Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1624

A relatively straightforward Jumbo this week. I don’t mind that. As for my views on the number of repeats, well I’m sure you can guess.

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

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

LP

RBV (Repeats-By-Volume): 10%
(plus a few near-misses)

Across clues

1. Beaming People’s Princess nearly captured by traitor (7)

Answer: RADIANT (i.e. “beaming”). Solution is DIANA Spencer (i.e. “People’s Princess”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “nearly”) and the remainder placed in or “captured by” RAT (i.e. “traitor”), like so: RA(DIAN)T.

5. Tips one might digest when secretary has love returned (9)

Answer: ASPARAGUS (i.e. “tips one might digest”). Solution is AS (i.e. “when”) followed by PA (i.e. “secretary” or Personal Assistant) and SUGAR (i.e. “love”, both terms of endearment) once this latter has been reversed (indicated by “returned”), like so: AS-PA-RAGUS.

10. Spots unwanted expert touring north (4)

Answer: ACNE (i.e. “spots unwanted”). Solution is ACE (i.e. “expert”) wrapped around or “touring” N (a recognised abbreviation of “north”), like so: AC(N)E.

14. Legal alien sheltered in small wood? Exactly what’s needed (4,3,6)

Answer: JUST THE TICKET (i.e. “exactly what’s needed”). Solution is JUST (i.e. “legal”) followed by ET (i.e. “alien” or Extra-Terrestrial) once placed or “sheltered in” THICKET (i.e. “small wood”), like so: JUST-TH(ET)ICKET.

15. Blow against commerce? (9)

Answer: ANTITRADE (i.e. “blow” or “a wind that blows in the opposite direction to the trade wind” (Chambers)). Solution is ANTI (i.e. “against”) followed by TRADE (i.e. “commerce”).

16. Deceptive statements from hotel woman accessing shoddy flats (4-6)

Answer: HALF-TRUTHS (i.e. “deceptive statements”). Solution is H (“hotel” in the phonetic alphabet) followed by RUTH (i.e. “woman’s” name) once placed in or “accessing” an anagram (indicated by “shoddy”) of FLATS, like so: H-ALFT(RUTH)S. We had HALF-TRUTH only a few months ago in grid 1607, but on that occasion it was on odd intersecting letters.

17. Carbon English modified for housing plug with satellite transmitter (5,6)

Answer: RADIO BEACON (i.e. “transmitter”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “modified”) of CARBON and E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”) wrapped around or “housing” AD (i.e. a “plug” or advertisement) and IO (i.e. “satellite”, specifically a moon of Jupiter), like so: R(AD-IO)BEACON. Appeared in grid 1570 back in August, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

18. Philosophical sort almost shut in thus (5)

Answer: STOIC (i.e. “philosophical sort” – over to Chambers again: “a disciple of the philosopher Zeno, who taught in the Stoa Poikile (Painted Porch) at Athens”). Solution is TO (i.e. as in a door that is “almost shut”) placed “in” SIC (i.e. Latin for “thus”), like so: S(TO)IC. Appeared in grid 1586 back in November, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

19. Cold tea endlessly agreeable taken during repast (10)

Answer: MECHANICAL (i.e. “cold” or emotionless). Solution is CHA (i.e. “tea”) and NICE (i.e. “agreeable”) once this latter has had its last letter removed (indicated by “endlessly”), both placed in or “during” MEAL (i.e. “repast”), like so: ME(CHA-NIC)AL.

21. Regale with story again about legendary Swiss marksman? (6)

Answer: RETELL (i.e. “regale with story again”). Solution is RE (i.e. “about” – think email replies) followed by William TELL (i.e. “legendary Swiss marksman”).

23. Save artist given partially digested food article and fish (9)

Answer: BARRACUDA (i.e. “fish”). Solution is BAR (i.e. “save” or except for) followed by RA (i.e. “artist”, specifically a Royal Academician), then CUD (i.e. “partially digested food”) and A (i.e. “article” or a word like a, an or the).

25. One on force retiring becomes suspicious (5)

Answer: FISHY (i.e. “suspicious”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) placed “on” or after F (a recognised abbreviation of “force”) and followed by SHY (i.e. “retiring”), like so: (F-I)-SHY.

