Sunday Toughie No 227 by Beam
Review by Sloop John Bee
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
This puzzle was published on the 31st of May 2026
Across
1a Bearing sweetheart, tight in hard embrace (9)
DEMEANOUR: A synonym of tight (with money) MEAN, in the embrace of hard or determined DOUR. But don’t forget to include the Beam™ heart of sweet E. Bearing or D-E-MEAN-OUR
6a The man’s accepting wife splits (4)
HEWS: A contraction of the man is HE’S, accepts the abbreviation of wife W
10a Cut in lot backing church (5)
NOTCH: A lot in weight TON, is reversed (backing) NOT, against a church abbreviation CH. A cut or NOTCH
11a Pill, taken periodically, stops sickness bug (9)
DISPLEASE: A sickness DISEASE, takes periodic letters of pill PL, DIS-PL-EASE, to bug or annoy
12a Feeling of degradation after daughter leaves (7)
EMOTION: Degradation in the ranks, perhaps (D)EMOTION, but the daughter abbreviation leaves. A feeling or EMOTION
13a Queen over cattishness providing breather (7)
RESPITE: Another Beam™, our late queen’s regnal cipher ER, is reversed (over) RE, some cattishness or SPITE
14a Approach open river (8)
OVERTURE: A synonym of open OVERT, and the tributary of the Ouse that doesn’t give its name to the Wensleydale valley it runs through, the River URE. An approach or OVERTURE
16a Violin top conceals dull interior (5)
AMATI: An alphanumeric indication of top or best A1 becomes A I, around (conceals) a dull interior MAT. A violin named for the AMATI family of violin makers
19a Abstemious therefore ale is half emptied (5)
SOBER: A conjunction for therefore SO, and what remains of hopped ale BEeR, when one of the middle letters is missing. Abstemious or SOBER
21a Crush hearts admitting politician succeeded (8)
COMPRESS: Hearts (of apples perhaps) CORES, admits a member of parliament MP, followed by a genealogical abbreviation for succeeded S. CO(MP)RES S
24a Time left in job for laughter (7)
CHORTLE: Abbreviations of time and left T L, go into a job or task you may undertake to earn pocket money CHORE
25a Last in band, more offbeat musician (7)
DRUMMER: A comparative for more offbeat RUMMER, follows the last in band D
27a Suggestion from refunder to negotiate (9)
UNDERTONE: A lurker (from) the rest of the clue
28a Support supporter with crew, occasionally (5)
BRACE: Beam’s™ supporter BRA, and occasional letters of crew CE, A support or BRACE
29a Noah’s first vessel getting wind up (4)
NARK: To wind up or annoy from the first letter of Noah N, and his ship Noah’s ARK
30a Ignores train times circling barrier (9)
RESTRAINT: Another lurker (circling) in the first three words of the clue. A barrier or RESTRAINT
Down
1d Reckless party carries rage leading America (9)
DANGEROUS: An informal party DO, around (carries) some rage ANGER and one of our usual Americas US. Reckless or D(ANGER)O-US
2d Saw flash catching too much (5)
MOTTO: A short time MO, contains (catches) too much or excessive OTT
3d Heretic cheers over robbery (7)
ATHEIST: An informal greeting TA, is reversed AT (over) a robbery or HEIST
4d Routine otherwise new in journal (8)
ORDINARY: A conjunction for otherwise OR, and a journal DIARY, that contains a new abbreviation N. Routine or OR-DI(N)ARY
5d Once again organise holiday here (6)
RESORT: A double definition, with a hyphen (2-4) RE-SORT to organise again, (6) RESORT a place for a holiday
7d Destroy energy beam keeping constant (9)
ERADICATE: E for energy and to beam out in all directions RADIATE, which contains the constant that Einstein used to represent the speed of light C. To destroy or E-RADI(C)ATE
8d Scandinavian with erstwhile Danish enmity, initially (5)
SWEDE: Beam’s™ initial’s of the first five words of the clue
9d American state petition in American city (6)
ALASKA: One of our usual Americans A, and an abbreviated American city LA, which contains a petition or inquiry ASK.
15d Elaborate couturier rising in glowing form? (9)
EMBROIDER: A French couturier DIOR, is reversed (rising in a down clue) ROID, in the glowing remains of a fire EMBER, To elaborate the truth or EMB(ROID)ER
17d One revolting man under cover, almost (9)
INSURGENT: A man GENT, goes beneath(under) almost all of to cover against loss or damage INSUR(e). One who revolts an INSURGENT
18d Virtue is giving my word! (8)
GOODNESS: A virtue that, with ******** me! is used to express surprise GOODNESS me!
20d Counter and glass vessel in laboratory (6)
RETORT: A double definition. Glassware for the laboratory or a quick reply to counter an argument
22d Artisan beginning to produce rubbish (7)
PLUMBER: A beginning letter of produce P, and something rubbish, cumbersome or useless LUMBER
23d French director concerned with film style (6)
RENOIR: One of our usual ons or concerned withs RE, and a film style characterised by moody black and white photography RE-NOIR. The film director son of the Impressionist painter
24d Check pot and stir (5)
CHURN: A notation from chess for check CH, and the pot where tea may be brewed URN
26d One wound up seeing vibrant metropolis (5)
MIAMI: The Roman one I, and to wound or injure MAIM, are reversed (up) for the colourful city of MIAM-I
Compiler
Beam
That’s all Folks…