasty (8)
This sounds like a verb meaning turned (as in ‘he turned pale’, say) followed by a word meaning ‘a little’.
18a Size slimmer, taking a medium (8)
A slimmer or someone trying to slim contains A and the abbreviation for the clothing size medium.
19a Transport with the Colombian drug group? (6)
A form of horse-drawn transport and ‘the’ in the language used in Columbia.
23a Capital toilet of teak, oddly (6)
A slang term for a toilet (not loo) and the odd letters of ‘of teak’.
28a Rampant disorder reportedly was rampant (12)
A synonym of disorder or discord and what sounds like a verb meaning ‘was rampant’ or prevailed.
Down
1d Border due to be financed (7)
A synonym of border or tip and an adjective meaning due or unpaid.
3d State again raised European bank charge (9)
Join an abbreviation for European and a bank or row then reverse that and add a synonym of charge or price.
7d Weaken admitting affair is suggestive (8)
A verb to weaken or yield contains a word meaning affair or social event.
18d Run away from heartless fool, perhaps (6)
The fool without its middle letter is something edible.
20d Labour’s leader got smart (7)
The leading letter of Labour and a verb meaning got (from employment).
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Managed to complete without needing the absent SJB’s hints like I usually do.
An enjoyable tussle but no outstanding favourite.
Thanks to Beam and Gazza. Hope SJB gets dried out for next Sunday.
Great fun. Beam/RayT really is a grandmaster of such puzzles. Honours to 18a, 14d & 18d.
Many thanks indeed to Beam and Gazza, and MHR to Sloop.
A couple that held out on me but Gazza had hinted one of them, which set me straight and the other fell shortly afterwards. Double ticks awarded to 27a & 14d with singles to 9a plus 5&24d.
Devotions as always to Mr T/Beam and a big thank you to Gazza for the hints and cartoons – delighted to find that we’ll still get both of those on your new hinting days, although a Friday with Elgar or Osmosis in the chair is way beyond me!
Many thanks to Gazza for covering for me. I had a great day yesterday, the rain stopped before Bruce performed and I can now claim to have seen a Beatle in Liverpool. The whole day was exhausting and the journey home was broken by stops for caffeine and the consequences of too much coffee. I gat home at about the same time as I usually solve a Sunday Toughie. I went straight to bed and slept well. I was able to enjoy this fine Beam and Gazza’s hints and cartoons over coffee and cake with Mama Bee.
I will join Jane and MG in voting for 14d, but a lot of contenders just missed the cut
I’ve seen a Beatle live in Liverpool 😁
Thought this was going to be quite tricky initially as I didn’t have much to show for a first reading. After a second visit though, it all opened up without too much trouble.
Top three clues are 1a, 14d and 16d which was particularly well disguised.
Thanks to Gazza and Beam.
Many happy returns SJB. Glad you’ve survived your outing!! Only caffeine involved?
Of course – I was driving, although a proper bacon and sausage buttie at The Anfield Cafe, and a piece of carrot cake at Caffe Nero helped stave off starvation. The beer at the stadium was overpriced and under the standard I am prepared to drink anyway
Belated birthday greetings to John & thanks to Gazza for subbing.
A gentle Beamer that was possibly a tad more straightforward than Dada. Another vote for 14d as my pick of the clues.
Thanks to Ray for another enjoyable puzzle
Daisy coming up in the rear as usual. I liked 18d and the clever Rekrul. Great guzzle, many thanks to Setter and Stand-in Hinter. So glad you had a great Boobydoo SJB.
You’re not last, Daisy, as I enjoyed this puzzle mid-week following an excursion along the South Downs Way over the weekend. As Huntsman suggested, this was a light Beam
but very enjoyable – as we have come to expect from this setter. My podium places for across clues were awarded to 18, 23 & 27; and for down clues: 14, 17 & 18. A extra one-off podium then had to be constructed for the excellent 28a.
My thanks to Beam, and to Gazza for the hints and cartoons. A belated Happy Birthday to SJB – glad you had such fun on your night out / day off! Nose back to the grindstone this weekend…