Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1534

A relatively straightforward one after a couple of chewy puzzles. I don’t mind that!

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 snaffled all your cold turkey sandwiches then you might find comfort in my Just For Fun page, where you’ll find links to solutions to (most of) the last 180+ of them. Elsewhere there are the usual ancient book reviews and a story of mine.

Thanks again for the kind words and help. It’s always interesting to hear the thoughts of other solvers once the dust settles. Till next time, mask up, get jabbed and stay safe out there, kids.

LP

Across clues

1. Producer of purchase initially causing argument at pub (7)

Answer: CROWBAR (i.e. “producer of purchase” in gaining entry). Solution is C (i.e. “initially causing”, i.e. the first letter of “causing”) followed by ROW (i.e. “argument”) and BAR (i.e. “pub”).

5. Fellow lodger, Aussie native, beginning to make tea (8)

Answer: ROOMMATE (i.e. “fellow lodger”). Solution is ROO (i.e. “Aussie native”, short for a kangaroo) followed by M (i.e. “beginning to make”, i.e. the first letter of “make”) and MATE (i.e. “tea” – Chambers offers this variant meaning: “a S American species of holly; an infusion of its leaves and green shoots, Paraguay tea”).

9. Frenzied bully in charge replacing certain soldiers (6)

Answer: HECTIC (i.e. “frenzied”). Solution is HECTOR (i.e. to “bully”) with the OR (i.e. “certain soldiers”, specifically the Other Ranks of the British Army) “replaced” by IC (a recognised abbreviation of “in charge”), like so: HECT(OR) => HECT(IC).

13. Expose oneself to danger as a tortoise might do? (5,4,4,3)

Answer: STICK ONE’S NECK OUT. Solution satisfies “expose oneself to danger” and “as a tortoise might do”.

14. Match ending with half of team in cell! (6)

Answer: GAMETE (i.e. a sexual reproductive “cell”). Solution is GAME (i.e. “match”) followed by TE (i.e. “half of team”, specifically the first half).

16. Doctor going over Lake Poet’s early life (8)

Answer: GIRLHOOD (i.e. “early life”). Solution is RIG (i.e. to “doctor”) reversed (indicated by “going over”) and followed by L (a recognised abbreviation of “lake”) and Thomas HOOD (i.e. “poet”), like so: GIR-L-HOOD.

17. Cleaning mop primarily serving businesses around Washington (4)

Answer: SWAB (i.e. “cleaning mop”). Solution is S and B (i.e. “primarily serving businesses”, i.e. the first letters of “serving” and “businesses”) wrapped “around” WA (US state abbreviation of “Washington”), like so: S(WA)B.

18. Reportedly made it to vessel in time for wooing (9)

Answer: COURTSHIP (i.e. “wooing”). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “reportedly”) of CAUGHT (i.e. “made it … in time”) followed by SHIP (i.e. “vessel”).

20. Method of payment connected with American car and aircraft (8)

Answer: AUTOGIRO (i.e. “aircraft” – think Little Nellie in You Only Live Twice. Solution can be spelled with an I or a Y). Solution is GIRO (i.e. “method of payment”) placed after or “connected with” AUTO (i.e. “American car”), like so: AUTO-GIRO.

21. Officer’s position originally taken by English girl with place in Paris (11)

Answer: LIEUTENANCY (i.e. “officer’s position”). Solution is T (i.e. “originally taken”, i.e. the first letter of “taken”), E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”) and NANCY (i.e. a “girl’s” name) all placed after or “with” LIEU (i.e. “place in Paris”, i.e. the French for “place”), like so: (LIEU)-T-E-NANCY.

24. Directions given by the Spanish, no less, producing refreshments (9)

Answer: ELEVENSES (i.e. “refreshments”). Solution is SES (i.e. “directions”, specifically recognised abbreviations of south, east and south) placed after or “with” EL (i.e. “the Spanish”, i.e. the Spanish for “the”) and EVEN (i.e. “no less”), like so: (EL-EVEN)-SES

25. Vegetation identified by retired Frenchman in drab clothing (8)

Answer: GREENERY (i.e. “vegetation”). Solution is RENE (i.e. a “Frenchman’s” name) reversed (indicated by “retired”) and placed in or “clothed” by GREY (i.e. “drab”), like so: GRE(ENER)Y.

