Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1582

A medium strength puzzle this week after a couple of toughies. Not much I can add to this one, really. Some good clues, steady progression, a pleasant enough diversion.

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

Thanks again 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 safe out there kids.

LP

FBV (French-By-Volume): 1.7%

Across clues

1. River quietens with injection of hydrogen (6)

Answer: THAMES (i.e. “river”). Solution is TAMES (i.e. “quietens”) wrapped around or “injected” with H (chemical symbol of “hydrogen”), like so: T(H)AMES.

5. Gosh! Pound will get a good picnic accessory (4,3)

Answer: COOL BAG (i.e. “picnic accessory”). Solution is COO (i.e. “gosh!”) followed by LB (a recognised abbreviation of “pound” weight, after the Latin libra), then A and G (a recognised abbreviation of “good”).

9. Confident males, modest, relinquishing power (8)

Answer: COCKSURE (i.e. “confident”). Solution is COCKS (i.e. “males”) followed by PURE (i.e. “modest”) once the P has been removed (indicated by “relinquishing power” – P being a recognised abbreviation of “power”), like so: COCKS-URE. Fnar fnar!

13. Unhappy end darkens this cartoon film (4,6,3,8)

Answer: KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS (a 1949 Ealing comedy starring Alec Guinness and Alec Guinness and Alec Guinness and Alec… you get the idea. Anyway, “film”). “Unhappy” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of END DARKENS THIS CARTOON. Nicely worked.

14. Tracery to move agitatedly after corrosion (8)

Answer: FRETWORK (i.e. “tracery” or a fine decorative pattern). Solution is WORK (i.e. “move agitatedly” or convulsively; ‘of features’ apparently, though I had to go deep into Chambers’ definitions for it) placed “after” FRET (i.e. “corrosion”, one of its variant meanings), like so: FRET-WORK.

15. Understand, when tucking into meat, about greens (7)

Answer: VEGETAL (i.e. “about greens”). Solution is GET (i.e. “understand”) placed “into” VEAL (i.e. “meat”), like so: VE(GET)AL.

16. Clubs possibly hosting Frenchmen for conference (6)

Answer: SUMMIT (i.e. “conference”). Solution is SUIT (i.e. ” clubs possibly” – other suits in a pack of cards are available) wrapped around or “hosting” M and M (i.e. “Frenchmen” – M is a recognised abbreviation of “monsieur”), like so: SU(M-M)IT.

17. Experts favoured our group to receive first of college course lists (10)

Answer: PROSPECTUS (i.e. “course lists” – should that be singular?) Solution is PROS (i.e. “experts”), PET (i.e. “favoured”) and US (i.e. “our group”) all wrapped around or “receiving” C (i.e. “first [letter] of college”), like so: PROS-PE(C)T-US.

20. One in disgrace, Mother got on with kind son (7,5)

Answer: DAMAGED GOODS (i.e. “one in disgrace”). Solution is DAM (i.e. “mother” – a variant meaning of dam relating to cattle that we’ve seen in a few Jumbos now) followed by AGED (i.e. “got on”), then GOOD (i.e. “kind”) and S (a recognised abbreviation of “son”).

23. Patch of land I almost killed off (4)

Answer: ISLE (i.e. “patch of land”). Solution is I followed by SLEW (i.e. “killed off”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “almost”), like so: I-SLE.

24. Disparaging after extracting iodine around ring of bark? (8)

Answer: CORTICAL (i.e. “of bark”, derivative form of ‘cortex’). Solution is CRITICAL (i.e. “disparaging”) with one of the Is removed (indicated by “after extracting iodine” – I being its chemical symbol) and the remainder wrapped “around” O (i.e. “ring”), like so: C(O)RTICAL. One nailed from the wordplay, if I’m honest.

26. Church canon with a new description of the heavens? (8)

Answer: CERULEAN (i.e. a shade of blue, or “description of the heavens”). Solution is CE (a recognised abbreviation of “church”) followed by RULE (i.e. “canon”), then A and N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”). The X-Files episode ‘Pusher’ may have had a hand in me solving this one.

29. Food item to elevate film shot at Acapulco finally (6,6)

Answer: JACKET POTATO (i.e. “food item”). Solution is JACK (i.e. “to elevate”) followed by ET (i.e. “film”, specifically ET – The Extra Terrestrial), then POT (i.e. snooker “shot”), then AT and O (i.e. “Acapulco finally”, i.e. the last letter of “Acapulco”).

