Sunday Toughie No 178 by Zandio
Review by
Sloop John Bee
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
This puzzle was published on the 22nd June 2025
Across
1a Girl I cast in Charlie Chaplin’s original masterpiece (7)
CLASSIC: An informal girl LASS, and I from the clue are cast in stone within the original letters of Charlie Chaplin C-C.
5a What Cows Chew, excellent filler for telly – turned over channel! (7)
VIADUCT: What cows chew CUD, and an alphanumeric synonym of excellent A1, are used as filler between another television abbreviation TV, turn it all over, and you have a channel or VIADUCT.
9a Bad time to retire from company? On the contrary (5)
TROOP: A synonym of bad POOR and an abbreviation of time T, are reversed (to retire). A military unit that makes up a company, as opposed to (on the contrary) a company making up the military unit.
10a Perhaps Venetian covers urn showing Achilles’ heel (5,4)
BLIND SPOT: Some window furnishings that Venetian is an example of (perhaps) BLINDS and a synonym of urn POT. To reveal an Achilles’ heel.
11a One doesn’t follow warning from driver who speeds? (10)
FORERUNNER: A warning from someone using a driver, whose little white ball may be about to hit spectators or fellow driver users FORE, and one who speeds on foot RUNNER
12a Cockney trio at liberty (4)
FREE: How someone with a Cockney accent would call a trio.
14a After spliff, suggest partnership (5,7)
JOINT VENTURE: I would suggest VENTURE, something, especially after a spliff JOINT. The sensibility of such a partnership probably depends on the strength of the Camberwell Carrot!
18a Bit of a ring round about backing city contracting in far north (6,6)
ARCTIC CIRCLE: Start with a CITy, and contract it CIT, then reverse it (backing) TIC, and insert it between a bit of a ring ARC, and to go round about CIRCLE. I did consider the American term for a roundabout, but that would be round about as one word and unindicated, so I will go with a general rounding.
21a Sponge possibly used to be hard (4)
WASH: A synonym of used to be WAS and a hard pencil, perhaps H.
22a Secretaries approach fencing master in hall (10)
PASSAGEWAY: Abbreviated plural secretaries PAS and a means of approach WAY, fencing in a wise master SAGE.
25a Routine theatre ad – millions taking it in (9)
TREADMILL: A lurker (taking it in) hidden in words three to four.
26a Defaced big and small room in above-18 residence (5)
IGLOO: De”face” big (b)IG, and add what is sometimes referred to as the smallest room LOO, for a residence usually found above the ARCTIC CIRCLE.
27a Sign with the Gunners to provide competition (3,4)
RAT RACE: A sign or a barely detectable amount TRACE follows the abbreviation of the Gunners or Royal Artillery RA.
28a One may calculate, for example, gallons needed by van (7)
EGGHEAD: Known for their mental agility, from abbreviated examples EG, and gallons G, and a synonym of van as the leading units of an army HEAD.
Down
1d Copper fines hosts to stop supplying (3,3)
CUT OFF: A chemical symbol for copper CU and plural abbreviations of finest FF host TO from the clue.
2d Visiting Greece, maybe right to go later on (6)
ABOARD: Greece is an example (maybe) of a place we may visit overseas ABROAD, and turn it into a synonym of on by moving R for right later in the order ABOARD.
3d Twisted American individual Italy caught speeding (10)
SUPERSONIC: One of our usual Americans US is reversed SU, on an individual PERSON, followed by abbreviations of Italy I, and caught C.
4d Shelter unlit by arc light occasionally erected (5)
CABIN: Occasionally is an alternate letters indicator, and erected is a reversal indicator. CABIN is hidden in reverse in alternate letters of uNlIt By ArC. Light appears to be redundant, but adds to the surface and may even indicate where to put the occasional letters.
5d What actor may say, failing to hold Oscar up (5-4)
VOICE-OVER: A failing VICE, contains the letter that Oscar suggests O, and a synonym of up OVER.
6d Supporter, 24, on a cycle (4)
AIDE: Cycle your answer to 24d by one letter IDEA becomes AIDE.
7d Meal with no starter scored a hit (8)
UPPERCUT: A late meal without its starter (S)UPPER and scored or scratched CUT- think boxing for an UPPERCUT.
8d Almost dropped winning ace for nothing – that’s scruffy (8)
TATTERED: Staggered almost to the point of dropping TOTTERED, then swap the letter that looks like nothing O, for an ace A.
13d Fun broadcast delayed, getting fixed (10)
UNFLAGGING: An anagram (broadcast) of fun becomes UNF and a synonym of delayed LAGGING. Getting fixed or showing sustained, enthusiastic action with vitality.
15d Fruit aren’t nice liquidised (9)
NECTARINE: An anagram (liquidised) of AREN’T NICE.
16d Irishman wound up server, downing one drink (3,5)
TAP WATER: A typical male Irish name PAT, is reversed (wound up) TAP, over one who serves WAITER, without the letter that looks like one TAP WATER.
17d It has grated cheese inside cool topping (3,5)
ICE SHEET: An anagram (grated) of CHEESE inside IT from the clue.
19d Number revealed in the first two digits (6)
TWELVE: Put the first two numbers next to one another 1 and 2, and a third is revealed 12.
20d Perfect example of a Spoonerism: “Wherefore, Robin?” (6)
BYWORD: A questioning “wherefore” WHY, and Robin, as an example BIRD, when treated by The Reverend Spooner, becomes a perfect example BYWORD.
23d George V lost, upholding “What you should do” (5)
SOLVE: A reverse lurker (upholding in a down clue) is what we are all trying to do here.
24d Clue I would answer with electronic input (4)
IDEA: A contraction of I would I’D, and abbreviations of answer A, and electronic E input between ID and A.
Compiler
Zandio
That’s All Folks…