26. Dish moderate Tories sent back (4)

Answer: STEW (i.e. “dish”). Solution is WETS (i.e. “moderate Tories” – not one that sprang immediately to mind, I’ll admit) reversed (indicated by “sent back”).

29. Lisa’s thirty, surprisingly: she’s probably made a bob or two (11)

Answer: HAIRSTYLIST (i.e. “she’s probably made a bob or two”, a reference to the hairstyle). “Surprisingly” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of LISA’S THIRTY.

31. Speedy field trip excluding North America (11)

Answer: EXPEDITIOUS (i.e. “speedy”). Solution is EXPEDITION (i.e. “field trip”) with the N removed (indicated by “excluding North”, N being a recognised abbreviation of “north”) and the remainder followed by US (i.e. “America”), like so: EXPEDITIO-US.

33. Outlet Lara and I manufactured for vegetable casserole (11)

Answer: RATATOUILLE (i.e. “vegetable casserole”). “Manufactured” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of OUTLET LARA I.

36. Soldiers in Irish story beyond rectification (11)

Answer: IRREPARABLE (i.e. “beyond rectification”). Solution is RE (i.e. “soldiers”, specifically the Royal Engineers of the British Army) placed “in” between IR (a recognised abbreviation of “Irish”) and PARABLE (i.e. “story”), like so: IR-(RE)-PARABLE.

38. Part of Iceland’s style and vigour (4)

Answer: ELAN (i.e. “style and vigour”). “Part of” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: IC(ELAN)D.

39. Report from crime investigator’s area (8)

Answer: DISPATCH (i.e. “report”). When written as DI’S PATCH the solution also satisfies “crime investigator’s area” – a DI being a Detective Inspector.

41. Sow efficiently, protecting head of pretty plant (9)

Answer: SPEEDWELL (i.e. “plant”). Solution is SEED WELL (i.e. “sow efficiently”) wrapped around or “protecting” P (i.e. “head of pretty”, i.e. the first letter of “pretty”), like so: S(P)EED-WELL.

44. Strange thing, Queen holding drink for hotel employee (5,6)

Answer: NIGHT PORTER (i.e. “hotel employee”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “strange”) of THING and ER (i.e. “Queen”, specifically Elizabeth Regina) wrapped around or “holding” PORT (i.e. “drink”), like so: NIGHT-(PORT)-ER.

45. Cut back on fish, consuming roasts principally (8)

Answer: RETRENCH (i.e. “cut back”). Solution is RE (i.e. “on” or regarding – think email replies) followed by TENCH (i.e. “fish”) once wrapped around or “consuming” R (i.e. “roasts principally”, i.e. the first letter of “roasts”), like so: RE-T(R)ENCH.

48. Criminal type, one-time complier (9)

Answer: CONFORMER (i.e. “complier”). Solution is CON (i.e. “criminal type”) followed by FORMER (i.e. “one-time”).

49. Culturally pretentious leader banished from political group (4)

Answer: ARTY (i.e. “culturally pretentious”). Solution is PARTY (i.e. “political group”) with the first letter removed (indicated by “leader banished from…”).

50. Policeman needing dope, carrying weapon back to front (8)

Answer: GENDARME (i.e. French “policeman”). Solution is GEN (i.e. knowledge or “dope”) followed by ARMED (i.e. “carrying weapon”) once its last letter has been placed first (indicated by “back to front”), like so: GEN-ARME(D) => GEN-(D)ARME.

52. Grand way to replace one pound in cash (6)

Answer: LORDLY (i.e. “grand”). Solution is LOLLY (i.e. slang for “cash”) with one of the Ls (indicated by “one pound” – L being a recognised abbreviation of a “pound” weight, after the Latin libra) “replaced” by RD (i.e. “way”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of a “road”), like so: LO(L)LY => LO(RD)LY.

53. Talk of something else, as composers of variations do (6,3,7)

Answer: CHANGE THE SUBJECT. Solution satisfies “talk of something else”, and “as composers of variations do” – Chambers offers this for SUBJECT: “a theme or phrase around which a movement of music is built”.

54. Attempt to cross French island, a source of baked clay (6)

Answer: TILERY (i.e. “a source of baked clay”). Solution is TRY (i.e. “attempt”) wrapped around or “crossing” ILE (i.e. “French island”, i.e. the French for “island”), like so: T(ILE)RY.

