Toughie No 3538 by Dharma
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty **** – Enjoyment **
Wednesday seems to be the new day for setters of wordy clues; which this week resulted in the final Across clue having to appear all on its own on a second page
Please let us know what you thought
Across
1a Nurse once rejected account, avoiding a lie (6)
NESTLE A reversal (rejected) of an abbreviated nurse followed by an account or story without (avoiding) the A
4a One’s backing “boring Arsenal” making pledge (7)
DEPOSIT A reversal (backing) of IS (one’s) ‘boring’ or being inserted into a storehouse (arsenal)
9a How to get a ref to provide travel expense? (5,4)
TRAIN FARE An anagram indicator which tells you how to get A REF
10a Covering panic in government circles (5)
ICING Hiding in panIC IN Government
11a Intended column coming to a point to appear in current Times (7)
ASPIRED A column coming to a point inserted into (to appear) in the abbreviation for our current times
12a Channel swimmer, according to Spooner, gets breakfast food (7)
OATMEAL A trench round a fortified place (channel) and a type of fish (swimmer) mangled by Reverend Spooner
13a Curt president became the one oddly neglected by history (9)
FORGOTTEN Truncate (curt) the surname of the 38th President of the United States, a simple way of saying became or attained and the odd letters of ThE oNe
16a Signs books, not the first name in there (5)
OMENS Some large books without the first letter into which is inserted the abbreviation for Name
17a Vet‘s motor, early car model (5)
AUDIT A motor car marque and the letter by which an early car model was known
18a Whiff of toes after running (9)
FORETASTE An anagram (running) of TOES AFTER
21a Guy you texted lapping up each word of congratulations (7)
CHAPEAU A man (guy) and the text version of you, between which is inserted (lapping) the abbreviation for each. This French word is used a lot these days to acknowledge something in admiration instead of the more usual English version, although this meaning hasn’t yet made it into the BRB
22a Hard men keen, it’s said, to display testosterone? (7)
HORMONE The abbreviation for Hard, some Ordinary Ranks of soldiers (men) and a homophone of keen or lament audibly
25a Photograph of old detective probing host (5)
SEPIA An abbreviated detective ‘probing’ a great multitude (host)
26a Pencilled in number five, not using force to save bit of ink (9)
TENTATIVE A number and fIVE (from the clue) without (not using) the symbol for Force, into which is inserted (to save) a bit of ink on the skin
27a Rookie compiler’s admitting decisive argument (7)
SETTLER The letter used to indicate a learner (rookie) inserted into a compiler
28a Rest and recuperation primarily taken by those abroad (6)
OTHERS The primary letter of Recuperation ‘taken’ by an anagram (abroad) of THOSE
Down
1d Nowhere near a pint? (3,4)
NOT HALF A slang expression meaning not at all could reference a very small amount of liquid (nowhere near a pint)
2d Snow under motorway traffic’s restricting (5)
SWAMP The abbreviation for Motorway ‘restricted’ by barter or exchange (traffic)
3d Solitary figure, batter’s last seen chasing just over 50? (5)
LONER The last letter of batteR ‘chasing’ the Roman numeral for fifty with a number that would result in ‘just over 50’
4d Let up and stopped getting personal (3,4)
DIE DOWN Stopped or finished permanently and belonging to one (personal)
5d Alludes to potential clue for “In post” (6,3)
POINTS OUT This time the anagram indicator follows the result of an anagram of IN POST
6d Craven Cottage’s base overwhelmed by bias to a smaller degree (9)
SPINELESS The letter at the base of cottagE inserted between (overwhelmed by) bias or a favourable slant on something and an adjective meaning in a smaller quantity (to a lesser degree)
7d Switches eyewear after time, no good in the van (7)
TOGGLES Some eyewear follows (after) the abbreviation for Time, the abbreviation for Good at the front (van) of the eyewear being removed
8d Actress in Queen Vic, Mrs Cotton? (6)
BARDOT A drinking establishment such as the Queen Vic and the affectionate way Mrs Cotton was known
14d Racecourse kiss and cuddle leads to ruddy strip! (3,6)
RED CARPET A Yorkshire racecourse and an informal verb meaning to kiss and cuddle
15d Cream hat online? Exactly (2,3,4)
ON THE NAIL An anagram (cream) of HAT ONLINE
17d Advanced cronyism at the top – Conservative resorts to charges (7)
ACCUSES The abbreviation for Advanced, the letter at the top of Cronyism, the abbreviation for Conservative and put to some purpose (resorts to)
18d Races through channel north of river in punt (7)
FLUTTER Some races (usually associated with the Isle of Man) go through a pipe for carrying hot air (channel), the result put ‘north’ (in a Down solution) of the abbreviation for River
19a I’m sorry to break part of ladder put up again (6)
REHUNG An interjection indicating failure to hear (I’m sorry) ‘breaks’ part of a ladder
20d Spain allows you historically to fill small holes (7)
EYELETS The historical word for you ‘fills’ or goes between the IVR Code for Spain and a synonym for allows
23d Have a go at climbing hill while getting drunk (5)
ROAST A reversal (climbing) of a hill into which is inserted (getting drunk) a conjunction meaning while
24d As it happens nothing tops fruit (5)
OLIVE As it happens ‘topped’ by the letter representing nothing
Great fun. I especially enjoyed 9a, 18a, 21a and the cheeky “just over 50” 3d. Best thanks to Dharma and CS.
