Another medium-strength Jumbo this week and, while it didn’t get quite as far up my nose as last week’s effort, it does seem this week’s setter was pining hard for Provence. I felt so French by the end I nearly took up smoking Gauloise cigarettes in a cool and dismissive manner.

Maintenant, 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 gone on strike despite not being in gainful employment what with it being a Jumbo n’ all then you might find succour in my Just For Fun page, where you’ll find links to solutions to hundreds of the things. Elsewhere there are the usual ancient book reviews and a story of mine.

Thanks again for the kind words and input. It’s always interesting to hear the thoughts of other solvers once their pens are stilled. Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

Across clues

1. Onset of tension and pressure in soldiers repeatedly producing lethargy (6)

Answer: TORPOR (i.e. “lethargy”). Solution is T (i.e. “onset of tension”, i.e. the first letter of “tension”) followed by P (a recognised abbreviation of “pressure”) once placed “in” between OR and OR (i.e. “soldiers repeatedly”, specifically the Other Ranks of the British Army), like so: T-(OR-(P)-OR).

4. Intense complaint about travel company, European (3,2,5)

Answer: CRI DE COEUR (i.e. “intense complaint” – over to Chambers for this common-or-garden English phrase: “a cry from the heart, a heartfelt, passionate entreaty, complaint or reproach”). Solution is C (i.e. “about”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “circa”) followed by RIDE (i.e. “travel”), then CO (a recognised abbreviation of “company”) and EUR (ditto “European”). While both my Chambers and Oxford dictionaries spell this with an “Œ” short vowel, my Collins Concise backs the setter up.

10. Military leader accepting high award for amusement (5)

Answer: COMIC (i.e. “amusement”). Solution is CIC (i.e. “military leader”, specifically a Commander-In-Chief) wrapped around or “accepting” OM (i.e. “high award”, in this case the Order of Merit), like so: C(OM)IC.

14. Artist studies put up for discussion (9)

Answer: John CONSTABLE (i.e. “artist”). Solution is CONS (i.e. “studies” as a verb – an archaic definition) followed by TABLE (i.e. “put up for discussion”).

15. Current aria is repositioned as first item (7-6)

Answer: CURTAIN-RAISER (i.e. “first item”). “Repositioned” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of CURRENT ARIA IS.

16. One editor finally turning in story ready to break? (7)

Answer: FRIABLE (i.e. crumbly or “ready to break”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and R (i.e. “editor finally”, i.e. the last letter of “editor”) reversed (indicated by “turning”) and placed “in” FABLE (i.e. “story”), like so: F(R-I)ABLE.

17. Month to go round historic US state or European state (7)

Answer: MOLDOVA (i.e. “European state”). Solution is MO (a recognised abbreviation of “month”) wrapped “round” OLD (i.e. “historic”) and followed by VA (i.e. “US state” abbreviation of Virginia), like so: M(OLD)O-VA.

18. Biblical character in history not starting attack (7)

Answer: ASSAULT (i.e. “attack”). Solution is SAUL (i.e. “biblical character”) placed “in” PAST (i.e. “history”) once its first letter has been removed (indicated by “not starting”), like so: AS(SAUL)T.

19. It’s replies recalled after being trounced? (7,2,9)

Answer: L’ESPRIT DE L’ESCALIER. Over to Chambers to define this tiresomely overused English phrase: “thinking of an apt or witty retort after the opportunity of making it is past”. The solution therefore satisfies the clue as a whole but is also an anagram (indicated by “after being trounced”) of IT’S REPLIES RECALLED. I still maintain that obscure general knowledge solutions getting clued up as anagrams is about as helpful as offering a drowning man a nice cup of tea, but at least in this case the phrase was something interesting and the clue cleverly constructed.

21. So taken aback about turning up for work (4)

Answer: OPUS (i.e. “work”). Solution is SO reversed (indicated by “taken aback”) and wrapped “about” UP once also reversed (indicated by “turning”), like so: O(PU)S.

24. Extended period in New York city? No hesitation (5)

Answer: YONKS (i.e. “extended period”). Solution is YONKERS (i.e. “New York city”, specifically a city in New York state – some nice misdirection) with the ER removed (indicated by “no hesitation”).

26. Article carried by flying insect, for example (8)

Answer: INSTANCE (i.e. “example”). Solution is AN (i.e. “article”, being a word like a, an or the) placed in or “carried by” an anagram (indicated by “flying”) of INSECT, like so: INST(AN)CE.

27. Old period ballet move restricting dancing once (8)

Answer: PLIOCENE (i.e. “old period” between 5 and 1.8 million years ago (Chambers)). Solution is PLIE (i.e. “ballet move”, specifically one “in which the knees are bent while the body remains upright” (Chambers again). Me neither, but then ballet really isn’t my scene) wrapped around an anagram (indicated by “dancing”) of ONCE, like so: PLI(OCEN)E.

29. Be excessive – go and live under rock (11)

Answer: OVERINDULGE (i.e. “be excessive”). “Rock” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of GO and LIVE UNDER.

30. United meant to play for dramatised reconstruction? (11)

Answer: EDUTAINMENT (i.e. “dramatised reconstruction”, a ugh-worthy contraction of education and entertainment). “To play” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of UNITED MEANT.

32. Understand it is behind image displaying two figures? (6-5)

Answer: DOUBLE-DIGIT (i.e. “displaying two figures”). Solution is DIG (i.e. slang for “understand”) and IT placed “behind” DOUBLE (i.e. “image”, in this case “a person or thing that closely resembles another” (Chambers)), like so: DOUBLE-(DIG-IT).

35. Problem with element of education probed by the heartless school employee (4,7)

Answer: HEAD TEACHER (i.e. “school employee”). Solution is HEADACHE (i.e. “problem”) and R (i.e. “element of education”, being one of the three Rs: reading, riting and rithmetic – still one of the dumbest phrases ever coined considering its context) all wrapped around or “probed by” TE (i.e. “the heartless”, i.e. the word “the” with its middle letter removed), like so: HEAD(TE)ACHE-R.

37. Scoundrel, emotional, keeping wife in two areas (8)

Answer: TEARAWAY (i.e. “scoundrel”). Solution is TEARY (i.e. “emotional”) wrapped around or “keeping” W (a recognised abbreviation of “wife”) once placed “in” between A and A (both ditto “area”), like so: TEAR(A-(W)-A)Y.

39. Soccer group roster including popular visitor to Wembley? (8)

Answer: FINALIST (i.e. “visitor to Wembley”). Solution is FA (i.e. “soccer group”, specifically the Football Association) and LIST (i.e. “roster”) all wrapped around or “including” IN (i.e. “popular”), like so: F(IN)A-LIST. [Speaking of which, good luck to the Lionesses tomorrow!]

40. First contractor for The Times? (5)

Answer: TEMPI (i.e. “the times” – ignore the misleading formatting, this is the plural form of “tempo”). When written as TEMP I the clue playfully satisfies “first contractor”, taking I to be a Roman numeral one.

43. Nasty trick, disposing of piano (4)

Answer: RANK (i.e. “nasty”). Solution is PRANK (i.e. “trick”) with the P removed (indicated by “disposing of piano” – P being a recognised abbreviation of “piano” used in musical lingo).

44. Leave the board so as maybe to get experience later? (4,2,2,3,4,3)

Answer: DIVE IN AT THE DEEP END. Clue satisfies “leave the [diving] board” and “so as maybe to get experience later”.

47. A sound from waterfowl endlessly crossing it, turning in the water? (7)

Answer: AQUATIC (i.e. “in the water”). Solution is A followed by QUACK (i.e. “sound from waterfowl”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “endlessly”) and the remainder wrapped around or “crossing” IT once reversed (indicated by “turning”), like so: A-QUA(TI)C.

48. Barrister showing a lot of character after matter cut short (7)

Answer: COUNSEL (i.e. “barrister”). Solution is SELF (i.e. “character”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “showing a lot of”) and the remainder placed “after” COUNT (i.e. to “matter”) once it too has had its last letter removed (indicated by “cut short”), like so: COUN-SEL.

50. Drink’s prepared, to take care of King? That’s betrayal (7)

Answer: TREASON (i.e. “betrayal”). Solution is TEA’S ON (i.e. “drink’s prepared”) wrapped around or “taking care of” R (i.e. “king”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of the Latin Rex), like so: T(R)EA’S-ON.

51. After cut in revenue, German city reduced business, eschewing contacts (13)

Answer: INCOMMUNICADO (i.e. “eschewing contacts” – Chambers would disagree, suggesting this is instead a state of being without means of communication rather than actively shunning contact). Solution is INCOME (i.e. “revenue”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “after cut”) and the remainder followed by MUNICH (i.e. “German city”) once it too has had its last letter cut (indicated by “reduced”). This is all then followed by ADO (i.e. “business”, in this case “a complex, difficult or awkward matter or affair” (Chambers)), like so: INCOM-MUNIC-ADO.

52. Comes up to snatch family silver at the outset? Chancy stuff (9)

Answer: RISKINESS (i.e. “chancy stuff”). Solution is RISES (i.e. “comes up”) wrapped around or “snatching” KIN (i.e. “family”) and followed by S (i.e. “silver at the outset”, i.e. the first letter of “silver”), like so: RIS(KIN)ES-S.

53. A duke taken in by cunning, alas (5)

Answer: SADLY (i.e. “alas”). Solution is A and D (a recognised abbreviation of “duke”) both placed in or “taken in by” SLY (i.e. “cunning”), like so: S(A-D)LY.

54. Subsequently shortened vague Keaton film (3,7)

Answer: THE GENERAL (i.e. Buster “Keaton film”). Solution is THEN (i.e. “subsequently”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “shortened”) and the remainder followed by GENERAL (i.e. “vague”).

55. Things to do with target coming into range (6)

Answer: AGENDA (i.e. “things to do”). Solution is END (i.e. aim or “target”) placed “into” AGA (i.e. a big ol’ stove or “range”), like so: AG(END)A.

[EDIT: Thanks to Dr John in the comments for the typo fix. I’d accidentally written ADENDA. Cheers, Doc! – LP]

Down clues

1. Reckoning to keep Court fellows unsettled initially, in a diplomatic way (9)

Answer: TACTFULLY (i.e. “in a diplomatic way”). Solution is TALLY (i.e. “reckoning”) wrapped around or “keeping” CT (a recognised abbreviation of “court”), F and U (i.e. “fellows unsettled initially”, i.e. the first letters of “fellows” and “unsettled”), like so: TA(CT-F-U)LLY.

2. Improving time? An era’s since undergoing revision (11)

Answer: RENAISSANCE (i.e. “improving time”). “Undergoing revision” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of AN ERA’S SINCE.

3. Upturn in company to be resumed initially in just over four weeks (7)

Answer: OCTOBER (i.e. “just over four weeks”). Solution is CO (a recognised abbreviation of “company”) reversed (indicated by “upturn in…” – this being a down clue) and followed by TO BE and R (i.e. “resumed initially, i.e. the first letter of “resumed”), like so: OC-TO-BE-R.

5. Evidence of cold inert gas in strange surroundings (5)

Answer: RHEUM (i.e. “evidence of cold”, e.g. after one has blown their nose). Solution is HE (i.e. “insert gas”, specifically the chemical symbol of helium) placed “in…surroundings” of RUM (i.e. “strange”), like so: R(HE)UM.

6. Revealing dress, of French school, securing cheers (11)

Answer: DECOLLETAGE (i.e. “revealing dress” with a plunging neckline). Solution is DE (i.e. “of French”, i.e. the French for “of”) followed by COLLEGE (i.e. “school”) wrapped around or “securing” TA (i.e. “cheers”), like so: DE-COLLE(TA)GE.

