A tougher challenge this week, though sadly one that wasn’t especially enjoyable. A combination of an overreliance on riddly clueing, solutions slotted into the grid simply because nothing else would fit, and the trademark repeated solutions that plague these Jumbos conspired to sap the fun from this by the end. Ugh.

Grumpiness aside, you can find my completed grid below along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them useful. You can also find links to solutions for the last 100+ of these things on my Just For Fun page, should that help you plug any historic gaps. There are also the usual ancient book reviews and a story of mine.

Thanks again for the kind feedback, folks. It’s always interesting to hear how other solvers fared in these things. Till next time, keep safe, mask up, get vaccinated (if you can. Every time I try to book an appointment my nearest vaccination centre gets further and further away. My nearest one is now in Ipswich. I live in Norwich. That’s the distance between Manchester and Liverpool and then some!) and keep supporting the NHS and key workers everywhere.

LP

Across clues

1. Moral support needed by one who reigns (6)

Answer: PROPER (i.e. “moral”). Solution is PROP (i.e. “support”) followed by ER (i.e. “one who reigns”, specifically Elizabeth Regina).

5. Difficult time getting to work in car (7)

Answer: HARDTOP (i.e. “car”). Solution is HARD (i.e. “difficult”) followed by T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”) and OP (i.e. “work”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “opus”). Nicely worked.

9. Vicar maybe showing power, one arriving at target? (8)

Answer: PREACHER (i.e. “vicar maybe”). Solution is P (a recognised abbreviation of “power”) followed by REACHER (i.e. “one arriving at target”).

13. Bless a grandparent, then, when messing up American poem? (3,4-8,6)

Answer: THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER (i.e. “American poem”). “When messing up” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of BLESS A GRANDPARENT THEN.

14. Wood contains unknown clear liquid with strong smell (8)

Answer: PYRIDINE (i.e. “liquid with strong smell”). Solution is PINE (i.e. “wood”) wrapped around or “containing” Y (i.e. “unknown” – setters love referring to X, Y or Z in solutions as “unknowns”) and RID (i.e. to “clear”), like so: P(Y-RID)INE. One gotten from the wordplay and a check in Chambers.

15. Old sailor making a speech (7)

Answer: ORATING (i.e. “making a speech”). Solution is O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) followed by RATING (i.e. “sailor”, specifically a non-commissioned sailor in the navy. And, yes, I did remember this from last week).

16. Dream may get one flapping a bit (6)

Answer: EYELID. The intersecting letters E_E_I_ also fit EDENIC (which could describe “dream”), but I can’t make the rest of the clue fit so I’m plumping for EYELID. Can’t say I’m entirely happy with it, though. I mean, who the hell’s eyelids flap when they sleep? Sure, the eyeballs have a rolling good time beneath them, but the lids remain shut throughout. They don’t flap. Good grief, just thinking about it is pure nightmare fuel. I have enough demons keeping me awake at night without thoughts of flappy eyelids as well. Huuuurghhh… What’s that? The clue might also be riffing on eyelids being flaps of skin, you say? Too late. Flappy eyelids. The horror. I’m never sleeping again.

17. Date – something girlfriend hopes for? (10)

Answer: ENGAGEMENT. Solution satisfies “date” and “something girlfriend hopes for”. What a quaint world the setter lives in.

20. Well-informed, as one who has auditioned successfully for film will be (2,3,7)

Answer: IN THE PICTURE. Solution satisfies “well-informed” and “as one who has auditioned successfully for film will be”.

23. Head may have one (4)

Answer: TOPI, a hat worn especially in India. Clue plays on how a “head may have one”. Solution also comprises TOP (i.e. “head”) and I (i.e. Roman numeral “one”).

24. Be relatively unobservant as a totally innocent person (8)

Answer: SPOTLESS (i.e. “totally innocent person”). When written as SPOT LESS the solution also satisfies “be relatively unobservant”.

26. Rants disclosed half-formed aspirations (8)

Answer: DECLAIMS (i.e. “rants”). Solution is DECLARED (i.e. “disclosed”) with the latter half chopped off (indicated by “half-formed”) and the remainder followed by AIMS (i.e. “aspirations”), like so: DECL-AIMS.

29. One may go out to get such psychological treatment (12)

Answer: HYPNOTHERAPY (i.e. “psychological treatment”). Clue plays on how such therapy requires their subjects to be put under or “out”.

30. Record left by journalist found unexpectedly? (10)

Answer: DISCOVERED (i.e. “found unexpectedly”). Solution is DISC (i.e. “record”) followed by OVER (i.e. “left” or remaining) and ED (i.e. “journalist”, specifically a shortened form of “editor”).

32. Sing bosh and go wild as one making contribution to Mass (5,5)

Answer: HIGGS BOSON (i.e. “one making contribution to mass” – ignore the misleading capitalisation). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “wild”) of SING BOSH and GO.

34. Greek character with inclination mostly is male showing lowbrow outlook (12)

Answer: PHILISTINISM (i.e. “lowbrow outlook”). Solution is PHI (i.e. “Greek character”, specifically the twenty-first letter of the Greek alphabet) followed by LISTING (i.e. “with inclination”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “mostly”). These are then followed by IS and M (a recognised abbreviation of “male”), like so: PHI-LISTIN-IS-M. Ho hum. PHILISTINE last week, PHILISTINISM this week. The Marconi GridFill 4000^TM strikes again!

36. Half of those people not well sending a message (8)

Answer: EMAILING (i.e. “sending a message”). Solution is THEM (i.e. “those people”) with its first “half” removed and the remainder followed by AILING (i.e. “not well”), like so: EM-AILING.

38. Where road signs are often visible, incidentally (2,3,3)

Answer: BY THE WAY. Solution satisfies “where road signs are often visible” and “incidentally”.

39. Note in second book in a series (4)

Answer: MARK. Solution satisfies “note” and “second book in a series”, specifically the Book of Mark, second book of the Gospels of the New Testament of The Bible.

41. Bird gone I’m hoping will deviate appropriately? (6,6)

Answer: HOMING PIGEON (i.e. “bird”). “Will deviate appropriately” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of GONE I’M HOPING.

43. The beginning and end of pop that’s scarcely audible? (10)

Answer: PIANISSIMO (i.e. “that’s scarcely audible” in musical lingo). The clue plays on PP being a recognised abbreviation of pianissimo, the letters of which being “the beginning and end of ‘pop’”.

44. Figure one boy needs inner vitality (6)

Answer: ISOGON (i.e. a “figure” or polygon with equal angles). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) followed by SON (i.e. “boy”) wrapped around or having “inner” GO (i.e. “energy”), like so: I-SO(GO)N.

46. Garments for female toys (7)

Answer: TEDDIES. Solution satisfies “garments for female” and “toys”.

48. Head’s getting chap troubled with lice (8)

Answer: CEPHALIC (i.e. of or belonging to the “head”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “troubled”) of CHAP and LICE.

50. Ever impractical, I go and eat out as a matter of principal (11,10)

Answer: CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE (i.e. “a matter of principal” – over to Chambers: “in the ethics of Kant, the absolute unconditional command of the moral law, irrespective of every ulterior end or aim, obliging people to act responsibly”. Yeah, good luck with that, Kantians). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “out”) of EVER IMPRACTICAL I GO and EAT. Given the context of our times, with the Government’s “Eat Out To Help Out” initiative of last year recently blamed in part for seeding the second wave of Covid, this is a very nicely worked clue.

51. Sent out offspring half-heartedly around island (8)

Answer: SECRETED (i.e. “sent out”). Solution is SEED (i.e. “offspring”) with one of the middle Es removed (indicated by “half-heartedly”) and the remainder wrapped “around” CRETE (i.e. “island”), like so: SE(CRETE)D.

52. Place enthusiastic about strike (3,4)

Answer: LAY INTO (i.e. “strike”). Solution is LAY (i.e. “place”) followed by INTO (i.e. “enthusiastic about”).

53. Each nincompoop losing heart in an uncomplicated manner (6)

Answer: EASILY (i.e. “in an uncomplicated manner”). Solution is EA (a recognised abbreviation of “each”) followed by SILLY (i.e. “nincompoop”) with its middle letter removed (indicated by “losing heart”), like so: EA-SILY.

Down clues

2. Bad-tempered fellow seizes sporting trophy (5)

Answer: RATTY (i.e. “bad-tempered”). Solution is RAY (i.e. “fellow”, basically a bloke’s name) wrapped around or “seizing” TT (i.e. “sporting trophy”, specifically the Isle of Man TT or Tourist Trophy), like so: RA(TT)Y.

3. Logical assertion comes with forecast – umbrella finally needs to be carried (11)

Answer: PREDICATION (i.e. “logical assertion” – ah this takes me back to the days studying predicate logic at uni. And playing pool. Okay, mostly playing pool). Solution is PREDICTION (i.e. “forecast”) wrapped around or “carrying” A (i.e. “umbrella finally”, i.e. the last letter of “umbrella”), like so: PREDIC(A)TION.

4. Shopkeeper, offering fashion again, we hear? (8)

Answer: RETAILER (i.e. “shopkeeper”). “We hear” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of RE-TAILOR (i.e. “offering fashion again” – the riddly question mark is an admission this isn’t really something you’re going to find in the dictionary).

5. Army in hellish ordeal (5)

Answer: HORDE (i.e. “army”). “In” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: HELLIS(H ORDE)AL.

6. Understanding rebuke given to the Left (7)

Answer: RAPPORT (i.e. “understanding”). Solution is RAP (i.e. “rebuke”) followed by PORT (i.e. “left” – ignore the misleading capitalisation).

7. Four in temporary shelter at Cambridgeshire location when feeling unsettled? (11)

Answer: TENTATIVELY (i.e. “when feeling unsettled”). Solution is IV (i.e. “four” in Roman numerals) placed “in” TENT (i.e. “temporary shelter”), AT and ELY (i.e. “Cambridgeshire location”), like so: TENT-AT-(IV)-ELY.

8. Caps very good with flowery decoration (5)

Answer: PILEI (i.e. “caps” – specifically the plural of pileum, a kind of felt cap). Solution is PI (i.e. “very good”, specifically a recognised shortened form of pious) followed by LEI (i.e. garland or “flowery decoration”). Definitely the first word the setter slotted in the grid. No question about it.

9. Quiet English girl wanting too much is coming from a distinguished family (9)

Answer: PEDIGREED (i.e. “coming from a distinguished family”). Solution is P (i.e. “quiet”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of the musical lingo “piano”) followed by E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”), then DI (i.e. “girl”, basically a girl’s name) and GREED (i.e. “wanting too much”).

10. Cancel The Times before start of excursion (5)

Answer: ERASE (i.e. “cancel”). Solution is ERAS (i.e. “times” – ignore the misleading capitalisation) followed by E (i.e. “start of excursion”, i.e. the first letter of “excursion”).

11. Does one need to add water to this drink? Think hard (11)

Answer: CONCENTRATE. Solution satisfies “add water to this drink” and “think hard”.

12. Listener wants story – prime bit of romance from a previous era? (7)

Answer: EARLIER (i.e. “from a previous era”). Solution is EAR (i.e. “listener”) followed by LIE (i.e. “story”) and R (i.e. “prime bit of romance”, i.e. the first letter of “romance”).

