Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1572

Catching up on some old Jumbos that were published while I was away. This was a medium strength offering and a pretty good one with a decent helping of well-worked clues and the kind of steady progression I like. Well, apart from 1a, which took me waaaay too long to twig.

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 given you gyp then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of the things.

Thanks as always for the kind words and input. It’s always interesting to hear the thoughts of other solvers on these things. Right then, I’ll see you in a couple of minutes with the next one.

LP

Across clues

1. Rockers maybe have parts to belt out (7)

Answer: SEATING (i.e. “rockers maybe” – other forms of seating are available). The rest of the clue seems to riff on the “belts” you find on car seats.

[EDIT: Thanks to Natalie in the comments for fleshing this one out. Turns out the solution comprises EAT (i.e. to “have”) once placed in or “parting” SING (i.e. “to belt out”), like so: S(EAT)ING. Thanks, Natalie! – LP]

5. Biggest aphid possibly on fruit (8)

Answer: PLUMPEST (i.e. “biggest”). Solution is PEST (i.e. “aphid possibly” – other nuisances are available) placed “on” or after PLUM (i.e. “fruit”), like so: PLUM-PEST.

9. First trace of this compound comprises carbon and silicate (6)

Answer: TALCUM (i.e. “silicate”). Solution is T (i.e. “first trace of this”, i.e. the first letter of “this”) followed by ALUM (i.e. “compound” of potassium and aluminium) once wrapped around or “comprising” C (chemical symbol of “carbon”), like so: T-AL(C)UM.

13. Line – or lines – tracking said form of transport (11,5)

Answer: ARTICULATED LORRY (i.e. “transport”). Solution is L (a recognised abbreviation of “line”), OR and RY (i.e. “lines”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of a railway) all placed after or “tracking” ARTICULATED (i.e. “said”), like so: ARTICULATED-(L-OR-RY).

14. Nap following a strong drink (6)

Answer: PERNOD (i.e. “strong drink”). Solution is NOD (i.e. “nap”, both referring to sleep) placed after or “following” PER (i.e. “a”, as in “three times a year”), like so: PER-NOD.

16. Attack remake of extremely bad B-movie (4-4)

Answer: DIVE-BOMB (i.e. “attack”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “remake”) of BD (i.e. “extremely bad”, i.e. the first and last letters of “bad”) and B-MOVIE.

17. Big predator in Oregon and California (4)

Answer: ORCA (i.e. “big predator”). Solution comprises OR and CA, US state abbreviations of “Oregon” and “California”.

18. Poverty seen to recede with the consumption of lunches? (9)

Answer: NEEDINESS (i.e. “poverty”). Solution is SEEN reversed (indicated by “to recede”) and wrapped around or “consuming” DINES (i.e. “lunches”), like so: NEE(DINES)S.

20. Do something distinctive with beer bottles (5,3)

Answer: STAND OUT (i.e. “do something distinctive”). Solution is AND (i.e. “with”) placed in or “bottled” by STOUT (i.e. “beer”), like so: ST(AND)OUT.

21. Boy or girl also, cheerful with time away from African port (11)

Answer: ALEXANDRIAN (i.e. “from African port”, specifically Alexandria in Egypt). Solution is ALEX (i.e. “boy or girl’s” name) followed by AND (i.e. “also”) then RIANT (i.e. “cheerful”, apparently a French term but one recognised by Chambers) once the T has been removed (indicated by “with time away” – T being a recognised abbreviation of “time”), like so: ALEX-AND-RIAN.

24. Pictures in the centre are conserved by gallery’s chemicals (9)

Answer: TARTRATES (i.e. “chemicals”). Solution is ART (i.e. “pictures”) and R (i.e. “in the centre are”, i.e. the middle letter of “are”) both placed in or “conserved by” TATE’S (i.e. “gallery’s”), like so: T(ART-R)ATE’S.

25. Cheat excessively called out instructions from the back (3-5)

Answer: TWO-TIMER (i.e. a “cheat”). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “called out”) of TOO (i.e. “excessively”) followed by REMIT (i.e. “instructions”) once reversed (indicated by “from the back”).

26. Female, 18, somewhat taken aback (4)

Answer: ENID (i.e. “female’s” name). The solution to “18” across is NEEDINESS, in which the solution can be found once it has been reversed or “taken aback”, like so: NEE(DINE)SS.