30. A cover gardener finally brought in to treat flower (6,4)

Answer: DAMASK ROSE (i.e. “flower”). Solution is A, MASK (i.e. “cover”) and R (i.e. “gardener finally”, i.e. the last letter of “gardener”) all placed or “brought in to” DOSE (i.e. “treat”), like so: D(A-MASK-R)OSE.

32. How to get sent fishing equipment? (6,4)

Answer: TANGLE NETS (i.e. “fishing equipment”). Clue plays on the solution cryptically satisfying “how to get sent”, i.e. an anagram (indicated by “TANGLE”) of NETS.

34. Palace throne resited in part of Westminster (7,5)

Answer: ANOTHER PLACE (i.e. “part of Westminster”, referencing the House of Lords from the point of view of those in the House of Commons, or vice versa. I always thought they were saying “the other place”, but then my hearing isn’t great. Every day’s a school day). “Resited” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of PALACE THRONE.

36. Stopped to embrace second member, being placated (8)

Answer: DISARMED (i.e. “placated”). Solution is DIED (i.e. “stopped”) wrapped around or “embracing” S (a recognised abbreviation of “second”) and ARM (i.e. “member” or bodily extremity), like so: DI(S-ARM)ED.

38. Pile of farm produce has way to keep years (8)

Answer: HAYSTACK (i.e. “pile of farm produce”). Solution is HAS and TACK (i.e. “way”) all wrapped around or “keeping” Y (a recognised abbreviation of “years”), like so: HA(Y)S-TACK.

39. Bottle of great importance, lacking central element (4)

Answer: VIAL (i.e. “bottle”). Solution is VITAL (i.e. “of great importance”) with the middle letter removed (indicated by “lacking central element”).

41. Group admitting Danish writer ignoring one English fantasy creature (12)

Answer: BANDERSNATCH (i.e. “fantasy creature”). Solution is BATCH (i.e. “group”) wrapped around or “admitting” Hans Christian ANDERSEN (i.e. “Danish writer”) once one of the Es has been removed (indicated by “ignoring one English” – E being a recognised abbreviation of “English”), like so: B(ANDERSN)ATCH.

43. One on board often depressed: restraint vital (7,3)

Answer: CONTROL KEY (i.e. “one on [computer key]board often depressed”). Solution is CONTROL (i.e. “restraint”) followed by KEY (i.e. “vital”).

44. University learners coming in to secure passage (6)

Answer: GULLET (i.e. “passage”). Solution is U (a recognised abbreviation of “university”), L and L (ditto “learners” – plural, so there are two) both placed “in” GET (i.e. “to secure”), like so: G(U-L-L)ET.

46. Poison very twisted individual injected into ailing men (7)

Answer: ENVENOM (i.e. to “poison”). Solution is V (a recognised abbreviation of “very”) and ONE (i.e. “individual”) once reversed (indicated by “twisted”) both placed “into” an anagram (indicated by “ailing”) of MEN, like so: EN(V-ENO)M.

48. Pepper’s appearance rooted in stone, initially odd (8)

Answer: PIMIENTO (i.e. variety of “pepper”). Solution is MIEN (i.e. “appearance”) placed or “rooted in” PIT (i.e. fruit “stone”) and followed by O (i.e. “initially odd”, i.e. the first letter of “odd”), like so: PI(MIEN)T-O.

50. Wan desultory ambition stirred, receiving a comment on extended construction times (4,3,3,5,2,1,3)

Answer: ROME WAS NOT BUILT IN A DAY (i.e. “comment on extended construction times”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “stirred”) of WAN DESULTORY AMBITION wrapped around or “receiving” A.

51. Looking ravaged, allowed element of challenge (8)

Answer: GAUNTLET (i.e. “element of challenge”). Solution is GAUNT (i.e. “looking ravaged”) followed by LET (i.e. “allowed”).

52. Caribbean island not supporting Pacific island? Not entirely (7)

Answer: ANTIGUA (i.e. “Caribbean island”). Solution is ANTI-GUAM (i.e. “not supporting Pacific Island”, playfully) with its last letter removed (indicated by “not entirely”), like so: ANTI-GUA.

53. Charge excluding a German house-guest (6)

Answer: LODGER (i.e. “house-guest”). Solution is LOAD (i.e. to “charge”) with the A removed (indicated by “excluding a”) and the remainder followed by GER (a recognised abbreviation of “German”), like so: LOD-GER.