18. This element could disturb me, mind you (9)

Answer: NEODYMIUM (i.e. “element”). “Could disturb” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of ME MIND YOU.

19. Name of newspaper no longer needing journalists? (7)

Answer: EXPRESS (i.e. “name of newspaper”). The remainder of the clue riffs on EX- meaning former or “no longer” and “journalists” being the PRESS. You get the idea.

21. Spin in cricket match met with attacking strike (4,5)

Answer: TEST DRIVE (i.e. “spin” in a car). Solution is TEST (i.e. “cricket match”) followed by DRIVE (i.e. “attacking strike” in cricket). Nicely worked.

22. Fashionable church – nothing had to be other than perfectly finished (8)

Answer: INCHOATE (i.e. “other than perfectly finished”). Solution is IN (i.e. “fashionable”) followed by CH (a recognised abbreviation of “church”), then O (i.e. “nothing”) and ATE (i.e. “had” or consumed).

25. Like good apprentice artist at home limited by workbench? (9)

Answer: TRAINABLE (i.e. “like good apprentice”). Solution is RA (i.e. “artist”, specifically a Royal Academician) and IN (i.e. “at home”) both placed in or “limited by” TABLE (i.e. “workbench”), like so: T(RA-IN)ABLE.

27. Disorder of realm, most unstable (9)

Answer: MAELSTROM (i.e. “disorder”). “Unstable” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of REALM MOST.

28. Go over heather to find accommodation for animals (8)

Answer: STABLING (i.e. “accommodation for animals”). Solution is STAB (i.e. a “go” or try of something) placed “over” or followed by – this being a down clue – LING (i.e. “heather”).

31. A shrub or a rush growing up in deep water? (7)

Answer: SPIRAEA (i.e. “shrub”). Solution is A and RIP (i.e. “rush” or to hare about the place) both reversed (indicated by “growing up”) and placed “in” SEA (i.e. “deep water”), like so: S(PIR-A)EA. A rare fail for my Bradford’s, which doesn’t list this under “shrubs” but did list it under “plants”. (Shrugs.)

33. Component of Christmas story giving inspiration to famous actor? (7,4)

Answer: GUIDING STAR (i.e. “component of Christmas story”). Solution is GUIDING (i.e. “giving inspiration to”) followed by STAR (i.e. “famous actor”).

34. Having the makings of being powerful, India, with international friend? (11)

Answer: POTENTIALLY (i.e. “having the makings of being”). Solution is POTENT (i.e. “powerful”) followed by I (“India” in the phonetic alphabet) and ALLY (i.e. “international friend”).

35. The study of bits and pieces? (11)

Answer: NUMISMATICS. Clue plays on “bits” and “pieces” being words for coins. A pretty obvious play, so this was gotten by punching “study of coins” into Google. I literally have no shame.

37. Duke, say, rising to embrace brood of youngsters, sparkled (9)

Answer: GLITTERED (i.e. “sparked”). Solution is D (a recognised abbreviation of “duke”) and EG (i.e. “say”, as in “for example”) both reversed (indicated by “rising”) and placed around or “embracing” LITTER (i.e. “brood of youngster”), like so: G(LITTER)E-D.

40. Relocate fifty in area after getting personal information set up (8)

Answer: DISPLACE (i.e. “relocate”). Solution is L (i.e. Roman numeral “fifty”) placed “in” SPACE (i.e. “area”) which is then placed “after” ID (i.e. “personal information”) once reversed (indicated by “set up” – this being a down clue), like so: DI-SP(L)ACE.

42. Bone very small or very big needing cutting implement reportedly (7)

Answer: OSSICLE (i.e. “bone very small”). Solution is OS (i.e. “very big”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “outsized”) followed by a homophone (indicated by “reportedly”) of SICKLE (i.e. “cutting implement”), like so: OS-SICLE. I knew it would begin with OSS, given an ossuary is a container for bones (I’m weird, I know), but it needed a slight brute force of my Chambers to nail it.

43. Job obtained by graduate – not primarily one who goes the rounds? (7)

Answer: POSTMAN (i.e. “one who goes the rounds”). Solution is POST (i.e. “job”) followed by MA (i.e. “graduate”, specifically a Master of Arts) and N (i.e. “not primarily”, i.e. the first letter of “not”).

45. Near the end of August – when you notice this is getting longer? (5)

Answer: NIGHT (i.e. “August – when you notice this is getting longer”). Solution is NIGH (i.e. “near”) followed by T (i.e. “the end [letter] of August”).

47. Like a lord the French could regularly upset (5)

Answer: DUCAL (i.e. “like a lord”). Solution is LA (i.e. “the French”, i.e. the French for “the”) and CUD (i.e. “could regularly”, i.e. every other letter of COULD) both reversed (indicated by “upset” – this being a down clue), like so: DUC-AL.

48. Conservative to reformulate list of basic tenets? (5)

Answer: CREDO (i.e. “list of basic tenets”). Solution is C (a recognised abbreviation of “Conservative”) followed by REDO (i.e. “to reformulate”).

49. Perfect bride always shows off (5)

Answer: IDEAL (i.e. “perfect”). “Shows off” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: BR(IDE AL)WAYS.

Ugh. Working weekends sucks arse. (My entry in the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations right there.)

Another medium strength offering this week, and a decent one if you forgive the number of recent repeats that were slotted in the grid. Shame I’m not in a forgiving mood…

As ever you can find my completed grid below along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them helpful. If a recent Jumbo has done for you then you might find my Just For Fun page of some use, hosting links to solutions for the last 100+ of these things. There are also the usual ancient book reviews and a story of mine.

Thanks once more for the kind words and comments, folks. It’s always interesting to read how you all got on with the Jumbo, and I’m loving how my weird music tastes are finding appreciative ears! (Still no big band music yet though, Sid. Sorry!)

Till next time, stay safe, mask up, get your 5G shot and continue flying the flag for the NHS and key workers everywhere.

LP

Across clues

1. Kid arrested by inspector put away for attack (8)

Answer: DIATRIBE (i.e. “attack”). Solution is RIB (i.e. to “kid” someone) placed in or “arrested by” DI (i.e. “inspector”, specifically a Detective Inspector) and ATE (i.e. “put away”), like so: DI-AT(RIB)E.

5. Flower pot almost useless (6)

Answer: CROCUS (i.e. “flower”). Solution is CROCK (i.e. “pot”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “almost”) and the remainder followed by US (i.e. “useless” – Chambers doesn’t want to know, but Oxford allows it), like so: CROC-US.

9. Leads astray spies holding foreign nobleman (7)

Answer: SEDUCES (i.e. “leads astray”). Solution is SEES (i.e. “spies”) wrapped around or “holding” DUC (i.e. “foreign nobleman”, specifically a French one), like so: SE(DUC)ES.

14. Internal strain some might say brings carelessness (11)

Answer: INATTENTION (i.e. “carelessness”). “Some might say” indicates the solution comprises homophones of INNER (i.e. “internal”) and TENSION (i.e. “strain”).

15. In which all the sides get to score? (11)

Answer: ICOSAHEDRON, a twenty-“sided” figure. Clue plays on a “score” being twenty.

16. Live as daughter – prosperously (5)

Answer: DWELL (i.e. “live”). Solution is D (a recognised abbreviation of “daughter”) followed by WELL (i.e. “prosperously”).

17. Approachable female appears in a moral tale (7)

Answer: AFFABLE (i.e. “approachable”). Solution is F (a recognised abbreviation of “female”) placed “in” A and FABLE (i.e. “moral tale”), like so: A-(F)-FABLE.

18. Dignitary having to praise horse in speech (4,5)

Answer: LORD MAYOR (i.e. “dignitary”). Solution is LORD (i.e. “to praise”) followed by a homophone (indicated by “in speech”) of MARE (i.e. “horse”).
[EDIT – thanks to Mark in the comments for nailing this one. The solution is all homophones, not just the latter half. LORD is a homophone of LAUD (i.e. “to praise”). Cheers, Mark! – LP]

19. Last words of mine in each quiet hour (7)

Answer: EPITAPH (i.e. “last words”). Solution is PIT (i.e. “mine”) placed “in” EA (a recognised abbreviation of “each”), P (ditto “quiet”, specifically “piano” in musical lingo) and H (ditto “hour”), like so: E(PIT)A-P-H.

20. One among nine soldiers rating rebel in gambling haunt (9,6)

Answer: AMUSEMENT ARCADE (i.e. “gambling haunt”). Solution is A MUSE (i.e. “one among nine”) followed by MEN (i.e. “soldiers”), then TAR (i.e. “rating” – another one Chambers doesn’t cover, but my Oxford suggests a rating could be a non-commissioned sailor in the navy; sailors also get nicknamed tars) then John CADE (i.e. Irish “rebel” back in the 15th century).

22. Main source of energy and power: runner holding record (5,5)

Answer: PRIME MOVER (i.e. “main source of energy”). Solution is P (a recognised abbreviation of “power”) followed by RIVER (i.e. “runner”, as in how rivers run) once wrapped around or “holding” MEMO (i.e. “record”), like so: P-RI(MEMO)VER.

23. Chuffed having ended argument amicably (4,2)

Answer: MADE UP. Solution satisfies “chuffed” and “having ended argument amicably”.

25. Brute, tiresome person in conversation (4)

Answer: BOOR (i.e. “brute”). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “in conversation”) of BORE (i.e. “tiresome person”).

28. Having been around to hotel – nothing in order (4,2,3,5)

Answer: LONG IN THE TOOTH (i.e. “having been around”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “in order”) of TO HOTEL NOTHING.

30. Radiant discharge associated with constellation losing alpha star (8)

Answer: ARCTURUS (i.e. “star”). Solution is ARC (i.e. “radiant discharge” of electricity) followed by TAURUS (i.e. “constellation”) once the A has been removed or “lost” (“alpha” being A in the phonetic alphabet), like so: ARC-TURUS.

32. What students may wear as provided in university rules (8)

Answer: UNIFORMS (i.e. “what students may wear”). Solution is UNI (short for “university”) and FORMS (i.e. “rules”).

34. Getting on train for Winchester, perhaps? (8,6)

Answer: BOARDING SCHOOL (i.e. “Winchester, perhaps”, specifically Winchester College, established over 600 years ago. Mine is timeless, having been demolished a few years ago. I win!) Solution is BOARDING (i.e. “getting on”) and SCHOOL (i.e. to “train”).

37. What precedes foxtrot in the choreography (4)

Answer: ECHO (i.e. “what precedes foxtrot” in the phonetic alphabet). “In” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: TH(E CHO)REOGRAPHY.

38. What in time controlled capital (6)

Answer: TEHRAN (i.e. “capital” of Iran). Solution is EH (i.e. “what”, as in eh? what? pardon?) placed “in” between T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”) and RAN (i.e. “controlled”), like so: T-(EH)-RAN.

39. Be creative using black cats and dogs? (10)

Answer: BRAINSTORM (i.e. “be creative”). Solution is B (a recognised abbreviation of “black” used in chess) followed by RAINSTORM (i.e. “cats and dogs”).