55. Confine mischievous child no teacher backed (8)

Answer: IMPRISON (i.e. “confine”). Solution is IMP (i.e. “mischievous child”) followed by NO and SIR (i.e. form of address to a “teacher”) once these last two have been reversed (indicated by “backed”), like so: IMP-(RIS-ON).

56. Person domiciled at first with Tony or Sam? (7)

Answer: DWELLER (i.e. “person domiciled”). Solution is D (i.e. “domiciled at first”, i.e. the first letter of “domiciled” – a spot of recycling there) followed by WELLER (i.e. “Tony or Sam” – characters in Charles Dickens’s The Pickwick Papers).

Down clues

1. Jointly authorise mathematician’s function, do we hear? (6)

Answer: COSIGN (i.e. “jointly authorise”). “Do we hear” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of COSINE (i.e. “mathematician’s function”).

2. Willow patch of great size that is overlooking railway (6)

Answer: OSIERY (i.e. “willow patch”). Solution is OS (i.e. “of great size”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “outsized”) followed by IE (i.e. “that is”, i.e. a recognised abbreviation of its Latin equivalent id est) and RY (a recognised abbreviation of “railway”).

3. Abuse OK, he recollected, where bloomers are often made (9)

Answer: BAKEHOUSE (i.e. “where bloomers are often made” – a bloomer in this case being a breadstuff). “Recollected” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of ABUSE OK HE.

4. Managed business appallingly sourly, with malicious resentfulness (11)

Answer: RANCOROUSLY (i.e. “with malicious resentfulness”). Solution is RAN (i.e. “managed”) followed by CO (i.e. “business”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of a “company”) and an anagram (indicated by “appallingly”) of SOURLY, like so: RAN-CO-ROUSLY.

5. Hasten to remove initiator of crime from crowd (4)

Answer: RUSH (i.e. “hasten”). Solution is CRUSH (i.e. “crowd”) with the C removed (indicated by “remove initiator of crime from…”, i.e. the first letter of “crime”).

6. Agitated wife in excessively tough time (11)

Answer: OVERWROUGHT (i.e. “agitated”). Solution is W (a recognised abbreviation of “wife”) placed “in” OVER (i.e. “excessively”), ROUGH (i.e. “tough”) and T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”), like so: OVER-(W)-ROUGH-T.

7. Fantasy force crushing Adam and Eve? (4-7)

Answer: MAKE-BELIEVE (i.e. “fantasy”). Solution is MAKE (i.e. to “force” someone) followed by BELIEVE (i.e. “Adam and Eve” – its cockney rhyming slang equivalent). I guess “crushing” refers to this being a down clue, i.e. how MAKE sits atop of BELIEVE.

8. Current member finally has meal, missing starter, in club (9)

Answer: TRUNCHEON (i.e. “club”). Solution is T and R (i.e. “current member finally”, i.e. the last letters of “current” and “member”) followed by LUNCHEON (i.e. “meal”) once its first letter has been removed (indicated by “missing starter”), like so: TR-UNCHEON.

10. Demanding divorcee possibly treading the boards (8)

Answer: EXACTING (i.e. “demanding”). Solution is EX (i.e. “divorcee possibly” – other embittered former partners are available) followed by ACTING (i.e. “treading the boards”).

11. Initial problems with canine development? (8,8)

Answer: TEETHING TROUBLES (i.e. “initial problems”). The remainder of the clue plays on how “canines” can refer to teeth. You get the idea.

12. Fellow left city at last, securing drug at little cost (7)

Answer: CHEAPLY (i.e. “at little cost”). Solution is CHAP (i.e. “fellow”), L (a recognised abbreviation of “left”) and Y (i.e. “city at last”, i.e. the last letter of “city”) all wrapped around or “securing” E (i.e. street name of the “drug” ecstasy), like so: CH(E)AP-L-Y.

15. Collected condiment? You might pick that up (8)

Answer: MUSTERED (i.e. “collected”). “You might pick that up” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of MUSTARD (i.e. “condiment”).

19. Tamworth’s desire for kitchen scraps? (8)

Answer: PIGSWILL (i.e. “kitchen scraps”). Solution is PIG’S (i.e. “Tamworth’s”, a breed of pig made possessive) followed by WILL (i.e. “desire”).