26. Virgin Trains carrying boy past Oxford University (3,4)

Answer: OUR LADY (i.e. the “Virgin” Mary). Solution is RY (i.e. “trains”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of a “railway”) wrapped around or “carrying” LAD (i.e. “boy”). This is all placed after or “past” OU (short for “Oxford University”), like so: OU-R(LAD)Y.

28. Pound involved in rewrite of last lyric: that facilitates conveying an image (6,7)

Answer: LIQUID CRYSTAL (i.e. “that facilitates conveying an image”). Solution is QUID (i.e. slang for a “pound” currency) placed or “involved in” an anagram (indicated by “rewrite”) of LAST LYRIC, like so: LI(QUID)CRYSTAL.

31. Something to sustain enthusiast: old poetry books? (9)

Answer: NUTRIMENT (i.e. “something to sustain”). Solution is NUT (i.e. “enthusiast”) followed by RIME (i.e. “old poetry”, a ye olde word for rhyme) and NT (i.e. “books”, specifically the New Testament of The Bible).

33. Change tutors with one leaving without speaking (9)

Answer: TRANSMUTE (i.e. “change”). Solution is TRAINS (i.e. “tutors”) once the I has been removed (indicated by “with [Roman numeral] one leaving”) and the remainder followed by MUTE (i.e. “without speaking”), like so: TRANS-MUTE.

35. Migrant, old female with visa featured in Times? (4,2,7)

Answer: BIRD OF PASSAGE (i.e. “migrant”). Solution is O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”), F (ditto “female”) and PASS (i.e. “visa”) all placed or “featured in” BIRD and AGE (i.e. both “times” – ignore the misleading capitalisation, we’re referring to “time” and BIRD being both slang terms for a prison sentence, and “time” and AGE being a period of time), like so: BIRD-(O-F-PASS)-AGE.

37. Short account about Channel Island current (7)

Answer: THERMAL (i.e. “current”). Solution is TALE (i.e. “account” or story) with the last letter removed (indicated by “short”) and the remainder placed “about” HERM (i.e. a “Channel Island”), like so: T(HERM)AL. Appeared only a couple of months ago back in grid 1615, also on odd intersecting letters, and with the same clue to boot, so…

38. Very big we hear is better? (5)

Answer: EXCEL (i.e. to “better”). “We hear” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of the letters XL, which often denotes “very big” on clothing labels.

40. Man goes after pharaoh twice expressed disapproval (3-6)

Answer: TUT-TUTTED (i.e. “expressed disapproval”). Solution is ED (i.e. “man’s name”, short for Edward) placed “after” TUT and TUT (i.e. “pharaoh twice”, specifically Tutankhamun), like so: (TUT-TUT)-ED.

42. Offence taken outside public house by mysterious person (6)

Answer: SPHINX (i.e. “mysterious person”). Solution is SIN (i.e. “offence”) wrapped “outside” of PH (a recognised abbreviation of “public house”) and followed by X (i.e. “by”, as in the multiplication symbol), like so: S(PH)IN-X.

44. Keep firm grasp in wrestling (10)

Answer: STRONGHOLD (i.e. “keep”). Solution is STRONG (i.e. “firm”) followed by HOLD (i.e. “grasp in wrestling”).

46. What’s unfortunately seen as valuable about the Jumbo? (5)

Answer: IVORY. One of those “& lit” cases where the solution satisfies the clue as a whole, taking “jumbos” to be elephants, referencing the wretched trade in which they are hunted for their ivory. Appeared in grid 1590 back in December, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

48. Practical and realistic – so grounded? (4-2-5)

Answer: DOWN-TO-EARTH. Solution satisfies “practical and realistic” and “grounded”.

50. White on top, having succeeded, and immediately beaten (4-6)

Answer: SNOW-CAPPED (i.e. “white on top”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “succeeded”) followed by NOW (i.e. “immediately”) and CAPPED (i.e. “beaten”). This appeared in grid 1564 last July, but just outside my threshold for repeats.

52. Untouched as plant in midwinter? (9)

Answer: INVIOLATE (i.e. “untouched”). Solution is VIOLA (i.e. a “plant”) placed “in” INTE (i.e. “midwinter”, i.e. the middle letters of “winter”), like so: IN(VIOLA)TE.

53. Running repairs put in and returned (13)

Answer: UNINTERRUPTED (i.e. “running”). “Repairs” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of PUT IN and RETURNED.