43. Book’s first note: wretched mortal flees war (1,8,2,4)

Answer: A FAREWELL TO ARMS (i.e. a “book” by Ernest Hemingway). Solution is A (i.e. “first [musical] note”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “wretched”) of MORTAL FLEES WAR.

45. Those taking marks off in schools for example? (7)

Answer: ERASERS. Clue riffs on how erasers remove pencil “marks” from paper, and are most often used in “schools”. That’s about it, unless I’m missing something desperately clever.

47. Overly emotional behaviour where mad racist thrown out (9)

Answer: DRAMATICS (i.e. “overly emotional behaviour”). “Thrown out” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of MAD RACIST.

49. Excellent guy from east must take minute in shops (7)

Answer: EMPORIA (i.e. “shops”). Solution is AI (i.e. “excellent”, i.e. A1 with the 1 replaced by its Roman numeral equivalent) and ROPE (i.e. “guy”) both reversed (indicated by “from east” – this being an across clue) and wrapped around or “taking…in” M (a recognised abbreviation of “minute”), like so: E(M)POR-IA.

51. Trouble associated with graduate’s blind faith? (5)

Answer: DOGMA (i.e. “blind faith”). Solution is DOG (i.e. to “trouble”) followed by MA (i.e. “graduate”, specifically a Master of Arts).

52. Doctor Tom Potter is an eye specialist (11)

Answer: OPTOMETRIST (i.e. “eye specialist”). “Doctor” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of TOM POTTER IS.

53. Italian leader having run-in with Croat moved political border (4,7)

Answer: IRON CURTAIN (i.e. “political border”). Solution is I (i.e. “Italian leader”, i.e. the first letter of “Italian”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “moved”) of RUN-IN and CROAT, like so: I-RONCURTAIN.

54. Disorder casts monarch into endless peril (7)

Answer: DERANGE (i.e. to “disorder”). Solution is ER (i.e. “monarch”, specifically Elizabeth Regina) placed “into” DANGER (i.e. “peril”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “endless”), like so: D(ER)ANGE.

55. What’s yet to come from Stevenson? (4,2)

Answer: EVEN SO (i.e. “what’s yet to come”, as in how these words are an indicator that someone has more to say). “From” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: ST(EVEN-SO)N.

56. Gatecrasher one less polite entertaining conservationists (8)

Answer: INTRUDER (i.e. “gatecrasher”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and RUDER (i.e. “one less polite”) wrapped around or “entertaining” NT (i.e. “conservationists”, specifically the National Trust), like so: I-(NT)-RUDER.

Down clues

1. Snake left in den after cutting tail off (7)

Answer: DWINDLE (i.e. “tail off”). Solution is WIND (i.e. to “snake” or meander) and L (a recognised abbreviation of “left”) both placed “in” DEN once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “after cutting tail off”), like so: D(WIND-L)E.

2. Scholar develops a manic idea with maximum speed (11)

Answer: ACADEMICIAN (i.e. “scholar”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “develops”) of A MANIC IDEA and C (i.e. “maximum speed” – in physics C is taken as the speed of light).

3. Retired boxer who refused to fight at Penge finally hit back (9)

Answer: RETALIATE (i.e. “hit back”). Solution is RET (a recognised abbreviation of “retired”) followed by Muhammad ALI (i.e. “boxer who refused to fight” in the Vietnam war), then AT and E (i.e. “Penge finally”, i.e. the last letter of “Penge”).

4. Where you may find content in dictionary despicable (7,8)

Answer: BENEATH CONTEMPT (i.e. “despicable”). Clue plays on how one would find the word “content” listed after or “beneath ‘contempt'” in a dictionary. I rather liked this one.

6. Urban wheels revealed? (8)

Answer: RUNABOUT (i.e. “urban wheels”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “wheels”) of URBAN followed by OUT (i.e. “revealed”). Another I rather liked.

7. Product perhaps unique to Asian light industry? (7,7)

Answer: CHINESE LANTERN. Pretty straight forward, unless I’m missing something clever.

8. Taken on in the case that communist imports ecstasy (10)

Answer: SHOULDERED (i.e. “taken on”). Solution is SHOULD (i.e. “in the case that”) and RED (i.e. “communist”) wrapped around or “importing” E (street name for the drug “ecstasy”), like so: SHOULD-(E)-RED.

9. Haar coming from south-east a worry (3,4)

Answer: SEA FRET (i.e. “haar”). Solution is SE (a recognised abbreviation of “south-east”) followed by A and FRET (i.e. “worry”).

10. Fantasise about barricade put round (5)

Answer: DREAM (i.e. “fantasise”). Solution is RE (i.e. “about” – think email replies) with DAM (i.e. “barricade”) “put round” it, like so: D(RE)AM.

11. Suck up taste of vindaloo left abandoned (5,6)

Answer: CURRY FAVOUR (i.e. “suck up”). Solution is CURRY FLAVOUR (i.e. “taste of vindaloo”) with the L removed (indicated by “left” abandoned – L being a recognised abbreviation of “left”).

12. Penny added to endless small items – like raisins? (3-5)

Answer: SUN-DRIED (i.e. “like raisins”). Solution is SUNDRIES (i.e. “small items”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “endless”) and a D “added” (being a recognised abbreviation of a pre-decimalisation “penny”, after the Latin denarius), like so: SUNDRIE-D.

13. Inflexible leader lost argument (4)

Answer: TIFF (i.e. “argument”). Solution is STIFF (i.e. “inflexible”) after the initial letter or “leader” has been removed or “lost”.

20. Everything peripheral to First Lady needed for test (1,5)

Answer: A LEVEL (i.e. “test”). Solution is ALL (i.e. “everything”) wrapped around or “peripheral to” EVE (i.e. “first lady”, according to The Bible), like so: AL(EVE)L. A recent repeat, which is very much on-brand for these Jumbos, sadly.

21. Old boy in tight trio constant, like mechanical man? (7)

Answer: ROBOTIC (i.e. “like mechanical man”, for example the Marconi GridFill 4000^TM, which for years has worked tirelessly to slot the same solutions into Times crossword grids over and over again). Solution is OB (a recognised abbreviation of “old boy”) placed in an anagram (indicated by “tight” or drunk) of TRIO and followed by C (a recognised abbreviation of “constant”), like so: R(OB)OTI-C.

22. Stop going in either direction (4,2)

Answer: PULL UP (i.e. “stop”). “In either direction” indicates the solution is a palindrome.

24. Replacing of erne that’s taken out faster bird of prey (9,6)

Answer: PEREGRINE FALCON (i.e. “bird of prey”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “that’s taken out”) of REPLACING OF ERNE. “Faster” seems redundant in this clue. Maybe the setter attends some annual erne vs peregrine falcon race we’re all missing out on.

26. Cripes! Trouble with root vegetable amongst cabbage? Possible culprit (8,6)

Answer: COLORADO BEETLE, a pest or “possible culprit” for “trouble with root vegetable”. Solution is… why bother? I literally had this from the ‘T’ without any parsing. Having done a couple of these things now, I’ve a pretty good sense of when the Marconi GridFill 4000^TM has shat out another repeated solution. This one only appeared a fortnight ago. You could get the solution by going back two pages in the paper. For goodness sake, setters, if you’re going to crutch on Griddy every sodding week, at least apply an update to him every now and again. This is getting embarrassing. Solution is LOR (i.e. “cripes”), ADO (i.e. “trouble”) and BEET (i.e. “root vegetable”) placed “amongst” COLE (i.e. “cabbage”), like so: CO(LOR-ADO-BEET)LE.

27. Shelter Yankee in a squalid neighbourhood (6)

Answer: ASYLUM (i.e. “shelter”). Solution is Y (“Yankee” in the phonetic alphabet) placed “in” A and SLUM (i.e. “squalid neighbourhood”), like so: A-S(Y)LUM.

29. I really put the sauce away in elementary form (7)

Answer: ISOTOPE (i.e. “elementary form”). When written as I SO TOPE the solution also satisfies “I really put the sauce away” – a toper is another word for a drunk.

31. Asian runner, fierce cruel person, is losing energy (6)

Answer: TIGRIS (i.e. “Asian runner” or river). Solution is TIGER (i.e. “fierce cruel person”) and IS once the E of TIGER has been removed (indicated by “is losing energy” – E being a recognised abbreviation of “energy”), like so: TIGR-IS.

33. Somehow certain to engage cleaner as appropriate (2,9)

Answer: IN CHARACTER (i.e. “appropriate”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “somehow”) of CERTAIN wrapped around or “engaging” CHAR (i.e. a daily or “cleaner”), like so: IN(CHAR)ACTER.

35. Wary about dangerous switching (2,4,5)

Answer: ON ONE’S GUARD (i.e. “wary”). Solution is ON (i.e. “about”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “switching”) of DANGEROUS.

36. Greek character first in queue sees barbarian (10)

Answer: PHILISTINE (i.e. “barbarian”). Solution is PHI (i.e. “Greek character”, specifically the twenty-first letter of the Greek alphabet) followed by IST (i.e. “first”, with the 1 replaced by its Roman numeral equivalent) once placed “in” LINE (i.e. “queue”), like so: PHI-L(IST)INE.

40. Whose words may lead to action? (9)

Answer: SLANDERER. Solution plays on “action” being another word for legal proceedings that may arise from, say, a slanderer’s words.

41. Letter also featured in comical write-up (8)

Answer: LANDLORD (i.e. “letter”). Solution is AND (i.e. “also”) placed or “featured in” DROLL (i.e. “comical”) when “written up” or reversed – this being a down clue – like so: L(AND)LORD.

42. Attempts made to contain old boozer in cups (8)

Answer: TROPHIES (i.e. “cups”). Solution is TRIES (i.e. “attempts”) wrapped around or “containing” O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) and PH (ditto Public House or “pub”), like so: TR(O-PH)IES.

44. Message left in European skiing area (7)

Answer: EPISTLE (i.e. “message”). Solution is L (a recognised abbreviation of “left”) placed “in” E (a recognised abbreviation of “European”) and PISTE (i.e. “skiing area”), like so: E-PIST(L)E.

46. Tool causing catastrophe in works? (7)

Answer: SPANNER. Clue riffs on the phrase “throwing a spanner in the works”, as in causing “catastrophe”.

48. Management notice time is short (5)

Answer: ADMIN (i.e. “management”). Solution is AD (i.e. “notice”, short for advertisement) followed by MIN (i.e. “time”, specifically a “shortened” form of minute).

50. Iodine in decay gives dazzling display (4)

Answer: RIOT (i.e. “dazzling display”). Solution is I (chemical symbol of “iodine”) placed “in” ROT (i.e. “decay”), like so: R(I)OT.

I was sorely tempted to listen to Krokus’s Metal Rendez-Vous album after solving 5a (it was on the stereo a lot back when I was a nipper), but that wouldn’t be in keeping with my hip and happening image, hep cats. So I listened instead to Fury Weekend’s latest album Signals. Yes, more synthwave, but this album mixes things up by going heavy on vocal collaborations. Some of them work (including a surprisingly decent Ozzy Osbourne cover), while others are a bit cringe. The highlight is the brilliantly uber-macho instrumental In The Speed Of Light.

