Okay, that’s me back up to date again. Here’s my completed grid for the latest Times Jumbo Cryptic puzzle, along with explanations where I have them.
Okay, now I promise to post something a little more readable. Scout’s honour, guv!
LP
Across clues
1. Vessel has slate on lip (8)
Answer: SAUCEPAN (i.e. “vessel”). Solution is SAUCE (i.e. “lip”) then PAN (i.e. to “slate” something).
5. Settle down in Arsenal’s opening match (6)
Answer: ALIGHT (i.e. “settle down”). Solution is A (i.e. “Arsenal’s opening”, i.e. the first letter of “Arsenal”) followed by LIGHT (i.e. “match”).
9. Calm down, please: official’s inside (4,3)
Answer: EASE OFF (i.e. “calm down”). “Inside” suggests the solution is hidden in the clue, like so: PL(EASE OFF)ICIAL.
14. Modish poem contains a line on worker, perhaps without style (11)
Answer: INELEGANTLY (i.e. “without style”). Solution is IN (i.e. popular, trendy or “modish”) followed by ELEGY (i.e. “poem”) “containing” ANT (i.e. “worker”) and L (a recognised abbreviation of “line”), like so: IN-ELEG(ANT-L)Y.
15. Doctor knocked back drink, once again dispatched everywhere (11)
Answer: OMNIPRESENT (i.e. “everywhere”). Solution is OM (i.e. “doctor knocked back”, i.e. the initial letters of Medical Officer reversed) followed by NIP (i.e. “drink”) and RESENT (i.e. “once again dispatched”).
16. Confidence bound to be picked up (5)
Answer: TRUST (i.e. “confidence”). “To be picked up” suggests the solution is a homophone of “trussed” (i.e. “bound”).
17. Clouds having been formed containing radioactive element, note (7)
Answer: NEBULAE (i.e. “clouds”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “formed”) of BEEN “containing” U (i.e. “radioactive element”, specifically the chemical symbol for uranium) and LA (i.e. “note”, as in the do-ray-me scale), like so: NEB(U-LA)E.
18. Novel with fantastic genre to flog in bulletin (9)
Answer: NEWSFLASH (i.e. “bulletin”). Solution is NEW (i.e. “novel”) followed by SF (i.e. “fantastic genre”, specifically Science Fiction) and LASH (i.e. “to flog”).
19. Abnormal sort of water in Derwent’s banks (7)
Answer: DEVIANT (i.e. “abnormal”). Solution is EVIAN (i.e. “sort of water”) placed “in” DT (i.e. “Derwent’s banks”, i.e. the first and last letters of “Derwent”), like so: D(EVIAN)T.
20. Send on deployment of troops, say, following Thirty Years War? (4-11)
Answer: POST-REFORMATION (i.e. “following Thirty Years War”). Solution is POST (i.e. “send”) followed by RE (i.e. “on”, as in “regarding”) and FORMATION (i.e. “deployment of troops”).
22. Used to give support, at first (6-4)
Answer: SECOND-HAND (i.e. “used”). I’m a little wobbly on this. I get that SECOND is “to give support”, and you might perhaps do so by raising your hand, but to be honest I’m not quite tuned into what the setter’s doing here. I doubt I’ll miss any sleep over it.
23. Depict resistance fighters on edge, retreating (6)
Answer: MIRROR (i.e. “depict”). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation for electrical “resistance”) followed by OR (i.e. “fighters”, specifically the Other Ranks of the army) and RIM (i.e. “edge”) all reversed (i.e. “retreating”), like so: MIR-RO-R.
25. Condescend to listen to EU citizen (4)
Answer: DANE (i.e. “EU citizen”). “To listen” suggests the solution is a homophone of “deign” (i.e. “condescend”).
28. Crazy whirl upstaging enchanting event? (9,5)
Answer: WALPURGIS NIGHT, the night in German folklore when witches get down with the devil (i.e. “enchanting event”). “Crazy” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of WHIRL UPSTAGING.