54. Kangaroo or rhino one may pass in Greece? (4)

Answer: EURO. Solution satisfies a large “kangaroo” and “rhino one may pass in Greece” – “rhino” being an old slang word for money.

55. Strikes linked with each London district (9)

Answer: BATTERSEA (i.e. “London district”). Solution is BATTERS (i.e. “strikes”) followed by EA (short for “each”).

56. Fog to accompany beginnings of rain and light wind (7)

Answer: MISTRAL (i.e. more “wind”). Solution is MIST (i.e. “fog”) followed by RAL (i.e. “beginnings of rain and light”, i.e. the first letters of “rain”, “and” and “light”).

Down clues

1. Eastern leader open to an extent when coming north (4)

Answer: RAJA (i.e. “eastern leader”). Solution is AJAR (i.e. of a door “open to an extent”) reversed (indicated by “coming north” – this being a down clue).

2. Officer with delight in arresting female finds opprobrium (9)

Answer: DISFAVOUR (i.e. “opprobrium”). Solution is DI (i.e. “officer”, specifically a Detective Inspector) followed by SAVOUR (i.e. “delight”) once wrapped around or “arresting” F (a recognised abbreviation of “female”), like so: DI-S(F)AVOUR.

3. Planting seed on Italian farm incites one repeatedly to work (10,12)

Answer: ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION (i.e. “planting seed”, playfully speaking). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “to work”) of ON ITALIAN FARM INCITES and II (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one repeatedly”).

4. Today’s compiler brought up with the Golden Rule? (7)

Answer: THEOREM (i.e. “rule”). Solution is ME (i.e. “today’s compiler” from the point of view of the setter) reversed (indicated by “brought up”) and placed after or “with” THE and OR (i.e. “golden” in heraldry), like so: (THE-OR)-EM.

5. Heartless character is given to Conservative blue elite (11)

Answer: ARISTOCRACY (i.e. “elite”). Solution is AIR (i.e. “character”) with its middle letter removed (indicated by “heartless”) and the remainder followed by IS, then TO, then C (a recognised abbreviation of “Conservative”) and RACY (i.e. “blue”), like so: AR-IS-TO-C-RACY.

6. Handle fish on small Welsh river (9)

Answer: PIKESTAFF (i.e. “handle” of a pike). Solution is PIKE (i.e. “fish”) followed by S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) and TAFF (i.e. “Welsh river”).

7. Spinner runs over to fielder at the close (5)

Answer: ROTOR (i.e. “spinner”). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “runs” used in a number of ball games) followed by O (ditto “over”, this time in cricket), then TO and R (i.e. “fielder at the close”, i.e. the last letter of “fielder”).

8. America’s Great Depression? (5,6)

Answer: GRAND CANYON. Clue plays on a canyon being a “depression” in the landscape, while the solution can be found in “America”. You get the idea.

9. Useless IT company the setting for this amusing drama? (6)

Answer: SITCOM (i.e. “amusing drama”). “The setting for” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: USELES(S IT COM)PANY. Also appeared last month in grid 1619, but on even intersecting letters.

11. Risk clamping King’s ulcer (7)

Answer: CHANCRE (i.e. “ulcer”, specifically “a hard nodular swelling, especially one that develops in the primary stage of syphilis” (Chambers)). Solution is CHANCE (i.e. “risk”) wrapped around or “clamping”) R (i.e. “king”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of the Latin Rex), like so: CHANC(R)E.

12. Dissuade where daughter leaves new partner for good (9)

Answer: ETERNALLY (i.e. “for good”). Solution is DETER (i.e. “dissuade”) with the D removed (indicated by “where daughter leaves” – D being a recognised abbreviation of “daughter”) and the remainder followed by N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”) and ALLY (i.e. “partner”), like so: ETER-N-ALLY. Also appeared a couple of months ago in grid 1615, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

13. Britain’s ruin, per vote, grates with us – time problems arrive all at once! (2,5,5,3,2,5)

Answer: IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS (i.e. “problems arrive all at once”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “grates”) of BRITAIN’S RUIN PER VOTE, US and T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”).

18. Secondary story in Red October perhaps, vessel circling loch (7)

Answer: SUBPLOT (i.e. “secondary story”). Solution is SUB (i.e. “Red October perhaps”, referencing Tom Clancy’s thriller novel The Hunt For Red October) followed by POT (i.e. “vessel”) once wrapped around or “circling” L (a recognised abbreviation of “loch”), like so: SUB-P(L)OT.