Oh, and I’m totally lying. Metal Rendez-Vous is playing as I type this. It’s awesome. Laters, – LP

A tougher challenge this week, not helped by this being 1) a working weekend for this internet nobody, and 2) a weekend in which this internet nobody’s brain has been stuck in second gear. The two could be related. In all this was another good ‘un with some nicely worked clues to enjoy. Maybe they’re keeping the stinker for the May bank holiday…

As ever you can find my completed grid below along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them helpful. If a recent Jumbo has done for you then you might find solace in my Just For Fun page, where I’ve curated links to solutions for the last 100+ of these things. Also, there are the usual ancient book reviews and a story of mine.

Thanks again for the kind comments, folks. It’s always interesting to hear how other solvers fared. Till next time, stay safe, mask up, get vaccinated and keep supporting the NHS and key workers everywhere.

LP

Across clues

1. Opening stairs for approach to higher regions? (11)

Answer: SPACEFLIGHT (i.e. “approach to higher regions”). Solution is SPACE (i.e. “opening”) followed by FLIGHT (i.e. “stairs”).

7. Proof bar has brought in learner, one that’s overworked (6,5)

Answer: GALLEY SLAVE (i.e. “one that’s overworked”). Solution is GALLEY (i.e. a “proof” of a book created prior to full publication) followed by SAVE (i.e. “bar”, both taken to mean “except”) once wrapped around or having “brought in” L (a recognised abbreviation of “learner”), like so: GALLEY-S(L)AVE.

13. Distribute vote to oust leader (5)

Answer: ALLOT (i.e. “distribute”). Solution is BALLOT (i.e. “vote”) with its initial letter removed (indicated by “to oust leader”).

14. Appear in front and pressure soldiers to surrender (7)

Answer: PRECEDE (i.e. “appear in front”). Solution is P (a recognised abbreviation of “pressure”) followed by RE (i.e. “soldiers”, specifically the Royal Engineers of the British Army) and CEDE (i.e. “to surrender”).

15. Scented substance good in Morning Fruit (not ultimate in perfume) (9)

Answer: AMBERGRIS (i.e. “scented substance”). Solution is G (a recognised abbreviation of “good”) placed “in” AM (i.e. “morning”) and BERRIES (i.e. “fruit”) once its second E has been removed (indicated by “not ultimate in perfume”, i.e. the last letter of “perfume”), like so: AM-BER(G)RIS.

16. Knight, beset by flies in sun resolved to take armour off (9)

Answer: UNHARNESS (i.e. “to take armour off”). Solution is N (a recognised abbreviation of “knight” used in chess) placed in or “beset by” HARES (i.e. “flies”, as in to race about) which is itself placed “in” an anagram (indicated by “resolved”) of SUN, like so: UN(HAR(N)ES)S.

17. Radical not right about husband? It’s misleading information (3,7)

Answer: RED HERRING (i.e. “misleading information”). Solution is RED (i.e. “radical” or socialist) and ERRING (i.e. “not right”) both wrapped “about” H (a recognised abbreviation of “husband”), like so: RED-(H)-ERRING.

20. Fibres a touch hard in place for horses (7)

Answer: TOWPATH (i.e. “place for horses”). Solution is TOW (i.e. “fibres”) followed by PAT (i.e. “a touch”) and H (a recognised abbreviation of “hard” used in grading pencils).

22. Pasta dish, note, involved in US city story (7)

Answer: LASAGNA (i.e. “pasta dish”). Solution is N (a recognised abbreviation of “note”) placed in LA (i.e. “US city”, specifically Los Angeles) and SAGA (i.e. “story”), like so: LA-SAG(N)A.

24. Beer conceals when one’s missing exams (1,6)

Answer: A LEVELS (i.e. “exams”). Solution is ALE (i.e. “beer”) followed by VEILS (i.e. “conceals”) once the I has been removed (indicated by “when [Roman numeral] one’s missing”), like so: ALE-VELS.

25. Regret backing drug element (8)

Answer: EUROPIUM (i.e. chemical “element”). Solution is RUE (i.e. “regret”) reversed (indicated by “backing”) and followed by OPIUM (i.e. “drug”), like so: EUR-OPIUM.
[EDIT: Thanks to jegc2014 for flagging that I’d missed this one from the original post. Much obliged! – LP]

26. Watch, taking in the fielder beginning to play game (4,3,7)

Answer: HUNT THE SLIPPER (i.e. a hiding “game” popular in Victorian times in which participants form a circle around a finder and pass among themselves a small item such as a slipper with the aim of not being caught holding it – you had to make your own entertainment back then). Solution is HUNTER (i.e. “watch” – chalk one to my Bradford’s here as I wouldn’t have made the connection) wrapped around or “taking in” THE and SLIP (i.e. a “fielder” in cricket), like so: HUNT(THE-SLIP)ER.
[EDIT: Thanks to Sid in the comments for the typo fix. I’d written HIDE THE… rather than HUNT THE… Cheers, Sid! – LP]

28. Newspaper etc omitting indefinite number in statistical quantity (5)

Answer: MEDIA (i.e. “newspaper etc”). Solution is MEDIAN (i.e. “statistical quantity”, being the middle value of a set of numbers when placed in ascending order) with the N removed (indicated by “omitting indefinite number”).

29. Magician? Not the real article (6)

Answer: SHAMAN (i.e. “magician”). Solution is SHAM (i.e. “not the real”) followed by AN (i.e. “article”, i.e. a word like a, an or the).

30. That chap, not very serious in promotions, beams (10)

Answer: HEADLIGHTS (i.e. “beams”). Solution is HE (i.e. “that chap”) followed by LIGHT (i.e. “not very serious”) once placed “in” ADS (i.e. “promotions”, i.e. a shortened form of “advertisements”), like so: HE-AD(LIGHT)S.

33. Flower child about to snooze, faced with boring event (10)

Answer: SNAPDRAGON (i.e. “flower”). Solution is SON (i.e. “child”) wrapped “about” NAP (i.e. “to snooze”) and DRAG (i.e. “boring event”), like so: S(NAP-DRAG)ON.

35. Female underwear in small? That shows intelligence (6)

Answer: BRAINS (i.e. “intelligence”). Solution is BRA (i.e. “female underwear”) followed by IN and S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”).

37. Bill loves what’s prohibited (5)

Answer: TABOO (i.e. “what’s prohibited”). Solution is TAB (i.e. “bill” or account) followed by O and O (i.e. “loves”, i.e. zero scores in tennis).

39. Scientist with a small prize, thus first (14)

Answer: ASTROPHYSICIST (i.e. “scientist”). Solution is A followed by S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”), then TROPHY (i.e. “prize”), then SIC (i.e. “thus”) and IST (i.e. “first”, with the 1 written as a Roman numeral I).

41. Warrior pre-empts responding when securing upland (8)

Answer: ACHILLES (i.e. “warrior” of Greek legend). Solution is ACES (i.e. “pre-empts responding”, i.e. serving without return in tennis) wrapped around or “securing” HILL (i.e. “upland”), like so: AC(HILL)ES.

44. Composer dismissing a writer from Italy and a painter from further East (2,5)

Answer: EL GRECO (i.e. “a painter from further East”, relative to Italy – he was of Greek origin, hence the nickname). Solution is Edward ELGAR (i.e. “composer”) with the A removed (indicated by “dismissing a”) and the remainder followed by Umberto ECO (i.e. “writer from Italy”), like so: ELGR-ECO.

45. Rest admit following Schubert song? (3-4)

Answer: LIE-DOWN (i.e. “rest”). Solution is OWN (i.e. “admit” responsibility) placed after or “following” LIED (i.e. Franz “Schubert song” – a lied is “a German lyric or song” (Chambers)), like so: LIED-OWN.

46. Seaweed to move round avoiding old holiday region (7)

Answer: ALGARVE (i.e. “holiday region”). Solution is ALGA (i.e. “seaweed”) followed by ROVE (i.e. “to move round”) once its O has been removed (indicated by “avoiding old” – O being a recognised abbreviation of “old”), like so: ALGA-RVE.

47. Parliamentarian say is restricted by claptrap everyone recalled (10)

Answer: LEGISLATOR (i.e. “parliamentarian”). Solution is EG (i.e. “say”, or for example) and IS both placed in or “restricted by” ROT (i.e. “claptrap”) and ALL (i.e. “everyone”) once these have been reversed (indicated by “recalled”), like so: L(EG-IS)LA-TOR.

49. Embarrassingly rude about line after deliveries disallowed (9)

Answer: OVERRULED (i.e. “disallowed”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “embarrassingly”) of RUDE placed “about” L (a recognised abbreviation of “line”). This is then preceded by or placed “after” OVER (six regulation “deliveries” in cricket), like so: OVER-RU(L)ED.

53. Chords? Urge to follow piano in endless song (9)

Answer: ARPEGGIOS (i.e. “chords”). Solution is EGG (i.e. to “urge” on) placed after or “following” P (a recognised abbreviation of “piano” in musical lingo). These are then placed “in” ARIOSO (i.e. “song”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “endless”), like so: AR(P-EGG)IOS.

54. No odd elements in party invite? Go (7)

Answer: ATTEMPT (i.e. a “go”). Solution is AT (i.e. “no odd elements in party”, i.e. every other letter of PARTY) followed by TEMPT (i.e. “invite”).

55. Foreign letter about popular zoo animal (5)

Answer: RHINO (i.e. “zoo animal”). Solution is RHO (i.e. “foreign letter”, specifically the seventeenth letter of the Greek alphabet) wrapped “about” IN (i.e. “popular”), like so: RH(IN)O.

56. Unethical behaviour: shaky camera clip capturing it at last (11)

Answer: MALPRACTICE (i.e. “unethical behaviour”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “shaky”) of CAMERA CLIP wrapped around or “capturing” T (i.e. “it at last”, i.e. the last letter of “it”), like so: MALPRAC(T)ICE.

57. Romantic atmosphere may be charming around lake (11)

Answer: CANDLELIGHT (i.e. “romantic atmosphere”). Solution is CAN DELIGHT (i.e. “may be charming”) wrapped “around” L (a recognised abbreviation of “lake”), like so: CAN-D(L)ELIGHT.

Down clues

1. Ends in the Government blocking law award? (9)

Answer: STATUETTE (i.e. “award”). Solution is E and T (i.e. “ends in the Government”, i.e. the last letters of “the” and “Government”) both placed in or “blocking” STATUTE (i.e. “law”), like so: STATU(E-T)TE.

2. Indication we’ll have to act when boarding coach after everyone (3,3,6,1,5)

Answer: ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE, a line from William Shakespeare’s As You Like It. Haven’t touched Shakespeare since school and I’m very happy to keep it that way. Clue plays on “coach” and “stage” having similar meanings. After that, I’ll leave it to the luvvies.

3. Penetrate the heart of America, not the top (5)

Answer: ENTER (i.e. “penetrate”). Solution is CENTER (i.e. “the heart of America”, i.e. how the US spells “centre”) once its initial letter has been removed (indicated by “not the top”).

4. Irish figures reel as punch is thrown (11)

Answer: LEPRECHAUNS (i.e. “Irish figures”). “Is thrown” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of REEL AS PUNCH.

