Toughie No 3534 by Silvanus
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty * – Enjoyment ****
A perfect start of the week Toughie with lots to enjoy throughout; I even went as far as awarding stars to two clues I really liked, which doesn’t happen much these days
Please let us know what you thought
Across
9a Psychic gift that captures councillor’s heart (9)
PRESCIENT A gift ‘capturing’ the letters at the heart of counCIllor
10a Feel at ease with what Frankie says? (5)
RELAX A reference to a controversial hit song by Frankie Goes to Hollywood
11a One prepared to show their cards to any player? (7)
REFEREE Nothing to do with card games but other types of sport
12a Token campaign against harassment shortly will tackle soldiers (7)
MEMENTO Remove the last letter (shortly) from a global campaign against sexual harassment and insert (will tackle) some soldiers
13a Stars with Muscovite’s consent touring capital (9)
ANDROMEDA A conjunction meaning with and the Russian (Muscovite’s) word for yes (consent) ‘touring’ a European capital
15a Pick travel items to carry (5)
ELITE Hidden in the second and third words of the clue
17a Inclined to pen note that’s irreverent (7)
PROFANE A synonym for inclined ‘pens’ the fourth note in a form of musical notation
19a Achievement put to good use (7)
EXPLOIT An achievement or a verb meaning to turn to good use
20a Youths help at intervals making Comeback sauce (5)
PESTO Hidden in reverse (making Comeback) in yOuThS hElP
21a Box office reply he freely admits to be exaggeration (9)
HYPERBOLE HE (from the clue) ‘admits’ the abbreviation for Box Office and an anagram (freely) of REPLY
24a Nick and Eric careless with fuel, wasting energy (7)
LUCIFER The Devil (Nick) an anagram (careless) of ERIC and FUeL, the E being omitted (wasting energy)
26a Garment that sportsman possesses, but not athlete? (7)
SINGLET Split this type of undershirt 6,1 and you will see what sportsman has but athlete doesn’t
28a Funny sort of pear, lacking taste ultimately (5)
COMIC A type of pear without (lacking) the ultimate letter of tastE
29a Upstart, top European ousting American from transport company (9)
ARRIVISTE Top or first and the abbreviation for European ‘ousting’ or replacing the abbreviation for American from a major UK bus operator
Down
1d Former city supermarket architect’s gutted to go round (6)
SPARTA The name of a supermarket chain and the reversed (to go round) outside letters (gutted) of ArchitecT
2d One feeding a dog posh snacks primarily? False (10)
PERFIDIOUS A preposition meaning for each or a and the Roman numeral for one ‘feeding’ or going inside a dog’s name, followed by the letter used to indicate that something is posh and the primary letter of Snacks
3d The result of frightening cut? (4)
SCAR The result of a cut or injury – cut or remove the last letter of a synonym of frightening
4d Diminish what ground staff do following Wimbledon broadcast (6)
RECEDE A homophone (broadcast) of what the ground staff may well do to the tennis courts after the Wimbledon tournament
5d Glasses perhaps and watch flipping swimmer regularly dons (8)
STEMWARE The reversed (flipping) regular letters of sWiMmEr ‘donned by’ or inserted into a verb meaning to watch intently
6d Merger pair condemned as harbinger of doom (4,6)
GRIM REAPER An anagram (condemned) of MERGER PAIR
7d Endlessly ring family (4)
CLAN A ringing sound without its last letter (endlessly)
8d Fantastic next Open champion? (8)
EXPONENT An anagram (fantastic) of NEXT OPEN
14d President’s Room cricket ground postponed no longer? (4,6)
OVAL OFFICE A London cricket ground and a two-word phrase indicating that something is no longer postponed
16d Rebel using cool antics when rioting (10)
ICONOCLAST An anagram (when rioting) of COOL ANTICS
17d Masses of material supporting crack university (8)
POPULACE Some material going after (supporting in a Down solution) a mild explosive sound (crack) and the abbreviation for University
18d Heavenly ballet he really absorbs (8)
ETHEREAL Hidden in ballET HE REALly
22d Juice over, sample small cake (6)
PASTRY A reversal (over) of juice circulating in plants followed by a verb meaning to sample
23d Discovered rugby players introducing English course (6)
ENTRÉE Some rugby players without their outside letters (discovered) followed by (introducing) the abbreviation for English
25d Fifty per cent off, United crest (4)
COMB The first half only (fifty per cent off) of a synonym for united
27d Star, the month before last, heading for America (4)
NOVA The penultimate month of the year and the ‘heading’ for America
Delightfully gentle, with some sparky touches. 11a, 12a and 26a sang to me. Best thanks to Silvanus and CS.