7. Good for the French, blocking two vehicles in environmental action (6,5)

Answer: CARBON CYCLE (i.e. “environmental action”, being “the circulation and transfer of carbon between animals, plants and the atmosphere” (Chambers)). Solution is BON (i.e. “good for the French”, i.e. the French for “good”) placed between or “blocking” CAR and CYCLE (i.e. “two vehicles”), like so: CAR-(BON)-CYCLE.

8. Black period at the outset not fixed in memory? (8)

Answer: ERASABLE (i.e. “not fixed in memory”). Solution is SABLE (i.e. “black” in heraldry) with ERA (i.e. “period”) placed before it or “at the outset”, like so: ERA-SABLE.

9. Provide a reminder to get Tom active? (4,1,4)

Answer: RING A BELL. Solution satisfies “provide a reminder to” and “get tom active”, ignoring the misleading capitalisation. A tom in this case being “a name for a big bell” (Chambers), a new one on me.

10. Smart, cold, smooth, but not good (6)

Answer: CLASSY (i.e. “smart”). Solution is C (a recognised abbreviation of “cold”) followed by GLASSY (i.e. “smooth”) once the G has been removed (indicated by “but not good” – G being a recognised abbreviation of “good”), like so: C-LASSY.

11. Exhibit inspiration and hesitation before calm on the radio (6,5)

Answer: MUSEUM PIECE (i.e. “exhibit”). Solution is MUSE (i.e. “inspiration”) followed by UM (i.e. an expression of “hesitation”) and a homophone (indicated by “on the radio”) of PEACE (i.e. “calm”), like so: MUSE-UM-PIECE.

12. Oversight on source of theory? Something used in proof? (5)

Answer: CARET (i.e. “something used in proof[reading]”, being a “mark to show where to insert something omitted” (Chambers)). Solution is CARE (i.e. “oversight”) followed by T (i.e. “source of theory”, i.e. the first letter of “theory”).

13. Forgetful sailor made very happy with sea around 60 per cent of India (6-6)

Answer: ABSENT-MINDED (i.e. “forgetful”). Solution is AB (i.e. “sailor”, specifically of Able Bodied rank) followed by SENT (i.e. “made very happy”, a lesser-used definition) and MED (i.e. “sea”, short in this case for Mediterranean) once wrapped around IND (i.e. “60 per cent of [the letters of] India”), like so: AB-SENT-M(IND)ED.

20. Sealing off centre of field, making fodder (8)

Answer: ENSILAGE (i.e. “fodder” – can describe the process or the matter itself). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “off”) of SEALING followed by E (i.e. “centre of field”, i.e. the middle letter of “field”), like so: ENSILAG-E.

22. Promise to hem edges of threadbare garment (7)

Answer: SWEATER (i.e. “garment”). Solution is SWEAR (i.e. “promise”) wrapped around or “hemming” TE (i.e. “edges of threadbare”, i.e. the first and last letters of “threadbare”), like so: SWEA(TE)R.

23. Unhappy performers covered with feathers (8)

Answer: DOWNCAST (i.e. “unhappy”). Solution is CAST (i.e. “performers”) placed after or “covered with” – this being a down clue – DOWN (i.e. “feathers”), like so: DOWN-CAST.

25. Is upset about hard work slowly storing a lot of cargo (8)

Answer: SHIPLOAD (i.e. “lot of cargo”). Solution is IS reversed (indicated by “upset” – this being a down clue) and wrapped “about” H (a recognised abbreviation of “hard” used in grading pencils). This is then followed by PLOD (i.e. “work slowly”) once wrapped around or “storing” A, like so: S(H)I-PLO(A)D.

28. Barrel remains to catch half of fine seafood (4,4)

Answer: TUNA FISH (i.e. “seafood”). Solution is TUN (i.e. “barrel”) and ASH (i.e. “remains”) wrapped around or “catching” FI (i.e. “half of fine”, specifically the first half), like so: TUN-A(FI)SH.

29. Veteran Democrat coming in to support ditching leader (7)

Answer: OLDSTER (i.e. “veteran”). Solution is D (a recognised abbreviation of “Democrat”) once placed “in to” HOLSTER (i.e. “support”) once its first letter has been removed (indicated by “ditching leader”), like so: OL(D)STER.

31. Article put it differently over dislike for employment assessment (8,4)

Answer: APTITUDE TEST (i.e. “employment assessment”). Solution is A (i.e. “article”, as described earlier) followed by an anagram (indicated by “differently”) of PUT IT, then DETEST (i.e. “dislike”), like so: A-PTITU-DETEST.

33. Surprise part of speech hosted by African party captured by a French daughter (11)

Answer: UNANNOUNCED (i.e. “surprise”). Solution is NOUN (i.e. “part of speech”) placed in or “hosted by” ANC (i.e. “African party”, specifically the African National Congress), which is itself placed in or “captured by” UNE (i.e. “a French”, i.e. the feminine form of “a” in French). This is all then followed by D (a recognised abbreviation of “daughter”), like so: UN(AN(NOUN)C)E-D.

34. Not easy, not right, engaging in dull survey (11)

Answer: TRIANGULATE (i.e. to “survey”). Solution is ANGULAR (i.e. “not easy” or ungraceful) with the R removed (indicated by “not right” – R being a recognised abbreviation of “right”) and the remainder placed “in” TRITE (i.e. “dull”), like so: TRI(ANGULA)TE.

35. Coals ultimately surrounded by brownish colour under hot part of fireplace (11)

Answer: HEARTHSTONE (i.e. “part of fireplace”). Solution is S (i.e. “coals ultimately”, i.e. the last letter of “coals”) placed in or “surrounded by” EARTH TONE (i.e. “brownish colour”). This is all then placed after or “under” – this being a down clue – H (a recognised abbreviation of “hot” used on taps), like so: H-(EARTH-(S)-TONE).

36. Lyricist criticises money required to secure opening of Evita (11)

Answer: Oscar HAMMERSTEIN (i.e. “lyricist”). Solution is HAMMERS (i.e. “criticises”) followed by TIN (slang for “money”) once wrapped around or “securing” E (i.e. “opening of Evita”, i.e. the first letter of “Evita”), like so: HAMMERS-T(E)IN.

38. Once more losing heart? Try to win battle (9)

Answer: AGINCOURT (i.e. “battle” in 1415). Solution is AGAIN (i.e. “once more”) with the middle letter removed (indicated by “losing heart”) and the remainder followed by COURT (i.e. to solicit or “try to win”), like so: AGIN-COURT.

41. Asian country containing one S? (9)

Answer: INDONESIA (i.e. “Asian country”). Solution is INDIA (i.e. “country” – a bit of recycling there) wrapped around or “containing” ONE S, like so: IND(ONE-S)IA.

42. Observe French priest suppressing wretched vice (8)

Answer: PERCEIVE (i.e. “observe”). Solution is PERE (i.e. “French priest”, French for “father”) wrapped around or “suppressing” an anagram (indicated by “wretched”) of VICE, like so: PER(CEIV)E.

45. No time for equestrian activity later in the day (7)

Answer: EVENING (i.e. “later in the day”). Solution is EVENTING (i.e. “equestrian activity”) with the T removed (indicated by “no time for…” – T being a recognised abbreviation of “time”).

46. See about gut, being squat (6)

Answer: STUMPY (i.e. “being squat”). Solution is SPY (i.e. “see”) wrapped “about” TUM (i.e. “gut”), like so: S(TUM)PY.

47. English novelist and son may be wide of the mark (5)

Answer: AMISS (i.e. “wide of the mark”). Solution is Kingsley AMIS (i.e. “English novelist” – unlikely to be Martin Amis as one of the unwritten rules of Times cryptic crosswords is people have to be dead to feature in them) followed by S (a recognised abbreviation of “son”).

49. Insect form in some particular variation (5)

Answer: LARVA (i.e. “insect form”). “In some” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: PARTICU(LAR VA)RIATION.

A medium-strength Jumbo this week and while this one offered the steady(ish) progression I often like, combined with some fine misdirection, it didn’t ‘alf get up my nose in places.

As might come across in what follows. You know what I’m like at times.

Anyway, 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 in heat and oh god that poor cat next door then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of them. Elsewhere there are usual ancient book reviews and a story of mine.

Thanks again for the kind words and input. It’s always interesting to hear how other solvers fared with these things. Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

Across clues

1. Secretly listen to dad turning back on women’s group (7)

Answer: WIRETAP (i.e. “secretly listen to”). Solution is PATER (i.e. “dad”) reversed (indicated by “turning back”) and placed “on” or after WI (i.e. “women’s group”, specifically the Women’s Institute), like so: WI-RETAP.

5. Destroyed city conveyance horse brought in (8)

Answer: CARTHAGE (i.e. ancient “destroyed city”). Solution is CARTAGE (i.e. “conveyance” or the act of carting) wrapped around or having “brought in” H (i.e. “horse”, both slang terms for heroin), like so: CART(H)AGE.

9. Neighbour’s a music maker performing around India (6)

Answer: ADJOIN (i.e. to “neighbour”). Solution is A followed by DJ (i.e. “music maker”, specifically a Disk Jockey) and ON (i.e. “performing”) once wrapped “around” I (“India” in the phonetic alphabet), like so: A-DJ-O(I)N.

13. Deep, airy complex piece of music: A Dreamy Event (5,3,8)

Answer: RAPID EYE MOVEMENT (i.e. “a dreamy event” – ignore the misleading formatting). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “complex”) of DEEP AIRY followed by MOVEMENT (i.e. “piece of music”), like so: RAPIDEYE-MOVEMENT.

14. Weekend service cut aid for travellers (3,3)

Answer: SAT NAV (i.e. “aid for travellers”, short for Satellite Navigation). Solution is SAT (i.e. a day of the “weekend”) followed by NAVY (i.e. “service”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “cut”).

16. Perfect croupier’s CV condensed? (5)

Answer: IDEAL (i.e. “perfect”). When written as I DEAL the solution also playfully satisfies “croupier’s CV condensed”.

17. Difficult to criticise what gardeners avoid (7)

Answer: HARDPAN (i.e. “what gardeners avoid”, a hard layer found beneath the surface soil). Solution is HARD (i.e. “difficult”) followed by PAN (i.e. “to criticise”).

18. We love users willy-nilly (9)

Answer: OURSELVES (i.e. “we”). “Willy-nilly” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of LOVE USERS.

19. Great faith sacrificing first sporting success (5,4)

Answer: GRAND SLAM (i.e. “sporting success”). Solution is GRAND (i.e. “great”) followed by ISLAM (i.e. a “faith”) once its initial letter has been removed (indicated by “sacrificing first”).

21. Pig’s surplus weight (7)

Answer: GLUTTON (i.e. “pig”). Solution is GLUT (i.e. “surplus”) followed by TON (i.e. “weight”). Simple, but nicely worked.

22. Shut up Polish plant (5)

Answer: SHRUB (i.e. “plant”). Solution is SH! (i.e. “shut up”) followed by RUB (i.e. to “polish” – ignore the misleading capitalisation).