30. A lot of craft to satisfy a welcoming crowd (8)
Answer: FLOTILLA (i.e. “a lot of [sea]craft”). This one’s a mess, but I think the solution is LOT being “welcomed” into FILL (i.e. “to satisfy”) and A like so: F(LOT)ILL-A. Not a classic clue by any means.
32. Venomous man, a day tripper (8)
Answer: ACIDHEAD (i.e. “tripper”). Solution is ACID (i.e. “venomous”) followed by HE (i.e. “man”) then A and D (a recognised abbreviation of “day”).
34. Hinder false advertiser, one offering advice (4-4,6)
Answer: BACK-SEAT DRIVER (i.e. “one offering advice”). Solution is BACK (i.e. to “hinder” or hold back) followed by an anagram (indicated by “false”) of “advertiser”.
37. Make unclear, short publicity text (4)
Answer: BLUR (i.e. “make unclear”. Solution is BLURB (i.e. “publicity text”) with the last letter removed (i.e. made “short”).
38. Heartless fool screening film in old age (6)
Answer: NINETY (i.e. “in old age”). Solution is NINNY (i.e. “fool”) with the middle letter removed (i.e. “heartless”) and wrapped around (i.e. “screening”) ET (i.e. “film”), like so: NIN(ET)Y.
39. Admitting depression, crooks joining church recover (10)
Answer: CONVALESCE (i.e. “recover”). Solution is CONS (i.e. “crooks”) “admitting” VALE (i.e. “depression”) and then followed by CE (i.e. “church”, specifically the Church of England), like so: CON(VALE)S-CE.
43. Subject promises to settle coastal area, being quarrelsome (15)
Answer: CONTENTIOUSNESS (i.e. “quarrelsome”). Solution is CONTENT (i.e. “subject”) followed by IOUS (i.e. “promises to settle”) and NESS (which is another word for headland, i.e. “coastal area”).
45. Vain Englishman and American crossing river (7)
Answer: POMPOUS (i.e. “vain”). Solution is POM (i.e. “Englishman”) and US (i.e. “American”) placed around, or “crossing”, PO (i.e. a “river” in Italy), like so: POM-(PO)-US.
47. Mobile phone with charm and a reluctance to innovate (9)
Answer: NEOPHOBIA, a fear of new things (i.e. “reluctance to innovate”). Solution is NEOPH, an anagram (indicated by “mobile”) of “phone”, followed by OBI (a kind of “charm”) and A.
49. Agreement to embrace John? Nothing is impossible (2,3,2)
Answer: NO CAN DO (i.e. “impossible”). Solution is NOD (i.e. “agreement”) “embracing” CAN (i.e. “John”, as in a toilet) and followed by O (i.e. “nothing”), like so: NO(CAN)D-O.
51. Crustacean luckily protecting back bones (5)
Answer: ULNAE (i.e. “bones”). “Protecting” suggests the solution is hidden in the clue, and “back” suggests the clue is hidden backwards, like so: CRUSTAC(EAN LU)CKILY.
52. It’s almost the end in sentence (4,7)
Answer: HOME STRETCH (i.e. “it’s almost the end”). Solution is HOME (i.e. “in”) and STRETCH (i.e. a prison “sentence”).
53. The writer’s to offer books without forethought (11)
Answer: IMPROVIDENT (i.e. “without forethought”). Solution is IM (i.e. “the writer’s” – from the setter’s point of view “the writer is” becomes “I am”, which is contracted to I’M) followed by PROVIDE (i.e. “to offer”) and NT (i.e. “books”, specifically the New Testament).
54. Singular art including most blue (7)
Answer: SADDEST (i.e. “most blue”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “singular”). The rest of the clue will take some explaining. “Art including” should be read as ye olde “[Someone] art including [something]”, i.e. read as “is including”. To include something is to “add” it. Keeping it all ye olde, “art including” therefore becomes something like “Lucian ADDEST another reader to his blog”. So, the solution is S-ADDEST. I like and despise this clue in equal measure.
