Sunday Toughie No 192 by proXimal
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 28th of September 2025
Across
1a Spooner’s rodent sounded like a top intricate nest-builder (6,4)
WEAVER BIRD: A large tree-eating rodent BEAVER, and the sound that a spinning top made WHIRRED, are given the Spooner treatment BEAVER WHIRRED becomes WEAVER BIRD.
6a Dispute criminal charges after reflection (4)
SPAR: Informal criminal charges RAPS, usually recorded on a rap sheet, are reversed into a dispute involving fist-i-cuffs SPAR.
9a Reportedly, old citrus slicer is a let-down (10)
ANTICLIMAX: Homophones of old ANTIQUE, a citrus fruit LIME, and something to slice trees perhaps AXE, ANTIQUE LIME AXE becomes ANTICLIMAX
10a Supporting male model (4)
FORM: A synonym of supporting FOR, and an abbreviation of male M, FORM, defined by model
12a Carcass of moose on plain (4)
MERE: The outer letters (carcass) of moose M-E, followed by one of our usual on’s RE.
13a Wrong date shown for stage musical (9)
HADESTOWN: An anagram (wrong) of DATE SHOWN.
15a One knight observed keeping king motivated (8)
INSPIRED: A Roman one I, a chess Knight N, and observed in a clandestine manner SPIED, contains a Latin King R for Rex. Motivated or I N SPI-R-ED
16a Best penalties meeting back of net (6)
FINEST: Monetary penalties FINES, and the back of net T.
18a Asian food starter of squid consumed in island country (6)
SAMOSA: A starting letter S in the Pacific Island country of SAMOA.
20a Following delay, depressed signal to stop (4,4)
FLAG DOWN: An abbreviated following F, a small delay LAG, and depressed DOWN.
23a Schools struggling aimed to invest in experts (9)
ACADEMIES: Some flying experts ACES, contain an anagram of AIMED.
24a Cycling, catch winged beast (4)
RHEA: To catch in audition HEAR, cycles one letter.
26a Welshman’s raised platform (4)
DAIS: Belonging to a Welsh David DAI’S becomes DAIS.
27a Prisoner based at sea (10)
CONFOUNDED: Synonyms of prisoner CON, and based FOUNDED.
28a Have a tantrum close to dinner time (4)
RAGE: The close to dinner R, and a long time period AGE.
29a Sickly-looking state of some from agencies, send ill applicants back (10)
PALLIDNESS: When in doubt… a lurker (of some from) that is reversed (back), that is hidden between the (indicators) PALLIDNESS hidden backwards
Down
1d Cover wide pit perhaps, obscuring top (4)
WRAP: A wide at cricket W, and a pitfall or (t)RAP without its topmost letter.
2d Honest write-ups disheartened son (7)
ARTLESS: The write-ups that appear in newspapers and magazines ART(IC)LES, loses two letters at its heart, don’t forget S for son at the end.
3d Very old book – novel is set encompassing area in market town (12)
ECCLESIASTES: A for area encompassed by an anagram of IS SET, in the Lancashire Market Town of ECCLES.
4d Cursed naval commander heads for trouble evidently doomed (8)
BLIGHTED: A historical naval commander William BLIGH, and the heads of the last three words T E D.
5d Reoriented north-eastward avoiding the tors to move country (6)
RWANDA: At last the proXimal™ compound anagram, avoid THE TORS in N orth-e A st WARD and find a country in what remains.
7d Plan military endeavour in writing (7)
PROPOSE: Writing without metrical structure PROSE, contains an abbreviated military endeavour OP.
8d Considering canned drink good (10)
RUMINATING: A Caribbean drink RUM in a can IN A TIN + G for good.
11d Making enquiries: monarch’s coming in when approximately? (6,6)
ASKING AROUND: Synonyms of when AS and approximately AROUND, contain a monarch KING.
14d One tends grave in light rain initially (5-5)
FIRST-AIDER: A synonym of grave or serious STAID, in the light of a flame FIRE, and the initial letter of rain R. FIR(STAID)E R
17d Happy developing all of business, as one rogue gets dismissed (8)
BLISSFUL: Compound anagram #2. An anagram of A LL O F BU S I NE SS after AS ONE is removed.
19d The German leaves rambling message (7)
MEANING: A synonym of rambling MEANDERING, without one of the German definite articles DER
21d Deliveries of the French wine ultimately late (7)
OVERDUE: Six cricket deliveries OVER, of in French DU, and the ultimate letter of wine E.
22d This plant confused with fern might be in some farm (6)
MIMOSA: Compound anagram # 3. An anagram of I N SOM E F A R M without fern.
25d Commercials broadcast for supplements (4)
ADDS: A homophone (broadcast) of abbreviated commercial breaks.
Compiler
proXimal
That’s all Folks…
Thanks for the hints.
Still don’t understand how 22d says remove fern from the anagram
It is a proXimal speciality – the compound anagram.
The definition is this plant and when anagrammed with FERN you have the letters IN SOME FARM, so in reverse remove FERN from IN SOME FARM and you have the remains I SOM A M, which is the anagram fodder for the plant MIMOSA.
Thank you so much