23. Slender female in river, doing backstroke? (5)

Answer: ELFIN (i.e. “slender”). Solution is F (a recognised abbreviation of “female”) placed “in” NILE (i.e. a “river”) once reversed (indicated by “doing backstroke”), like so: EL(F)IN. Yet. Again. Regular readers of these posts will know I often take the piss out of setters when they keep cranking up the office Marconi GridFill 4000™ rather than, oh I don’t know, exert a modicum of effort in their grids. Sometimes it’s so obvious it’s embarrassing. You can call me a big old cynic, that with umpteen Times setters some are bound to tread on each other’s toes every once in a while, but this is the fifth time ELFIN has appeared in the last 100 Jumbo cryptics I’ve covered. There are comfortably over 10,000 five-letter words out there to choose from, and that’s even before you even get to crap like people and places, so it’s obvious the algorithm is finding this word far more useful when its composing a grid than others. Curiously, the word pool available to the algorithm seems to get tweaked every time I call out its weaknesses (e.g. RAITA, a recentish offender, and Max ERNST, who practically had a residency in Jumbos – both now absent for a while), so lets hope the same fate befalls ELFIN, eh? Meanwhile, yes: cost of living, Russia invading Ukraine, covid etc. I’m not a complete monster.

Also, I’ve now pretty much guaranteed RAITA and ERNST appear in next week’s Jumbo. If only my small controlling forces worked on lottery numbers.

25. Punter, jobless, securing one in Greece (9)

Answer: GONDOLIER (i.e. “punter”). Solution is ON DOLE (i.e. “jobless”) wrapped around or “securing” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) while itself being placed “in” GR (country code of “Greece”), like so: G(ON-DOL(I)E)R.

27. Start to pen letter, a gratifying one (7)

Answer: PLEASER (i.e. “a gratifying one”). Solution is P (i.e. “start to pen”, i.e. the first letter of “pen”) followed by LEASER (i.e. “letter” or landlord).

29. Nearly despatch old carrier’s measure once (9)

Answer: KILOCYCLE (i.e. “measure once”, nowadays known as kilohertz). Solution is KILL (i.e. “despatch”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “nearly”) and the remainder followed by O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) and CYCLE (i.e. “carrier” or means of transport), like so: KIL-O-CYCLE.

31.Bird stalks parasite that may be piercing cherry (8,5)

Answer: COCKTAIL STICK (i.e. “that may be piercing cherry” – other spikeworthy comestibles are available). Solution is COCK (i.e. “bird”) followed by TAILS (i.e. “stalks”) and TICK (i.e. “parasite”).

34. Fair act that needs some looking into? (7,6)

Answer: CRYSTAL GAZING (i.e. “fair act”). Clue plays on how the solution involves a fortune teller “looking into” a crystal ball and telling you that you’ll meet a tall dark stranger within the next fifty years. One who has one arm, or maybe even two-oooooo. (Makes mystical hand movements.)

35. Call Italian husband a father of IT? (9)

Answer: Herman HOLLERITH (i.e. “a father of IT” and punched-card pioneer. No, me neither, and I’m supposed to know about ‘pooters and stuff). Solution is HOLLER (i.e. “call”) followed by IT (country code of “Italy”) and H (a recognised abbreviation of “husband”).

37. Berlin quartet visiting inlet’s coastal area (7)

Answer: RIVIERA (i.e. “coastal area”). Solution is VIER (i.e. “Berlin quartet”, i.e. the German for “four”) placed in or “visiting” RIA (i.e. “inlet” – over to Chambers: “a normal drowned valley”. Another new one on me), like so: RI(VIER)A.

39. Stepping around hot sewer’s work (9)

Answer: THREADING (i.e. “sewer’s work”). Solution is TREADING (i.e. “stepping”) wrapped “around” H (a recognised abbreviation of “hot” used on taps), like so: T(H)READING.

42. Nigerian bread not available without strain (5)

Answer: NAIRA (i.e. “Nigerian bread”, or its currency). Solution is N/A (i.e. “not available”) wrapped around or placed “without” AIR (i.e. “strain”, both musical references), like so: N(AIR)A.

43. Driver’s unlimited theatre activity (5)

Answer: URGER (i.e. “driver”). Solution is SURGERY (i.e. “theatre activity”) with its first and last letters removed (indicated by “unlimited”).

45. Leaves silver in fit of insanity (7)

Answer: FOLIAGE (i.e. “leaves”). Solution is AG (chemical symbol of “silver”) placed “in” FOLIE (i.e. “fit of insanity” – another new one, but hardly surprising given it’s a French word that was stuck in an English dictionary once upon a time and promptly never used again. Le sigh…), like so: FOLI(AG)E.

47. Fuelled tanks in city out of necessity (9)

Answer: NEEDFULLY (i.e. “out of necessity”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “tanks”) of FUELLED placed “in” NY (i.e. “city”, in this case New York), like so: N(EEDFULL)Y.

49. Sailor spoils hotel and marine grassland (4,5)

Answer: SALT MARSH (i.e. “marine grassland”). Solution is SALT (i.e. “sailor”) followed by MARS (i.e. “spoils”) and H (“hotel” in the phonetic alphabet).

50. Old car, one of many sent out by local star (7)

Answer: SUNBEAM. Solution satisfies “old car” – take your pick: it’s been a British car company and a model name used by Chrysler and Talbot, apparently – and “one of many sent out by local star”.

52. Glossy material from head of news area (5)

Answer: NACRE (i.e. “glossy material”, also called mother-of-pearl). Solution is N (i.e. “head of news”, i.e. the first letter of “news”) followed by ACRE (i.e. “area”).

54. Set of nine English notes repaid regularly (6)

Answer: ENNEAD (i.e. “set of nine”). Solution is E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”) followed by N and N (both “notes”, N being a recognised abbreviation thereof) and EAD (i.e. “repaid regularly”, i.e. every other letter of REPAID).

55. During beating, writer settled for paying too much (16)

Answer: OVERCOMPENSATING (i.e. “paying too much”). Solution is OVERCOMING (i.e. “beating”) wrapped around or having “during” PEN (i.e. “writer”) and SAT (i.e. “settled”), like so: OVERCOM(PEN-SAT)ING.

56. Go round to dispose of deal (6)

Answer: TREATY (i.e. “deal”). Solution is TRY (i.e. “go”) wrapped “round” EAT (i.e. “to dispose of”), like so: TR(EAT)Y.

57. Perhaps bowler owned equipment to conserve energy (8)

Answer: HEADGEAR (i.e. “perhaps bowler”, other hats are available). Solution is HAD (i.e. “owned”) and GEAR (i.e. “equipment”) all wrapped around or “conserving” E (a recognised abbreviation of “energy”), like so: H(E)AD-GEAR.

58. Head of engineering impressed by modest digital skill (7)

Answer: SLEIGHT (i.e. “skill” – minor quibble: the presence of “digital” here suggests the setter has been swayed by the phrase “sleight of hand”; I’d argue the solution has broader scope than that suggested). Solution is E (i.e. “head of engineering”, like with “head of news” five clues earlier this is the first letter of “engineering”) placed in or “impressed by” SLIGHT (i.e. “modest”), like so: SL(E)IGHT.

Down clues

1. Queen’s in Surrey town with tiny king for what’s five days typically (7,4)

Answer: WORKING WEEK (i.e. “what’s five days typically”). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “Queen”, specifically the Latin Regina) placed “in” WOKING (i.e. “Surrey town”) and followed by WEE (i.e. “tiny”) and K (a recognised abbreviation of “king” used in chess), like so: WO(R)KING-WEE-K.

2. Resistance, with Europeans acquiring dearer unit in Delhi (5)

Answer: RUPEE (i.e. monetary “unit in Delhi”). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “resistance”), E and E (both “Europeans”, E being a recognised abbreviation thereof) all wrapped around or “acquiring” UP (i.e. “dearer”), like so: R-(UP)-EE.

3. Strolled to outskirts of Deptford with light (7)

Answer: TODDLED (i.e. “strolled”). Solution is TO followed by DD (i.e. “outskirts of Deptford”, i.e. the first and last letters of “Deptford”), then LED (i.e. “light”, specifically a Light Emitting Diode).

4. Nut with natural poison yielding in eastern battle of wits? (13,7)

Answer: PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE (i.e. “battle of wits”). Solution is PSYCHO (i.e. “nut”) followed by LOGICAL (i.e. “natural”), then WARFARIN (i.e. “poison”) once the IN has been removed (indicated by “yielding in”), and finally E (a recognised abbreviation of “eastern”), like so: PSYCHO-LOGICAL-WARFAR-E.

5. Shooter arrived with press article (9)

Answer: CAMERAMAN (i.e. “shooter”). Solution is CAME (i.e. “arrived”) followed by RAM (i.e. to “press”) and AN (i.e. “article”, being a word like a, an or the).

6. Accelerate sketch show briefly: put on pressure (3,2)

Answer: REV UP (i.e. “accelerate”). Solution is REVUE (i.e. “sketch show”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “briefly”) and the remainder followed by P (a recognised abbreviation of “pressure”), like so: REVU-P.

7. Weird Munch oil engages posh people like the Borrowers? (9)

Answer: HOMUNCULI (i.e. “people like the Borrowers”, specifically tiny ‘uns. Plural of homunculus). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “weird”) of MUNCH OIL wrapped around or “engaging” U (i.e. “posh”, being a recognised abbreviation of the upper class you rarely see used outside of cryptic crosswords), like so: HOM(U)NCULI.

8. Armed vessel’s tackle snaring a French sub finally (7)

Answer: GUNBOAT (i.e. “armed vessel”). Solution is GO AT (i.e. “tackle”) wrapped around or “snaring” UN (i.e. “a French”, i.e. the French for “a”) and B (i.e. “sub finally”, i.e. the last letter of “sub”), like so: G(UN-B)O-AT.

10. Raise small prize bloomers (7)

Answer: DRAWERS (i.e. “bloomers”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) and REWARD (i.e. “prize”) all reversed (indicated by “raise” – this being a down clue), like so: DRAWER-S.

11. Old customs involving French wine recalled: we like to taste it all! (9)

Answer: OMNIVORES (i.e. “we like to taste it all”). Solution is O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) followed by MORES (i.e. “customs”) once wrapped around or “involving” VIN (i.e. “French wine”, i.e. the French for “wine”) once reversed (indicated by “recalled”), like so: O-M(NIV)ORES.

12. After November, ski with Boris potentially here? (11)

Answer: NOVOSIBIRSK, the most populous city in Siberia it says here. No, me neither. Solution is NOV (short for “November”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “potentially”) of SKI and BORIS. Wordplay was reasonably obvious but here’s a pro tip, setters: clueing up general knowledge bullshit solutions like this using anagrams is about as much use to solvers as tits on a fish. It doesn’t matter how many letters you fill in, unless you know the solution outright you’re pretty much screwed. So where’s the fun in that? “Oh look, turns out the solution was something I’m neither going to remember nor give a shit about in future. Yay?” Ugh. Back to setter school with you. Needless to say this was solved by sticking “city novo” into Google and seeing what was suggested. Not worthy of my time any other way.

(Also, what’s with setters’ current penchant for all things Russia? I don’t want to get all Senator McCarthy on their asses but, sheesh, rein it in, ya goddam pinkos.)

(To be fair, the same could be said for the number of Americanisms that have crept into recent Jumbos. [Says something-something-failed-western-democracies-yada-yada-don’t-mention-the-war-blah-blah in Russian to help even things up.])

15. New mate and sleeping partner, having united, draw these up? (10,10)

Answer: PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENTS (i.e. “draw these up” in context of the clue, which leans into marriage and such). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “new”) of MATE and SLEEPING PARTNER all wrapped around or “having” U (a recognised abbreviation of “united”). After ripping into the setter just then, it’s only right that I should highlight a genuinely well-worked clue. Probably the best of the puzzle.

