Sunday Toughie No 195
by Zandio (With a little help from CL)
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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Here We Go…
Category: Sunday Toughie Hints
Sunday Toughie 194 (Hints)
Sunday Toughie No 194
by Beam
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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Beam is a little trickier than his last outing here (To Me™) but I stress again (27a) that is just right for a Sunday Toughie. Plenty of Beam trademarks and an economical sub-six words per clue. 14a and 16d clues today, and I have hinted half.
If asked, I will try and give a nudge, if you don’t get sufficient checkers to complete this fine puzzle
Here we go, Folks…
Sunday Toughie 193 (Hints)
Sunday Toughie No 193
by Light
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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I struggled to get going last night, but I think I can blame the woolly-headedness on the lingering cold that is slooowly releasing its grip on my nasal cavities.
I did like 7 and 8d, but I may be overthinking the archery link
A somewhat imbalanced 16a and 13d clues today, and I have hinted half(ish) I hope you get the checkers to finish, I will give a nudge or two if required.
Here we go, Folks…
Sunday Toughie 192 (Hints)
Sunday Toughie No 192
by proXimal
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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I seem to have come down with some lurgy or other, and I may have to retire to bed. Apologies if the hints are a bit terse today,
We have 16a and 14d clues, and I have hinted half. I found the Spooner today quite difficult and the proXimal™ compounds a bit easier. I have left the last of three unhinted, in order to give a nudge to the 13a anagram.
Between paracetamol and naps I will be hoping Europe make light work of at least 2 1/2 points to retain The Ryder Cup. I will provide hints if you ask.
Here we go, Folks…
Sunday Toughie 191 (Hints)
Sunday Toughie No 191
by Zandio
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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A very clever Sunday Toughie I really enjoyed solving last night, some typical Zandio Roman numbers and some great PDMs. The linked 14a and 18a are a particular favourite, along with 27a, but 24a gets the gold today. What were your favourites?
14a and 14d clues today, and I have hinted at half. I hope you find the checkers to fill the grid, and I will give a nudge or two if required, and entertaining Mama Bee permits.
Here We Go…
Sunday Toughie 190 (Hints)
Sunday Toughie No 190
by Beam
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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I wasn’t expecting Beam last night, Sunday Toughie 187 was his last outing, but even without the byline, you couldn’t mis-identify this. Concise clues (I don’t need to do the math to know he is well under six words per clue) Initial letters, a few bits of “ooh er missus” innuendo, Queens, sweethearts and policemen too.
A generous 16a and 16d clues today, and I have hinted half.
Here we go, Folks…
Sunday Toughie 189 (Hints)
Sunday Toughie No 189
by Light
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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Although I had a full grid in relatively quick time, parsing some took a bit of kip to allow them to dawn on me. A couple of football references and to one who wrote about that particular football club. A couple of references to orthodontics too. 25a was probably my favourite but much sniggering was had when revising the poet in 12a.
Now, which ones do I hint, “Ay, there’s the rub”? I have probably been a bit overgenerous in hints so I hope there are enough to give you the checkers to finish today.
Here we go, Folks…
Sunday Toughie 188 (Hints)
Sunday Toughie No 188
by proXimal
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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proXimal returns with what I found quite tricky, but maybe I was distracted by the tribute to Van Morrison on the BBC last night. It finished at about 01:30 this morning, and it was a close-run thing to parse some before the end.
14a and 16d clues today, and I have hinted at half. I am not too 22a that there are quite a few clues in the SW that remain unhinted, but I hope you find the checkers to fill the grid. A bonus nudge may be available if you ask.
Here we go, Folks…
Sunday Toughie 187 (Hints)
Sunday Toughie No 187
by Beam
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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A floughier toughie from Beam today. We have a generous 16a and 16d clues today, and I have hinted at just under half of them. I have an allowance for a bonus nudge or two, but I don’t think you will need it today.
Plenty of Beam trademarks today and an impressive 5 1/4 word average.
Here we go, Folks…
Sunday Toughie 186 (Hints)
Sunday Toughie No 186
by Zandio
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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Almost forgot a pre-amble, An even 14a and 14d clues and I have hinted half. I hope you find the checkers to finish.
I will provide a bonus nudge if needed, not that I expect you will. This tripped off the laptop in a rather brisk fashion.
Here We Go…
Hello, compiler here. Thanks very much for taking the time to solve, analyse and discuss.
I hope you might take a look at this weekend’s Sunday Toughie. I was in Yorkshire last month visiting Chris Lancaster, the Telegraph Puzzles Editor, and I had a newly-filled grid which I asked him to print out for me so I could write clues on the train journey home. Chris kindly did, and then immediately started suggesting ideas for clues. The upshot is, there are several clues in the Sunday Toughie that originated with Mr Lancaster. I’m pretty sure one of them will be the favourite clue of the day — an absolute corker (which I can say because it wasn’t my idea). Hope you enjoy it.
Thanks again for the feedback today. Have a great weekend.
14a, 1d, 2d and 19d were fighting it out for my podium, but I am not going to try and guess which clues Zandio is referring to; I enjoyed them all. I would like to have hinted many more, but the convention on prize puzzles limits me to about half hints. Even the Spoonerism missed the cut today (btw it is Russian)
We have 14a and 16d clues today, and I have hinted at half. Several lurkers that may trap the unwary and anagrams, including an &lit anagram, missed the cut, too.