29. For health reasons, heated disputes are ugly (11)

Answer: PASTEURISED (i.e. “for health reasons, heated”). “Ugly” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of DISPUTES ARE.

31. Plant found in delightful Italian region, say (5,6)

Answer: SWEET CICELY (i.e. “plant”). Solution is SWEET (i.e. “delightful”) followed by a homophone (indicated by “say”) of SICILY (i.e. “Italian region”).

33. Bring in books to fill a library’s case, crucially (11)

Answer: IMPORTANTLY (i.e. “crucially”). Solution is IMPORT (i.e. “bring in”) followed by NT (i.e. “books”, specifically the New Testament of The Bible) once placed in or “filling” A and LY (i.e. “library’s case”, i.e. the first and last letter of “library”), like so: IMPORT-A-(NT)-LY.

36. Contemplates ditching mass and running from a Christian group? (11)

Answer: PENTECOSTAL (i.e. “from a Christian group”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “running”) of CONTEMPLATES once the M has been removed (indicated by “ditching mass” – M being a recognised abbreviation of “mass”).

38. On one’s own and thus endlessly sad (4)

Answer: SOLO (i.e. “on one’s own”). Solution is SO (i.e. “thus”) followed by LOW (i.e. “sad”) once the last letter has been removed (indicated by “endlessly”), like so: SO-LO.

39. Impressive, posh starters of rabbit excited several foodies (8)

Answer: EPICURES (i.e. “foodies”). Solution is EPIC (i.e. “impressive”) followed by U (i.e. “posh” – U is sometimes used as an abbreviation for the upper class) and RES (i.e. “starters of rabbit excited several”, i.e. the first letters of “rabbit”, “excited” and “several”).

41. Single, rubbish pastry item rejected by a restaurant (9)

Answer: TRATTORIA (i.e. “restaurant”). Solution is I (i.e. “single”, or 1) followed by ROT (i.e. “rubbish”) and TART (i.e. “pastry item”) all reversed (indicated by “rejected”) and followed by A, like so: (TRAT-TOR-I)-A.

44. Building up hospital crew with nurse in middle of surgery (11)

Answer: HEIGHTENING (i.e. “building up”). Solution is H (a recognised abbreviation of “hospital” used on maps) followed by EIGHT (i.e. sporting boat “crew”), then EN (i.e. “nurse”, specifically an Enrolled Nurse), then IN and G (i.e. “middle [letter] of surgery”).

45. Issue facing staff and head of US organisation (5,3)

Answer: POINT MAN (i.e. “head of US organisation”, presumably in this case an army unit. Point men are those who head in first). Solution is POINT (i.e. “issue”) followed by MAN (i.e. to “staff” an organisation).

48. Stuff you may have a good mind to eat? (9)

Answer: BRAINFOOD. Clue plays on BRAIN being another word for “mind”. You get the idea.

49. Black cloth put over clothes (4)

Answer: GARB (i.e. “clothes”). Solution is B (a recognised abbreviation of “black”) used in chess and RAG (i.e. “cloth”) all reversed (indicated by “put over”), like so: GAR-B.

50. Sportswear that’s easy to slip on? (3,5)

Answer: ICE SKATE (i.e. “sportswear”). Clue plays on how one can “slip on” an ice skate. You get the idea.

52. Cops having work cut out containing rebel troubles (6)

Answer: CRISES (i.e. “troubles”). Solution is CS (i.e. “cops having work cut out”, i.e. the word COPS with the OP removed – OP is a recognised abbreviation of “opus”, a creative work) wrapped around or “containing” RISE (i.e. to “rebel”), like so: C(RISE)S.

53. Clinic with secret room designed for small tech components (16)

Answer: MICROELECTRONICS (i.e. “small tech components”). “Designed” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of CLINIC and SECRET ROOM.

54. Type of coal initially failing to catch fire (6)

Answer: IGNITE (i.e. “to catch fire”). Solution is LIGNITE (i.e. “type of coal”) with the first letter removed (indicated by “initially failing”).

55. Element in any way reduced from a recent delivery (8)

Answer: NEONATAL (i.e. “from a recent delivery”, relating to newborns). Solution is NEON (i.e. chemical “element”) followed by AT ALL (i.e. “in any way”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “reduced”), like so: NEON-AT-AL.