20. Legally going topless a lot (7)

Answer: AWFULLY (i.e. “a lot”). Solution is LAWFULLY (i.e. “legally”) with its first letter removed (indicated by “going topless”).

21. Cut African flower up on Greek character’s Italian food (7)

Answer: GNOCCHI (i.e. “Italian food”). Solution is CONGO (i.e. “African flower”, i.e. the river Congo, as in how a river flows) with its last letter removed (indicated by “cut”) and the remainder reversed (indicated by “up” – this being a down clue). This is then followed by CHI (i.e. “Greek character”, specifically the twenty-second letter of the Greek alphabet), like so: GNOC-CHI.

24. American wears this nearly new kit specially in church (7)

Answer: NECKTIE (i.e. “American wears this”). Solution is NE (i.e. “nearly new”, i.e. “new” with its last letter removed) followed by an anagram (indicated by “specially”) of KIT once placed “in” CE (i.e. “church”, specifically the Church of England), like so: NE-C(KTI)E.

26. Gag miserable type abandoning wife (5)

Answer: RETCH (i.e. to “gag”). Solution is WRETCH (i.e. “miserable type”) with the W removed (indicated by “abandoning wife” – W being a recognised abbreviation of “wife”).

28. Oriental festival at end of autumn (7)

Answer: EASTERN (i.e. “oriental”). Solution is EASTER (i.e. “festival”) followed by N (i.e. “end [letter] of autumn”).

30. Old key put on a pedestal (5)

Answer: EXALT (i.e. “put on a pedestal”). Solution is EX (i.e. “old” or former) followed by ALT (a “key” on a keyboard).

32. Related measure about to split Anglicans (7)

Answer: COGNATE (i.e. “related”). Solution is TANGO (i.e. “measure”, both slow dances apparently. Another new one on me re: “measure”, but fair do) reversed (indicated by “about”) and placed in or “splitting” CE (i.e. “Anglicans”, our Church of England lot again), like so: C(OGNAT)E.

33. Sign at the start (7)

Answer: INITIAL. Solution satisfies to “sign” and “at the start”.

34. Wary maiden in big top show reportedly kissed (11)

Answer: CIRCUMSPECT (i.e. “wary”). Solution is M (a recognised abbreviation of a “maiden” over used in cricket) placed “in” CIRCUS (i.e. “big top show”) and followed by a homophone (indicated by “reportedly”) of PECKED (i.e. “kissed”), like so: CIRCU(M)S-PECT.

36. Hefty boxer, and why he gave it up (11)

Answer: HEAVYWEIGHT. A triple-header, perhaps, in that the solution satisfies “hefty”, “boxer” (and both together, obvs) and, playfully, an anagram (indicated by “up”) of WHY HE GAVE IT.

38. Old poet loses right before local amateur cop (9)

Answer: VIGILANTE (i.e. “local amateur cop”). Solution is VIRGIL (i.e. “old poet”) with the R removed (indicated by “loses right” – R being a recognised abbreviation of “right”) and the remainder followed by ANTE (a prefix denoting “before”), like so: VIGIL-ANTE.

40. Encouraged study involving ship on river (9)

Answer: REASSURED (i.e. “encouraged”). Solution is READ (i.e. “study”) wrapped around or “involving” SS (i.e. “ship”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “steamship”) and URE (i.e. a “river”), like so: REA(SS-URE)D.

41. Mine host’s cool northern ring (9)

Answer: INNKEEPER (i.e. “mine host”, a reference to landlords often said in humour). Solution is IN (i.e. “cool”) followed by N (a recognised abbreviation of “northern”) and KEEPER (i.e. a guard “ring” used to keep another from slipping off – another new one for me. Seems the setter was hellbent on going deep into the dictionary definitions this week, which, despite my earlier grumblings, is fine by me).

44. Standing up, rave about a politician (7)

Answer: RAMPANT (i.e. rearing or “standing up”. Could also be a heraldry thing meaning much the same thing because, you know, it’s The Times…). Solution is RANT (i.e. “rave”) wrapped “about” A and MP (i.e. “politician”, specifically a Member of Parliament), like so: R(A-MP)ANT.

46. Composer drinks vodka primarily with last of white port (2,5)

Answer: LE HAVRE (i.e. French “port”). Solution is Franz LEHAR (i.e. “composer” – we saw him a few weeks ago in another Jumbo) wrapped around or “drinking” V (i.e. “vodka primarily”, i.e. the first letter of “vodka”) and followed by E (i.e. “last [letter] of white”), like so: LEHA(V)R-E. Hmm. Let me see. A clue that starts with “composer” and finishes with “port”. Regular readers won’t be surprised at how quickly I reached for my Bradford’s here; perhaps almost as quickly as the setter had reached for their GridFill 4000™. Hardly any thought ever gets applied to made-to-fit rubbish like this so why waste your time? Be a big cheating bastard like me and get on with your weekend.

(I realise the irony of saying this on a page that has all the answers on it, but you get the idea.)

48. Flourish what supporter eats? (7)

Answer: FANFARE (i.e. a “flourish”). When written as FAN FARE the solution also playfully satisfies “what supporter eats”.

51. Daughter leaves knotty loop in rope (5)

Answer: NOOSE (i.e. “loop in rope”). Solution is NODOSE (i.e. “knotty”) with the D removed (indicated by “daughter leaves” – D being a recognised abbreviation of “daughter”).

53. Stick around with Heather (5)

Answer: CLING (i.e. to “stick”). Solution is C (i.e. “around”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “circa”) followed by LING (i.e. “heather” – ignore the misleading capitalisation).

A relatively straightforward one this week. 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 you all hot and bothered then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of the things. Elsewhere there are the usual ancient book reviews and a story of mine.

Thanks for the kind words and input. It’s always interesting to hear the thoughts of other solvers once they’ve set down their pens. Till next time, stay cool out there kids.

LP

Across clues

1. Composer in European city missing northern Australia (7)

Answer: Hector BERLIOZ (i.e. “composer”). Solution is BERLIN (i.e. “European city”) with the N removed (indicated by “missing northern” – N being a recognised abbreviation of “northern”) and the remainder followed by OZ (i.e. slang for “Australia”), like so: BERLI-OZ. Ethan Coen’s Hector Berlioz: Private Investigator is a highlight of his short story collection, Garden of Eden. There a number of funny scenes where people keep mangling Berlioz’s surname. Worth a read if you can find a copy.

5. Coach gutted to stop swimming lesson in lake (4,4)

Answer: LOCH NESS (i.e. “lake”). Solution is CH (i.e. “coach gutted”, i.e. the word “coach” with all its middle letters removed) placed in or “stopping” an anagram (indicated by “swimming”) of LESSON, like so: LO(CH)NESS.

9. Old singles also lacking energy (1-5)

Answer: B-SIDES (i.e. “old singles” – ask your grandparents, kids). Solution is BESIDES (i.e. “also”) with the first E removed (indicated by “lacking energy” – E being a recognised abbreviation of “energy”).

13. Leader converting criminal to show great affection (6,6,4)

Answer: TENDER LOVING CARE (i.e. “great affection”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “criminal”) of LEADER CONVERTING.

14. Sodium to handle a sickness (6)

Answer: NAUSEA (i.e. “sickness”). Solution is NA (chemical symbol of “sodium”) followed by USE (i.e. “handle”) and A.

16. Say Arab has a personality disorder (8)

Answer: EGOMANIA (i.e. “personality disorder”). Solution is EG (i.e. “say”, i.e. for example, after the Latin exempli gratia) followed by OMANI (i.e. an “Arab”) and A.

17. Spies with initially obtuse greeting (4)

Answer: CIAO (i.e. “greeting” used on meeting or parting). Solution is CIA (i.e. “spies”, specifically the Central Intelligence Agency) followed by O (i.e. “initially obtuse”, i.e. the first letter of “obtuse”). Nicely worked.

18. Note above plate – fish caught by eccentric character (5,4)

Answer: PLACE CARD (i.e. “note above plate” on a dinner table). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “caught”) of PLAICE (i.e. “fish”) followed by CARD (i.e. “eccentric character”).

20. Toothless Prime Minister introducing art gallery (8)

Answer: EDENTATE (i.e. “toothless”). Solution is Anthony EDEN (i.e. 1950s “Prime Minister”) followed by TATE (i.e. an “art gallery”).

21. Campus race I organised – it’s a famous competition (8,3)

Answer: AMERICA’S CUP (i.e. “a famous competition” in sailing). “Organised” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of CAMPUS RACE I.

24. Road feature’s traffic jam initially something very smooth (1-8)

Answer: T-JUNCTION (i.e. “road feature”). Solution is T and J (i.e. “traffic jam initially”, i.e. the first and last letters of “traffic” and “jam”) followed by UNCTION (i.e. ointment or “something very smooth”).

25. Limit on filling beer for tax evader once (2,6)

Answer: AL CAPONE (i.e. “tax evader once”). Solution is CAP (i.e. “limit”) and ON placed in or “filling” ALE (i.e. “beer”), like so: AL(CAP-ON)E.

26. Uninteresting place to live (4)

Answer: FLAT. Solution satisfies “uninteresting” and “place to live”.

29. Where to store documents from a long investigation involving Tibet’s banks (7,4)

Answer: ATTACHÉ CASE (i.e. “where to store documents”). Solution is A, ACHE (i.e. to “long” for someone) and CASE (i.e. an “investigation”) all wrapped around or “involving” TT (i.e. “Tibet’s banks”, i.e. the first and last letters of “Tibet”), like so: A-(TT)-ACHE-CASE.

31. State of solider – hand injured (5,6)

Answer: RHODE ISLAND (i.e. US “state”). “Injured” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of SOLDIER HAND.

33. One on leave breaks extremely useful item in the tropics (8,3)

Answer: MOSQUITO NET (i.e. “useful item in the tropics”). Solution is ONE placed “on” or after QUIT (i.e. to “leave”) and both then placed in or “breaking” MOST (i.e. “extremely”), like so: MOS(QUIT-ONE)T.

36. Perfect hosts make liquor (5,6)

Answer: PEACH BRANDY (i.e. “liquor”). Solution is PEACHY (i.e. “perfect”) wrapped around or “hosting” BRAND (i.e. “make”), like so: PEACH(BRAND)Y. Very neat.

38. Invader loses article – that’s standard (4)

Answer: NORM (i.e. “standard”). Solution is NORMAN (i.e. “invader” of the 10-11th century) with the AN removed (indicated by “loses article”, an article being a word like a, an or the).

39. Plot with cold fish goes bad in retrospect (5,3)

Answer: STORY ARC (i.e. “plot”). Solution is C (a recognised abbreviation of “cold” used on taps), RAY (i.e. “fish”) and ROTS (i.e. “goes bad”) all reversed (indicated by “in retrospect”), like so: STOR-YAR-C.

41. Do signals, somehow producing a series of notes, played rapidly (9)

Answer: GLISSANDO (i.e. “a series of notes, played rapidly” across a keyboard or stringed instrument). “Somehow” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of DO SIGNALS.

44. Jailbird struggles to accept time limits (11)

Answer: CONSTRAINTS (i.e. “limits”). Solution is CON (i.e. “jailbird”, both slang words for prisoners) followed by STRAINS (i.e. “struggles”) once wrapped around or “accepting” T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”), like so: CON-STRAIN(T)S.

45. Regret backing competition that includes a German, say (8)

Answer: EUROPEAN (i.e. “a German, say” – other flavours of Europeans are available). Solution is RUE (i.e. “regret”) reversed (indicated by “backing”) and followed by OPEN (i.e. sporting “competition”) once wrapped around or “including” A, like so: EUR-OPE(A)N.

