Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1422

One for the “okay” pile, spoiled for me thanks to a couple of irritating clues. Then again, it might just be me being grumpy. Either way, you can find my completed grid below along with explanations of my solutions where I have them.

Before any of that, though, a spot of housekeeping. If you’ve come to grief at the hands of a recent Times Jumbo Cryptic then you might find enlightenment in my Just For Fun page. While I’ve got you here, I’ll also take this opportunity to thrust a few mostly horror-related book reviews under your nose, and even a short story, because I’m self-interested nice like that.

That’s all, folks. You can scroll down now.

LP

Across clues

1. Foodstuff succeeded with the best amongst us? (4,5)

Answer: SOUR CREAM (i.e. “foodstuff”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “succeeded”) followed by OUR CREAM (i.e. “the best amongst us”).

6. Fake pictures provided here for Jean and Alan (10)

Answer: ARTIFICIAL (i.e. “fake”). Solution is ART (i.e. “pictures”) followed by IF (i.e. “provided”), then ICI (i.e. “here for Jean”, Jean is a Frenchman’s name, the French for “here” is ICI) and AL (shortened form of “Alan”).

12. Part of UK without long road, strip in capital (7)

Answer: NAIROBI (i.e. “capital” of Kenya). Solution is NI (i.e. “part of UK”, specifically Northern Ireland) placed around or “without” AI (i.e. “long road”, specifically the A1 motorway) and ROB (i.e. “strip”), like so: N(AI-ROB)I.

13. Source of alcohol, two hits left at the end (5-4)

Answer: PUNCH-BOWL (i.e. “source of alcohol”). Solution is PUNCH and BLOW (i.e. “two hits”) with the L (a recognised abbreviation of “left”) placed “at the end”.

14. Man on pitch backing team to be secure again (5)

Answer: REFIX (i.e. “secure again”). Solution is REF (i.e. “man on pitch”, specifically the referee) followed by XI (i.e. ” team”, specifically the Roman numerals for eleven) once it has been reversed (indicated by “backing”), like so: REF-IX.

16. Poet expresses grief vocally in modern development (6,6)

Answer: MILTON KEYNES (i.e. “modern development”). Solution is John MILTON (i.e. “poet”) followed by a homophone (indicated by “vocally”) of KEENS (i.e. “expresses grief”).

17. He requests appeal, one about to break safe (10)

Answer: PETITIONER (i.e. “he requests”). Solution is IT (i.e. “[sex] appeal”) followed by I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and ON (i.e. “about”, as in “this book is on the subject of…”), all wrapped in or “breaking” PETER (a slang name for a safe – I remembered this usage from a previous puzzle), like so: PET(IT-I-ON)ER.

19. Home help with pets is arranged for evildoer (14)

Answer: MEPHISTOPHELES (i.e. “evildoer”). “Arranged” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of HOME HELP and PETS IS. Another I remembered from a previous puzzle.

22. Swallowing drug, hassle at an end for peers (3,5)

Answer: AGE GROUP (i.e. “peers”). Solution is AGGRO (i.e. “hassle”) wrapped around or “swallowing” E (a recognised abbreviation of the “drug” ecstasy) and then followed by UP (i.e. “at an end”, as in “your time is up”), like so: AG(E)GRO-UP.

24. Like director’s second try to knock out Western (4,2)

Answer: TAKE TO (i.e. “[to] like”). Solution is TAKE TWO (i.e. “[film] director’s second try”) with the W (a recognised abbreviation of “Western”) removed (indicated by “to knock out…”).

25. Alcohol reporter’s failed to notice in a haze (6,4)

Answer: SCOTCH MIST (i.e. “haze”). Solution is SCOTCH (i.e. “alcohol”) followed by a homophone (indicated by “reporter’s”) of MISSED (i.e. “failed to notice”).

26. Agile new figure, not feminine (5)

Answer: NIFTY (i.e. “agile”). Solution is N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”) followed by FIFTY (i.e. “[numeric] figure”) with the first F removed (indicated by “not feminine” – F being a recognised abbreviation of “feminine”), like so: N-IFTY.

29. Possibly spots daredevil (4)

Answer: RASH. Solution satisfies “possibly spots” and “daredevil”.

30. Trash, always separate (8)

Answer: DISSEVER (i.e. “separate”). Solution is DISS (i.e. “[to] trash”) followed by EVER (i.e. “always”). One gotten through the wordplay.