5. Old King freely exhibiting unctuousness? (8)

Answer: GREASILY (i.e. “exhibiting unctuousness”). Solution is GR (i.e. “old King”, specifically Georgius Rex) followed by EASILY (i.e. “freely”).

6. Author remains confused, having missed a statement from Pope (2,3,2,5)

Answer: TO ERR IS HUMAN (i.e. “statement from [Alexander] Pope”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “confused”) of AUTHOR REMAINS once one of the As has been removed (indicated by “having missed a”).

7. Guzzler decided to avoid opening variable bottle (6,4)

Answer: GREEDY GUTS (i.e. “guzzler”). Solution is AGREED (i.e. “decided”) once its first letter has been removed (indicated by “to avoid opening”) followed by Y (i.e. “variable” – setters love referring to X, Y or Z in solutions as unknowns or variables), then GUTS (i.e. “bottle” or bravery).

8. Permission to take off (5)

Answer: LEAVE. Solution satisfies “permission” and “to take off”.

9. Nasty beard smears will make you self-conscious (11)

Answer: EMBARRASSED (i.e. “self-conscious”). “Nasty” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of BEARD SMEARS.

10. African ecosystem re-created as green site (9)

Answer: SERENGETI (i.e. “African ecosystem”). “Re-created” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of AS GREEN SITE.

11. Enjoying the atmosphere? That’s risky in part of London (4)

Answer: AIRY, as in something jaunty and enjoyable. Clue also plays on AIR being another word for “atmosphere”, and finally in how all ‘em cockneys “in part of London” are always droppin’ their bleedin’ aitches, innit, guvnor, as in ‘ow they’d say HAIRY (i.e. “risky”).

12. What makes bone bony? Simple (4)

Answer: EASY (i.e. “simple”). When written as E AS Y the solution also satisfies “what makes bone bony”, as in how one would replace the E with Y to get from “bone” to “bony”.

18. Choose not to stop dance held by the wealthy below tower (4,3,4,7)

Answer: KEEP THE BALL ROLLING (i.e. “choose not to stop”). Solution is BALL (i.e. “dance”) placed in or “held by” THE and ROLLING (i.e. “wealthy”, as in rolling in it). These are then placed after or “below” – this being a down clue – KEEP (i.e. “tower”), like so: KEEP-(THE-(BALL)-ROLLING).

19. European journalists tucking into very good coffee (8)

Answer: ESPRESSO (i.e. “coffee”). Solution is E (a recognised abbreviation of “European”) followed by PRESS (i.e. “journalists”) once placed in or “tucked into” SO (i.e. “very good”), like so: E-S(PRESS)O.

21. Acclaim of the French: a record by old man climbing (7)

Answer: APPLAUD (i.e. “acclaim”). Solution is DU (i.e. “of the French”, i.e. the French for “of”) followed by A, then LP (i.e. a long-play “record” – ask your parents, kids) and PA (i.e. “old man” or father). These are all then reversed (indicated by “climbing” – this being a down clue), like so: AP-PL-A-UD.

23. Sporting new hat, allowed in college at the outset (8)

Answer: ATHLETIC (i.e. “sporting”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “new”) of HAT followed by LET (i.e. “allowed”), then I and C (i.e. “in college at the outset”, i.e. the first letters of “in” and “college”), like so: ATH-LET-I-C.

27. Caught taking turn on large fairground attraction (8)

Answer: CAROUSEL (i.e. “fairground attraction”). Solution is C (a recognised abbreviation of “caught” used in a number of ball games) followed by AROUSE (i.e. “turn on” – wahey!) and L (a recognised abbreviation of “large”).

28. Arab capital leading to upturn in the French grape variety (8)

Answer: MUSCATEL (i.e. “grape variety”). Solution is MUSCAT (i.e. “Arab capital”, specifically the capital city of Oman) followed by LE (i.e. “the French”, i.e. the masculine form of “the” in French) once this latter has been reversed (indicated by “upturn” – this being a down clue), like so: MUSCAT-EL.

31. Suggesting shifting hotel? It’s a popular idea (2-5)

Answer: IN-THING (i.e. “popular idea”). Solution is HINTING (i.e. “suggesting”) with the H (“hotel” in the phonetic alphabet) “shifting” to the middle, like so: (H)INTING => INT(H)ING.

32. Mostly boring of philosopher to receive tons of privileged people (12)

Answer: ARISTOCRATIC (i.e. “of privileged people”). Solution is ARID (i.e. “boring” with its last letter removed (indicated by “mostly”) and followed by SOCRATIC (i.e. “of philosopher”, specifically Socrates) once wrapped around or “receiving” T (a recognised abbreviation of “tons”), like so: ARI-S(T)OCRATIC.

34. One will turn on radio chap is altering (11)

Answer: APHRODISIAC (i.e. “one will turn on” – phew, steady on setter! (Eases collar)). “Altering” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of RADIO CHAP IS.

36. A Catholic when uplifted will get crazy about religious rite (11)

Answer: SACRAMENTAL (i.e. “about religious rite”). Solution is A, RC (i.e. “Catholic”, specifically of the Roman Catholic persuasion) and AS (i.e. “when”) all reversed (indicated by “uplifted” – this being a down clue) and followed by MENTAL (i.e. “crazy”), like so: (SA-CR-A)-MENTAL.

38. Stress a lot of US cash is involved in move (10)

Answer: ACCENTUATE (i.e. “stress”). Solution is CENT (i.e. “US cash”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “a lot of”) and the remainder placed “in” ACTUATE (i.e. “move”), like so: AC(CEN)TUATE.

40. Too keen with regard to monarch? About time! (9)

Answer: OVEREAGER (i.e. “too keen”). Solution is OVER (i.e. “with regard to”) followed by ER (i.e. “monarch”, specifically Elizabeth Regina) once wrapped “about” AGE (i.e. “time”), like so: OVER-E(AGE)R.

42. What may be ending in drop to seabed after accident? (9)

Answer: SPEEDBOAT. Solution is an anagram (indicated by “after accident”) of TO SEABED once wrapped around or having “in” P (i.e. “ending in drop”, i.e. the last letter of “drop”), like so: S(P)EEDBOAT. In context of the clue, a speedboat accident could indeed see it drop to the seabed. Nicely worked.

43. A Parisian officer leading Frenchmen forward and out of the way (8)

Answer: UNCOMMON (i.e. “out of the way”). Solution is UN (i.e. “a Parisian”, i.e. the masculine form of “a” in French) followed by CO (i.e. “officer”, specifically a Commanding Officer), then M and M (i.e. “Frenchmen” – the recognised abbreviation of “monsieur” is M), then ON (i.e. “forward”).

48. Girl, going to capital of India, finding a drink there (5)

Answer: LASSI (i.e. “a drink there [in India]”). Solution is LASS (i.e. “girl”) followed by I (i.e. “capital [letter] of India”).

50. Artist breaking 60% of laws of the country (5)

Answer: RURAL (i.e. “of the country”). Solution is RA (i.e. “artist”, specifically a Royal Academician) placed in or “breaking” RULES (i.e. “laws”) once the last two letters have been removed (indicated by “60% of…” – RULES being five letters long), like so: RU(RA)L.

51. Prize money initially given to friend… (4)

Answer: PALM (i.e. “prize” – Chambers offers this: “emblematically, pre-eminence, the prize”). Solution is M (i.e. “money initially”, i.e. the initial letter of “money”) placed after or “given to” PAL (i.e. “friend”), like so: PAL-M.

52. …after old gem (4)

Answer: OPAL (i.e. “gem”). The ellipsis indicates a connection with the previous clue. The previous clue ends in “friend” or PAL. This is carried over into this clue and placed “after” O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”), like so: O-PAL.

Not much musical accompaniment was had this weekend, though it was notable that London Grammar have dropped another track from their upcoming album. America is a fine listen which led me to revisit their debut album If You Wait. Seven years on it still sounds great and features this spine-tingling (and Novello-winning) wonder. – LP

Another medium strength offering, relatively speaking. Much like Saturday’s puzzle the smattering of exotic solutions here were mostly gettable after thumbing through a few dictionaries, which is how it should be. Another good ‘un, then. Stinker next week, do you reckon?

As ever you can find my completed grid below along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them helpful. If a recent Jumbo is looking a little gappy then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to solutions for the last 100+ of these things. Meanwhile, there’s the usual ancient book reviews and a story of mine.

Thanks again for the comments, folks. It’s always interesting to hear how other solvers fared in these things. Till next time, stay safe, mask up, get vaccinated and keep supporting the NHS and key workers everywhere.

LP

Across clues

1. Sister holding rug with no time to beat it (7)

Answer: SCARPER (i.e. “beat it”). Solution is SR (a recognised abbreviation of the title “Sister”) wrapped around or “holding” CARPET (i.e. “rug”) once its T has been removed (indicated by “with no time” – T being a recognised abbreviation of “time”), like so: S(CARPE)R.

5. Stretch of river covering basins of salt (7)

Answer: EXPANSE (i.e. “stretch”). Solution is EXE (i.e. a “river”) wrapped around or “covering” PANS (i.e. “basins of salt”), like so: EX(PANS)E.

9. Appear cheated in hearing, so stopped and returned (7)

Answer: FIELDED (i.e. “stopped and returned” a ball in, say, cricket). Solution comprises homophones (indicated by “in hearing”) of FEEL (i.e. “appear”) and DID (i.e. “cheated”).

13. Poem the Italian writes with nothing on love (2,9)

Answer: IL PENSEROSO (i.e. “poem” by John Milton. No, me neither). Solution is IL (i.e. “the Italian”, i.e. the Italian for “the”) followed by PENS (i.e. “writes”), then O (i.e. “nothing”) placed “on” of after EROS (Greek god of “love”), like so: IL-PENS-(EROS)-O. Gotten mainly from chucking IL PENS into Google and seeing what it suggested next. I have no shame.

14. Writhing excites love – stop! (4,7)

Answer: VOIX CELESTE (i.e. a type of organ “stop”. Again, shrugs from this quarter). “Writhing” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of EXCITES LOVE. Easy wordplay, but needed a little bit of brute force to crack. Here’s a video demonstrating it in action. Can’t say I’m much the wiser, to be honest.

15. Small limb child plays on (5)

Answer: SWING (i.e. “child plays on” it). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) followed by WING (i.e. “limb”).

16. Calm, not yet sacked by The Times? (7)

Answer: STILLED (i.e. “calm”). When written as STILL ED the solution also satisfies “not yet sacked by The Times”. Perhaps this one was compiled by the puzzles editor.

17. When one’s ahead of everybody, almost? (9)

Answer: AFTERNOON (a moment in time or “when”). Solution is AFTER NO-ONE (i.e. “ahead of everybody”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “almost”).

18. Thought train often featured in modernist novels (6,2,13)

Answer: STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS. Clue and solution describe a method of writing used by certain novelists to present the thoughts of a character as they occur. They’re easy to spot as they’re usually formed of wall-of-text sentences that go on and on for umpteen pages, and they are always, without exception, utterly, utterly awful. Like “don’t do it, oh no he’s doing it, look away in shame” kind of awful, like the author has decided to have a wank in public. Which, literarily speaking, is exactly what they are doing.