55. Person managing to seize one unoriginal type (6)
Answer: COPIER (i.e. “unoriginal type”). Solution is COPER (i.e. “person managing”) “seizing” I (Roman numeral “one”), like so: COP(I)ER.
56. Kid by cool water experiencing heat (2,6)
Answer: IN SEASON (i.e. “experiencing heat”). Solution is SON (i.e. “kid”) placed “by” IN (i.e. “cool”) and SEA (i.e. “water”), like so: IN-SEA-SON.
Down clues
1. Awkward son went off the straight and narrow (7)
Answer: STILTED (i.e. “awkward”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “son”) followed by TILTED (i.e. “went off the straight and narrow”).
2. A French ass, say, mostly loud and clear (11)
Answer: UNEQUIVOCAL (i.e. “clear”). Solution is UN (i.e. “a French”, as in the French for “a”) followed by EQUI (i.e. “ass, say, mostly”, i.e. the word “equid” – which describes horses, zebras and asses – with the final letter removed) and VOCAL (i.e. “loud”).
3. Reader’s issue with English agreed by school (9)
Answer: EYESTRAIN (i.e. “reader’s issue”). Solution is E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”) followed by YES (i.e. “agreed”) and TRAIN (i.e. to “school” someone).
4. Unnatural profit, in a way, with vodka and beer (7,3,5)
Answer: AGAINST THE GRAIN (i.e. “unnatural”). Solution is A GAIN (i.e. “profit”) followed by ST (i.e. “a way”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “street”) and THE GRAIN (i.e. “vodka and beer” I guess).
6. No republican initially changing sides? He won’t (8)
Answer: LOYALIST. Solution is ROYALIST (i.e. “no republican”) with the first letter R (a recognised abbreviation of “right”) switched for L (ditto “left”) i.e. “initially changing sides”. In the context of the clue, a loyalist is someone who won’t change sides.
7. Blooming head of theatre and choir take off (5,9)
Answer: GLOBE ARTICHOKE (i.e. “blossoming head”). Solution is GLOBE (i.e. the famous Shakespearean “theatre” in London) followed by an anagram (indicated by “off”) of CHOIR TAKE.
8. It helps musician to grin, with funk playing (6,4)
Answer: TUNING FORK (i.e. “it helps musician”). “Playing” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of TO GRIN and FUNK.
9. Entitle army corps to pull back holding detainee (7)
Answer: EMPOWER (i.e. “entitle”). Solution is REME (i.e. “army corps”, specifically the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) reversed (i.e. “pulled back”) and then “holding” POW (i.e. “detainee”), like so: EM(POW)ER.
10. Note what’s up in the papers? (5)
Answer: SHEAF (i.e. “papers”). Solution is FA (i.e. “note”, as in the do-ray-me scale) and EHS (i.e. “what’s”, as in “eh, what was that?”) all reversed (indicated by “up” – this being a down clue), like so: SHE-AF.
11. Frank, mostly sensible, is running (11)
Answer: OPERATIONAL (i.e. “is running”). Solution is OPE (i.e. “frank, mostly”, i.e. the word “open” with the last letter removed) followed by RATIONAL (i.e. “sensible”).
12. Pretty female making an impression (8)
Answer: FETCHING (i.e. “pretty”). Solution is F (a recognised abbreviation of “female” followed by ETCHING (i.e. “making an impression”).
13. Go crazy, in a spin (4)
Answer: STAB (as in to have an attempt, or a “go”, at something). Solution is BATS (i.e. “crazy”) reversed (i.e. “in a spin”).
20. Castigate attempt at humour, to a degree (6)
Answer: PUNISH. Solution satisfies “castigate” and “attempt at humour, to a degree” i.e. not quite a pun.
21. Go off northwards after car, I hear (7)
Answer: AUDITOR (i.e. “I hear”, as opposed to the ever-increasing number of firms found to be skilled at overlooking corporate financial mismanagement and white-collar crime). Solution is ROT (i.e. “go off”) reversed (indicated by “northwards” – this being a down clue) and placed after AUDI (i.e. “car”) like so: AUDI-TOR.