48. Concerning smell made by trimming elderly plant (9)

Answer: OLFACTORY (i.e. “concerning smell”). Solution is OLD (i.e. “elderly”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “trimming”) and the remainder followed by FACTORY (i.e. industrial “plant”), like so: OL-FACTORY.

49. Starter taken off mat that’s greasy (4)

Answer: OILY (i.e. “greasy”). Solution is DOILY (i.e. “mat”) with the first letter or “starter taken off”.

50. A bit of restraint on a test, say, with a singsong? (8)

Answer: INTONATE (i.e. to “singsong” – over to Chambers: “to chant, read or utter in musical tones, singsong or monotone”). “A bit of” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: RESTRA(INT ON A TE)ST. Took a white to spot.

52. Old writer extremely lazy in public (6)

Answer: OPENLY (i.e. “in public”). Solution is O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) followed by PEN (i.e. “writer”) and LY (i.e. “extremely lazy”, i.e. the first and last letters of “lazy”).

53. Post-match meal? (7,9)

Answer: WEDDING BREAKFAST (i.e. a “meal”). Clue plays on WEDDINGS often being referred to as “matches” in cryptic clues; the solution being “a meal served after a wedding” (Chambers). You get the idea.

54. A referee turns around holding party hat (6)

Answer: FEDORA (i.e. “hat”). Solution is A and REF (short for “referee”) all reversed (indicated by “turns around”) and placed around or “holding” DO (i.e. “party”), like so: FE(DO)R-A.

55. Cashmere blend? No idea! (6,2)

Answer: SEARCH ME (i.e. “no idea”). “Blend” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of CASHMERE.

56. Plant with a name featured in song (7)

Answer: DITTANY (i.e. “plant”). Solution is A and N (a recognised abbreviation of “name”) both placed or “featured in” DITTY (i.e. “song”), like so: DITT(A-N)Y. One nailed from the wordplay, if I’m honest.

Down clues

1. Beat up the middleman? (6)

Answer: BATTER. Solution satisfies “beat up” and, playfully, “the middleman”, a reference to cricket and how the wicket upon which they bat is situated in the middle of the field.

2. Chance to have managed government department being set up (6)

Answer: RANDOM (i.e. “chance”). Solution is RAN (i.e. “to have managed”) followed by MOD (i.e. “government department”, specifically the Ministry of Defence) once reversed (indicated by “being set up” – this being a down clue), like so: RAN-DOM.

3. Animal I caught at both ends of a cold country (9)

Answer: ICELANDIC (i.e. “of a cold country”). Solution is ELAND (i.e. an “animal”) with I and C (a recognised abbreviation of “caught” used in a number of ball games) placed “at both ends”, like so: I-C-(ELAND)-I-C.

4. Former African state captures one large creature for wealthy individual (11)

Answer: ZILLIONAIRE (i.e. “wealthy individual”). Solution is ZAIRE (i.e. “former African state”, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) wrapped around or “capturing” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), L (a recognised abbreviation of “large”) and LION (i.e. “creature”), like so: Z(I-L-LION)AIRE.

5. Charge defensive structure, we gather (4)

Answer: LEVY (i.e. “charge”). “We hear” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of LEVEE (i.e. “defensive structure”).

6. In a legal position inside the box, being attentive (11)

Answer: CONSIDERATE (i.e. “attentive”). Solution is ONSIDE (i.e. “in a legal position” on a sports field) placed “inside” CRATE (i.e. “box”), like so: C(ONSIDE)RATE.

7. Canoodle endlessly with one wooing a sorcerer (11)

Answer: NECROMANCER (i.e. “sorcerer”). Solution is NECK (i.e. to “canoodle”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “endlessly”) and the remainder followed by ROMANCER (i.e. “one wooing”), like so: NEC-ROMANCER.

8. Refuse place in cheap spa rebuilt around river (9)

Answer: SCRAPHEAP (i.e. “refuse place”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “rebuilt”) of CHEAP SPA wrapped “around” R (a recognised abbreviation of “river”), like so: SC(R)APHEAP.

10. Key place for astronauts to hydrate? (5,3)

Answer: SPACE BAR. Solution satisfies “key” and, playfully, “place for astronauts to hydrate”. I’ll admit this did raise a chuckle when I twigged it.

11. Dean centralising revolutionary method of education (8,8)

Answer: DISTANCE LEARNING (i.e. “method of education”, e.g. the Open University). “Revolutionary” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of DEAN CENTRALISING.

12. Fail to meet comedian (5,2)

Answer: STAND UP (i.e. “fail to meet”). When hyphenated, the solution also satisfies “comedian”.

15. Money boxes at centre of big game (8)

Answer: PATIENCE (i.e. card “game”). Solution is PENCE (i.e. “money”) wrapped around or “boxing” AT and I (i.e. “centre of big”, i.e. the middle letter of “big”), like so: P(AT-I)ENCE.

19. Keep primary vehicle with no resistance (8)

Answer: MAINTAIN (i.e. “keep”). Solution is MAIN (i.e. “primary”) followed by TRAIN (i.e. “vehicle”) once the R has been removed (indicated by “with no resistance” – R being a recognised abbreviation of “resistance”), like so: MAIN-TAIN.

22. Weak argument for demolishing a scarecrow? (5,3)

Answer: STRAW MAN. Solution satisfies “weak argument for demolishing” – Chambers offers: “a sham opponent or argument set up for the sake of disputation” – and “scarecrow”.

23. Singer’s town on TV in need of a clean? (5,11)

Answer: DUSTY SPRINGFIELD (i.e. “singer”). Clue plays on SPRINGFIELD being the setting of The Simpsons (i.e. “town on TV”) and DUSTY being “in need of a clean”.

27. Fashionable sort of women’s garment – golly! (5,3)

Answer: TEDDY BOY (i.e. “fashionable sort”). Solution is TEDDY (i.e. “women’s garment”) followed by BOY (i.e. “golly”, both exclamations).

28. Leader upset religious fellow briefly (4)

Answer: TSAR (i.e. “leader”). Solution is RASTA (i.e. “religious fellow”, short for Rastafarian) with the last letter removed (indicated by “briefly”) and the remainder reversed (indicated by “upset” – this being a down clue).

30. Sports team’s driver, perhaps (4)

Answer: CLUB. Solution satisfies “sports team” and “driver, perhaps” – other species of golf club are available.

32. Park attendant with cry of annoyance outside glass house (8)

Answer: ORANGERY (i.e. “glass house”). Solution is RANGER (i.e. “park attendant”) placed in or having “outside” OY! (i.e. “cry of annoyance”), like so: O(RANGER)Y.

34. Dog, say, to depart – barking (8)

Answer: TETRAPOD (i.e. “dog, say” – other four-legged creatures are available). “Barking” indicates anagram, as in being mad. Solution is an anagram of TO DEPART.

35. Partner nods when moving communication device (11)

Answer: TRANSPONDER (i.e. “communication device”). “When moving” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of PARTNER NODS.

36. Pre-prepared meal was bland according to Spooner (6,5)

Answer: PACKED LUNCH (i.e. “pre-prepared meal”). Solution is a “Spoonerism” of LACKED PUNCH (i.e. “was bland”).

37. Track feature of hindbrain that’s active with physical education (7,4)

Answer: HAIRPIN BEND (i.e. “track feature”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “that’s active”) of HINDBRAIN and PE (a recognised abbreviation of “physical education”).

40. Watery drink picked up in Thames-side location (9)

Answer: RUNNYMEDE (i.e. “Thames-side location”). Solution is RUNNY (i.e. “watery”) followed by a homophone (indicated by “picked up”) of MEAD (i.e. “drink”), like so: RUNNY-MEDE.

42. Where bulb may go, covering part of corn plant (3,6)

Answer: SEA ROCKET (i.e. “plant”). Solution is SOCKET (i.e. “where bulb may go”) wrapped around or “covering” EAR (i.e. “part of corn”), like so: S(EAR)OCKET. Another solved from the wordplay alone.

43. Fussy sort of governess, ultimately with heart to accept learner (8)

Answer: STICKLER (i.e. “fussy sort”). Solution is S (i.e. “governess, ultimately”, i.e. the last letter of “governess”) followed by TICKER (slang for one’s “heart”) once wrapped around or “accepting” L (a recognised abbreviation of “learner” used on L-plates), like so: S-TICK(L)ER.

44. Captain leaving for culinary competition (4-3)

Answer: COOK-OFF (i.e. “culinary competition”). Solution is “Captain” James COOK followed by OFF (i.e. “leaving”).

46. Father to cough up a fruit (6)

Answer: PAPAYA (i.e. “fruit”). Solution is PA (i.e. “father”) followed by PAY (i.e. “to cough up”) and A.

47. Guard posted on railway (6)

Answer: SENTRY (i.e. “guard”). Solution is SENT (i.e. “guard”) followed by RY (a recognised abbreviation of “railway”).

51. Oscar regularly broke instrument (4)

Answer: OBOE (i.e. musical “instrument”). Solution is O (“Oscar” in the phonetic alphabet) followed by BOE (i.e. “regularly broke”, i.e. every other letter of BROKE).

A patchy one this week. For the most part it was relatively straightforward but there were a few tiresome made-to-fit solutions that stuck out like a sore thumb. At least some of them were deducible through the wordplay.

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 pinched all your factor 50 for the heatwave ahead then you might find some solace in my Just For Fun page, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of the things. Elsewhere there are the usual ancient book reviews and a story of mine.

Thanks again for the kind words and input. It’s always interesting to hear how other solvers fared once their pens are stilled. Till next time, stay cool out there kids.

LP

Across clues

1. Opposed to horned creature endlessly puncturing strange plant (11)

Answer: ANTIRRHINUM (i.e. “plant”, or snapdragons more commonly). Solution is ANTI (i.e. “opposed to”) followed by RHINO (i.e. “horned creature”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “endlessly”) and the remainder placed in or “puncturing” RUM (i.e. “strange”), like so: ANTI-R(RHIN)UM. One nailed from the wordplay and a shufti in Chambers to confirm.

7. Wave, seeing vagrant scavenging at shore (11)

Answer: BEACHCOMBER (i.e. “wave”). Solution is COMBER (i.e. “vagrant scavenging”) placed after or “at” BEACH (i.e. “shore”), like so: BEACH-COMBER.

13. Barracks old archbishop keeping male African snake (9)

Answer: BOOMSLANG (i.e. “snake”). Solution is BOOS (i.e. “barracks”) and William Cosmo Gordon LANG (i.e. “old archbishop” of York and Canterbury who died in 1945. Me neither, but I think we’ve seen him before in these Jumbos) wrapped around or “keeping” M (a recognised abbreviation of “male”), like so: BOO(M)S-LANG. We had this solution a few months ago but I was still straight to Bradford’s the moment I saw “snake”. Life’s too short, especially in a corner littered with made-to-fit stuff.

14. Bowler from small area in Greater London (7)

Answer: SPINNER (i.e. “bowler”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) followed by PINNER (i.e. “area in Greater London”).

15. Name American or European river (5)

Answer: TAGUS (i.e. “European river”, apparently the longest in the Iberian Peninsula. Bully for it). Solution is TAG (i.e. “name”) followed by US (i.e. “American”). Again, straight to Bradford’s the moment I saw “river”. Regular visitors to these pages will know I have little patience for general knowledge solutions, especially those solely there to fill an awkward space.