23. Trouble-maker pretended to have had an effect (8)

Answer: IMPACTED (i.e. “have had an effect”). Solution is IMP (i.e. “trouble-maker”) followed by ACTED (i.e. “pretended”).

25. Designated as nasty, knocking off sodium light (6)

Answer: STYLED (i.e. “designated”). Solution is NASTY with the NA removed (indicated by “knocking off sodium”, i.e. its chemical symbol) and the remainder followed by LED (i.e. “light”, specifically a Light Emitting Diode), like so: STY-LED. Chalk one to my Bradford’s here as I couldn’t make the connection.

27. Lightly fried sesame, for example, which faculty regularly may tuck into (7)

Answer: SAUTEED (i.e. “lightly fried”). Solution is SEED (i.e. “sesame, for example” – other bags of seed are available) wrapped around or having “tucked in” AUT (i.e. “faculty regularly”, i.e. every other letter of FACULTY), like so: S(AUT)EED.

30. Northerner once holding old twist of thread (5)

Answer: PICOT (i.e. “twist of thread”). Solution is PICT (i.e. “Northerner once”) wrapped around or “holding” O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”), like so: PIC(O)T.

32. Structure of an alliance that surprises me (7)

Answer: ANATOMY (i.e. “structure”). Solution is A NATO (i.e. “an alliance”, specifically the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) followed by MY (i.e. “that surprises me”, as in gosh, blimey, lummee, that sort of thing).

33. Mechanic is erratic, if given confusing order (9)

Answer: ARTIFICER (i.e. “mechanic”). “Given confusing order” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of ERRATIC IF.

35. Flirtatious girl with very little money – gambler making right move (9)

Answer: SOUBRETTE (i.e. “flirtatious girl”, usually in theatrical productions). Solution is SOU (i.e. “very little money”, historically “a French five-centime piece” (Chambers)) followed by BETTER (i.e. “gambler”) once the R (a recognised abbreviation of “right”) has been “moved”, like so: SOU-BETTE(R) => SOU-B(R)ETTE.

36. Happening to enter, shortly departed (5,2)

Answer: GOING ON (i.e. “happening”). Solution is GO IN (i.e. “to enter”) followed by GONE (i.e. “departed”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “shortly”), like so: GO-IN-GON.

37. Linger as blue is reflected by lake (5)

Answer: DWELL (i.e. “linger”). Solution is LEWD (i.e. “blue”) reversed (indicated by “reflected”) and followed by L (a recognised abbreviation of “lake”), like so: DWEL-L.

38. Periodically, three fired up are busily active around one (7)

Answer: LITHIUM (i.e. “periodically, three” – a reference to lithium’s position in the “periodic” table, having an atomic number of “three”). Solution is LIT (i.e. “fired up”) followed by HUM (i.e. “busily active”) once wrapped “around” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), like so: LIT-H(I)UM.

40. For the audience, it might be on a high card (6)

Answer: HONOUR. Solution satisfies “for the audience it might be on a”, i.e. homophones of “on a” – depends how you pronounce ‘a’, I suppose – and a “high card” in a game of bridge. A new one on me, but then I don’t play the game.

41. Men following female python, say, replacing end of skin that’s cast off (8)

Answer: FORSAKEN (i.e. “cast off”). Solution is OR (i.e. “men”, specifically the Other Ranks of the British Army) placed after or “following” F (a recognised abbreviation of “female”) and followed by SNAKE (i.e. “python, say”) once the N (i.e. “end [letter] of skin”) has been moved or “replaced”, like so: F-(OR)-S(N)AKE => F-(OR)-SAKE(N).

44. Livelihood dull person finds sweet (5-3-6,7)

Answer: BREAD-AND-BUTTER PUDDING (i.e. “sweet”). Solution is BREAD-AND-BUTTER (i.e. “livelihood”) followed by PUDDING (i.e. “dull person”).

48. I’m a vocalist, love – something fishy here (9)

Answer: ISINGLASS (i.e. “something fishy here”, specifically “a material, mainly gelatine, obtained from sturgeon’s air bladders and other sources” (Chambers). It gets used in making jellies and in real ale production, in case you thought scientists pulled out sturgeon’s air bladders purely for shits and giggles). When written as I SING, LASS the solution also satisfies “I’m a vocalist, love”. Weirdly one I knew.

50. Care worker shows a lot of cash in both hands (7)

Answer: ALMONER (i.e. “care worker”). Solution is A followed by MONEY (i.e. “cash”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “a lot of…”) once placed between or “in” L and R (i.e. “both hands”, i.e. recognised abbreviations of “left” and “right”), like so: A-L-(MONE)-R. One of those “make up a word and check in the dictionary” moments.

53. Flirt with the lassies on and off (5)

Answer: TEASE (i.e. “flirt with”). “On and off” indicates the solution is derived from every other letter of THE LASSIES.

54. Get don back somehow in headcount reduction? Fanciful (4-3-4)

Answer: COCK-AND-BULL (i.e. “fanciful”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “somehow”) of DON BACK placed “in” CULL (i.e. “headcount reduction”), like so: C(OCKANDB)ULL.

55. Feature of phone to be delayed, interrupting profession (4,7)

Answer: CALL-WAITING (i.e. “feature of phone”). Solution is WAIT (i.e. “to be delayed”) placed in or “interrupting” CALLING (i.e. “profession”), like so: CALL-(WAIT)-ING.

56. Catch some veterans newly returned (7)

Answer: ENSNARE (i.e. “catch”). “Some” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, while “returned” indicates the solution has been reversed, like so: VET(ERANS NE)WLY.

57. Argument fills feeble football feature (5-2)

Answer: THROW-IN (i.e. “football feature”). Solution is ROW (i.e. “argument”) placed in or “filling” THIN (i.e. “feeble”), like so: TH(ROW)IN.

58. Some err, generating this? (7)

Answer: REMORSES. Solution is an anagram (indicated by “generating”) of SOME ERR. In the context of the clue, some who err may indeed feel some remorse.

Down clues

1. Most devious way to conceal concoctions (6)

Answer: SLIEST (i.e. “most devious” – can be spelled slyest or sliest). Solution is ST (i.e. “way”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “street”) wrapped around or “concealing” LIES (i.e. “concoctions”), like so: S(LIES)T.

2. Taking fruit round one makes a request (7)

Answer: APPLIES (i.e. “makes a request”). Solution is APPLES (i.e. “fruit”) wrapped “round” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), like so: APPL(I)ES.

3. In terror, grey with worry making public oration (9)

Answer: PANEGYRIC (i.e. “public oration”). Solution is PANIC (i.e. “terror”) wrapped around or having “in” an anagram (indicated by “with worry”) of GREY, like so: PAN(EGYR)IC.

4. Judges restricting European banks (5)

Answer: REEFS (i.e. “banks”). Solution is REFS (i.e. “judges”, short for referees) wrapped around or “restricting” E (a recognised abbreviation of “European”), like so: R(E)EFS.

5. Expressive face, having picked up book I pore over (8)

Answer: EMOTICON (i.e. “expressive face” – or pint glass, multiple pint glasses, pizza slice or eight ball if my text messages are anything to go by). Solution is TOME (i.e. “book”) reversed (indicated by “picked up” – this being a down clue) and followed by I and CON (i.e. “pore over” – con is an archaic word for study, which setters love), like so: EMOT-I-CON.

6. Patrol runs into would-be escapee? Back to cell (5)

Answer: PROWL (i.e. “patrol”). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “runs” used in several ball games) placed “into” POW (i.e. “would-be escapee”, specifically a Prisoner Of War) and followed by L (i.e. “back of cell”, i.e. the last letter of “cell”), like so: P(R)OW-L.

7. Statesman, one that runs through St. Petersburg, and collapses (7)

Answer: NEVADAN (i.e. US “statesman”, an inhabitant of Nevada). Solution is NEVA (i.e. “one that runs through St. Petersburg” – referring to the River Neva) followed by an anagram (indicated by “collapses”) of AND, like so: NEVA-DAN.

8. Poussin’s work I decorate again, stupidly (2,2,7,3)

Answer: ET IN ARCADIA EGO (i.e. Nicolas “Poussin’s work”). “Stupidly” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of I DECORATE AGAIN. This would have been a lot more difficult had this exact same solution not already appeared in a recent-ish Jumbo. You might want to shake up that auto-fill word pool again, setters. Either that or Times setters are strangely attracted to this one painting. Don’t know why. I mean, there’s nothing all that special about it; nothing religious or mystical, for example, at least to this internet nobody. It merely depicts a scene in which three builders are pointing out the shoddy handiwork of whichever cowboys the woman had in last. Happened all the time back then. Next painting, please.

9. Turbulent, consuming energy without serious purpose (9)

Answer: FACETIOUS (i.e. “without serious purpose”). Solution is FACTIOUS (i.e. “turbulent”) wrapped around or “consuming” E (a recognised abbreviation of “energy”), like so: FAC(E)TIOUS.

10. Oriental potentate dismissing head mathematician (5)

Answer: Leonhard EULER (i.e. “mathematician”). Solution is E (i.e. “Oriental”, i.e. a recognised abbreviation of “eastern”) followed by RULER (i.e. “potentate”) once its initial letter has been removed (indicated by “dismissing head”), like so: E-ULER.

11. Board manoeuvre brought to light audit (10,5)

Answer: DISCOVERED CHECK (i.e. “board manoeuvre”, specifically “in chess, a check produced by moving a piece to leave a second piece attacking the opponent’s king” (Chambers) – I’m not a chess man, but I rather like the concept). Solution is DISCOVERED (i.e. “brought to light”) followed by CHECK (i.e. “audit”).

12. Chaperone expected small girl to stand up (7)

Answer: DUENNAS (i.e. “chaperones” over in Spain). Solution is DUE (i.e. “expected”) followed by S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) and ANN (i.e. “girl” – basically a girl’s name) once these latter two have been reversed (indicated by “to stand up” – this being a down clue), like so: DUE-(NNA-S). Chalk another one to my Bradford’s here.

19. One never cracking up with a long period to survive (7)

Answer: AGELAST (i.e. a miseryguts or “one never cracking up”). Marked as a rarely used word in Chambers, but I rather like it. Solution is AGE (i.e. “a long period”) followed by LAST (i.e. “to survive”).

20. Machine removing seeds from bed: nothing wrong displacing horse (6,3)

Answer: COTTON GIN (i.e. “machine removing seeds” from cotton fibres). Solution is COT (i.e. “bed”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “wrong”) of NOTHING once the H as been removed (indicated by “displacing horse” – H and “horse” are both street names for heroin), like so: COT-TONGIN. Another new one on me, but not one I imagine remembering much beyond the end of this sentence.

21. Filled with second bunch of grass, we hear (7)

Answer: STUFFED (i.e. “filled with”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “second”) followed by a homophone (indicated by “we hear”) of TUFT (i.e. “bunch of grass”).

What the hell is a cotton gin?

22. Face accepting concessions in return for sale (8)

Answer: DISPOSAL (i.e. “sale”). Solution is DIAL (i.e. “face”) wrapped around or “accepting” SOPS (i.e. “concessions”) once reversed (indicated by “in return”), like so: DI(SPOS)AL.

