Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1565

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).