16. Cunning creature with tail following bovine animal (3,3)

Answer: DOG FOX (i.e. “cunning creature”, basically a male fox). Solution is DOG (i.e. to “tail” someone) followed by F (a recognised abbreviation of “following”) and OX (i.e. “bovine animal”).

17. Seagoing soldier digesting advertisement for pickle (8)

Answer: MARINADE (i.e. to”pickle”). Solution is MARINE (i.e. “seagoing soldier”) wrapped around or “digesting” AD (short for “advertisement”), like so: MARIN(AD)E.

18. Revolting contestants in the defender’s area? (7)

Answer: UPFIELD (i.e. “defender’s area” of a playing field, assuming you are at the striker’s end). Solution is UP (i.e. uprising or “revolting”) followed by FIELD (i.e. “contestants”).

20. As a tied-up animal may be – desperate! (2,3,3,2,4,6)

Answer: AT THE END OF ONE’S TETHER. Solution satisfies “as a tied-up animal may be” and “desperate”.

23. Novel demand brought back varnish (7)

Answer: SHELLAC (i.e. a kind of spirit “varnish”). Solution is SHE (i.e. “novel” by H Rider Haggard) followed by CALL (i.e. “demand”) once reversed (indicated by “brought back”), like so: SHE-LLAC. One nailed from the wordplay once I’d had enough letters.

24. Police department member’s requirement for sailing boat (7)

Answer: YARDARM (i.e. “requirement for sailing boat”). Solution is Scotland YARD (i.e. “police department”) followed by ARM (i.e. limb or “member”).

26. Cloudlike patches, a blue blurring in north-east (7)

Answer: NEBULAE (i.e. “cloudlike patches”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “blurring”) of A BLUE placed “in” NE (a recognised abbreviation of “north-east”), like so: N(EBULA)E.

28. Part of church hall ultimately abandoned by mistake (4)

Answer: LAPSE (i.e. “part of church”). Solution is LAPSE (i.e. “mistake”) with the L removed (indicated by “hall ultimately abandoned”, i.e. removing the last letter of “hall”).

29. Window a knight used in hasty departure (8)

Answer: FANLIGHT (i.e. “window”). Solution is A and N (a recognised abbreviation of “knight” used in chess) both placed “in” FLIGHT (i.e. “hasty departure”), like so: F(A-N)LIGHT.

32. Snack prepared by poor actor reflecting about food (9)

Answer: HAMBURGER (i.e. “snack”). Solution is HAM (i.e. “poor actor”) followed by RE (i.e. “about”) and GRUB (i.e. “food”) once these latter two have been reversed (indicated by “reflecting”), like so: HAM-(BURG-ER).

35. Insectivorous bird fed by female employee at Tower (9)

Answer: BEEFEATER (i.e. “employee at Tower” of London). Solution is BEE-EATER (i.e. “insectivorous bird”) wrapped around or “fed by” F (a recognised abbreviation of “female”), like so: BEE-(F)-EATER.

36. On which some may receive extended greeting (4,4)

Answer: LONG WAVE (i.e. “on which some may receive” a radio signal). Solution is LONG (i.e. “extended”) followed by WAVE (i.e. “greeting”).

37. Runner, possibly taking drug in bar (4)

Answer: BEAN (i.e. “runner, possibly” – other beans are available). Solution is E (i.e. “drug”, specifically a slang name for ecstasy) placed “in” BAN (i.e. to “bar”), like so: B(E)AN.

39. One who delivers part of Shakespeare’s cue regularly (7)

Answer: RESCUER (i.e. “one who delivers”). “Part of” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: SHAKESPEA(RE’S CUE R)EGULARLY.

41. Subordinate on board carrying guerrilla leader’s bladed weapon (7)

Answer: MACHETE (i.e. “bladed weapon”). Solution is MATE (i.e. “subordinate on board” a ship) wrapped around or “carrying” CHE Guevara (i.e. “guerrilla leader”), like so: MA(CHE)TE.

44. Behaving rowdily from Brazilian port to America (7)

Answer: RIOTOUS (i.e. “behaving rowdily”). Solution is RIO (i.e. “Brazilian port”, Rio De Janeiro) followed by TO and US (i.e. “America”).

45. Present for daughter with type of porcelain in old county (8,3,9)

Answer: HEREFORD AND WORCESTER (i.e. “old county” that was abolished in 1998). Solution is HERE (i.e. “present”) followed by FOR, then D (a recognised abbreviation of “daughter”), then AND (i.e. “with”) and WORCESTER (i.e. a variety of “porcelain”).

49. Old vehicle a posh actor recollected (7)

Answer: AUTOCAR (i.e. “old vehicle”). Solution is A followed by U (i.e. “posh”, basically a shortened form of the upper class you pretty much only see in cryptic crosswords) and an anagram (indicated by “recollected”) of ACTOR, like so: A-U-TOCAR.

50. Almost broke, with expensive-sounding material for jacket (8)

Answer: DEERSKIN (i.e. “material for jacket”). Solution is SKINT (i.e. “broke”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “almost”) and the remainder placed after or “with” a homophone (indicated by “sounding”) of DEAR (i.e. “expensive”), like so: DEER-SKIN.

51. Part of message is too discriminatory (6)

Answer: AGEIST (i.e. “discriminatory”). “Part of” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: MESS(AGE IS T)OO.

53. Birthmarks no Scottish woman displays? (5)

Answer: NAEVI (i.e. “birthmarks”). Solution is NAE (i.e. “no Scottish”, i.e. the Scots form of “no”) followed by VI (i.e. “woman’s” name). Another made-to-fit solution, but I did at least remember this from a previous Jumbo.

54. Repulsive old man originally involved in racket (7)

Answer: NOISOME (i.e. “repulsive”). Solution is O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) and M (i.e. “man originally”, i.e. the first letter of “man”) both placed or “involved in” NOISE (i.e. “racket”), like so: NOIS(O-M)E.

55. Recent film having impact in horse racing centre (9)

Answer: NEWMARKET (i.e. “horse racing centre”). Solution is NEW (i.e. “recent”) and ET (i.e. “film”, specifically ET: The Extra-Terrestrial) all wrapped around or “having” MARK (i.e. “impact”), like so: NEW-(MARK)-ET.

56. Clarify view on protest Society dropped (11)

Answer: DISENTANGLE (i.e. “clarify”). Solution is ANGLE (i.e. “view”) placed “on” or after DISSENT (i.e. “protest”) once an S has been removed (indicated by “Society dropped” – S being a recognised abbreviation of “Society”), like so: DISENT-ANGLE.

57. Worn-out woman pelted with stones (11)

Answer: DILAPIDATED (i.e. “worn-out”). Solution is DI (another “woman’s” name) followed by LAPIDATED (an archaic word literally meaning “pelted with stones”).

Down clues

1. Morning song a university graduate finally composed here (6)

Answer: AUBADE (i.e. “morning song” – over to Chambers: “a musical announcement of dawn”). Solution is A followed by U (a recognised abbreviation of “university”), then BA (i.e. “graduate”, specifically a Bachelor of Arts), then D and E (i.e. “finally composed here”, i.e. the last letters of “composed” and “here”). Another made-to-fit solution; one nailed pretty much through the wordplay and a look for any words beginning with AUBA.

2. Lack of consideration, albeit not so new in Miss Durbyfield (15)

Answer: THOUGHTLESSNESS (i.e. “lack of consideration”). Solution is THOUGH (i.e. “albeit”) followed by LESS (i.e. “not so”) and N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”) once these have been placed “in” TESS (i.e. “Miss Durbyfield” – eponymous heroine of Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles, though almost every resource suggests the surname ought to have been Durbeyfield), like so: THOUGH-T(LESS-N)ESS.

3. Second old man involved in subterfuge, a country lover (10)

Answer: RUSSOPHILE (i.e. “a country lover”, specifically of Russia). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “second”), O (ditto “old”) and PHIL (a “man’s” name this time) all placed “in” RUSE (i.e. “subterfuge”), like so: RUS(S-O-PHIL)E.

4. Sea mist enveloping drivers in sixty minutes (4)

Answer: HAAR (i.e. “sea mist”). Solution is AA (i.e. “drivers”, specifically the Automobile Association) “enveloped…in” HR (i.e. “sixty minutes”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “hour”), like so: H(AA)R.

5. Parsimonious lady finally donating ring, surprisingly (9)

Answer: NIGGARDLY (i.e. “parsimonious”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “surprisingly”) of LADY, G (i.e. “finally donating”, i.e. the last letter of “donating”) and RING.

6. Old woman with arthritic dog? (7)

Answer: MASTIFF (i.e. “dog”). Solution is MA (i.e. “old woman”, both referencing one’s mother) followed by STIFF (i.e. “arthritic”).

7. Female warrior’s supporter touring Italy with 8, briefly (9)

Answer: BRITANNIA (i.e. “female warrior”). Solution is BRA (i.e. “supporter”) wrapped around or “touring” IT (country abbreviation of “Italy”) and ANNIE (i.e. “8” down, its solution below) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “briefly”), like so: BR(IT-ANNI)A.

8. Musical girl’s note upholding article on Northern Ireland (5)

Answer: ANNIE (i.e. “musical girl”, central character of the hit Broadway production of the same name). Solution is E (a musical “note”) placed after or “upholding” – this being a down clue – AN (i.e. “article”, basically a word like a, an or the) and NI (abbreviation of “Northern Ireland”), like so: (AN-NI)-E.

9. Daunting clue he ran off (9)

Answer: HERCULEAN (i.e. “daunting”). “Off” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of CLUE HE RAN.

10. Misguided fool initially using the tube, unexpectedly (3,2,3,4)

Answer: OUT OF THE BLUE (i.e. “unexpectedly”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “misguided”) of FOOL, U (i.e. “initially using”, i.e. the first letter of “using”) and THE TUBE.

11. Listening device primarily encountered in pub, a cause of horror (7)

Answer: BUGBEAR (i.e. “a cause of horror”, not just annoyance). Solution is BUG (i.e. “listening device”) followed by E (i.e. “primarily encountered”, i.e. the first letter of “encountered”) once placed “in” BAR (i.e. “pub”), like so: BUG-B(E)AR.

12. Lie on left or right, perhaps (6)

Answer: RESIDE (i.e. “lie”). Solution is RE (i.e. “on” or regarding – think email replies) followed by SIDE (i.e. “left or right, perhaps”).

19. Inclination to compose music for psalm (8)

Answer: PENCHANT (i.e. “inclination”). Solution is PEN (i.e. “to compose music”) followed by CHANT (i.e. “psalm”).

21. Farm animal guarding new home, one way or another (7)

Answer: SOMEHOW (i.e. “one way or another”). Solution is SOW (i.e. “farm animal”, specifically a female pig) wrapped around or “guarding” an anagram (indicated by “new”) of HOME, like so: S(OMEH)OW.

22. Position of speculator in General Staff (8)

Answer: BEARINGS (i.e. “position”). Solution is BEAR (i.e. financial market “speculator”) followed by IN, then GS (a recognised abbreviation of “General Staff”).

23. Set up dull method of paying for sheath (8)

Answer: SCABBARD (i.e. “sheath”). Solution is DRAB (i.e. “dull”) and BACS (i.e. “method of paying”, short for Bankers Automated Clearing Service) all reversed (indicated by “set up” – this being a down clue), like so: SCAB-BARD.

25. Gear used by the Spanish star (5)

Answer: RIGEL (i.e. a “star”). Solution is RIG (i.e. “gear”) followed by EL (i.e. “the Spanish”, i.e. the Spanish for “the”).

