Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1620

A relatively straightforward Jumbo this week. That’s fine by me! For the most part this was a good un too, with a smattering of well-worked clues and a refreshingly low number of repeats.

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 the middle finger then you might find my Just For Fun page useful, where you’ll find links to solutions to 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 cool out there peeps.

LP

RBV (Repeats-By-Volume): 3.3%

Across clues

1. Saucy stuff from press – old man’s weekend article? (7)

Answer: PASSATA (i.e. “saucy stuff from press”). Solution is PA’S (i.e. “old man’s” or father’s) followed by SAT (i.e. “weekend”, short for Saturday) and A (i.e. “article”, a word such as a, an or the).

5. Expression of surprise after room stripped of English fabric (8)

Answer: CHAMBRAY (i.e. “fabric”). Solution is AY (i.e. “expression of surprise”) placed “after” CHAMBER (i.e. “room”) once the E has been removed (indicated by “stripped of English” – E being a recognised abbreviation of “English”), like so: CHAMBR-AY. Last appeared in grid 1559, June 2nd last year, just outside my threshold for wanging on about repeated solutions. It does appear in exactly the same place in exactly the same grid layout, though. Makes you think.

9. Jolly exploit entertains mathematician (6)

Answer: Pierre de FERMAT (i.e. “mathematician”). Solution is RM (i.e. “jolly”, slang for a Royal Marine) placed in or “entertained by” FEAT (i.e. an “exploit”), like so: FE(RM)AT.

13. Security barrier? Oddly argue this causes civilian casualties (10,6)

Answer: COLLATERAL DAMAGE (weasel words for “civilian casualties”). Solution is COLLATERAL (i.e. some asset providing “security”) followed by DAM (i.e. “barrier”) and AGE (i.e. “oddly argue”, i.e. every other letter of ARGUE). Appeared in grid 1576 back in September, but this time on even intersecting letters. Fair do.

14. Ill-humour, depression borne by Councillor (6)

Answer: CHOLER (i.e. “ill-humour”). Solution is HOLE (i.e. a “depression”) placed in or “borne by” CR (a recognised abbreviation of “councillor”), like so: C(HOLE)R.

16. I halt gym exercises, being totally powerful (8)

Answer: ALMIGHTY (i.e. “totally powerful”). “Exercises” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of I HALT GYM.

17. Tone reflected as a prelude to foxtrot? (4)

Answer: ECHO (i.e. “tone”). The remainder of the clue plays on the phonetic alphabet, where F (“foxtrot”) is preceded by E (i.e. ECHO).

18. Castle wall’s sound, abutting Caithness town field (9)

Answer: BAILIWICK (i.e. jurisdiction or “field”, apparently). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “sound”) of BAILEY (i.e. “castle wall” – another new one on me) followed by WICK (i.e. “Caithness town”), like so: BAILI-WICK.

20. Starts to examine Sunday papers over coffee (8)

Answer: ESPRESSO (i.e. “coffee”). Solution is E and S (i.e. “starts to examine Sunday”, i.e. the first letters of “examine” and “Sunday”) followed by PRESS (i.e. “papers”) and O (a recognised abbreviation of “over” used in cricket).

21. A total absence of both seriousness and core attractiveness? (4,7)

Answer: ZERO GRAVITY. Solution satisfies “a total absence of seriousness” – GRAVITY being the seriousness of a situation – and “a total absence of core attractiveness”, playing on how GRAVITY pulls stuff towards the earth’s core. Nicely worked.

24. Time to leave street party – it’s getting louder and louder (9)

Answer: CRESCENDO (i.e. “it’s getting louder and louder”). Solution is CRESCENT (i.e. “street”) with the T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”) removed or “leaving”. The remainder is then followed by DO (i.e. slang for a “party”), like so: CRESCEN-DO. Another I liked.

25. Manufacturing facility which might make a packet (8)

Answer: SHIPYARD (i.e. “manufacturing facility”). The remainder of the clue plays on “packet” ships.

26. Retired PM trimming our excess fat (4)

Answer: FLAB (i.e. “fat”). Solution is Lord BALFOUR (i.e. “PM” or Prime Minister of the early 20th century) with the OUR removed or “trimmed” and the remainder reversed (indicated by “retired”).

29. Ban boyfriend, totally gutless – a dark horse (5,6)

Answer: BLACK BEAUTY (i.e. “a dark horse” of Anna Sewell’s novel). Solution is BLACK (i.e. to put under trade union “ban”, or to ban in general) followed by BEAU (i.e. “boyfriend”), then TY (i.e. “totally gutless”, i.e. the word “totally” with all its middle letters removed).