Down clues

2. Price rise beginning to rile rambler (5)

Answer: HIKER (i.e. “rambler”). Solution is HIKE (i.e. “price rise”) followed by R (i.e. “beginning to rile”, i.e. the first letter of “rile”).

3. Little risk for speaker in a quick meal (6,5)

Answer: MINUTE STEAK (i.e. “quick meal”). Solution is MINUTE (i.e. “little”) followed by a homophone (indicated by “for speaker”) of STAKE (i.e. to “risk”).

4. Vessel more readily allowing first couple of children on board (8)

Answer: SCHOONER (i.e. “vessel”). Solution is SOONER (i.e. “more readily”) wrapped around or “allowing…on board” CH (i.e. “first couple [of letters] of ‘children’”), like so: S(CH)OONER.

5. Family spook finally producing sound of chains? (5)

Answer: CLANK (i.e. “sound of chains”). Solution is CLAN (i.e. “family”) followed by K (i.e. “spook finally”, i.e. the last letter of “spook”).

6. Gutted contralto picked up items on score, but not opening sequences of notes (7)

Answer: OCTAVES (i.e. “sequences of notes”). Solution is CO (i.e. “gutted contralto”, i.e. the word “contralto” with all its middle letters removed) reversed (indicated by “picked up” – this being a down clue) and followed by STAVES (i.e. “items on [musical] score”) once the first letter has been removed (indicated by “but not opening”), like so: OC-TAVES.

7. Country upset about newspaper trouble – I will probe company bluster (11)

Answer: BRAGGADOCIO (i.e. “bluster”). Solution is GB (i.e. “country”, specifically Great Britain) reversed (indicated by “upset” – this being a down clue) and wrapped “about” RAG (slang for “newspaper”). This is then followed by ADO (i.e. “trouble”) and I once placed in or “probing” CO (a recognised abbreviation of “company”), like so: B(RAG)G-ADO-C(I)O.

8. Leave and spot someone expected to appear? (5)

Answer: GODOT (i.e. “someone expected to appear”, referencing Samuel Beckett’s play Waiting For Godot). Solution is GO (i.e. “leave”) followed by DOT (i.e. “spot”).

9. Poor justification to produce firewood, say, before a lot of cold weather (9)

Answer: CHOPLOGIC (i.e. false reasoning or “poor justification” – my Chambers and Oxford both disagree, listing this as a two-word phrase and not a single nine-letter word. My Collins Concise, meanwhile, doesn’t list it at all.) Solution is CHOP LOG (i.e. “produce firewood, say”) followed by ICE (i.e. “cold weather”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “a lot of…”), like so: (CHOP-LOG)-IC.

10. It’s hard to carry, making you grumpy (5)

Answer: CROSS. Solution satisfies “it’s hard to carry”, as in someone’s “cross to bear”, and “grumpy”.

11. Slow-moving vehicle covering each mile with walker (11)

Answer: STEAMROLLER (i.e. “slow-moving vehicle”). Solution is EA (a recognised abbreviation of “each”) and M (ditto “mile”) both placed in or “covered” by STROLLER (i.e. “walker”), like so: ST(EA-M)ROLLER.

12. Cancel escape, having cut skin (7)

Answer: RESCIND (i.e. “cancel”). Solution is ESC (a recognised abbreviation of “escape”, a key on a computer keyboard) placed in or “cutting” RIND (i.e. “skin”), like so: R(ESC)IND.

18. Runs a wildlife tour, retaining time for religious figure (3,6)

Answer: RAS TAFARI (i.e. “religious figure”, specifically revered former emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “runs” used in a number of ball games) followed by A and SAFARI (i.e. “wildlife tour”) all wrapped around or “retaining” T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”), like so: R-A-S(T)AFARI.

19. Book containing revolutionary plant item (7)

Answer: TWOSOME (i.e. couple or “item”). Solution is TOME (i.e. “book”) wrapped around or “containing” SOW (i.e. “plant” seeds) once reversed (indicated by “revolutionary”), like so: T(WOS)OME.

21. Notice Eire investing in whiskey: that’s awkward (9)

Answer: MALADROIT (i.e. “awkward”). Solution is AD (i.e. “notice”, short for advertisement) and ROI (i.e. “Eire”, or Republic Of Ireland) both placed or “invested in” MALT (i.e. “whiskey”), like so: MAL(AD-ROI)T.

22. Is nothing in part of Northern Ireland of little significance? (8)

Answer: DERISORY (i.e. “of little significance”). Solution is IS and O (i.e. “nothing”) both placed “in” DERRY (i.e. “part of Northern Ireland”), like so: DER(IS-O)RY.

