Toughie No 3737 by Shabbo
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty * – Enjoyment *****
It’s always a joy to see Shabbo’s name pop up. He’s clearly got the expected Tuesday non-difficulty level down pat, generously going out of his way to give us a toehold or ten (6d, etc). Ever so gentle, sure, but smoothly entertaining. If you like anagrams, you’re going to love it! The floor, as ever, is yours. PS … dinna fret – Whybird’s back next week!
Across
1a Chopper posted reportedly to find grave in France? (6)
ACCENT: homophones of “chopper” and “posted”.
4a Rider‘s heartless obsession (8)
ADDITION: “obsession” (drugs, etc), less its middle letter.
9a Sinner right to withdraw, taking time for return game (6)
TENNIS: SINNE[R] (“right to withdraw”), taking T[ime] (instead), returned/reversed.
10a Trump’s enforcers’ best course? (3,5)
ICE CREAM: US immigration agency (boo!) + best/elite.
12a Food that could be sweet and sour (4)
TART: double definition.
13a Do a runner, unlike criminals? (5)
LEGIT: do a runner/scarper (3,2).
14a Caught rather indecent bishop leaving this? (4)
CLUE: abbreviated “caught” + (rather) indecent (films, etc), minus B[ishop].
17a Upset to be sacked? (12)
DISAPPOINTED: a whimsical “sacked”. Chambers actually lists this as an obsolete meaning. Pretty much.
20a Primarily critical renovations ordered for maintenance (12)
CONSERVATION: C[ritical] + RENOVATIONS, ordered.
23a Give worker cards (4)
HAND: triple definition.
24a Not against production of Oliver in Oxford college (5)
ORIEL: production of OLIVER, minus the V[ersus].
25a Clear notice protects Florentine banker (4)
ARNO: lurker, hidden in the first two words.
28a Ace channels for commodities (8)
PRODUCTS: ace/expert + channels/pipes.
29a Small attic needs converting still (6)
STATIC: abbreviated “small” + ATTIC, converted.
30a French newspaper includes article that is refreshing (8)
LEMONADE: “French newspaper” (not ** Figaro, the other one!), including/containing (indefinite) “article”.
31a Delighted to see goddess featuring in poster (6)
AMUSED: goddess (one of nine) inside the usual two-letter “poster”.
Down
1d Elevation of opinion, Liberal for the first time (8)
ALTITUDE: opinion/stance, with L[iberal] replacing the first T[ime] (of two).
2d Rant about cutting price difference (8)
CONTRAST: RANT, about, cutting/inside price/fee.
3d Digital protection not available in libraries initially (4)
NAIL: acrostic.
5d Bubbly tonic appearing in journals and word books (12)
DICTIONARIES: TONIC, bubbly, in journals/records.
6d Crown removed from pitch pine (4)
ITCH: Remove the crown/first letter from PITCH.
7d Principles of current agreements (6)
IDEALS: (electric) “current” + agreements/pacts.
8d Finally Gordon Brown becomes less sensitive (6)
NUMBER: [Gordo]N + “brown”.
11d Proved villain’s handled without prejudice, ultimately (12)
DEMONSTRATED: villain/monster + handled/managed, minus (one) [prejudic]E.
15d Farah’s back going after record for racing here (5)
EPSOM: Farah’s (as per the runner’s first name), reversed, after (vinyl) “record”.
16d Faced brewing espresso without the kick? (5)
DECAF: FACED, brewing.
18d Hikes aircraft prices? (8)
MIGRATES: (Russian) “aircraft” + prices/fees.
19d Police blocking border is obligatory (8)
ENFORCED: (generic) “police” blocking/inside border/limit.
21d Church plea to refurbish place of worship (6)
CHAPEL: abbreviated “church” + PLEA, refurbished.
22d Provide education for current class (6)
INFORM: current/hip + (school) “class”.
26d Sport in bankruptcy (4)
RUIN: (the best!) “sport” + IN.
