Stinker time! And what a horror show this was. Trash solutions all over the place, overly-mechanical word salads for clues, and an overreliance on the most arcane, archaic and exotic words to get the job done. Ugh, spare us, please.

37d is an obvious indicator of the setter’s intentions with this Jumbo, but I think he or she forgot that these things are also supposed to be fun. I’m not kidding when I say I was utterly bored by the halfway point. The only reason you are reading this post is through a combination of sheer bloodymindedness, a desire to not let people down, and the mostly unbroken run of Jumbo solutions I’ve previously posted. Otherwise that’d be it. I’d be out of here. If you got more than a tingle from this week’s Jumbo then bully for you, but for me this felt like a complete waste of my weekend.

So, on that note, I’m taking a break. I’ll be away from my keyboard next weekend getting sloshed with family and friends. We’ll see what happens when I return.

Anyway, setting all that unpleasantness aside, you can find my completed grid below along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them helpful, or at least once you look past my bellyaching. 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 for the kind words and input. It’s always interesting to hear the thoughts of other solvers once they have set down their pens. As ever, stay safe out there, kids.

LP

RBV (Repeats-By-Volume): 9.7%

Across clues

1. Brief wrongly, maligned at first performs well now (9)

Answer: MISINFORM (i.e. “brief wrongly”). Solution is M (i.e. “maligned at first”, i.e. the first letter of “maligned”) followed by IS IN FORM (i.e. “performs well now”).

6. Anon book, evidently not anon, going around (2-3-2)

Answer: BY-AND-BY (i.e. “anon” or in due course. My Chambers suggests this ought to have been unhyphenated, but no biggie). I guess the rest of the clue plays on two meanings of BY, being “book, evidently not anon” – if work is ascribed to someone then it can’t be said to have been done anonymously – and “going around”. I’m not feeling it, though. I’ll update the post if someone enlightens me, otherwise I’m not wasting any more energy here.

10. Strongly recommended return of American serving in bar (3,2)

Answer: BIG UP (i.e. “strongly recommend”). Solution is GI (i.e. “American [soldier] serving”) placed “in” PUB (i.e. “bar”) and the whole reversed (indicated by “return of”), like so: B(IG)UP.

13. Little people do will initially save king, sadly (7)

Answer: DWARVES (i.e. “little people”). Solution is DW (i.e. “do will initially”, i.e. the first letters of “do” and “will”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “sadly”) of SAVE and R (i.e. “king”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of the Latin Rex), like so: D-W-ARVES. Poor quality clue. I mean read it back as an entire sentence. It’s garbage! What on earth is the setter trying to convey here? That a dwarven shindig is going to somehow spare or redeem a king in some way? What does any of that even mean?! And this isn’t the only word salad this week, by the way. Far from it. Read the clue for 1a and tell me it makes a lick of sense. It’s as if ChatGPT has had a hand in writing some of the clues. Now, I can hear some of you flexing your fingers ready to tell me how I’m being much too harsh on the setter, that I’m being too negative, cheer up it may never happen etc, so I’ll try to rein it in for the rest of this post. But, seriously, this has to have been the poorest quality stinker for some years.

14. What might be cultivated verse in Latin I release (5,2)

Answer: LEAVE GO (i.e. “release”, or an informal way of saying “let go”. That nobody says). Solution is LEA (i.e. “what might be cultivated”, or meadow) followed by V (a recognised abbreviation of “verse”) and EGO (i.e. “in Latin I”, or the Latin for I).

15. Ways of greeting information broadcast (7)

Answer: AVENUES (i.e. “ways”). Solution is AVE (i.e. “greeting”) followed by a homophone (indicated by “broadcast” or spoken) of NEWS (i.e. “information”), like so: AVE-NUES.

16. Bury agreement about putting up with different beliefs (19)

Answer: INTERDENOMINATIONAL (i.e. “with different beliefs”). Solution is INTER (i.e. “bury”) followed by DEAL (i.e. “agreement”) wrapped “about” NOMINATION (i.e. “putting up”), like so: INTER-DE(NOMINATION)AL. Appeared in grid 1578 back in October, also on odd intersecting letters, in exactly the same position of the exact same grid layout. Still, at least the clue was different. Have a meme…

17. Character of old tree remains (3)

Answer: ASH. A triple-header, this, satisfying “character of old”, being a variant spelling of æsc, which is the rune ᚫ or the letter æ in Old English; also “tree”, and “remains”.

18. Community links plan backing second church with a priest, primarily (6)

Answer: ECOMAP (i.e. “community links plan” – over to Chambers: “a diagrammatic representation of a person’s or family’s interactions with other individuals and groups in the community”). Solution is MO (i.e. a “second” or short space of time) and CE (i.e. “church”, specifically the Church of England) all reversed (indicated by “backing”) and followed by A and P (i.e. “priest, primarily”, i.e. the first letter of priest), like so: (EC-OM)-A-P. Another overly complicated word salad, this time leading to a solution only social workers seem to know. Yay! Actually, no, not yay. Brute forcing my Chambers for the solution was about as much fun as flossing with barbed wire. What a waste of my time. Oh, wait. Didn’t I say I was going to rein in the criticism? Oops. My bad.

20. Passed girl buried in large wordbook (6)

Answer: OKAYED (i.e. “passed”). Solution is KAY (i.e. “girl’s” name) placed “in” OED (i.e. “large wordbook”, specifically the Oxford English Dictionary), like so: O(KAY)ED.