Very enjoyable – many thanks to Silvanus and CS.
I took the ‘frightening’ which has to be cut in 3d to be ****[Y].
The pick of the clues for me were 13a, 2d, 4d and 14d.
Lovely puzzle, held up only briefly by four in the NW, otherwise a swift solve. Honours to 13a, 1d & 2d.
Many thanks to Silvanus & Sue – loved the Goths cartoon!
I agree with ALP and Gazza’s comments above and between them they have also highlighted my top clues.
I always think of the answer to 2d to be followed by Albion, which is a sad indictment of how some foreigners historically saw our nation.
Daresay it was justified but disappointing it has stuck for so long, although when I hear comments made by various politicians speaking on our behalf…
Great job, Silvanus and thanks for the blog, Sue.
I found this a tad easier, if that is the right word, than the Hudson; that said, this was as delightfully clued as always with some wonderful surfaces. As a cricket nut, my top clue has to be 14d.
My thanks to Silvanus and Sue.
What a pleasure to find a Silvanus Toughie in the paper today, and what an absolute cracker it was!
My top picks were: 11a, 26a, 2d & 14d.
Many thanks to Silvanus and to CS.
Straightforward but not easy, a great deal of satisfaction was gained on completion. I needed the hints to parse 12a, 26a and 27d. Favourite was 9a. Thanks to Silvanus and CS
What a treat to get a Silvanus puzzle in the Wednesday Toughie slot. First time I’d come across a specific term for the glasses in 5d but it does make perfect sense for there to be one – hopefully I’ll remember it! Did take a while to work out the parsing of the dog’s chef at 2d but so much satisfaction when I finally nailed it.
Biggest ticks went to 11&28a plus 4d with hon. mentions to 10a&3d.
Many thanks to Silvanus and to CS for the review – if I may ask, which were the clues you awarded stars to?
Fairly rapid solve, the abbreviation in 21a was new to me. 26a is a very fine clue. Thanks to CS and Silvanus.
Many thanks to Sue and to all those solving and commenting. It’s been quite a while since I last had a Wednesday Toughie.
See you all again soon.
Great puzzle, Silvanus. Many thanks.
Loved the reference to rugby players (my favourite sport, as you know) in 23d, particularly as the Women’s Rugby World Cup starts on Friday, with England taking on USA.
Like Jane, I was unaware of the term at 5d, but the present Mrs Shabbo came to the rescue.
Too many ticks to list here. Please keep the puzzles coming.
Thanks, as ever, to the hardworking CS.
I always have to smile when I see it’s Silvanus on parade because I know it’s going to be a good day. Some excellent clues with smooth surfaces which we’ve come to expect from him.
I’ve picked 3,4 and 25D with 11A my favourite.
Thanks to CS for the blog and to Silvanus for the enjoyment.
Brain fog at last in 5d (albeit not a term for glasses I was overly familiar with) put paid to what would have been a very quick completion for me – saw the wordplay but took an embarrassingly long time to twig the watch synonym. The 26a parse another post bung in penny drop. I didn’t know the pear variety so that needed a post solve check but otherwise pleasingly lacking in obscurity. As ever a joy to solve with ticks galore – 11,12,13,21&29a along with 1,2,4,6,14,16&17d particular likes. If forced to pick a fav 4d may well get the vote though the postponed no longer bit of 14d almost forced a dead heat.
Thanks to Silvanus & Sue – curious as to the 2 clues that got your stars
For once I agree with CS’s difficulty rating – a gentle cruise for a Weds. My votes go to 12a, 26a and 3d.
Thanks to Silvanus and CS.
A delightful puzzle that we thoroughly enjoyed.
Thanks Silvanus and CS.