27. Initially limited by weakness, it’s a way to get out (3,6,6)

Answer: LEG BEFORE WICKET (i.e. “it’s a way to get out” in cricket). Clue plays on how the solution’s abbreviation, LBW, is also “initially limited by weakness”, i.e. the first letters of “limited”, “by” and “weakness”.

30. Former metalworker’s goodness inspiring old poem (7)

Answer: LORIMER (i.e. “former metalworker”, specifically a maker of the metal parts of a horse’s harness). Solution is LOR (i.e. “goodness”, both exclamations, the former a contraction of “lord”) wrapped around or “inspiring” O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) and RIME (i.e. “poem”, after the French for rhyme), like so: L(O-RIME)R.

31. Nerve-racking future, for example (5)

Answer: TENSE. Solution satisfies “nerve-racking” and “future, for example” – other grammatical tenses are available.

33. Chap outside to declare an individualist (8)

Answer: MAVERICK (i.e. “an individualist”). Solution is MICK (i.e. a “chap’s” name) wrapped “outside” of AVER (i.e. “to declare”), like so: M(AVER)ICK.

34. Rebirth of Republican building almost certain to be included (12)

Answer: RESURRECTION (i.e. “rebirth”). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “Republican”) followed by ERECTION (i.e. “building” – quiet at the back, please) once wrapped around or “including” SURE (i.e. “certain”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “almost”), like so: R-E(SUR)RECTION.

38. Act as drug obstructors primarily at sea? This force would (10)

Answer: COASTGUARD (i.e. “force” found “at sea”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “at sea”) of ACT AS DRUG and O (i.e. “obstructors primarily”, i.e. the first letter of “obstructors”). Clue riffs on the part the coastguard used to play in combatting smuggling, though nowadays they are more of a rescue service.

40. Judge takes a long time securing aim in polls (9)

Answer: REFERENDA (i.e. “polls”). Solution is REF (i.e. “judge”, short for referee) followed by ERA (i.e. “a long time”) once wrapped around or “securing” END (i.e. “aim”), like so: REF-ER(END)A.

42. Guard in Rome that protects a South American dictator (9)

Answer: CHAPERONE (i.e. “guard”). Solution is CHE (i.e. “in Rome that”, i.e. the Italian for “that” – not exactly common knowledge, I’d argue) once wrapped around or “protecting” A and Juan PERÓN (i.e. “South American dictator”), like so: CH(A-PERÓN)E.

43. Moving topic for debate in eastern Alabama (9)

Answer: EMOTIONAL (i.e. “moving”). Solution is MOTION (i.e. “topic for debate”) placed “in” E (a recognised abbreviation of “eastern”) and AL (US state abbreviation of “Alabama”), like so: E-(MOTION)-AL.

45. Loathes son crossing lake without headgear (7)

Answer: HATLESS (i.e. “without headgear”). Solution is HATES (i.e. “loathes”) and S (a recognised abbreviation of “son”) all wrapped around or “crossing” L (ditto “lake”), like so: HAT(L)ES-S.

46. Some police officers are inclined to expand (7)

Answer: DISTEND (i.e. “to expand”). Solution is DIS (i.e. “some police officers”, specifically Detective Inspectors) followed by TEND (i.e. “are inclined to”).

47. Frenzied woman crazy about another (6)

Answer: MAENAD (i.e. “frenzied woman”, a female follower of Bacchus). Solution is MAD (i.e. “crazy”) wrapped “about” ENA (i.e. “another” woman, presumably. More names), like so: MA(ENA)D. One nailed from memory, helped by Elizabeth Hand’s short story The Bacchae. Well worth a read.

48. Duke supported body politic, it’s said (6)

Answer: STATED (i.e. “said”). Solution is D (a recognised abbreviation of “duke”) placed after or “supporting” – this being a down clue – STATE (i.e. the “body politic”), like so: STATE-D.

50. Longing to be staining fabric, do we hear? (5)

Answer: DYING (i.e. “longing”). “Do we hear” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of DYEING (i.e. “staining fabric”).

52. Exchange prisoners going north (4)

Answer: SWOP (i.e. “exchange”, a variant spelling of SWAP). Solution is POWS (i.e. “prisoners”, specifically Prisoners Of War) reversed (indicated by “going north” – this being a down clue).

Another medium strength puzzle, and another good ‘un for my money. I’m a sucker for a well-worked anagram and there were a few to savour here.

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 returned from Glastonbury, having last week nicked your tickets to get there, and brought half of Glastonbury back with it then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of the things. Elsewhere there are the usual ancient book reviews and a story of mine.

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

LP

Across clues

1. Shot capturing old John looking white on top (10)

Answer: SNOWCAPPED (i.e. of mountains “looking white on top”). Solution is SNAPPED (i.e. “shot” or having taken a photograph) wrapped around or “capturing” O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) and WC (i.e. “john” – ignore the misleading capitalisation, this is US slang for a toilet or Water Closet), like so: SN(O-WC)APPED.

6. Making awfully decent 500, cracking cricketer and I celebrate (12)

Answer: BOWDLERISING (i.e. “making awfully decent”, usually unnecessarily. Named after Dr Thomas Bowdler, who published a sanitised version of Shakespeare’s works in 1818. If someone published an anti-Bowdlerised version just keeping all the gory and unsavoury stuff and cutting out all the waffle then perhaps I’d be tempted pick up a copy). Solution is D (i.e. “[Roman numeral] 500”) placed in or “cracking” BOWLER (i.e. “cricketer”) and followed by I, then SING (i.e. “celebrate”), like so: BOW(D)LER-I-SING.

14. What could season finally do, ass being sent westward (7)

Answer: OREGANO (i.e. “what could season”). Solution is O (i.e. “finally do”, i.e. the last letter of “do”) followed by ONAGER (i.e. “ass” – over to Chambers: “the wild ass of Central Asia”. I’m saying nothing…) once reversed (indicated by “being sent westward” – this being an across clue), like so: O-REGANO.

15. Worst thing family of British statesmen said (3,4)

Answer: THE PITS (i.e. “worst thing”). “Said” indicates homophone. When expressed as THE PITTS the solution also satisfies “family of British statesmen”, referencing William Pitt the Elder and his son William Pitt the Younger.

16. Attractive female’s left an impression (7)

Answer: ETCHING (i.e. “an impression”). Solution is FETCHING (i.e. “attractive”) with the F removed (indicated by “female’s left” – F being a recognised abbreviation of “female”).

17. Donkey jacket of gentleman containing double zip (4)

Answer: GOON (i.e. “donkey”, both referencing a stupid person). Solution is GN (i.e. “jacket of gentleman”, i.e. the first and last letters of “gentleman”) wrapped around or “containing” OO (i.e. “double zip” – “zip” being US slang for zero), like so: G(OO)N.

18. Inch between both sides in books (6)

Answer: LEDGER (i.e. “books”, financially speaking). Solution is EDGE (i.e. to move slowly or “inch”) placed “between” L and R (i.e. “both sides”, being recognised abbreviations of left and right respectively), like so: L-(EDGE)-R.

20. Report of US capital’s rapid transport once (8)

Answer: CONCORDE (i.e. “rapid transport once”). “Report of” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of CONCORD, the “US [state] capital” of New Hampshire.

24. Pat, say, hastens shakily to a chemist with case of nightmarish nerves (11,2,3,7)

Answer: BUTTERFLIES IN THE STOMACH (i.e. “nerves”). Solution is BUTTER (i.e. “pat, say” being a small soft mass) followed by FLIES (i.e. “hastens”) and an anagram (indicated by “shakily”) of TO A CHEMIST and NH (i.e. “case of nightmarish”, i.e. the first and last letters of “nightmarish”), like so: BUTTER-FLIES-INTHESTOMACH. Nicely done.

25. Mostly explosive area in island state (7)

Answer: GRENADA (i.e. “island state”). Solution is GRENADE (i.e. “explosive”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “mostly”) and the remainder followed by A (a recognised abbreviation of “area”), like so: GRENAD-A.

26. See sheltering flower in wind (8)

Answer: EASTERLY (i.e. “wind”). Solution is ELY (i.e. “see”, specifically a diocese in the east of England popular with crossword setters) wrapped around or “sheltering” ASTER (i.e. “flower”), like so: E(ASTER)LY.

27. Explicit communication about man of the church (6)

Answer: SEXTON (i.e. “man of the church”, who does a bit of bell ringing and a bit of gravedigging. Quite the gamut of skills there). Solution is SEXT (i.e. “explicit communication”, a conflation of “sex” and “text”. My dictionaries are all wearing beige slacks on this one, but newer editions may list it) followed by ON (i.e. regarding or “about”).

29. Assembly place for one crossing Channel maybe surfing (10,4)

Answer: PRODUCTION LINE (i.e. “assembly place”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) placed between or “crossing” PRO (i.e. “for” or in favour of), DUCT (i.e. “channel” – ignore the misleading capitalisation) and ONLINE (i.e. “maybe surfing” – other online activities are available), like so: PRO-DUCT-(I)-ONLINE.

31. Where Americans shop, if not around island (8)

Answer: MALLORCA (i.e. “island”). Solution is MALL (i.e. “where Americans shop”) followed by OR (i.e. “if not”) and CA (i.e. “around”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “circa”).

34. Squad gathering soldiers for inconspicuous entry (4,4)

Answer: SIDE DOOR (i.e. “inconspicuous entry”). Solution is SIDE (i.e. “squad”) followed by DO (i.e. “gathering” or party) and OR (i.e. “soldiers”, specifically the Other Ranks of the British Army).

36. Pass met with costlier blundering is something for the keeper? (10,4)

Answer: COLLECTOR’S ITEM (i.e. “something for the keeper”). Solution is COL (i.e. a mountain “pass” popular with setters) followed by an anagram (indicated by “blundering”) of MET and COSTLIER, like so: COL-LECTORSITEM. Another well-worked clue.

39. Gifts suffice, wrapped by quartet each getting a hand (6)

Answer: ENDOWS (i.e. “gifts”, as a verb). Solution is DO (i.e. “suffice”) placed in or “wrapped by” ENWS (i.e. “quartet each getting a hand [of cards]” – this a reference to bridge, where players comprise the points of the compass, in this case East, North, West and South), like so: EN(DO)WS.

41. Seedy food found in grape arbour? (5-3)

Answer: SPLIT-PEA (i.e. “seedy food” – peas are seeds, so…) The remainder of the clue plays on how PEA can be found SPLITTING the letters of GRA(PE A)RBOUR.

43. Canaries and sick crow in hospital (7)

Answer: NORWICH (i.e. “Canaries”, the nickname of Norwich City Football Club). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “sick”) of CROW IN and H (a recognised abbreviation of “hospital” used on maps). (Waves hi from Norwich.)

46. Game finished with odd word utterable in song (6,4,8,5)

Answer: BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER (i.e. “song” by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel). Solution is BRIDGE (i.e. card “game”) followed by OVER (i.e. “finished”) and an anagram (indicated by “odd”) of WORD UTTERABLE, like so: BRIDGE-OVER-TROUBLEDWATER.

47. Organised a repeatedly decent, demure event (3,5)

Answer: TEA DANCE (i.e. “demure event”, also called the dansant, being formerly “a dance held in the summer or autumn from 4 to 7 p.m. in the English countryside”. That’s off of Wikipedia, by the way. My Chambers basically said “dansant, innit” and left it at that. My Oxford and even my Brewer’s drew a blank. Anyway, it all sounds a bit too Jane Austen for me. I’ll take the Dennis Wheatley version, thanks). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “organised”) of AA (i.e. “a repeatedly”) and DECENT.