31. Hope you recover poor long lost ewe (3,4,4)

Answer: GET WELL SOON (i.e. “hope you recover”). “Poor” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of LONG LOST EWE.

33. Shanty house on wheels? (7,4)

Answer: ROLLING HOME. Solution satisfies the name of a 19th century sea “shanty” and, playfully, a “house on wheels”.

36. Fan can view Amex crowd celebration (7,4)

Answer: MEXICAN WAVE (i.e. “crowd celebration”). “Fan” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of CAN VIEW AMEX.

38. Kind husband quitting brief (4)

Answer: SORT (i.e. “kind”). Solution is SHORT (i.e. “brief”) with the H (a recognised abbreviation of “husband”) removed or “quitting”.

39. Fiancée, poorly, injected with fluorine drug (8)

Answer: CAFFEINE (i.e. “drug”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “poorly”) of FIANCÉE wrapped around or “injected with” F (chemical symbol of “fluorine”), like so: CAF(F)EINE.

41. Heartless Ebeneezer pops into golf club bar (8)

Answer: BRASSERIE (i.e. a “bar” serving food). Solution is ER (i.e. “heartless Ebeneezer”, i.e. “Ebeneezer” with all its middle letters removed) placed “into” BRASSIE (i.e. an old-fashioned “golf club”), like so: BRASS(ER)IE.

44. Vacancy: not very noble boring profession (11)

Answer: ACCOUNTANCY (i.e. a “profession”). Solution is VACANCY with the V removed (indicated by “not very” – V being a recognised abbreviation of “very”) and the remainder wrapped around or being “bored” by COUNT (i.e. a “noble”), like so: AC(COUNT)ANCY.

45. US locality slum marginalising southern gangsters (8)

Answer: HOODLUMS (i.e. “gangsters”). Solution is HOOD (i.e. “US locality”, slang short for neighbourhood) followed by SLUM. The S (a recognised abbreviation of “southern”) is then moved to the end (indicated by “marginalising”, as in pushing out to the edges), like so: HOOD-(S)LUM=> HOOD-LUM(S).

48. Tasking RAF Tornado to escort operation (4,5)

Answer: SKIN GRAFT (i.e. medical “operation”). “To escort” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: TA(SKING RAF T)ORNADO.

49. Bank’s answer lacking heart (4)

Answer: RELY (i.e. to “bank” on). Solution is REPLY (i.e. “answer”) with the middle letter removed (indicated by “lacking heart”).

50. Maybe anger gripping Head of Circus Smiley? (8)

Answer: EMOTICON (i.e. a “smiley”, both terms that now feel like they belong in the Victorian era). Solution is EMOTION (i.e. “maybe anger” – other emotions are available) wrapped around or “gripping” C (i.e. “Head of Circus”, i.e. the first letter of “circus”), like so: EMOTI(C)ON.

52. Prompts Morag finally to feature in candid paintings (6)

Answer: NUDGES (i.e. “prompts”). Solution is G (i.e. “Morag finally”, i.e. the last letter of “Morag”) placed or “featured in” NUDES (i.e. “candid paintings”), like so: NUD(G)ES.

53. Troubled monk was neglected in confessions (16)

Answer: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS (i.e. “confessions”). “Troubled” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of MONK WAS NEGLECTED.

54. Indiscipline of kiss stolen by members of the congregation (6)

Answer: LAXITY (i.e. “indiscipline”). Solution is X (i.e. symbolic of a “kiss”) placed in or “stolen by” LAITY (i.e. “members of the congregation”), like so: LA(X)ITY.

55. Chemical hailed occasionally by associate of H Jekyll (8)

Answer: ALDEHYDE (i.e. “chemical”). Solution is ALD (i.e. “hailed occasionally”, i.e. every other word of HAILED) followed by E HYDE (i.e. “associate of H Jekyll” from Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde – E HYDE being derived in the same fashion as “H Jekyll”).

56. Sculptor starts to explore purchasing stone from Germany (7)

Answer: Jacob EPSTEIN (i.e. “sculptor” – no, me neither). Solution is E and P (i.e. “starts to explore purchasing”, i.e. the first letters of “explore” and “purchasing”) followed by STEIN (i.e. “stone from Germany”, i.e. the German for “stone”).