56. Shape of game piece given to players (3-4)

Answer: DIE-CAST (i.e. to “shape”). Solution is DIE (i.e. “game piece”) followed by CAST (i.e. theatrical “players”).

Down clues

1. Low alcohol product is ultimately useful (6)

Answer: SHANDY (i.e. “low alcohol product”). Solution is S (i.e. “is ultimately”, i.e. the last letter of “is”) followed by HANDY (i.e. “useful”).

2. Brisk, later part of play gets tiresome at the end (6)

Answer: ACTIVE (i.e. “brisk”). Solution is ACT IV (i.e. “later part of play”) followed by E (i.e. “tiresome at the end”, i.e. the last letter of “tiresome”).

3. It helps new businesses in Communist state to run (9)

Answer: INCUBATOR (i.e. “it helps new businesses”). Solution is IN followed by CUBA (i.e. “Communist state”), then TO and R (a recognised abbreviation of “run” used in several ball games).

4. Lizard runs after mate, losing ground (4,7)

Answer: GILA MONSTER (i.e. “lizard”). Solution is R (i.e. “runs”, same as above) placed “after” an anagram (indicated by “ground”) of MATE LOSING, like so: GILAMONSTE-R.

5. Stone with hard innermost part (4)

Answer: PITH (i.e. “innermost part”). Solution is PIT (i.e. fruit “stone”) followed by H (a recognised abbreviation of “hard” used in grading pencils).

6. Subtle fact hidden by subordinate journalist (11)

Answer: UNDERSTATED (i.e. “subtle”). Solution is STAT (i.e. “fact”, short for statistic) placed in between or “hidden by” UNDER (i.e. “subordinate”) and ED (i.e. “journalist”, short for editor), like so: UNDER-(STAT)-ED.

7. Breeders stay close to iguana and other reptiles (11)

Answer: PROPAGATORS (i.e. “breeders”). Solution is PROP (i.e. “stay” or support) followed by A (i.e. “close to iguana”, i.e. the last letter of “iguana”) and GATORS (i.e. “other reptiles”, short for alligators).

8. Untroubled by time, I take in grand World Heritage site (9)

Answer: SERENGETI (i.e. “World Heritage site”). Solution is SERENE (i.e. “untroubled”), T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”) and I all wrapped around or “taking in” G (a recognised abbreviation of “grand”), like so: SEREN(G)E-T-I.

10. Indigenous people’s minds are extraordinary (8)

Answer: AMERINDS (i.e. “indigenous people”). “Extraordinary” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of MINDS ARE.

11. Shop where people go to rummage on vacation (11,5)

Answer: CONVENIENCE STORE (i.e. “shop”). Solution is CONVENIENCES (i.e. “where people go”, i.e. toilets) followed by TO and RE (i.e. “rummage on vacation”, i.e. the word “rummage” with all its middle letters removed).

12. Very enthusiastic boy claiming second part of kid’s bike race (7)

Answer: MADISON (i.e. “bike race”). Solution is MAD (i.e. “very enthusiastic”) and SON (i.e. “boy”) all wrapped around or “claiming” I (i.e. “second part of kid”, i.e. the second letter of “kid”), like so: MAD-(I)-SON.

15. Overheard club give evidence in trial (4,4)

Answer: BETA TEST (i.e. “trial”). “Overheard” indicates homophone. Solution comprises homophones of BEAT (i.e. to “club”) and ATTEST (i.e. “give evidence”).

19. Home Office employs computers, etc to watch over property (5-3)

Answer: HOUSE-SIT (i.e. “watch over property”). Solution is HO (short for “Home Office”) followed by USES (i.e. “employs”) and IT (i.e. “computers, etc”, or Information Technology).

22. They contract various typists to collect conveyances at first (8)

Answer: STYPTICS (i.e. “they contract” or draw together). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “various”) of TYPISTS wrapped around or “collecting” C (i.e. “conveyances at first”, i.e. the first letter of “conveyances”), like so: STYPTI(C)S. A new one on me.

23. Busy solicitors plan on transfer of workers? (5-11)

Answer: CROSS-POLLINATION (i.e. “transfer of workers”, hinting at worker bees). “Busy” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of SOLICITORS PLAN ON.