22. I’m not interested in female item of clothing (2,4)
Answer: SO WHAT (i.e. “I’m not interested”). Solution is SOW (i.e. “female”) and HAT (i.e. “item of clothing”).
24. Maybe what could make inventor pour ale (8,7)
Answer: RELATIVE PRONOUN, which, I guess, is the word “what” in the clue (i.e. “Maybe what”). “Could make” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of INVENTOR POUR ALE.
26. Inclusive approach gets old man aboard Britain’s new vessel (14)
Answer: BIPARTISANSHIP (i.e. “inclusive approach”). Solution is PA (i.e. “old man”) placed “aboard” an anagram (indicated by “new”) of BRITAINS and followed by SHIP (i.e. “vessel”), like so: BI(PA)RTISAN-SHIP.
27. Children’s writer’s block has no end (6)
Answer: [J. M.] BARRIE, author of Peter Pan (i.e. “children’s writer”). Solution is BARRIER (i.e. “block”) with “no end”, i.e. the last letter removed.
29. Throw up, at first, on new drug (7)
Answer: UNHORSE (i.e. “throw”). Solution is U (i.e. “up, at first”, i.e. the first letter of the word “up”) followed by N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”) and HORSE (i.e. “drug”, specifically a slang word for heroin).
31. Goddess, we’re told, is like a carrier of blood (6)
Answer: VENOUS. Solution satisfies both “goddess, we’re told” – i.e. a homophone of “Venus” – and “like a carrier of blood”. Think of intravenous drips in hospitals.
33. One learner guided around in class is ignorant (3-8)
Answer: ILL-INFORMED (i.e. “ignorant”). Solution is I (i.e. Roman numeral “one”) then L (a recognised abbreviation of “learner”) and LED (i.e. “guided”) placed “around” IN FORM (i.e. “in class”), like so: I-L-L(IN-FORM)ED.
35. Loveless letters penned by thick aristocrat (11)
Answer: VISCOUNTESS (i.e. “aristocrat”). Solution is NOTES (i.e. “letters”) with the O removed (i.e. “loveless” – “love” being a zero score in tennis) and placed in VISCOUS (i.e. “thick”), like so: VISCOU(NTES)S.
36. Pragmatic criminal in court takes fellow in (10)
Answer: UNROMANTIC (i.e. “pragmatic”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “criminal”) of IN COURT “taking in” MAN (i.e. “fellow”), like so: UNRO(MAN)TIC.
40. Echo behind cattle car (9)
Answer: LIMOUSINE (i.e. “car”). Solution is E (“echo” in the phonetic alphabet) placed “behind” LIMOUSIN (a breed of “cattle”), like so: LIMOUSIN-E.
41. Kind of leaves a prison in this way (8)
Answer: ACANTHUS (i.e. “kind of leaves”). Solution is A CAN (i.e. “a prison”) followed by THUS (i.e. “in this way”).
42. Responding with original, moving chapter (8)
Answer: REACTIVE (i.e. “responding”). Solution is CREATIVE (i.e. “original”) with C moved down a couple of notches (i.e. “moving chapter” – C being a recognised abbreviation of “chapter”).
44. Not dressed in rubbish fabric (7)
Answer: TABARET (i.e. “fabric”). Solution is BARE (i.e. “not dressed”) placed “in” TAT (i.e. “rubbish”), like so: TA(BARE)T. I admit I got this one purely by the wordplay.
46. Two versions of small figure to placate (7)
Answer: SWEETEN (i.e. “to placate”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “small” used in clothing) and WEE (giving us “two versions of small”) followed by TEN (i.e. “figure”).
48. Eats meal briefly, in rush (5)
Answer: HASTE (i.e. “in rush”). Solution is HAS TEA (i.e. “eats”) with the final letter removed from “tea” (indicated by “briefly”).
50. Regularly in toupee? You must be joking (4)
Answer: NOPE (i.e. “you must be joking”). “Regularly” suggests the solution is derived by taking every other letter of IN TOUPEE.
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