Sunday Toughie 175 (Review)

Sunday Toughie No 175 by Robyn

Review by Sloop John Bee

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This puzzle was published on the 1st of June 2025

 

Across

1a          Fewer than 1,000 instruments will enthral Mozart? (10)
WUNDERKIND: Instruments that make music by being blown WIND, contain a synonym of fewer than UNDER, and the letter that indicates 1,000 K, The question mark tells us that Mozart? Is a definition by example of a WUNDERKIND, because of his exceptional ability as a child

6a          Thomas Becket’s opening part of crypt (4)
TOMB: A shortened form of his given name TOM, and the opening letter of his surname B

9a          Great houses retired cruciverbalists equip with a rug (5)
BEWIG: A synonym of great BIG, houses a reversal of how fellow cruciverbalists refer to ourselves WE becomes EW B-EW-IG. Rug being an informal term for a hairpiece

10a       Leading figure in country cuts agricultural output (4,5)
CASH CROPS: One of the leading figures in country music Johnny CASH, and a synonym of cuts CROPS

12a       Amazing star, i.e. captivating West End in theatre (7)
ARTISTE: An anagram (amazing) of STAR I,E. and the end of wesT

13a       Dare maybe to back firm exposed in worst moment (5)
NADIR: A reversal of the Dare, who was the Pilot of the Future DAN Dare becomes NAD, and what remains of fIRm when it is exposed by removing it’s covering letters. NADIR A low point

15a       Elon ultimately bores country with present name X? (7)
UNKNOWN: The ultimate letter of Mr Musk N, bores into our abbreviated country UK, a synonym of the present NOW, and an abbreviated name N. Another definition by example X Being a letter used for a mathematical UNKNOWN

16a       US capital payment banked in great quantity (7)
TRENTON: An informal great quantity contains a regular payment for the state capital of New Jersey TRENTON

18a       What aimless person does for Harry, Graham and Dennis? (7)
POTTERS: A wizard, a football manager and a playwright share a surname POTTER, which in plural form defines what an aimless person does POTTERS

20a       Label in old garment one’s grabbed to make money (7)
HOSTAGE: A label TAG, in an old-fashioned term for close-fitting garments usually worn with a doublet HOSE

21a       Say where to find Kingdom of Jordan’s subject (5)
THEME: A synonym of subject, how you would say where the Kingdom of Jordan is located if you abbreviated its Middle East location.  THE M.iddle E.ast

23a       Group providing deliveries entertaining cricketer pulls out of the ground (7)
UPROOTS: An acronym of a group that provides parcel deliveries UPS, containing an English cricketer Joe ROOT

25a       Dawn running behind Henry (4-5)
HALF-LIGHT: Henry V’s princely name HAL, and a synonym of running or escape FLIGHT

26a       Some plates I won’t put out (5)
ANNOY: A synonym of some ANY, around (plates) a refusal NO

27a       Perhaps bath is no longer hot (4)
WASH: The past tense of to be (is no longer)WAS, and the tap abbreviation of hot H

28a       Politician’s demise over singular remark drawing a conclusion (3,2,5)
END OF STORY: A blue politician’s demise END OF TORY, around a singular abbreviation S. What you may say when drawing a conclusion END OF STORY

Down

1d and 22d       Buzz is started by internet game inventor (4,5)
WEBB ELLIS: A synonym of the internet WEB, something that may buzz when you call BELL, and IS from the clue. He invented the game of Rugby, when he picked up the ball and ran with it

2d         Book inspired by recent sci-fi work? You can bet on it (9)
NEWMARKET: A synonym of recent NEW, one of the first four books of the New Testament of the Bible MARK, and a cruciverbalist’s favourite sci-fi alien ET. Fond memories of the card game NEWMARKET, where Mama Bee’s button box provided the betting tokens

3d         Crew on a certain film that involves skirted, cavorting men (9,4)
EIGHTSOME REEL: The number of crew in a rowing boat EIGHT, an undefined but certain number SOME, and part of a film defined by the canister it is stored in REEL. A dance for a certain number of kilted Scotsmen

4d         Renounce evil – it’s what financial contributor does (5,2)
KICKS IN: An informal synonym of to renounce a bad habit KICK, and one of the seven evil SINS

5d         What topless person has without hesitation? It’s a walk in the park (2,5)
NO SWEAT: To go without a jumper or other top NO SWEATER, without a hesitant interjection – ER, is as easy as a walk in the park

7d         Like an egg adult removed from two different ducks (5)
OVOID: A duck as a cricket score O, and to duck out of an obligation AVOID without the abbreviation of adult A

8d         Republican outrage led by president who’s a criminal? (10)
BUSHRANGER: A surname shared by two Presidents BUSH, the abbreviation of Republican R, and to outrage ANGER. A lawless person who takes to the remote parts of Australia and lives by robbery

11d       Evil-doers receiving a lesson if reforming … in these? (13)
CONFESSIONALS: Evil-doers (who have served time in prison) CONS, contain an anagram (reforming) of A LESSON IF. They may be reformed if they admit their sins to a priest in these? CONFESSIONALS Perhaps

14d       Little boxer who fails to box sulks? Punch may be seen here (6,4)
PUPPET SHOW: A young boxer dog PUP, an anagram (fails) of WHO, go around (to box) of some sulks PETS

17d       Fancy attire? Son dresses down (5,4)
TEARS INTO: An anagram (fancy) of ATTIRE SON

19d       One that’s fired, shockingly, conned figure in Paris (4,3)
STUN GUN: The past tense of the cons perpetrated by Paul Newman and Robert Redford STUNG, and a small figure UN, according to people from Paris

20d       Play courtier in half hour before five to ten, say (7)
HORATIO: The relationship between five and ten (or other numbers (say))RATIO,  follows half of hour HO. HORATIO A courtier in Shakespeare’s  play Hamlet

22d       See 1 Down

24d       Renaissance writer‘s repeated adverbial addition (4)
LYLY: A suffix used to form adverbs from adjectives and nouns is repeated. An irretrievably obscure Renaissance writer John Lyly, who required much investigoogling, although he has been credited by some scholars with writing the first English novel, and as being ‘the father of English comedy’.

Compiler

Robyn

That’s all Folks…