27. Not drinking, drug-free and rid of spots? (3-5)

Answer: DRY-CLEAN (i.e. “rid of spots”). Solution is DRY (i.e. “not drinking”) followed by CLEAN (i.e. “drug-free”, said of recovering addicts).

28. Attempt to grasp Inland Revenue payment system (4)

Answer: GIRO (i.e. “payment system”). Solution is GO (i.e. “attempt”) wrapped around or “grasping” IR (short for “Inland Revenue”), like so: G(IR)O.

30. Regularly set a trend and make money (4)

Answer: EARN (i.e. “make money”). “Regularly” indicates the solution can be derived by taking every other letter of SET A TREND.

32. A genius from Germany, or a mug from there (8)

Answer: Albert EINSTEIN (i.e. “a genius from Germany”). When written as EIN STEIN the solution also satisfies “a mug from there”, i.e. the German for “a drinking vessel”.

34. Small computer program supported by a physicist (8)

Answer: Edward Victor APPLETON (i.e. “physicist”). Solution is APPLET (i.e. “small computer program”) followed by ON (i.e. propped up or “supported by”).

35. Pioneering traveller – a guy raring to go wild around India (4,7)

Answer: YURI GAGARIN (i.e. “pioneering traveller”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “to go wild”) of A GUY RARING wrapped “around” I (“India” in the phonetic alphabet), like so: YUR(I)GAGARIN.

36. Meat pie – mostly excellent – had crumbled, for example (4,7)

Answer: PAST PERFECT (i.e. “had crumbled, for example” – in the dry and joyless world of grammar, perfect is “a tense signifying action completed in the past (e.g. I have said) or at the time spoken of (as in the past perfect), e.g. I had said, and the future perfect e.g. I shall have left by then” (Chambers)). Solution is PAST (i.e. “meat pie – mostly”, i.e. the word PASTY with the last letter removed) followed by PERFECT (i.e. “excellent”).

37. Happy to accept a punishment, mainly with resilience (11)

Answer: ELASTICATED (i.e. “with resilience”). Solution is ELATED (i.e. “happy”) wrapped around or “accepting” A STICK (i.e. “punishment”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “mainly”), like so: EL(A-STIC)ATED.

40. Innocent Democrat embraced by cool old president (9)

Answer: CHILDLIKE (i.e. “innocent”). Solution is D (a recognised abbreviation of “Democrat”) placed in or “embraced by” CHILL (i.e. “cool”) and followed by IKE (i.e. “old president”, nickname of Dwight D. Eisenhauer), like so: CHIL(D)L-IKE.

42. So, parents contrived to change (9)

Answer: TRANSPOSE (i.e. “to change”). “Contrived” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of SO PARENTS.

43. Most counterfeit rings tend primarily to contain tin in the centre (8)

Answer: PHONIEST (i.e. “most counterfeit”). Solution is PHONES (i.e. “rings”) and T (i.e. “tend primarily”, i.e. the first letter of “tend”) all wrapped around or “containing” I (i.e. “tin in the centre”, i.e. the middle letter of “tin”), like so: PHON(I)ES-T.

44. Welcomes eating certain pork, but not on a barbecue (7)

Answer: HIBACHI (i.e. “barbecue” – no, me neither). Solution is HI and HI (i.e. both “welcomes”) wrapped around or “eating” BACON (i.e. “certain pork”) once the ON has been removed (indicated by “but not on”), like so: HI-(BAC)-HI.

46. Pretentious youth starts to ignore dad’s advice (2-2-2)

Answer: LA-DI-DA (i.e. “pretentious”). Solution is LAD (i.e. “youth”) followed by IDA (i.e. “starts to ignore dad’s advice”, i.e. the first letters of “ignore”, “dad’s” and “advice”).

47. Service facility occupying empty tenement (3,3)

Answer: TEA SET (i.e. “service”). Solution is EASE (i.e. “facility”) placed in or “occupying” TT (i.e. “empty tenement”, i.e. the word “tenement” with all its middle letters removed), like so: T(EASE)T.

51. Soft wood is the reason for some shaking? (4)

Answer: DEAL (i.e. “soft wood”). Solution also playfully satisfies “the reason for some shaking”, referring to handshakes symbolically sealing deals.