32. No longer stocking fruit that’s past it (3,2,4)

Answer: OUT OF DATE. Solution satisfies “no longer stocking fruit” and “past it”.

34. Bound to keep Hanoverian king in a state of distress (9)

Answer: CHAGRINED (i.e. “in a state of distress”). Solution is CHAINED (i.e. “bound”) wrapped around or “keeping” GR (i.e. “Hanoverian king”, specifically the initials for Georgius Rex) like so: CHA(GR)INED.

35. Dissolute clergy look around for sweet stuff (8)

Answer: GLYCEROL (i.e. “sweet stuff”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “dissolute”) of CLERGY followed by LO (i.e. “look”, as in “lo and behold”) once it has been reversed (indicated by “around”), like so: GLYCER-OL.

36. Stop pouring wine, having enough now for starters (4)

Answer: WHEN (i.e. “stop pouring”). “For starters” indicates the solution is derived by taking the initial letters of WINE HAVING ENOUGH NOW. Nicely worked.

39. Make confused request about Italian playmaker (5)

Answer: BEFOG (i.e. “make confused”). Solution is BEG (i.e. “request”) placed “about” Dario FO (i.e. “Italian playmaker” – no, me neither), like so: BE(FO)G.

40. Obstruct clerk maybe storing one statue (10)

Answer: FILIBUSTER (i.e. “obstruct”). Solution is FILER (i.e. “clerk maybe”) wrapped around or “storing” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and BUST (i.e. “statue”), like so: FIL(I-BUST)ER.

42. Indian’s rule about summer month, reversing car (6)

Answer: JAGUAR (i.e. “car”). Solution is RAJ (i.e. “Indian’s rule”) wrapped “about” AUG (i.e. “summer month”, specifically August) and the whole “reversed”, like so: JA(GUA)R.

44. Are they adapted for the chase? (8)

Answer: CHEETAHS. “Adapted” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of THE CHASE. In the context of the clue, cheetahs can be said to be well adapted for the chase, being a bit nippy. Nice clue.

46. Striving to enter agreement, clever for sure (14)

Answer: UNQUESTIONABLE (i.e. “for sure”). Solution is QUEST (i.e. “striving” – should that have been “strive”?) placed in or “entering” UNION (i.e. “agreement”) and followed by ABLE (i.e. “clever”). Not great.

48. Caul nun put awry with no respect for time (10)

Answer: UNPUNCTUAL (i.e. “with no respect for time”). “Awry” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of CAUL NUN PUT.

49. Carry a dog with hip injured for medical procedure (12)

Answer: CARDIOGRAPHY (i.e. “medical procedure”). “Injured” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of CARRY A DOG and HIP.

53. Musician’s muted then, touring ring road (5)

Answer: SORDO (i.e. “musician’s muted”, i.e. muted in musical lingo). Solution is SO (i.e. “then”) wrapped around or “touring” O (i.e. “ring”) and RD (a recognised abbreviation of “road”), like so: S(O-RD)O. One gotten from the wordplay.

54. Belief of US parent guarding wayward minors (9)

Answer: MORMONISM (i.e. “belief”). Solution is MOM (i.e. “US parent”) wrapped around or “guarding” an anagram (indicated by “wayward”) of MINORS, like so: MO(RMONIS)M.

55. Meal which a large driver might need, it’s said (4,3)

Answer: HIGH TEA (i.e. “meal”). “It’s said” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of HIGH TEE (i.e. “which a large driver might need” – driver, in this case, referring to a golf club).

56. People’s mood around English seaside resort (10)

Answer: FOLKESTONE (i.e. “seaside resort”). Solution is FOLK’S TONE (i.e. “people’s mood”) wrapped “around” E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”), like so: FOLK(E)’S-TONE.

57. He brings in crop top during race by river (9)

Answer: HARVESTER (i.e. “he brings in crop”). Solution is VEST (i.e. “top”) placed in or “during” HARE (i.e. “[to] race”) and then followed by R (a recognised abbreviation of “river”), like so: HAR(VEST)E-R.

Down clues

1. Spades work on the land in silence (5)

Answer: STILL (i.e. “in silence”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “spades” used in card games) followed by TILL (i.e. “work on the land”).

2. Medics run into spacecraft experts without force (10)

Answer: UROLOGISTS (i.e. “medics”). Solution is UFOLOGISTS (i.e. “spacecraft experts”) with the F removed (indicated by “without force” – F being a recognised abbreviation of “force”) and replaced by R (a recognised abbreviation of “run”).