48. TV consumption cut by ambassador given steer (3,3)

Answer: THE BOX (i.e. “TV”). Solution is TB (i.e. “consumption”, short for tuberculosis) wrapped around or “cut by” HE (i.e. “ambassador”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of His Excellency uttered amid your bowing and scraping) and followed by OX (i.e. “steer” or cattle), like so: T(HE)B-OX.

49. Audibly check piece of stone by the way (4)

Answer: KERB (i.e. “stone by the way” or at the roadside). “Audibly” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of CURB (i.e. to limit or “check”).

53. What makes unsightly emblem is hideous borders (7)

Answer: BLEMISH (i.e. “what makes unsightly”). “Borders” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: EM(BLEM IS H)IDEOUS. Nicely done.

54. Hemlock periodically secretes a fizzy white fluid (7)

Answer: ELASTIC (i.e. flexible or “fluid”). Solution is ELC (i.e. “hemlock periodically”, i.e. every other letter of HEMLOCK) wrapped around or “secreting” ASTI (i.e. “a fizzy white” wine), like so: EL(ASTI)C.

56. Specialist in furniture stores to disallow oriental art (7)

Answer: IKEBANA (i.e. “oriental art” – over to Chambers again: “the Japanese art of flower arranging”). Solution is IKEA (i.e. “specialist in furniture” – ker-ching, setter?) wrapped around or “storing” BAN (i.e. “to disallow”), like so: IKE(BAN)A. One nailed from the wordplay, if I’m honest.

57. Strongly opposed to acting, as in plays (12)

Answer: ANTAGONISTIC (i.e. “strongly opposed”). “Plays” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of TO ACTING AS IN.

58. Deploy cast with Lear performed (4-6)

Answer: ROLE-PLAYED (i.e. “performed”). “Cast” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of DEPLOY and LEAR.

Down clues

1. Scrounge black and silver traveller’s pouch (6,3)

Answer: SPONGE BAG (i.e. “traveller’s pouch”). Solution is SPONGE (i.e. “scrounge”) followed by B (a recognised abbreviation of “black” used in chess) and AG (chemical symbol of “silver”).

2. American novel about drug, favouring more alcohol (3,3,3,4)

Answer: ONE FOR THE ROAD (i.e. “more alcohol”). Solution is ON THE ROAD (i.e. “American novel” by Jack Kerouac) wrapped “about” E (i.e. “drug”, specifically a slang name for “ecstasy”) and FOR (i.e. “favouring”), like so: ON-(E-FOR)-THE-ROAD.

3. Modelling material German artist picked up (4)

Answer: CLAY (i.e. “modelling material”). “Picked up” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of Paul KLEE (i.e. “German artist” – no, me neither).

4. It must be less than one moral Republican in party (6,8)

Answer: PROPER FRACTION (i.e. “it must be less than one”). Solution is PROPER (i.e. “moral”) followed by R (a recognised abbreviation of “Republican”) once placed “in” FACTION (i.e. “party”), like so: PROPER-F(R)ACTION.

5. Amphibian in web version of newspaper? (3)

Answer: EFT (i.e. an “amphibian”). When written as E-FT the solution playfully satisfies “web version of newspaper”, specifically the Financial Times. The prefix E- is often added to denote an electronic version of something.

7. Late notice, perhaps, over quantity of information (4)

Answer: OBIT (i.e. “late notice, perhaps”, short for obituary). Solution is O (a recognised abbreviation of “over” used in cricket) followed by BIT (i.e. “quantity of information”, specifically a value of 0 or 1 used in computing).

8. Record-keeper in nightspot with drug in abundance (10)

Answer: DISCOPHILE (i.e. “record-keeper”). Solution is DISCO (i.e. “nightspot”) followed by H (i.e. “drug”, specifically slang for “heroin”) once placed “in” PILE (i.e. “abundance”), like so: DISCO-P(H)ILE.

9. Work out problem (8)

Answer: EXERCISE. Solution satisfies “work out” and “problem”, the latter perhaps referring to “(in chess) an arrangement of pieces in which the solver has to achieve a specific result” (Oxford).

10. Elected officer’s clothing style ultimately immaterial (11)

Answer: INCORPOREAL (i.e. “immaterial”). Solution is IN (i.e. “elected”) followed by CORPORAL (i.e. “officer”) once wrapped around or “clothing” E (i.e. “style ultimately”, i.e. the last letter of “style”), like so: IN-CORPOR(E)AL.

11. One can mouth off about eastern nomad (9)

Answer: ITINERANT (i.e. “nomad”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) followed by TIN (i.e. “can”) and RANT (i.e. “mouth off”) all wrapped “about” E (a recognised abbreviation of “eastern”), like so: I-TIN-(E)-RANT.

12. Enthusiastic silence by front of auditorium (4)

Answer: GAGA (i.e. “enthusiastic”). Solution is GAG (i.e. “silence”) followed by A (i.e. “front [letter] of audience”).

13. Complex crime on the rise to steal money (8)

Answer: NEUROSIS (i.e. “complex”). Solution is SIN (i.e. “crime”) reversed (indicated by “on the rise” – this being a down clue) and wrapped around or “stealing” EUROS (i.e. “money”), like so: N(EUROS)IS. Very nicely worked.

19. Scotsman’s good editor raised game, one trained to lead (5,3)

Answer: GUIDE DOG (i.e. “one trained to lead”). Solution is GUID (i.e. “Scotsman’s good”, i.e. the Scots form of “good”) followed by ED (short for “editor”) and GO (i.e. an ancient “game”) once reversed (indicated by “raised” – again this being a down clue), like so: GUID-ED-OG.

21. Shivering, Jude admits a very uncanny feeling (4,2)

Answer: DÉJÀ VU (i.e. “uncanny feeling”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “shuddering”) of JUDE wrapped around or “admitting” A and V (a recognised abbreviation of “very”), like so: DEJ(A-V)U.

22. Conclude computer network’s flipping awful (8)

Answer: INFERNAL (i.e. “awful”). Solution is INFER (i.e. “conclude”) followed by LAN (i.e. “computer network”, specifically a Local Area Network) once reversed (indicated by “flipping”), like so: INFER-NAL. Another nicely worked clue.

23. Leader around English county bottling a spirit (8)

Answer: PHANTASM (i.e. “spirit”). Solution is PM (i.e. “leader”, specifically a Prime Minister) wrapped “around” HANTS (i.e. “English county”, short for Hampshire) once this has itself been wrapped around or “bottling” A, like so: P-(HANT(A)S)-M.

28. Boy in year in Rome lifted phone, ringing European number from Italy (2,5,1,6)

Answer: LA DONNA È MOBILE (i.e. “number from Italy”, specifically from Giuseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto. One of those you’ll know within seconds of hearing it). Solution is LAD (i.e. “boy”) followed by ANNO (i.e. “year in Rome”, i.e. the Italian for “year”) once reversed (indicated by “lifted” – this being a down clue), and MOBILE (i.e. “phone”) all wrapped around or “ringing” E (a recognised abbreviation of “European”), like so: LAD-ONNA-(E)-MOBILE. Nicely worked, but to be honest I typed in LA DON into Google and let it do the rest. I have no shame.

29. Wages securing southern European one present by chance (8)

Answer: PASSERBY (i.e. “one present by chance”). Solution is PAY (i.e. “wages”) wrapped around or “securing” S (a recognised abbreviation of “southern”) and SERB (i.e. “European”, a Serbian national), like so: PA(S-SERB)Y.

30. Investigate swag bags family now uncovered (4,4)

Answer: LOOK INTO (i.e. “investigate”). Solution is LOOT (i.e. “swag”) wrapped around or “bagging” KIN (i.e. “family”) and followed by O (i.e. “now uncovered”, i.e. the word “now” with its first and last letters removed), like so: LOO(KIN)T-O.

32. Splurging foolishly hit payer later (6,7)

Answer: RETAIL THERAPY (i.e. “splurging”). “Foolishly” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of HIT PAYER LATER. Another very nicely worked clue.

33. Mob following extremely specific game with words (8)

Answer: SCRABBLE (i.e. “game with words”). Solution is RABBLE (i.e. “mob”) placed after or “following” SC (i.e. “extremely specific”, i.e. the first and last letters of “specific”), like so: SC-RABBLE.

35. Demoting ex-student admitted to Cambridge college (11)

Answer: DOWNGRADING (i.e. “demoting”). Solution is GRAD (i.e. “ex-student”, short for “graduate”) placed in “admitted to” DOWNING (i.e. “Cambridge college”), like so: DOWN(GRAD)ING. Took a shufti in Bradford’s to shift.

37. Calculating width in tiny amount (6)

Answer: SHREWD (i.e. “calculating”). Solution is W (a recognised abbreviation of “width”) placed “in” SHRED (i.e. “tiny amount”), like so: SHRE(W)D.

38. Talks about daughter and son quickly seeking mates? (5,5)

Answer: SPEED CHESS (i.e. “quickly seeking mates”, as opposed to playing the game while absolutely ripped to the tits). Solution is SPEECHES (i.e. “talks”) wrapped “about” D (a recognised abbreviation of “daughter”) and followed by S (ditto “son”), like so: SPEE(D)CHES-S.

40. Most refined duke at houses wearing neckwear (9)

Answer: DAINTIEST (i.e. “most refined”). Solution is D (a recognised abbreviation of “duke”) and AT wrapped around or “housing” IN TIES (i.e. “wearing neckwear”), like so: D-A(IN-TIES)T.

42. Trouble with this may give a man the urge to go anti-private sector? (8)

Answer: PROSTATE (i.e. “trouble with this may give a man the urge to go” use the facilities, take a tinkle, see a man about a dog, drain the lizard, strain the taties, go for a wet, point Percy at porcelain, amid many other favourite euphemisms). When written as PRO-STATE the solution also playfully satisfies “anti-private sector”.

44. Nearly spoil fancy bra with odd, cheap material (9)

Answer: HARDBOARD (i.e. “cheap material”). Solution is HARM (i.e. “spoil”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “nearly”) and the remainder followed by an anagram (indicated by “fancy”) of BRA and ODD, like so: HAR-DBOARD.

45. Hebrew prophet drinking tea loudly with an apple (8)

Answer: JONATHAN (i.e. a variety of “apple” over in the US apparently. I guess “Alan” had already been taken). Solution is JONAH (i.e. “Hebrew prophet”) wrapped around or “drinking” T (i.e. “tea loudly”, i.e. a homophone of T) and followed by AN, like so: JONA(T)H-AN. Bradford’s all the way with this one.

50. Originally attacking Bonaparte, British army group associated with Waterloo (4)

Answer: ABBA (i.e. pop “group associated with Waterloo”). “Originally” indicates the solution is derived from the initial letters of Attacking Bonaparte British Army.

51. Old lady and man serving Christmas visitors (4)

Answer: MAGI (i.e. “Christmas visitors”, also known as The Three Wise Men). Solution is MA (i.e. “old lady”, both references to “mother”) followed by GI (i.e. “man serving”, or an army type over in the US).

52. List man’s going to read out (4)

Answer: HEEL (i.e. to “list” or lean). “To read out” indicates homophone, specifically of HE’LL, a contraction of HE WILL (i.e. “man’s going to”).

55. Bill’s partner not quite hip (3)

Answer: COO (i.e. “bill’s partner” – a new one on me, the phrase to “bill and coo” is “to kiss and talk intimately together” (Chambers)). Solution is COOL (i.e. “hip”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “not quite”).