Down clues

1. Dad caught mum on Nintendo’s first video game (3-3)

Answer: PAC-MAN (i.e. “video game”). Solution is PA (i.e. “dad”) followed by C (a recognised abbreviation of “caught” used in a number of ball games), then MA (i.e. “mum”) and N (i.e. “Nintendo’s first” letter).

2. Beguiling dancer who made John lose his head? (6)

Answer: SALOME. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole – in the The Bible, King Herod was rather taken by Salome’s dancing and offered her anything she desired. She demanded the head of John the Baptist, as you do.

3. For example Ms Turner upset and ill, taking potassium as a painkiller (9)

Answer: ANALGESIC (i.e. “painkiller”). Solution is EG (i.e. “for example”) and LANA (i.e. “Ms Turner”, American actress of the 40s and 50s) all reversed (indicated by “upset” – this being a down clue) and followed by SICK (i.e. “ill”) once the K has been removed (indicated by “taking potassium” – K is its chemical symbol), like so: (ANAL-GE)-SIC.

4. Spy called in over European biological weapon (5,6)

Answer: AGENT ORANGE (i.e. “biological weapon”). Solution is AGENT (i.e. “spy”) followed by RANG (i.e. “called”) once placed “in” between O (a recognised abbreviation of “over”, already covered) and E (a recognised abbreviation of “European”), like so: AGENT-O-(RANG)-E. Like CHAMBRAY, this last appeared in grid 1559 last June, though in the 6d slot, not 4d.

5. Still getting stomach upset? That’ll be the shellfish (4)

Answer: CLAM (i.e. “shellfish”). Solution is CALM (i.e. “still”) with its middle letters or “stomach” reversed (indicated by “upset”, again this being a down clue), like so: C(AL)M => C(LA)M.

6. US CIA lad you trained in daring fashion (11)

Answer: AUDACIOUSLY (i.e. “in daring fashion”). “Trained” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of US CIA LAD YOU.

7. Bishop, morning drinking around 50 is bewildering (11)

Answer: BAMBOOZLING (i.e. “bewildering”). Solution is B (a recognised abbreviation of “bishop” used in chess) followed by AM (i.e. “morning”, short for ante meridiem), then BOOZING (i.e. “drinking”) once wrapped “around” L (Roman numeral of “50”), like so: B-AM-BOOZ(L)ING.

8. Harry, Guy, Abram – rugby regulars in dust-up (4-5)

Answer: ARGY-BARGY (i.e. “dust-up”). “Regulars” indicates the solution is derived from every other letter of HARRY GUY ABRAM RUGBY.

10. Honourable to include note related to race (8)

Answer: ETHNICAL (i.e. “related to race”). Solution is ETHICAL (i.e. “honourable”) wrapped around or “including” N (a recognised abbreviation of “note”), like so: ETH(N)ICAL.

11. Rich guy Illuminati role I’m playing (16)

Answer: MULTIMILLIONAIRE (i.e. “rich guy”). “Playing” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of ILLUMINATI ROLE I’M.

12. Bird fed northern warder (7)

Answer: TURNKEY (i.e. prison guard or “warder”). Solution is TURKEY (i.e. “bird”) wrapped around or “fed” by N (a recognised abbreviation of “northern”), like so: TUR(N)KEY.

15. Visiting Berlin (Ger) I eschewed underwear (8)

Answer: LINGERIE (i.e. “underwear”). “Visiting” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: BER(LIN GER I E)SCHEWED.

19. Very large, very British upper-class Conservative old dish (4,4)

Answer: OSSO BUCO (i.e. “dish” – over to Chambers: “an Italian dish of (usually veal) knuckle cooked with the bone and stewed in wine, herbs etc”). Solution is OS (i.e. “very large”, a recognised abbreviation of “outsize”) followed by SO (i.e. “very”), then B (a recognised abbreviation of “British”), then U (ditto the “upper-class”), then C (ditto ditto “Conservative”) and O (ditto ditto ditto “old”). Needless to say, I got this one solely from the wordplay!

22. Bubbly, beer, cigs? They’re frozen (8)

Answer: ICEBERGS (i.e. “they’re frozen”). “Bubbly” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of BEER CIGS.