3. Chirpy sorts caught disease (8)

Answer: CRICKETS (i.e. “chirpy sorts”). Solution is C (a recognised abbreviation of “caught” used in a number of ball games) followed by RICKETS (i.e. “disease”).

4. Sentry regularly maintaining redcap’s a dead man (5)

Answer: EMPTY (i.e. “a dead man” – referring to the informal name “dead men” given to empty beer bottles or cans – not one I’ve used myself, but it’s there in the dictionary). Solution is ETY (i.e. “sentry regularly”, i.e. every other letter of SENTRY) wrapped around or “maintaining” MP (i.e. “redcap” – a nickname for Military Police), like so: E(MP)TY. Tricky bugger!

5. Move daintily, satisfied about a food mixture (9)

Answer: MINCEMEAT (i.e. “food mixture”). Solution is MINCE (i.e. “move daintily”) followed by MET (i.e. “satisfied”) once it has been placed “about” A, like so: MINCE-ME(A)T.

6. Long hours in one’s embrace (4)

Answer: ACHE (i.e. to “long” for). Solution is H (a recognised abbreviation of “hours”) placed in ACE (i.e. “one” in cards), like so: AC(H)E.

7. Digger may have one phone, ringing bank (6)

Answer: TROWEL (i.e. “digger may have one”). Solution is TEL (i.e. “phone”, as in an abbreviated form of “telephone”) wrapped around or “ringing” ROW (i.e. “bank”), like so: T(ROW)EL.

8. By the way, you’ll find this bit of pie rank (7,7)

Answer: FILLING STATION (i.e. “by the way, you’ll find”, referring to how you’ll find filling stations at the sides of roads). Solution is FILLING (i.e. “bit of pie”) followed by STATION (i.e. “rank”).

9. Nick raving lunatic with iron blade (7,5)

Answer: CARVING KNIFE (i.e. “blade”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “lunatic”) of NICK RAVING followed by FE (chemical symbol of “iron”), like so: CARVINGKNI-FE.

10. Too welcoming female working for Spaniard (7)

Answer: ALFONSO (i.e. “Spaniard”, i.e. a Spanish man’s name). Solution is ALSO (i.e. “too”) wrapped around or “welcoming” F (a recognised abbreviation of “female”) and ON (i.e. switched on or “working”), like so: AL(F-ON)SO.

11. Name remote switches for gauge (10)

Answer: ANEMOMETER (i.e. “[wind] gauge”). “Switches” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of NAME REMOTE.

15. King rising excitedly to hype desert plant, say (9)

Answer: XEROPHYTE (i.e. “desert plant, say”). Solution is REX (Latin for “king”) reversed (indicated by “rising” – this being a down clue) and followed by an anagram (indicated by “excited”) of TO HYPE, like so: XER-OPHYTE. Cool word.

18. Allow Henry coats of armour gamely? It suggests no go (8)

Answer: LETHARGY (i.e. “it suggests [having] no go”). Solution is LET (i.e. “allow”) followed by H (a recognised abbreviation of “henry”, a unit of measurement used in physics – ignore the misleading capitalisation – a new one on me, I’ll admit) and then the first and last letters (indicated by “coats of”) ARMOUR and GREATLY, like so: LET-H-AR-GY.

20. Handle fish on southern British river (9)

Answer: PIKESTAFF (i.e. “handle”). Solution is PIKE (i.e. “fish”) followed by S (a recognised abbreviation of “southern”) and TAFF (i.e. “British river”).

21. Sets of animals go off, one perhaps on horse (10)

Answer: PACKSADDLE (i.e. “one perhaps on horse”, referring to an item of riding gear). Solution is PACKS (i.e. “sets of animals”) followed by ADDLE (i.e. “[to] go off”).

23. What cooks have is pretension when cooking (3,7)

Answer: TIN OPENERS (i.e. “what cooks have”). “When cooking” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of PRETENSION.

27. Second cry goes up – it’s very illuminating (5,4)

Answer: FLASH BULB (i.e. “it’s very illuminating”). Solution is FLASH (i.e. “second”, both short periods of time) followed by BLUB (i.e. “cry”) once it has been reversed (indicated by “goes up” – this being a down clue), like so: FLASH-BULB.

28. Good to stop paper’s error, which shows a trend (4,2,3,5)

Answer: SIGN OF THE TIMES (i.e. “trend”). Solution is SIN OF THE TIMES (i.e. “[news]paper’s error”) wrapped around or “stopped” by G (a recognised abbreviation of “good”), like so: SI(G)N-OF-THE-TIMES.

