Sunday Toughie No 223 by Zandio
Review by
Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 3rd of May 2026
Across
1a Film music titan’s entrance after solid support (10)
SOUNDTRACK: Synonyms of solid or SOUND, and a support or RACK, are separated by the initial (entrance) of titan T. Music recorded for a film SOUND T RACK
6a Rip-off raincoat’s taken back (4)
SCAM: Plural raincoats MACS are reversed for a rip=off or SCAM
9a Scholar, say, with Golf – he had given a … (7)
EGGHEAD: Say as an example EG, G for golf, a contraction for he had HE’D around A from the clue
10a … pile attaching on family Sierra’s wipers (7)
NAPKINS: The pile of a cloth, such as that used at The Crucible Theatre NAP, a synonym of family KIN, and the letter S that Sierra suggests
12a Part of Vivaldi’s concert in Genoa causing disturbance? (13)
DISCONCERTING: A lurker (part of) the next four words
14a Spears, Britney’s first – as yet no remixes (8)
BAYONETS: An anagram (remixes) of the first letter of Britney B, and AS YET NO
15a When seabird shows behind at sea (6)
ASTERN: A conjunction for when AS, and a seabird TERN
17a Prompt comprehension, audibly stressed later (6)
INCITE: A homophone (audibly stressed) of comprehension or understanding, INSIGHT becomes to prompt or INCITE
19a Puzzles do fluster where English is involved (8)
CONFUSES: To do or deceive CON, and a synonym of a fluster FUSS, contains E for English
21a Pay author?! I go off to tackle book writing (13)
AUTOBIOGRAPHY: An all-in-one anagram (off) of PAY AUTHOR I GO and B for book. Nice surface. Why pay for an author to ghostwrite your story when you could write it yourself
24a Heading west, diving bird caught by island that’s mainly under water (7)
ICEBERG: A diving bird GREBE, and abbreviations of caught C, and island I, are reversed (heading west in an across clue) GREBE C I becomes ICEBERG
25a Monthly rate I dropped round bottles of vitamins etc? (7)
DIETARY: A lurker (bottles) that is hidden in reverse (round) in the first four words
26a After revolution, Trotsky maybe presents alternative to Christmas (4)
NOEL: A reversal (after revolution) of Trotsky’s first name LEON Trotsky becomes NOEL
27a Novel direction taken by duo, playing one with horns (10)
UNORTHODOX: A direction or compass point NORTH, in an anagram (playing) of DUO, finish with a horned animal or OX
Down
1d Petition bishop’s department to meet king (4)
SEEK: The area or department under a bishop’s control SEE, meets a King abbreviation K
2d Corrupt boxer, maybe knocked over, lay vacantly with French one on top (7)
UNGODLY: A reversal (knocked over) of the creature that boxer is an example of DOG becomes GOD, what remains of LaY when it is vacant LY, put a French one on top UN GOD LY or corrupt
3d Mayonnaise possibly where you need it? (It’s usually in the bedroom) (8-5)
DRESSING-TABLE: Mayonnaise possibly is an example of a salad DRESSING, and the place it is served TABLE. Or, more reasonably, the area of the bedroom where one prepares for the day
4d Camp types and rogues keeping my boss company (8)
REDCOATS: Zandio’s abbreviated boss ED, and an abbreviation of company CO, go in some rogues or RATS. REDCOATS were worn by hosts at Butlin’s holiday camps
5d Occasionally using actions, YMCA lifted one having doubts (5)
CYNIC: Occasional letters (occasionally using), that are reversed (lifted) in aCtIoNs YMCA CINYC becomes CYNIC
7d Sign to collect one’s hot food (7)
CUISINE: An actor’s line that serves as a sign for some following action or speech CUE, contains a Roman one its plural ess I’S, and a synonym of hot or popular IN. Food or CU-IS-IN-E
8d I hate the female version of Misty, song about yours truly (10)
MISOGYNIST: An anagram of MISTY, SONG and the personal pronoun, I for yours truly. A female hater or MISOGYNIST
11d Opening (adj.), focus (verb), peroration (noun)? (5,2,6)
PARTS OF SPEECH: I was once told the ideal way to give an address;
Introduction; tell them what you are going to tell them.
Main body; tell them.
Summary; tell them what you have told them. Zandio has summarised this in an even more succinct all-in-one.
An opening or PARTS a curtain perhaps, a focus OF attention, and a peroration or SPEECH
13d Resignation from a job in the end supported by words from the boss? High time to leave! (10)
ABDICATION: Put together the following, A from the clue, the end of job B, and words said by a boss to a secretary DIC(T)ATION, but the first T for time is leaving
16d My men must retain free passage (8)
CORRIDOR: An interjection like my!, used to express surprise COR, and men or soldiers who have not been commissioned =other ranks or OR, contain a synonym of to free from RID
18d Try and see car, twice ignoring right turning, that’s in the middle of the road (4-3)
CATS-EYE: An anagram (turning) of TRY, SEE and CAR, but ignore both instances of R for Right
20d Broadcaster’s leading attraction going up and up (7)
SKYWARD: An attraction or DRAW, is reversed (going up in a down clue) WARD, is follows a satellite broadcaster SKY. Heading on up or SKYWARD
22d Something stopped one’s heart (5)
ORGAN: A double definition, a musical instrument with stops or the heart as an example of one of the ORGAN’s of the body
23d Creature’s articulated joints (4)
LYNX: A homophone (articulated) of a synonym of joints, LINKS becomes LYNX
Compiler
Zandio
That’s All Folks…