Toughie No 3558 by Hudson
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty * – Enjoyment *****
I was so delighted to find that I had a Hudson Toughie to solve and blog that I forgot to check the number of pages to print – still I’m sure the rest of the second sheet of A4 will come in handy for a shopping list now I’ve cut off the clue for 25a and glued it at the bottom of page 1
A splendid start-of-the-week Toughie with so much to enjoy throughout that I’m still smiling while getting on with the rest of my day
Please let us know what you thought
Across
1a Energetically get one’s hands on a few eggs (6)
CLUTCH Energetically grasp or a sitting of eggs
5a Python leaving papers in care of quiet, singular Athenian (8)
PERICLES A prominent Athenian general in the 5th century BC. The name of a member of Monty Python without (leaving) the abbreviated identity papers at the start of his surname, inserted between (in care of) the musical abbreviation for quiet and the abbreviation for Singular
9a One uses tricks to swindle Texas oilman hoarding uranium and gold (8)
CONJUROR A slang synonym for swindle, the abbreviated name of a Texas oilman in the TV series Dallas, the latter ‘hoarding’ the chemical symbol for Uranium; the heraldic name for gold being added at the end
10a Web designer‘s sophisticated search program (6)
SPIDER An insect that designs webs gives its name to an automated program used by search engines
11a A femme fatale, mum starts to tempt admirer by tossing hair (4,4)
MATA HARI An informal name for a mum, the ‘starts’ to Tempt and Admirer followed by an anagram (tossing) of HAIR
12a Father, religious, excommunicating Catherine in prank (6)
FROLIC An abbreviation for father and an adjective meaning religious without (excommunicating) a diminutive form of Catherine
13a After the season, plan mutual open-ended returns (8)
AUTUMNAL Hidden in reverse (returns) in the inside letters (open-ended) of pLAN MUTUAl
15a Pass round women’s hood (4)
COWL A mountain pass goes round the abbreviation for Women
17a Soccer trifecta lands sure-fire winner (4)
CERT Hidden in the first two words of the clue
19a Social network adopted by former PM as chief support (8)
MAINSTAY An informal way of referring to a social sharing network inserted into the surname of a former Prime Minister
20a Rolls manufacturers? (6)
BAKERS A cryptic definition of people who make rolls
21a American in Paris maybe a West End smash (8)
HAMILTON A two-letter abbreviation for American inserted into the surname of an American personality called Paris
22a Upper hides round hole in one part of shoe (6)
TOECAP The upper part of something ‘hides’ a reversed (round) hole in one
23a Reportedly is aware of seedy bar in which a drop is pretty steep (8)
NOSEDIVE A homophone (reportedly) of is aware of followed by a seedy bar
24a Cure against deer being pierced by tick initially (8)
ANTIDOTE A preposition meaning against and a female deer being ‘pierced’ by the initial letter of Tick
25a Ridiculous sailors’ uniform ruched at the edges (6)
ABSURD Some abbreviated sailors, the letter represented by Uniform in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet and the ‘edges’ of RucheD
Down
2d Prototype helicopter designer giving old doctor an Xmas spin (8)
LEONARDO Spin or reverse the abbreviations for Old and doctor, AN (from the clue) and another name for Christmas
3d I’m obliged, Harry, to get fresh jam filling – it’s a wonder (3,5)
TAJ MAHAL An informal word of thanks (I’m obliged) and another diminutive for Henry (as is Harry) into which is inserted (to get … filling) an anagram (fresh) of JAM
4d Order a treble? Ah, that’s refreshing (6,3)
HERBAL TEA An anagram (order) of A TREBLE AH
5d New hearing implant, electronic, that allowed The Doors to be laid back (10-5)
PARLIAMENT-HINGE I’d never heard of this but the second word was obvious and I just fitted in the remaining letters of the anagram into the checking letters of the first. The capitalisation of The Doors is there to mislead
6d Endanger sovereign after evacuating area (7)
IMPERIL An adjective meaning sovereign without (after evacuating) the abbreviation for Area
7d Genteel boy, extremely youthful former President (8)
LADYLIKE A boy, the extreme letters of YouthfuL and the informal way we refer to the 34th President of the United States
8d Stephenson’s first engine fitted with power wheel with teeth (8)
SPROCKET The first letter of Stephenson and his engine into which is inserted (fitted with) the symbol for Power
14d Smartie Pants set up AI plant (9)
ARTEMISIA An anagram (pants) of SMARTIE and a reversal (set up) of AI (from the clue)
15d US agents soundly duff up Italian favourite from 20 Across (8)
CIABATTA Some American agents and a homophone (soundly) of a verb meaning to beat (duff up)
16d Like the most weird, most Dastardly race? (8)
WACKIEST The most eccentric generally or the cartoon races involving Dick Dastardly
17d Bill goes by bike around a group of islands (8)
CYCLADES A simple way of saying goes by bike is put around an abbreviated advertisement (bill)
18d Clergyman finished swallowing large piece (8)
REVOLVER An abbreviated clergyman and a synonym for finished, the latter swallowing the abbreviation for Large
19d Fantastic female compiler, married, held in police operation (7)
MERMAID How our compiler would refer to himself and the abbreviation for Married, the latter ‘held’ in a police operation
Good afternoon. I enjoyed this Toughie. It wasn`t difficult but it did require some thought. 2d and 8d share the honours for COTD. 14d and 17d required the use of the dictionary, with the former being a new word for me. Many thanks CS for the review and to the setter.