31. See Bill grabbing country drifter (8)

Answer: VAGABOND (i.e. “drifter”). Not 100% on this one, so watch out. I get that V is “see” (being a recognised abbreviation of “vide”, Latin for “see” – I’ve seen this in a few puzzles now) and BOND can be “bill”, ignoring the misleading capitalisation. The wordplay would suggest “country” is then placed between these (indicated by “grabbing”), like so: V-(AGA)-BOND, but I can’t see why AGA would be “country”. Nothing’s jumping out at me in my Chambers or Oxford. My Bradford’s is dry on this one too, plus AGA isn’t a recognised three-letter code for a country. Even Wikipedia shrugs its shoulders. So, yeah, jiggered.
[EDIT: Thanks to Steve in the comments for bailing me out of this one. The country in question was GABON, with AD (i.e. short for advertisement, i.e. “bill”) wrapped around it. V was as I had it above. The solution is therefore V-A(GABON)D. One of those ones where I couldn’t see the wood for the trees. Thanks again, Steve! – LP]

33. Murder story in book woke Peter? (8,4)

Answer: BRIGHTON ROCK (“murder story” by Graham Greene. Solution is B (a recognised abbreviation of “book”) followed by RIGHT ON (i.e. “woke”) and ROCK (i.e. “peter” – ignore the misleading capitalisation – it’s not backed up by my Chambers or my Oxford but it is listed in my Bradford’s – I guess as a shortened form of saltpetre, spelled saltpeter in the US).
[EDIT: Hat-tips to a number of commenters who highlighted that Peter = Rock on account of a quote from the Bible, specifically in Matthew 16:18. Thanks, all! – LP]

34. Swiss bank firm plugging reductions for youthful members (3,6)

Answer: CUB SCOUTS (i.e. “youthful members”). Solution is UBS (i.e. “Swiss bank”) and CO (a recognised abbreviation of “company”, i.e. “firm”) placed in or “plugging” CUTS (i.e. “reductions”), like so: C(UBS-CO)UTS.

37. Gardener cultivated runners around May, oddly (10)

Answer: NURSERYMAN (i.e. “gardener”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “cultivated”) of RUNNERS which is wrapped “around” another anagram (indicated by “oddly”) of MAY, like so: NURSER(YMA)N.

38. Vehicle producer in decline? True, so we hear (10)

Answer: WAINWRIGHT (i.e. “vehicle producer”). “So we hear” indicates homophone. Solution comprises homophones of WANE (i.e. “in decline”) and RIGHT (i.e. “true”).

41. Delicate silk initially that French put on some Protestants (9)

Answer: SQUEAMISH (i.e. “delicate”). Solution is S (i.e. “silk initially”, i.e. the first letter of “silk”) followed by QUE (i.e. “that French”, i.e. the French for “that”) then AMISH (i.e. “some Protestants”).

43. South American dictator briefly seizing lead in Latin American game (8)

Answer: PINOCHLE (i.e. “American [card] game” – backed up by my Oxford, but Wikipedia begs to differ, suggesting the game was only popular in America, not invented there). Solution is Augusto PINOCHET (i.e. “South American dictator”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “briefly”) and the remainder wrapped around or “seizing” L (i.e. “lead in Latin”, i.e. the first letter of “Latin”), like so: PINOCH(L)E.

45. Greenery some pasture’s part of (7)

Answer: ESPARTO (i.e. “greenery”). “Some” indicates the solution is hidden in the clue, like so: PASTUR(E’S PART O)F. One gotten from the wordplay and a quick check in my Chambers.

47. One involved in puzzling over style (6)

Answer: HAIRDO (i.e. “style”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) placed or “involved in” HARD (i.e. “puzzling”) and followed by O (a recognised abbreviation of “over” used in cricket), like so: HA(I)RD-O.

50. Object that’s not quite proper (5)

Answer: DEMUR (i.e. “[to] object”). Solution is DEMURE (i.e. “proper”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “not quite”).

51. Old man’s half-hearted sales pitch (5)

Answer: PATER (i.e. “old man”). Solution is PATTER (i.e. “sales pitch”) with one of the middle Ts removed (indicated by “half-hearted”).

52. Learner given literary work that’s a rich source of material (4)

Answer: LODE (i.e. “rich source of material”). Solution is L (a recognised abbreviation of “learner”) followed by ODE (i.e. “literary work”).