22. When speaking, observe husky, an upright swimmer (8)

Answer: SEAHORSE (i.e. “upright swimmer”). “When speaking” indicates homophone. Solution comprises homophones of SEE (i.e. “observe”) and HOARSE (i.e. “husky”),

23. Hospital doctor and senior officer meeting census organiser (9,7)

Answer: REGISTRAR GENERAL (i.e. “census organiser”). Solution is REGISTRAR (i.e. “hospital doctor” in one of the intermediate grades (Chambers)) followed by GENERAL (i.e. “senior officer”).

27. Wind wildly lashing yews at first around compound (8)

Answer: WESTERLY (i.e. “wind”). Solution is W, L and Y (i.e. “wildly lashing yews at first”, i.e. the first letters of “wildly”, “lashing” and “yews”) wrapped “around” ESTER (i.e. a “compound”), like so: W(ESTER)LY.

28. E.g. Marilyn Monroe’s heavenly body? (4)

Answer: STAR. Solution satisfies “e.g. Marilyn Monroe” – other well-known bods are available – and “heavenly body”.

30. Established retreat ultimately where badgers are found (4)

Answer: SETT (i.e. “where badgers are found”). Solution is SET (i.e. “established”) followed by T (i.e. “retreat ultimately”, i.e. the last letter of “retreat”).

32. Hanger-on where airborne soldiers may be billeted (8)

Answer: PARASITE (i.e. “hanger-on”). When written as PARA SITE the solution also satisfies “where airborne soldiers may be billeted”.

34. Prescribed clothes a French class is without (8)

Answer: UNIFORMS (i.e. “prescribed clothes”). Solution is UN (i.e. “a French”, i.e. the masculine French word for “a”) followed by FORM (i.e. school “class”) once placed in or having “without” IS, like so: UN-I(FORM)S.

35. Comedian, possibly, throwing a party? (11)

Answer: ENTERTAINER. Solution satisfies “comedian, possibly” – other breeds of entertainers are available – and, playfully, someone “throwing a party”, i.e. hosting or entertaining friends.

36. Trendy woman’s current hair feature, one that succeeds (11)

Answer: INHERITRESS (i.e. “one that succeeds”). Solution is IN (i.e. “trendy”) followed by HER (i.e. “woman’s”), then I (a recognised abbreviation of an electrical “current” used in physics) and TRESS (i.e. “hair feature”).

37. Went before exercises ended, carrying snooker ball (11)

Answer: PREDECEASED (i.e. “went before”). Solution is PE (i.e. “exercises”, specifically Physical Education) and CEASED (i.e. “ended”) all wrapped around or “carrying” RED (i.e. “snooker ball”), like so: P(RED)E-CEASED.

40. Noble securing fifth of wealth with bogus corded fabric (9)

Answer: PETERSHAM (i.e. “corded fabric”). Solution is PEER (i.e. “noble”) wrapped around or “securing” T (i.e. “fifth [letter] of wealth”) and followed by SHAM (i.e. “bogus”), like so: PE(T)ER-SHAM.

42. Detectives in Bedale bust? That’s possible to determine (9)

Answer: DECIDABLE (i.e. “possible to determine”). Solution is CID (i.e. “detectives”, specifically the Criminal Investigation Department of the police force) placed “in” an anagram (indicated by “bust”) of BEDALE, like so: DE(CID)ABLE.

43. Casual walker’s posh car at end of street (8)

Answer: STROLLER (i.e. “casual walker”). Solution is ROLLER (i.e. “posh car”, slang for a Rolls Royce) placed after or “at end of” ST (a recognised abbreviation of “street”), like so: ST-ROLLER.

44. Canoodle, meeting obstruction, a simple pendant (7)

Answer: NECKLET (i.e. “a simple pendant”). Solution is NECK (i.e. “canoodle”) followed by LET (i.e. “obstruction” – an archaic definition of the word we’ve seen a few times in Jumbos).

46. Trying experience of French in viva voce (6)

Answer: ORDEAL (i.e. “trying experience”). Solution is DE (i.e. “of French”, i.e. the French for “of”) placed “in” ORAL (i.e. “viva voce” – an oral testimony or examination), like so: OR(DE)AL.

47. Guide taking soldiers to river (6)

Answer: MENTOR (i.e. “guide”). Solution is MEN (i.e. “soldiers”) followed by TO and R (a recognised abbreviation of “river”).

51. Evade the drill sergeant’s command? (4)

Answer: SHUN. Solution satisfies “evade” and “the drill sergeant’s command”, being an informal military abbreviation of “attention”.