Toughie No 2078 by Musaeus
Hints and tips by Bufo
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ****
A new Toughie setter today. Mr Google tells me that Musaeus is a genus of spiders so is there a clue there to the identity of the setter? It was a gentle first puzzle but most enjoyable with some nice clues.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
1a Drink America does fizzy, keeping cold (3-5,4)
ICE-CREAM SODA: An anagram (fizzy) of AMERICA DOES round C (cold). The whole clue can be considered as the definition
9a A new list in connection with what might get diner going (9)
ANTIPASTO: A + N (new) + ‘to list’ + ‘in connection with’ = an hors d’oeuvre
10a Talk of merit (5)
ORATE: ‘To talk’ = a shortened form of ‘of’ + ‘to merit’
11a Bin what’s left of dopey donkey’s pics (6)
IMAGES: ‘Dopey’ (3) with the first letter removed (bins) + ‘donkey’s years’
12a Rhubarb gin gets applause, coming first (8)
CLAPTRAP: Rhubarb or nonsense = ‘applause’ + a gin or snare
13a Several ibuprofen, perhaps (6)
NUMBER: Ibuprofen deadens pain and the answer is a term often used in crosswords for an anaesthetic
15a Run on yarn from the east I have for auntie, possibly (8)
RELATIVE: R (run) + the reversal of a yarn or story + ‘I have’
18a Turn to in helping cycle (8)
ROTATION: A reversal of TO in a helping or portion
19a European flipping satisfies in this respect (6)
ESTEEM: E (European) + a reversal of ‘satisfies’
21a Horror witnessed by a townie in Helen’s home? (8)
ATROCITY: A + a townsman in the ancient city associated with Helen
23a Herbs resulting in constant rash (6)
CHIVES: C (constant) + a popular term for nettle rash
26a This article, it turned up on Queen Anne’s head? (5)
TIARA: A reversal of the indefinite article and IT + a single letter denoting ‘queen’ + the first letter of ANNE. The whole clue can be considered as the definition
27a Who later rued straying? (9)
ADULTERER: An anagram (straying) of LATER RUED. The whole clue can be considered as the definition
28a Egghead uncle a little upset (12)
INTELLECTUAL: An anagram (upset) of UNCLE A LITTLE
Down
1d A Latin, I could be ____ (7)
ITALIAN: An anagram (could be) of A LATIN I
2d Additional stretch of spandex trackies (5)
EXTRA: Hidden in SPANDEX TRACKIES
3d Stand for salesperson dispatched again (9)
REPRESENT: ‘To stand for’ = a salesperson + ‘dispatched again’
4d Special sourdough sandwiches too (4)
ALSO: Hidden in SPECIAL SOURDOUGH
5d Accept / joint (8)
SHOULDER: 2 meanings: To accept or take responsibility for/a joint of the body
6d Flag day lacking upturns (5)
DROOP: ‘To flag’ = D (day) + a reversal of ‘lacking’
7d Fine opening for Holloway’s Emirates, say (8)
HAIRLINE: Fine (like a crack) = the first letter of HOLLOWAY + a company such as Emirates
8d Work provisionally on the French tabernacle (6)
TEMPLE: ‘To work on a non-permanent basis’ + the French definite article
14d Indispensable couple with Omani bread (8)
MATERIAL: ‘To couple’ + the standard monetary unit (bread) of Oman
16d I teach set artfully about principle of taste (9)
AESTHETIC: An anagram (artfully) of I TEACH SET
17d Financial millstone? For northerners the joke is in again (8)
MORTGAGE: ‘The’ as a northerner might say it and a joke in ‘again’
18d Pans close to your driers? (6)
ROASTS: ‘Pans (or criticises harshly)’ = the last letter of YOUR + kilns for drying hops
20d Wind causing poor visibility over east end of Wirral (7)
MISTRAL: ‘Poor visibility’ + the second half of WIRRAL
22d Martial artist clasping one that’s central to nunchucks? (5)
CHAIN: The name of a Hong Kong martial artist from the world of cinema goes round I (one) = the central feature of a nunchuck (which I had to look up)
24d In effect ally removed objets d’art (5)
VIRTU: Remove ALLY from a word meaning ‘in effect’
25d Strong / edict from the Vatican (4)
BULL: 2 meanings: strong (like a male animal)/an edict of the Pope
Very nice. It’s a pity it was over so quickly.
The gentlest of the week for me, but very enjoyable indeed. Welcome, Musaeus – hope to see you again soon.
The townie in 21a was new to me but, I see it’s in the book as archaic. I almost couldn’t pick a favourite, but I think it has to be 11a.
Thanks Musaeus and Bufo.
Edit (a bit late for anyone to see now, but never mind!):
The setter has tweeted.
My thoughts precisely! Thanks very much, Kitty!
I’m given to understand that the name has something to do with Greek Late Antiquity and not very much to do with spiders
Welcome to Musaeus and thank you to Bufo
Very gentle for a Toughie, which is good news for me. I go along with 11a as my favourite, I like a bit of slang. Now back to yesterday’s Petitjean – not quite finished it yet..
Backpager solved rapidly till my “duh moment ” with 18d, obscure 22 (??), + ‘ cit ‘ in 21, held me up a tad in SW corner.. Sorry Bufo */* .
Hope for better next time
It may say Toughie on the tin but the contents fail to deliver.
Anyone looking for a stiffer challenge should head for the Independent today.
I enjoyed this very much. All went smoothly until I got to the SW corner which held me up for a good while. I was not familiar with the townie or the nunchuck references, but my last in was the 22d / 26a combination. Many thanks, and welcome, to Musaeus, and to Bufo.
Sorting out how 11a worked was the biggest delay with this one and several others took a bit of thinking about, but on the whole, a fairly gentle Toughie for me. Plenty to smile at.
Thanks Musaeus and Bufo.
For the most part gentle, though I did struggle somewhat with the SW corner until 14d and 18d fell, or, alternatively I ran out of steam this late into the evening… An enjoyable debut.
Many thanks Musaeus and Bufo. More than a gentle Toughie, less than a hard Toughie, Snowwhite would have been very pleased.
26a I parsed as a specific queen who happened to be Anne, as opposed to the current queen and then the head of Anne in order to fully parse the answer without Anne doing double duty
Favourite was 27a, probably an old chestnut, but new to me. Simply brilliant.
Thanks to Musaeus and to Bufo for the review and hints. A nice puzzle, but hardly a Toughie. Managed most of it but needed the hints for 19a and 7,17,24d. Favourite was 12a.