27d Time Out article (4)
ITEM: TIME, out.
We’ve got eight anagrams, a triple definition, a lurker and an acrostic, etc. I liked 10a & 17a and 8d’s optimistic surface tickled me – as if! How did you get on?
Wouldn’t go quite as far as Huntsman in defining this as a ‘floughie’, but certainly towards that end of the spectrum. Everything was clearly clued with some amusing diversions. I particularly liked the French chopper at 1a, the runner at 13a and 24a, the Oliver production.
My thanks to Shabbo and ALP
1*/3.5*
I enjoyed this but it wasn’t a walk in the park for me. LOI was 11d and I stared at 26d for ages until the penny dropped.
Top picks for me were 1a, 13a, 10a, 14a and 17a.
Thanks to ALP and Shabbo.
Dream Team Tuesday – AP on the back page and Shabbo in the Toughie slot.
I loved this with the lightness of touch, gentle humour and smooth surfaces. 1a is a great homophone to kick things off, and 23a is an excellent triple definition. Those two are joined by 13a & 24a to make up a crowded podium.
I am not entirely convinced that “hikes” is an accurate defifintion for 18d.
Many thanks to Shabbo and ALP.
RD and CS – Chambers Thesaurus, the ‘other’ BRB(?), includes hike in the entry for18d.
A most enjoyable mid-week backpager, although I would agree with RD that 18d means hikes
Thanks to Shabbo and ALP
Like Croye Dave, I have to mildly disagree with Huntsman’s characterisation of this offering from Shabbo as ‘floughie.’ Nevertheless, a very enjoyable first Toughie of the week which did exercise the grey matter – **/****
Candidates for favourite – 17a, 23a, 30a, 8d, and 11d – and the winner is 30a.
Thanks to Shabbo and ALP.
Tremendous fun from Shabbo – thanks to him and ALP.
The 18d answer seems rather a stretch for ‘hikes’ although, as Senf says, it is in more than one thesaurus.
The clues which I liked best were 1a, 10a, 23a and 8d.
Family prize claimed by Shabbo’s Brother and Shabbo’s Sister-in-law! We thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle. It’s about as tough as we can manage and great fun to do together. Thanks Shabbo! Now back to work 😁
I have to wonder – do you only solve a crossword when it is one of your brother’s? If you do solve more often, and assuming you solve DT puzzles, you are welcome to comment more often.
Dare I say we have developed our “skills” on the Times Quick Crossword and rarely venture into Toughie territory. It seems to help to know the setter well. We understand his humour, sporting prefernces, and general lack of knowledge of “popular” culture.
When I saw it was Shabbo on Toughie duty, I had to give it a go and I am pleased I did.
It wasn’t all plain sailing, however and I did need a couple of ALP’s excellent hints to get me across the line. I, too had my doubts about “hikes” at 18d but I see from comments it’s in the usual reference books. My COTT is the obsession at 4a.
Thank you, Shabbo for the fun. Thank you, ALP for the hints.
With a touch of man flu, some time to try the toughie. A gentle one indeed, in line with typical Tues / Wed back-pager times and challenge levels.
Only one I sought help on was 24A by searching Oxford colleges. Kicking myself for not picking up the right meaning of ‘Not against’ but most of all not having my anagram radar set off by ‘production’!
Pody places go to 1A’s chopper, 13A’s runners and 16D’s nicely brewed surface ☕️
Thanks to Shabbo and to ALP ⭐️
About right for a Tuesday I’d say and most enjoyable it was too. Some needed a bit of thinking about. Favourite was 1a. Thanks to Shabbo and ALP.
I thought this was going to be quite tough but once I got going, it all fell into place nicely. A very enjoyable solve, thanks Shabbo, really enjoying your crosswords.
Thanks too to ALP for the hints, tips and music, especially Bill Withers.
A slog for me. But I did one better than the cryptic, failing on 13 across. I simply hadn’t a clue what the answer could be. The French paper seems to have cropped up a few times.
Thanks to setter and hinter.