Sunday Toughie No 176 by Beam
Review by Sloop John Bee
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
This puzzle was published on the 8th of June 2025
Thanks to Gazza for doing the hints, whilst I was away to see Bruce Springsteen and celebrate my umpty umth birthday.
If I am ever to win another pen, I may have to follow Gazza’s example and cut back on the number of hints (only kidding – I wouldn’t have been able to resist a hint at 4d)
Across
1a Break in using crowbar, possibly daring (12)
ENTERPRISING: When split 5,7 the answer could mean to gain admittance ENTER, using an implement such as a crowbar PRISING.
9a Flirting day before marriage (9)
DALLIANCE: The abbreviation of day D, and a marriage or ALLIANCE, give us the flirtatious synonym DALLIANCE.
10a Found in tome, Galileo’s last letter (5)
OMEGA: The last letter of the Greek Alphabet OMEGA, is lurking (found in) the following two words.
11a Desires the woman in endless knowing (6)
WISHES: The woman or SHE, is in an endless synonym of knowing WI-S(e).
12a In speech turned a little nasty (8)
GRUESOME: This sounds like a verb meaning turned (as in ‘he turned/grew pale’, say) GREW becomes GRUE, followed by a word meaning ‘a little’ SOME.
13a Miserable face about same, periodically (6)
DISMAL: The face of a clock perhaps DIAL, around periodical letters of SaMe, DI-SM-AL or miserable.
15a Whole existence accepting empty routine (8)
ENTIRETY: An existence or ENTITY Contains what remains of routine when emptied RE, for the whole or ENTIRETY.
18a Size slimmer, taking a medium (8)
DIAMETER: For a slimmer or someone trying to slim, DIETER contains A and the abbreviation for the clothing size medium M, for the size of a circle DIAMETER.
19a Transport with the Colombian drug group? (6)
CARTEL: A form of horse-drawn transport CART, and ‘the’ in the language used in Columbia EL.
21a Old maid almost strict covering legs (8)
SPINSTER: Almost all of a synonym of strict STER(n) contains an informal term for legs PINS, an old maid or S-PINS-TER.
23a Capital toilet of teak, oddly (6)
BOGOTA: A slang term for a toilet (not loo) BOG, and the odd letters of ‘of teak’ OTA. Gives us BOGOTA, the Capital of Colombia.
26a Country‘s source of Russian river (5)
RURAL: The source letter of Russia R, and a river that runs through Russia and Kazakhstan. The RURAL countryside as opposed to urban.
27a France maybe consumes this compiler’s life (9)
ANIMATION: France is an example of A NATION, it contains a contraction that this compiler may use when referring to himself I’M.
28a Rampant disorder reportedly was rampant (12)
UNRESTRAINED: A synonym of disorder or discord UNREST, and what sounds like a verb meaning ‘was rampant’ or prevailed REIGNED becomes RAINED.
Down
1d Border due to be financed (7)
ENDOWED: A synonym of border or tip END, and an adjective meaning due or unpaid OWED.
2d Works cash registers (5)
TILLS: A double definition. He works the land to put money in the cash register.
3d State again raised European bank charge (9)
REITERATE: Join an abbreviation for European and a bank or row E TIER, then reverse that REIT E and add a synonym of charge or price RATE. REITERATE or state again.
4d Show revenue on books (4)
RENT: A rather delightful double-definition plus some wordplay. The first is the Stage Musical or show RENT, loosely based on the 1896 opera La bohème by Giacomo Puccini, the second is the revenue from letting some property. The wordplay is one of our usual ons or abouts RE, and the abbreviation of books from the New Testament NT.
5d Beginning to spout tiresome expletives (8)
SWEARING: A synonym of tiresome WEARING, follows the beginning of spout S.
6d Snare duck held by beak (5)
NOOSE: The letter that represents the score of a duck O is held within a beak or NOSE.
7d Weaken admitting affair is suggestive (8)
REDOLENT: A verb to weaken or yield RELENT, contains a word meaning affair or social event DO.
8d Only just see following pub (6)
BARELY: See is the diocese of a Bishop in this case ELY, it follows a pub or BAR. BARELY or only just.
14d Maybe Marbellan resort overlooks revolting sewer (8)
SPANIARD: Maybe Marbellan is a definition by example. The resort is a SPA, it is followed by a sewer or DRAIN that has been reversed (revolting) for a SPANIARD.
16d Great aroma nicely covers over lover (9)
INAMORATA: (covers) is a containment indicator, and (over) is a reversal indicator. Look backwards in the first three words for the lover.
17d Power of left constantly on decline (8)
LEVERAGE: L for LEFT, constantly or EVER and to decline through AGE. The LEVERAGE you may achieve with the crowbar in 1a.
18d Run away from heartless fool, perhaps (6)
DESERT: The fool without its middle letter is something edible. A fool or DESSERT without its central S is to run away from or DESERT.
20d Labour’s leader got smart (7)
LEARNED: The leading letter of Labour L, and a verb meaning got (from employment) EARNED.
22d Social assembly, largely of notables initially (5)
SALON: Initial letters of the first five words define a social assembly, largely of notables.
24d Star group playing around Brazilian city (5)
ORION: Playing or ON around the usual Brazilian city.
25d Hand with suit comprising spades (4)
FIST: To suit or FIT contains the abbreviation of the suit of cards Spades.
Compiler
Beam
That’s all Folks…