24. Acquire certain guns to restore equilibrium (4,2,3,6)

Answer: PICK UP THE PIECES (i.e. “restore equilibrium”). Clue also plays on PIECES being slang for “guns” and how one would acquire or PICK them UP. Excuse me while I Smashie and Nicey a little…

26. Substitute for model terribly ugly, I fear (3,6)

Answer: LAY FIGURE (i.e. “substitute for model”, specifically a wooden jointed figure used by artists). “Terribly” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of UGLY I FEAR.

28. In the night, king embraced by beloved (8)

Answer: DARKLING (i.e. “in the night”). Solution is K (a recognised abbreviation of “king”) placed in or “embraced by” DARLING (i.e. “beloved”), like so: DAR(K)LING.

29. Surpass everything by eating a rich tea? (4,3,7)

Answer: TAKE THE BISCUIT. Solution satisfies “surpass everything” and “eating a rich tea”.

31. Waited, having had a go at crossing a river (7)

Answer: TARRIED (i.e. “waited”). Solution is TRIED (i.e. “having had a go”) wrapped around or “crossing” A and R (a recognised abbreviation of “river”), like so: T(A-R)RIED.

34. Brown went for a small child, possibly, and danced (7)

Answer: TANGOED (i.e. “danced”). Solution is TAN (i.e. “brown”) followed by GOED (i.e. “went for a small child, possibly”, i.e. how a young child might say “goed” as a past tense of “go” rather than saying “went”).

39. Violently grab principal knob, dropping one (9)

Answer: MANHANDLE (i.e. “violently grab”). Solution is MAIN HANDLE (i.e. “principal knob” – titter ye not) with the I removed (indicated by “dropping [Roman numeral] one”).

42. In religion, suggestion to follow saint is in order (9)

Answer: SHINTOISM (i.e. “religion”). Solution is HINT (i.e. “suggestion”) placed after or “following” S (a recognised abbreviation of “saint” – can be S or St) and followed by IS once placed “in” OM (i.e. “order”, specifically an Order of Merit), like so: S-HINT-O(IS)M.

43. Start to design type of work area (4-4)

Answer: OPEN-PLAN (i.e. “type of work area”). Solution is OPEN (i.e. “start”) followed by PLAN (i.e. “to design”).

44. With enthusiasm shortly get teeth into roll (7)

Answer: BRIOCHE (i.e. “roll”). Solution is BRIO (i.e. “with enthusiasm”) followed by CHEW (i.e. “get teeth into”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “shortly”), like so: BRIO-CHE.

45. One that’s behind advertisement (7)

Answer: TRAILER. Solution satisfies “one that’s behind” and “advertisement” for, say, a movie.

46. Frozen creeper finally dying, more delicate (7)

Answer: GLACIER (i.e. “frozen creeper”). Solution is G (i.e. “finally dying”, i.e. the last letter of “dying”) followed by LACIER (i.e. “more delicate”).

47. Bond to some extent while a guest (6)

Answer: LEAGUE (i.e. “bond”). “To some extent” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: WHI(LE A GUE)ST.

49. Gather for hearing in the country (5)

Answer: GHANA (i.e. “country”). “For hearing” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of GARNER (i.e. “gather”).

51. Bird about to disappear into gullet (5)

Answer: MACAW (i.e. “bird”). Solution is CA (i.e. “about”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “circa”) placed “into” MAW (i.e. “gullet”), like so: MA(CA)W.

52. Quarrelsome sportsman? (5)

Answer: ROWER (i.e. “sportsman”). Clue plays on how a ROW can be a “quarrel”. You get the idea.

No musical accompaniment today, unless you count the rhythmic beat of my tumble drier. (Had to keep the house warm somehow.) – LP

Another medium strength offering this week, relatively speaking, with the more exotic solutions gettable after a bit of dictionary wrangling. One of the better ones, all told.

As ever you can find my completed grid below along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them helpful. If a recent Jumbo has foxed you then my Just For Fun page might be just the ticket, listing solutions to the last 100+ of these things. Also, there’s the usual ancient book reviews and a story of mine.

Thanks again for the kind words and comments, folks. It’s always interesting to hear how other solvers fared. Till the next one, stay safe, mask up, get vaccinated and keep the flag flying for the NHS and key workers everywhere.

LP

Across clues

1. Indecent girl’s legwear (4,5)

Answer: BLUE JEANS (i.e. “legwear”). Solution is BLUE (i.e. “indecent”) followed by JEAN’S (i.e. “girl’s” – basically a girl’s name made possessive).

6. Racing once condemned harmful substance (10)

Answer: CARCINOGEN (i.e. “harmful substance”). “Condemned” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of RACING ONCE.

12. Everyone, say, runs over briskly (7)

Answer: ALLEGRO (i.e. “briskly” in musical lingo). Solution is ALL (i.e. “everyone”) followed by EG (i.e. “say”, i.e. for example), then R (a recognised abbreviation of “runs” used in a number of ball games) and O (a recognised abbreviation of “over” used in cricket).

13. Lively old punk tours Virginia (9)

Answer: VIVACIOUS (i.e. “lively”). Solution is Sid VICIOUS (i.e. “old punk”) wrapped around or “touring” VA (US state abbreviation of “Virginia”), like so: VI(VA)CIOUS.

14. Officer in charge evincing problem with wind (5)

Answer: COLIC (i.e. “problem with wind”). Solution is COL (i.e. “officer”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “colonel”) followed by IC (a recognised abbreviation of “in charge”).

16. Midshipman Easy’s job? (5,7)

Answer: PLAIN SAILING (i.e. “easy”). Clue plays on the solution’s nautical theme in referencing Frederick Marryat’s 1836 novel Mr Midshipman Easy. You get the idea. As an aside, it’s worth noting some setters will reference EASY in their solutions as “midshipman”, because we’ve obviously all read the novel.

17. Court order one in residence to be moved (6,4)

Answer: DECREE NISI (i.e. “court order”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) placed “in” an anagram (indicated by “to be moved”) of RESIDENCE, like so: DECREEN(I)SI.

19. State vehicle that ruins crops (8,6)

Answer: COLORADO BEETLE (a pest “that ruins crops” of potatoes). Solution is COLORADO (i.e. US “state”) followed by BEETLE (i.e. “vehicle”, specifically one of the Volkswagen variety).

22. New troops joining the navy in higher latitudes (8)

Answer: NORTHERN (i.e. “in higher latitudes”). Solution is N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”) followed by OR (i.e. “troops”, specifically the Other Ranks of the British Army), then THE and RN (i.e. “navy”, specifically the Royal Navy).

24. Metal, iodine and copper blocking miners (6)

Answer: INDIUM (i.e. “metal”). Solution is I (chemical symbol of “iodine”) and DI (i.e. “copper”, specifically a Detective Inspector) once placed in or “blocking” NUM (i.e. “miners”, specifically the National Union of Miners), like so: I-N(DI)UM.

25. Starts with each child’s unrestricted period for game (4,6)

Answer: OPEN SEASON (i.e. “unrestricted period for [shooting] game”). Solution is OPENS (i.e. “starts”) followed by EA (a recognised abbreviation of “each”) and SON (i.e. “child”).

26. Walk – with or without runs? (5)

Answer: AMBLE. Clue plays on how RAMBLE and AMBLE can mean “walk” and how you can get from one word to the other by removing the R (a recognised abbreviation of “runs” used in ball games).

29. Ladies missing whiskey could be a bad sign (4)

Answer: OMEN (i.e. “could be a bad sign”). Solution is WOMEN (i.e. “ladies”) with the W removed (indicated by “missing whiskey” – “whiskey” is W in the phonetic alphabet).

30. Fortunate having sanction limiting old bomb (8)

Answer: ENVIABLE (i.e. “fortunate”). Solution is ENABLE (i.e. “sanction”) wrapped around or “limiting” VI (i.e. “old bomb”, specifically a V1 with the 1 replaced by its Roman numeral equivalent), like so: EN(VI)ABLE.

32. Ruler quit, ignoring British excise (9)

Answer: ERADICATE (i.e. “excise”). Solution is ER (i.e. “ruler”, specifically Elizabeth Regina) followed by ABDICATE (i.e. “quit”) once the B has been removed (indicated by “ignoring British” – B being a recognised abbreviation of “British”), like so: ER-ADICATE.

34. Dopey old men disheartened in IoW waters (9)

Answer: SOMNOLENT (i.e. “dopey”). Solution is O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) and MN (i.e. “men disheartened”, i.e. the word “men” with its middle letter removed) both placed “in” SOLENT (i.e. “IoW waters”, i.e. the strait between the Isle of Wight and mainland Britain), like so: S(O-MN)OLENT.

35. Regularly call on pretty woman to restrain quiet fool (8)

Answer: CLODPOLL (i.e. “fool”). Solution is CLO (i.e. “regularly call on”, i.e. every other letter of CALL ON) followed by DOLL (i.e. “pretty woman”) once wrapped around or “restraining” P (a recognised abbreviation of “piano” or “quiet” in musical lingo), like so: CLO-D(P)OLL. A new one on me. This particular Poll likes it.

36. Like hoarding papers that are helpful (4)

Answer: AIDS (i.e. things “that are helpful”). Solution is AS (i.e. “like”) wrapped around or “hoarding” ID (i.e. “papers”), like so: A(ID)S.

39. US cheat returns iron and silver engraved with name (5)

Answer: GANEF (i.e. “US cheat” – my Chambers didn’t want to know, but my Oxford bears this one out). Solution is FE and AG (chemical symbols of “iron” and “silver” respectively) reversed (indicated by “returns”) and wrapped around or “engraved with” N (a recognised abbreviation of “name”), like so: GA-(N)-EF. One gotten from the wordplay, to be honest.

40. Free love in Little Rock (10)

Answer: PERIDOTITE (i.e. “rock”). Solution is RID (i.e. “free”) and O (i.e. “love”, i.e. a zero score in tennis) both placed “in” PETITE (i.e. “little), like so: PE(RID-O)TITE.

42. Dance when tiddly, leaving tango to the end (6)

Answer: MINUET (i.e. “dance”). Solution is MINUTE (i.e. “tiddly” or small) with the T (“tango” in the phonetic alphabet) moved “to the end”, like so: MINU(T)E => MINUE(T).

44. Make ugly girl initially hug primate (8)

Answer: MISSHAPE (i.e. “make ugly”). Solution is MISS (i.e. “girl”) followed by H (i.e. “initially hug”, i.e. the first letter of “hug”) and APE (i.e. “primate”).

46. Fiddling finance firm pocketing a grand (6,8)

Answer: MONKEY BUSINESS (i.e. “fiddling”). Solution is MONEY (i.e. “finance”) and BUSINESS (i.e. “firm”) placed around or “pocketing” K (i.e. “grand”, both referencing 1,000), like so: MON(K)EY-BUSINESS.

48. Boulders and tree reduced seafood (4,6)

Answer: ROCK SALMON (i.e. “seafood”). Solution is ROCKS (i.e. “boulders”) followed by ALMOND (i.e. “tree”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “reduced”), like so: ROCKS-ALMON.

49. Letters, awfully cagey and tense about reserves (6,6)

Answer: ESTATE AGENCY (i.e. “letters” of property). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “awfully”) of CAGEY and TENSE wrapped “about” TA (i.e. “reserves”, specifically the Territorial Army), like so: ES(TA)TEAGENCY.