20. Narrow-minded snub ignoring conclusion by a Republican (7)

Answer: INSULAR (i.e. “narrow-minded”). Solution is INSULT (i.e. “snub”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “ignoring conclusion”) and the remainder followed by A and R (a recognised abbreviation of “Republican”), like so: INSUL-A-R.

22. Weakness not hard to see (4,4)

Answer: SOFT SPOT (i.e. “weakness”). Solution is SOFT (i.e. “not hard”) followed by SPOT (i.e. “to see”).

24. Monsieur et Madame in divorce? (8)

Answer: UNCOUPLE (i.e. “divorce”). When written as UN COUPLE the clue also playfully satisfies “Monsieur et Madame”, taking UN to be French for “a”.

27. Knight comes into region creating scene of conflict (5)

Answer: ARENA (i.e. “scene of conflict”). Solution is N (a recognised abbreviation of “knight” used in chess) placed “into” AREA (i.e. “region”), like so: ARE(N)A. Also appeared in grid 1589 back in December, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

29. Shudder as weakened at heart (5)

Answer: QUAKE (i.e. “shudder”). Solution is QUA (i.e. in the capacity of or “as” in Latin) followed by KE (i.e. “weakened at heart”, i.e. the middle letters of “weakened”).

30. Italian navigator set up firm, establishing plant (7)

Answer: TOBACCO (i.e. “plant”). Solution is John CABOT (i.e. “Italian navigator” – no, me neither) reversed (indicated by “set up” – this being a down clue) followed by CO (short for “company”), like so: TOBAC-CO.

32. Period potentially used to stock Scots river (7)

Answer: TUESDAY (i.e. “period”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “potentially”) of USED placed in or “packing” TAY (i.e. “Scots river”), like so: T(UESD)AY.

34. For example, an F-15’s emergency propeller? (7,4)

Answer: EJECTOR SEAT, an “F-15” being a fighter jet and the solution being something that would “propel” the pilot from the craft in an “emergency”. We had EJECTION SEAT in grid 1615 only a couple of months ago, also on odd intersecting letters. Sorely tempted to meme this.

36. Dental practice in road – tooth needing to be fixed (11)

Answer: ORTHODONTIA (i.e. “dental practice”). “Needing to be fixed” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of IN ROAD and TOOTH.

37. Shot in cricket match leading to first run? (4,5)

Answer: TEST DRIVE (i.e. “first run”). Solution also playfully satisfies a “shot in cricket match”.

39. One shortened twig stopping firewood delivery arrangements (9)

Answer: LOGISTICS (i.e. “delivery arrangements”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one” again) and STICK (i.e. “twig”) once the latter has had its last letter removed (indicated by “shortened”), both placed in or “stopping” LOGS (i.e. “firewood”), like so: LOG(I-STIC)S.

41. Company car? (3-6)

Answer: TWO-SEATER (i.e. “car”). The first part of the clue plays on the phrase “two’s company, three’s a crowd”.

43. We should dip into float, nevertheless (7)

Answer: HOWEVER (i.e. “nevertheless”). Solution is WE placed or “dipped into” HOVER (i.e. “float”), like so: HO(WE)VER.

45. Grace period before New Year with no booze (7)

Answer: DECORUM (i.e. “grace”). Solution is DEC (i.e. “period before New Year”, short for December) followed by O (i.e. nothing or “no”) and RUM (i.e. “booze”).

47. Smear pallet with gold and black (6)

Answer: BEDAUB (i.e. “smear”). Solution is BED (i.e. “pallet”) followed by AU (chemical symbol of “gold”) and B (a recognised abbreviation of “black” used in chess).

49. Tidy garden accommodates American family (5)

Answer: HOUSE (i.e. “family”). Solution is HOE (i.e. to “tidy garden”) wrapped around or “accommodating” US (i.e. “American”), like so: HO(US)E.

51. Hero from Left ending possible response in union ceremony? (4)

Answer: IDOL (i.e. “hero”). Solution is L (a recognised abbreviation of “left”) placed at the end of or “ending” I DO (i.e. “response in union ceremony”, referring to a wedding), like so: (I-DO)-L. Also appeared in grid 1569 back in August, but on odd intersecting letters.