Amusing, enjoyable and clever, this was a pleasure to solve.
Plenty of stand-out clues involving lots of name dropping.
The stetson wearing baddie in 9a, Cath who got excommunicated in 12a and the ex-president in 7d were among my picks.
Best of all was the Python leaving papers in 5a. (Wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more).
Superb entertainment, my thanks to Hudson and CS.
Just right for a Wednesday Toughie – nicely challenging and a lot of fun.
Not sure that the definition for 13a leads to the answer. I’ve never heard of 5d but the answer was easily derived from the wordplay and checkers.
2d was my favourite of many ticked clues.
Many thanks to Hudson and CS.
Encouraged by others, I had a go at this excellent Toughie by Hudson and I am very glad that I did.
I found it just chewy enough to make it a satisfying solve.
I am grateful to CS for parsing 5d – that type of Python had not occurred to me.
The door ironmongery at 5d is my CoD.
Excellent stuff.
Thank you Hudson and CS.
I didn’t find this straightforward. Never heard of the Athenian, the search program, the hinge, the plant or the island group. It was not made any easier with all the double unches. I did, however, enjoy the challenge. Favourite was 2d. Thanks to Hudson and CS.
It is indeed a somewhat unusual grid with only 13 down clues, but it must be in the DT’s library of acceptable grids.
Tremendous stuff – thanks to Hudson and CS.
I didn’t know the 5d term or the 14d plant but both were gettable once the checkers were in place.
I have lots of ticks on my printout (with 25a hand-written at the bottom to save paper!) including 9a, 11a, 7d, 19d and (my favourite) 21a.
A jolly romp indeed – 19a, 21a, 19d, etc. Best thanks to Hudson and CS.
Plenty of humour on display in this puzzle, which always goes down well here. Thank goodness the answer to 10a was easy to get as I didn’t have a clue about the search engine and I thought 5a might test me a bit until it ‘sort of’ constructed itself. Top spots given to 9,11,21&24a.
Many thanks to Hudson and to CS for the review.
Another enjoyable venture into Toughieland, only 21a eluded me, it might be a West End smash but I’ve never heard of it. I liked the helicopter designer and Stephenson’s first engine.
Thanks to Hudson and Cryptic Sue
A very enjoyable puzzle which I solved early this morning. I didn’t realise that my answer to 20a was incorrect until now, after reading the write-up; I had a Y as my final letter. I would imagine though, that an ending of ies would have been necessary for my entry to be correct.
Favourite clue 9a with 18d runner-up.
Many thanks to Hudson and to CS.
A much quicker completion than the back page puzzle albeit an incorrect one – not being familiar with the 14d plant I initially had vowels 3&5 in the wrong order & amended only after using the check if all correct facility. Hadn’t heard of the hinge or the app either & though 17d rang a bell I wouldn’t have been able to place them in the Aegean Sea. 5* enjoyment here also for sure with ✅s aplenty – 5,11,19&23a + 3,7&15d particular likes.
Thanks to Hudson & Sue.
As always with this setter, a joy to solve. Lots of smiles along the way.
I agree with RD that 13A could have been more accurately worded like maybe ” of the season”.
Nevertheless an excellent puzzle with 10 and 20A my picks.
Thanks to CS for the blog and Hudson for the enjoyment.
A couple of new things to learn in 5d and 14d but all solvable and a pleasure to do.
Thanks Hudson and CS.
Superb, and delighted to have trawled up all the required GK from some of the deepest recesses. So many humorous moments, but especially 21.
Absolutely loved this. Many thanks to Hudson and CS
A cracker, thank you, Hudson. A fair bit of working through the individual clues to see what was going on, perfect for a post-work Wednesday evening. And all work-out-able, even the Athenian (heard of, but not exactly precisely identified!), the plant and the door part. 5a and 8d get my prizes today.
Thanks to CS for the blog, too!
1*/4* …
liked 4D “Order a treble ? Ah, that’s refreshing (6,3)”
as usual, I have made a note of toughies that people tell me are achievable. This was one of them. I’m only writing this to thank CS for the comments as ever. And Hudson, if he’s reading.