53. Ruin ground packed with phosphorous (5)

Answer: SPOIL (i.e. “ruin”). Solution is SOIL (i.e. “ground”) wrapped around or “packed with” P (chemical symbol of “phosphorous”), like so: S(P)OIL.

54. Trombonist’s eatery in the Open (3,6)

Answer: TEA GARDEN (i.e. “eatery in the open” – ignore the misleading capitalisation). When written as Jack TEAGARDEN the solution also satisfies US jazz “trombonist”. Not one I was familiar with.

55. Berliner’s one to consume ultimate protein (7)

Answer: ELASTIN (i.e. “protein”). Solution is EIN (i.e. “Berliner’s one”, i.e. the German for “one”) wrapped around or “consuming”) LAST (i.e. “ultimate”), like so: E(LAST)IN. One gotten solely from the wordplay.

56. Angry force stripped of uniform put on “different” clothes? (5-5)

Answer: CROSS-DRESS (i.e. “put on ‘different’ clothes”). Solution is CROSS (i.e. “angry”) followed by DURESS (i.e. “force”) once the U has been removed (indicated by “stripped of uniform” – “uniform” is U in the phonetic alphabet).

57. Sell coal off Republican imported, using this instead? (5,4)

Answer: SOLAR CELL. Solution is an anagram (indicated by “off”) of SELL COAL wrapped around or “importing” R (a recognised abbreviation of “Republican”), like so: SOLA(R)CELL. Clue plays on the solution and “coal” both being energy sources and how one could be used instead of the other. You get the idea.

Down clues

1. Light timber a hunk hauled up (5)

Answer: BALSA (i.e. “light timber”). Solution is A and SLAB (i.e. “hunk”) both reversed (indicated by “hauled up” – this being a down clue), like so: BALS-A.

2. Injured unsung heroes, wings clipped, giving little away (10)

Answer: UNGENEROUS (i.e. “giving little away”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “injured”) of UNSUNG and EROE (i.e. “heroes, wings clipped”, i.e. the word “heroes” with its first and last letters removed).

3. Risk heading off big cat in jungly banks (8)

Answer: JEOPARDY (i.e. “risk”). Solution is LEOPARD (i.e. “big cat” – also by some distance the best below-average streamer on Twitch, a service you should definitely not watch, especially if you are a gamer, as it’s crack cocaine for the eyeballs. Oh wait, Covid-19 has rendered all of time meaningless, hasn’t it? Silly me. Go crazy y’all, knock yourselves out…) with its initial letter removed (indicated by “heading off”) and the remainder placed “in” J and Y (i.e. “jungly banks”, i.e. the first and last letters of “jungly”), like so: J(EOPARD)Y.

4. Number 5 in trouble? Smith beats it (5)

Answer: ANVIL (i.e. “smith beats it”). Solution is N (a recognised abbreviation of “number”) and V (i.e. “[Roman numeral] five”) both placed “in” AIL (i.e. “trouble”), like so: A(N-V)IL.

5. A number observed fencing incident (9)

Answer: SEVENTEEN (i.e. “a number”). Solution is SEEN (i.e. “observed”) wrapped around or “fencing” EVENT (i.e. “incident”).

6. Get ready to fire farmyard boss? (4)

Answer: COCK. (Fnar!) Solution satisfies “get ready to fire” and “farmyard boss”, at least in the henhouse.

7. Make a fresh start, dealing with old writer (6)

Answer: REOPEN (i.e. “make a fresh start”). Solution is RE (i.e. regarding or “dealing with” – think email replies) followed by O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) and PEN (i.e. “writer”).

8. Mare perhaps that can be covered outside? Impossible (14)

Answer: INSURMOUNTABLE (i.e. “impossible”). Solution is MOUNT (i.e. “mare perhaps” – other flavours of horse are available) placed in or having “outside” INSURABLE (i.e. “can be covered”), like so: INSUR(MOUNT)ABLE.

9. Part of theatre box found in odd Scottish mine (9,3)

Answer: ORCHESTRA PIT (i.e. “part of theatre”). Solution is CHEST (i.e. “box”) placed “in” ORRA (“Scottish” word for “odd”, as in spare, unmatched or left over – a new one on me) and followed by PIT (i.e. “mine”), like so: OR(CHEST)RA-PIT.

10. Fancy avoiding start that’s slippery (3-4)

Answer: EEL-LIKE (i.e. “slippery”). Solution is FEEL LIKE (i.e. “fancy”) with its initial letter removed (indicated by “avoiding start”).

11. Mafia boss welcomes composer briefly for a drink (10)

Answer: CAPPUCCINO (i.e. “drink”). Solution is CAPO (i.e. “Mafia boss”) wrapped around or “welcoming” Giacomo PUCCINI (i.e. “composer”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “briefly”), like so: CAP(PUCCIN)O.

15. Tell niece about regular customers (9)

Answer: CLIENTELE (i.e. “regular customers”). “About” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of TELL NIECE.

18. Hyde for one has to change, say, before first of outings (5,3)

Answer: ALTER EGO (i.e. “Hyde for one” – a reference to Edward Hyde, alter-ego of Dr Henry Jekyll in Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde). Solution is ALTER (i.e. “to change”) followed by EG (i.e. “say”, i.e. for example) and O (i.e. “first [letter] of outings”).

20. Romeo expires visiting city worker (6,3)

Answer: LADIES MAN (i.e. “Romeo”). Solution is DIES (i.e. “expires”) placed in or “visiting” LA (i.e. “city”, specifically Los Angeles) and MAN (i.e. “worker”), like so: LA-(DIES)-MAN.

21. Section of Church Times about a mad priest, close to arrest (10)

Answer: BAPTISTERY (i.e. “section of church” in which baptisms are performed). Solution is BY (i.e. “times” as in multiplication – ignore the misleading capitalisations) wrapped “about” an anagram (indicated by “mad”) of A PRIEST and T (i.e. “close to arrest”, i.e. the last letter of “arrest”), like so: B(APTISTER)Y.

23. Note old way into very big Yankee’s joint exercises? (10)

Answer: OSTEOPATHY (i.e. “joint exercises”). Solution is TE (i.e. “note” in the doh-ray-me scale, can also be spelled TI), O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) and PATH (i.e. “way”) all placed “in” OS (i.e. “very big”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “out-sized”) and Y (“Yankee” in the phonetic alphabet), like so: OS-(TE-O-PATH)-Y.

27. Ecstasy? Consume it in Cornish resort (9)

Answer: BEATITUDE (i.e. “ecstasy”). Solution is EAT (i.e. “consume”) and IT both placed “in” BUDE (i.e. “Cornish resort”), like so: B(EAT-IT)UDE.

28. With few folk around, waved to welcome HM with dad (14)

Answer: UNDERPOPULATED (i.e. “with few folk around”). Solution is UNDULATED (i.e. “waved”) wrapped around or “welcoming” ER (i.e. “HM”, both references to the Queen, the first Elizabeth Regina, the second Her Majesty) and POP (i.e. “dad”, both words for father), like so: UND(ER-POP)ULATED.

31. Sneaky cryptic clue for cross? (8)

Answer: BACKDOOR (i.e. “sneaky”). When written as BACK DOOR the solution also satisfies a “cryptic clue for cross”: a word for Christ’s cross is ROOD, the reverse or BACK of which is DOOR.

33. Run up with less crude appreciative noises (4-8)

Answer: WOLF-WHISTLES (i.e. “appreciative noises”, though not necessarily ones appreciated). Solution is FLOW (i.e. “run”) reversed (indicated by “up” – this being a down clue) and followed by an anagram (indicated by “crude”) of WITH LESS.

34. Epic tales about additional US chiefs (9)

Answer: SAGAMORES (i.e. “US [Native American] chiefs”). Solution is SAGAS (i.e. “epic tales”) placed “about” MORE (i.e. “additional”), like so: SAGA(MORE)S. Another gotten from the wordplay.

37. Rewarding school test is quick (there’s no Latin at first) (10)

Answer: SATISFYING (i.e. “rewarding”). Solution is SAT (i.e. “school test”) followed by IS and FLYING (i.e. “quick”) once the L has been removed (indicated by “there’s no Latin at first”, referring to the first letter of “Latin”), like so: SAT-IS-FYING.

38. Fifty-four at home pledge to protect with adequate pay (6,4)

Answer: LIVING WAGE (i.e. “adequate pay”). Solution is LIV (i.e. “fifty-four” in Roman numerals) followed by IN (i.e. “at home”) and GAGE (i.e. an archaic word for “pledge” – another new one on me) once placed around or “protecting” W (a recognised abbreviation of “with”), like so: LIV-IN-G(W)AGE.

41. Study teams – and support one of them? (4,5)

Answer: TAKE SIDES (i.e. “support one of them [teams]”). Solution is TAKE (i.e. “study”, e.g. taking geography) followed by SIDES (i.e. “teams”).

43. Train driver, old character, given licence at any time (8)

Answer: MULETEER (i.e. “train driver” – a train in this case being a bunch of mules). Solution is MU (i.e. “old character”, specifically the twelfth letter of the Greek alphabet) followed by LET (i.e. “given licence”) and E’ER (poetic form of “ever”, i.e. “at any time”). I, on the other hand, with my luscious lockdown locks, am chief mulleteer.

45. Help one who’s easily taken in by the sound of it (7)

Answer: SUCCOUR (i.e. “help”). “By the sound of it” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of SUCKER (i.e. “one who’s easily taken in”).

47. Very old yacht’s first mature trip (6)

Answer: VOYAGE (i.e. “trip”). Solution is V (a recognised abbreviation of “very”) followed by O (ditto “old”), then Y (i.e. “yacht’s first [letter]”) and AGE (i.e. to “mature”).

50. Cancel plant overlooking area (5)

Answer: ANNUL (i.e. “cancel”). Solution is ANNUAL (i.e. “plant”) with its second A removed or “overlooked” – A being a recognised abbreviation of “area”.

51. Old province where charlatan, wanting tea, turns up (5)

Answer: NATAL (i.e. “old province”). Solution is CHARLATAN with the CHAR removed (indicated by “wanting tea”) and the remainder reversed (indicated by “turning up” – this being a down clue).

52. Main resident’s instrument (4)

Answer: BASS. Solution satisfies “main resident” – the sea is sometimes referred to as the main, especially in cryptic crosswords – and a musical “instrument”.

Another dive into synthwave was had this week, this time focusing on a few albums:
Magic Sword – Endless – there’s a slight whiff of prog rock to Magic Sword’s sound, but don’t let that put you off. Their latest album is a solid listen throughout, but the highlight for me is the first track Depths of Power.
Zombie Hyperdrive – Imperium – silly name, yes, but this is an album I often come back to. Same goes for their previous album Hyperion, but Imperium has stronger hooks. Awakening is a goosebump-raiser.
Le Matos – Join Us – a belter of an album that hardly puts a foot wrong, and one with a brilliantly chilling cover image. They’ve since moved onto horror movie soundtracks, but I hope they’ll return to this kind of stuff in future. Montrose is perhaps the stand-out track.
Laters, taters! – LP