I found this most entertaining, and nothing obscure that I needed to look up.
The couple that took me longest to parse were 2d (traffic was not the first synonym I thought of), and 26a.
Plenty of smiles…. the “whiff of toes”, Dot cotton, “boring Arsenal” (from a Chelsea pov), “climbing hill while getting drunk”, and so on.
Many thanks to Dharma and to CS.
Phew! This was certainly hard work for a Wednesday Toughie, and a bit of a mixed bag in terms of enjoyment.
It’s a fun idea, but I don’t think 1d works. The answer means emphatically yes, and there is nothing in the clue which defines that. “Absolutely nowhere near a pint” would seem to work.
I know it’s in the BRB but I dislike “tat” meaning “ink” with a passion, and I don’t think the residents of Walford would ever refer the Queen Vic as a bar.
I particularly liked 13a, 17a, 22a, 14d, 17d & 19d.
Thanks to Dharma and to CS.
Quite tough for a Wednesday and very enjoyable – thanks to Dharma and CS.
I don’t have any problems with clues in a Toughie being a bit wordy which allows for clever wordplay. I much prefer that to very short clues which rely on stretched synonyms.
I really liked 4a, 9a, 21a, 26a, 2d and 14d.
A very decent toughie, though I was surprised Sue rated it as a **** for difficulty.
Can’t argue with RD’s thoughts on 1d, I think his suggestion does improve the clue.
The distasteful image conjoured up in 18a prompted me to learn a new word, bromodosis. Hopefully I’ll not have cause to use it in conversation.
As Jezza says, 26a took a bit of working out and the curt president in 13a along with the northern racetrack smooch in 14d also get a thumbs up.
Thanks to Dharma and, as ever, to CS.
Only fractionally easier than yesterday’s. 1d’s a bit of a dud – at first it seems clever but when you think about it it doesn’t really work – but otherwise good stuff. I wasn’t familiar with the congrats in 21a [must get out more] but it sort of figures. Faves were 9a, 26a and either of 20 and 23d [shame they’re adjacent, being almost identical].
Thanks to Dharma and CS.
Some great clues, somewhat easier and more enjoyable puzzle than yesterday. Mercifullly some rather helpful checkers for the Reverend.
Thanks to Dharma and CS
Certainly easier than yesterday but still found it pretty chewy but then that’s par for the course with this setter’s Toughies. Lots to like – 4,9,21&28a + 8,14&23d particular likes with 9a my pick of ‘em.
Thanks to Dharma & CS
If these so far this week are going to be the standard early week toughies I’m going to give up, in fairness I did better with today’s than yesterday’s. I gave up Fridays years ago.
The non Elgar & Osmosis Fridays are doable for us lesser mortals but fuggedaboutit for those two
I was on Dharma’s wavelength today, for a change, so this went in fairly smoothly. I’m with RD on 1d, and the abbreviated ink (although the clue does say “bit of ink). Not a good day for truncations, given the magazine in the back pager. However, there were lots of clever clues. 3d is a standout for me, and I also really liked 14d and 23d. It might have been a bit wordy, but the surfaces all seemed to flow nicely – so much so I didn’t notice until CS pointed it out: no problem in my view, provided the narrative doesn’t clunk.
Thank you, Dharma for a very enjoyable puzzle, and to CS for the blog
Certainly had us working hard but we did get it all sorted eventually and enjoyed the process.
Thanks Dharma and CS.
A steady solve once I’d given up trying to shoehorn ‘bar none’ into 1d.
Favourites were 7d, 8d,14d & 18d.
Thanks to Dharma and to Sue for some enlightening explanations.
What an excellent Toughie! It proved both challenging and rewarding from start to finish.
), 26a, 27a, 3d, 4d, 7d, 8d, 14d, 18d, 20d, 23d and 24d.
I’m not sure I’ve ever had the temerity to attempt a Dharma Toughie previously. Having thoroughly enjoyed a recent cryptic of his, I promised I’d have a go. I’m more than delighted that I did.
At first, I didnt think I’d be able to solve more than a handful of clues. Gradually, however, I found the right wavelength and the wordplay fell into place. Lovely fun clues! I have a large cluster around my podium! They are 11a (my 2nd last in), 13a, 18a (
Not everything was plain sailing. Id did create a bit of a quandry, but the intention was there and the answer had to be what it is. I agree with Rabbit Dave’s comment. Despite having the crossing letters, I needed help for 2d — a very clever clue.
Most appreciative thanks to Dharma for excellent entertainment. 21a to you, Dharma!
Big thanks to crypticsue for the review and for explaining 2d. Do like your choice of illustrations.