23. Right pressure indicator mostly in another case showing this measure of inflation? (6,5,5)

Answer: RETAIL PRICE INDEX (i.e. “measure of inflation” that was semi-retired in 2003 when it became too high for the government’s liking). One where I’m not quite on the same page as the setter. The solution is often abbreviated to RPI and when this last appeared (in February in grid 1600) the clue also played on the phrase “in another case”. On that occasion the initials RPI appeared amid another word in the clue. I suspect on this occasion we’re merely taking the first letters of Right Pressure Indicator to get said abbreviation. A whiffy clue if this is the case. Anyway, as mentioned this solution is a repeat from only a few months ago, also on odd intersecting letters, and in the same grid layout but in the 13a slot, not 23d. I thought for a moment we were going to get our first repeat-free Jumbo. Pity. Have a meme.

27. Knight, a new knight, wearing brimless cap (8)

Answer: BANNERET (i.e. a “knight” of higher grade). Solution is A, N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”) and N (ditto “knight” in chess) all placed in or “wearing” BERET (i.e. “brimless cap”), like so: B(A-N-N)ERET.

28. Information about loch and valley (4)

Answer: GLEN (i.e. “valley”). Solution is GEN (i.e. “information”) wrapped “about” L (a recognised abbreviation of “loch”), like so: G(L)EN.

30. Work with needles, turning cap of tattoo ink (4)

Answer: KNIT (i.e. “work with needles”). Solution is T (i.e. “cap of tattoo”, i.e. the first letter of “tattoo”) and INK all reversed (indicated by “turning”), like so: KNI-T.

32. Former partner, rising baronet, stole outside reference work (8)

Answer: TEXTBOOK (i.e. “reference work”). Solution is EX (i.e. “former partner”) and BT (a recognised abbreviation of “baronet”) reversed (indicated by “rising” – this being a down clue) all placed in or having outside of them TOOK (i.e. “stole”), like so: T(EX-TB)OOK.

34. Waif from Indian state to wander off (2,6)

Answer: GO ASTRAY (i.e. “wander off”). When written as GOA STRAY the solution also playfully satisfies “wait from Indian state”.

35. Sister of Anne Boleyn I met roughly around the end of October (5,6)

Answer: EMILY BRONTË (i.e. “sister of Anne”, and Charlotte for that matter). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “roughly”) of BOLEYN I MET wrapped “around” R (i.e. “end [letter] of October”), like so: EMILYB(R)ONTË. Another nicely worked clue.

36. Compromise when seeking a middle-of-the-road outcome? (4,7)

Answer: MEET HALFWAY. Solution satisfies “compromise” and, playfully, “a middle-of-the-road outcome”.

37. The great old man Cagney endlessly tours NYC district (11)

Answer: CHARLEMAGNE (i.e. “the great old man”, Roman emperor around the 800s. His name is a contraction of CHARLES-LE-MAGNE, or Charles the Great). Solution is CAGNEY with its last letter removed (indicated by “endlessly”) and the remainder placed around or “touring” HARLEM (i.e. “NYC district”), like so: C(HARLEM)AGNE.

40. Passionate Catalan, if aroused (9)

Answer: FANATICAL (i.e. “passionate”). “Aroused” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of CATALAN IF.

42. A part of this paper occasionally? (9)

Answer: SOMETIMES (i.e. “occasionally”). When written as SOME TIMES the solution playfully satisfies “a part of this paper”, seeing that the Jumbo appears in The Times.

43. Discrimination ruling in court (8)

Answer: JUDGMENT. Solution satisfies “discrimination” and “ruling in court”.

44. London side roads going north, following a river (7)

Answer: ARSENAL (i.e. “London [football] side”). Solution is LANES (i.e. “roads”) reversed (indicated by “going north” – this being a down clue) and placed after or “following” A and R (a recognised abbreviation of “river”), like so: A-R-(SENAL).

46. Formerly carrying second century candlestick (6)

Answer: SCONCE (i.e. “candlestick”). Solution is ONCE (i.e. “formerly”) placed after or “carrying” S (a recognised abbreviation of “second”) and C (ditto “century”), like so: S-C-(ONCE).

47. Sons in workers organisation displaying harmony (6)

Answer: UNISON (i.e. “harmony”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “sons”) placed “in” UNION (i.e. “workers organisation”), like so: UNI(S)ON. Also appeared in grid 1563 last June, just within my threshold, also on even intersecting letters. And so…

51. Zeus’s daughter seen within walls of Egyptian city (4)

Answer: HEBE (i.e. “Zeus’s daughter”). The remainder of the clue plays on how the solution forms the middle letters of THEBES, an ancient “Egyptian city”.