25. It’s all over a statement of the obvious about pronoun (5,4)

Answer: THAT’S THAT. Solution satisfies “it’s all over” and “a statement of the obvious about pronoun”.

27. Redevelopment of seacoast involving one couple (9)

Answer: ASSOCIATE (i.e. to “couple” or join). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “redevelopment of”) of SEACOAST wrapped around or “involving” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), like so: ASSOC(I)ATE.

28. River boat’s gone round, displaying flag (8)

Answer: STREAMER (i.e. “flag”). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “river”) placed in or having “round” STEAMER (i.e. “boat”), like so: ST(R)EAMER.

31. Hairstyle? Complain about yokel getting trimmed (7)

Answer: MOHICAN (i.e. “hairstyle”). Solution is MOAN (i.e. “complain”) wrapped “about” HICK (i.e. “yokel”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “getting trimmed”), like so: MO(HIC)AN.

33. African currency acquired by American banker, a respected figure (5,3,3)

Answer: GRAND OLD MAN (i.e. “a respected figure”). Solution is RAND (i.e. “African currency”) placed in or “acquired by” Marcus GOLDMAN (i.e. “American banker”), like so: G(RAND)OLDMAN.

34. Trace of nudity in naughty bit broadcast? Certainly not (8,3)

Answer: ANYTHING BUT (i.e. “certainly not”). Solution N (i.e. “trace of nudity”, i.e. the first letter of “nudity”) placed “in” an anagram (indicated by “broadcast”) of NAUGHTY BIT, like so: A(N)YTHINGBUT.

35. Led after stage of game, being very controlled (5-6)

Answer: LEVEL-HEADED (i.e. “being very controlled”). Solution is HEADED (i.e. “led”) placed “after” LEVEL (i.e. “stage of (video) game” – this nerd approves!).

37. Effort to acquire new Irish plates etc (6,3)

Answer: DINNER SET (i.e. “plates etc”). Solution is DINT (i.e. “effort”) wrapped around or “acquiring” N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”) and ERSE (i.e. “Irish”), like so: DIN(N-ERSE)T.

40. US state securing border in getting crook (8)

Answer: CRIMINAL (i.e. “crook”). Solution is CAL (i.e. “US state”, short for California) wrapped around or “securing” RIM (i.e. “border”) and IN, like so: C(RIM-IN)AL.

42. Vocal music around pier curtailed marine displays (7)

Answer: AQUARIA (i.e. “marine displays”, plural of aquarium). Solution is ARIA (i.e. “vocal music”) wrapped “around” QUAY (i.e. “pier”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “curtailed”), like so: A(QUA)RIA.

43. On holiday? Feeling glum, missing love, beside borders of China (7)

Answer: CAMPING (i.e. “on holiday”). Solution is MOPING (i.e. “feeling glum”) with the O removed (indicated by “missing love” – “love” being a zero score in tennis) and the remainder placed after or “beside” CA (i.e. “borders of China”, i.e. the first and last letters of “China”), like so: CA-MPING.

45. Drying agent tails off excessively? (5)

Answer: TOWEL (i.e. “drying agent”). Solution is TOO WELL (i.e. “excessively”) with the last letter removed from each word (indicated by “tails off”), like so: TO-WEL.

47. Shakespearean character going by catching start of one line (5)

Answer: VIOLA (i.e. “Shakespearean character”, from The Merchant Of Venice Twelfth Night). Solution is VIA (i.e. “going by”) wrapped around or “catching” O (i.e. “start [letter] of ‘one’”) and L (a recognised abbreviation of “line”), like so: VI(O-L)A.

[EDIT: Thanks to Sue in the comments for the correction re: Twelfth Night. I was getting my Portias and Violas mixed up. Cheers, Sue! – LP]

48. Historic city has taken up recording revolutionary creative work (5)

Answer: PETRA (i.e. “historic city”). Solution is EP (i.e. “recording”, short for Extended Play) reversed (indicated by “taken up” – this being a down clue) followed by ART (i.e. “creative work”) also reversed (indicated by “revolutionary”), like so: PE-TRA.

49. Fragrant plant no longer for the solver and setter (5)

Answer: THYME (i.e. “fragrant plant”). Solution is THY (i.e. an archaic form, indicated by “no longer”, of “for the solver”, i.e. “your”) followed by ME (i.e. “setter”), both taken from the point of view of the setter.