21. When speaking limit what’s boring in pedestrian procedure (4,5)

Answer: KERB DRILL (i.e. “pedestrian procedure”, or “stop, look and listen”, that kind of thing). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “when speaking”) of CURB (i.e. to “limit”) followed by DRILL (i.e. “what’s boring”).

23. Healthy way to go! (4,3,3)

Answer: GOOD FOR YOU. Solution satisfies “healthy” and “way to go”, a phrase of encouragement over in the US.

25. Adapting easily to UK, I work, play (2,3,4,2)

Answer: AS YOU LIKE IT (i.e. “work, play”, specifically one by William Shakespeare). “Adapting” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of EASILY TO UK I.

29. Result – of successful pay negotiations? (5)

Answer: ARISE (i.e. to “result”). When written as A RISE the solution also satisfies “result of successful pay negotiations”.

30. Exaggerate in describing remaining attraction (8)

Answer: OVERDRAW (i.e. to “exaggerate” in drawing or storytelling). Solution is OVER (i.e. “describing”) followed by DRAW (i.e. “attraction”).

31. What goes on to madden dumfounded hosts (8)

Answer: ADDENDUM (i.e. “what goes on”). “Hosts” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: M(ADDEN DUM)FOUNDED. Appeared back in December in grid 1591, also on even intersecting letters, so…

34. Do some beer, maybe almost all for relations? (8)

Answer: CONJUGAL (i.e. marital “relations”). Solution is CON (i.e. to “do” someone) followed by JUG (i.e. “some beer, maybe” – other jug-filling substances are available) and ALL once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “almost”), like so: CON-JUG-AL.

36. Primate shot holding Polish off (5,3)

Answer: GREAT APE (i.e. “primate”). Solution is GRAPE (i.e. “shot” – grapeshot are clusters of iron blasted from a gun) wrapped around or “holding” EAT (i.e. “polish off”, ignoring the misleading capitalisation), like so: GR(EAT)APE.

37. Straddling sharp double bend, lay a stop sign in Riyadh (5)

Answer: HAMZA (i.e. “stop sign in Riyadh”, or a glottal stop sign in Arabic – Riyadh being the capital of Saudi Arabia). Solution is HAM (i.e. inexpert or “lay”) and A wrapped around or “straddling” Z (i.e. a “sharp double bend” character), like so: HAM-(Z)-A. It’s in the dictionary, so fair enough, but this is a solution so made-to-fit it risks pinging back out of the grid again. Safety goggles on, everybody.

39. Statement from working cashier having bother finding drink (11)

Answer: AMONTILLADO (i.e. “drink”). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “statement”) of I’M ON TILL (i.e. statement “…from cashier”) followed by ADO (i.e. “bother”), like so: AMONTILL-ADO. Turn back two pages in this week’s Saturday Review pullout and you’ll find this solution also appeared in the cryptic Jumbo two weeks ago. This is sadly rather commonplace, and much the inspiration behind the Déjà vu memes. You may have seen a comment from burleypab a couple of months ago regarding the tools of the trade employed by Times setters. If not, to summarise, they essentially use a crossword solver to help them fill their grids, presumably one sanctioned or developed by The Times. While this is somewhat less romantic than a leaky, hand-cranked machine that spins a few cogs and spits out a grid, I would argue that this solver-based approach, used across enough setters, allows their biases to lead them to the same solutions. Presented with a list of potential solutions for their grid, setters will naturally err towards those with intersecting letters that frequently occur in other words. The more “friendly” intersecting letters in the word, the better. However, setters will also be inextricably drawn to any such solutions that can give their grid a bit of pzazz. (This week’s setter, as you’ve seen, rather overdid it.) 90% of the time the solver-based approach is fine, and even when repeats do occur they will often go unnoticed by solvers, but it’s this practice that can see lesser-used words like RAITA or Max ERNST appear again and again, and they stick out like a sore thumb. Could the same accusation be levied toward AMONTILLADO? I’ll leave that up to you to decide, but it almost makes me wish there was an actual GridFill 4000. Meanwhile, have another meme…

41. Likes room to manoeuvre, taking left turn in boat (6,4)

Answer: ESKIMO ROLL (i.e. “turn in boat”). “To manoeuvre” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of LIKES ROOM wrapped around or “taking” L (a recognised abbreviation of “left”), like so: ESKIMORO(L)L.

43. Mix, briefly, by fireside (9)

Answer: COMMINGLE (i.e. “mix”). Solution is COMMA (i.e. “,”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “briefly”) and the remainder followed by INGLE (i.e. Scots word for a “fireside”), like so: COMM-INGLE. Despite all my criticisms about this week’s Jumbo, I must say that this was a good clue.

45. Parrot quietly nesting in tree a kilometre back (6)

Answer: KAKAPO (i.e. “parrot”, and a big bugger too). Solution is P (i.e. “quietly”, i.e. a recognised abbreviation of “piano” used in musical lingo) placed or “nestling in” OAK (i.e. “tree”), A and K (a recognised abbreviation of “kilometre”) all reversed (indicated by “back”), like so: K-A-KA(P)O.

47. Watch outside broadcast from the right pavilion (6)

Answer: GAZEBO (i.e. “pavilion”). Solution is GAZE (i.e. “watch”) followed by OB (a recognised abbreviation of “outside broadcast”) once the latter has been reversed (indicated by “from the right” – this being an across clue), like so: GAZE-BO.

49. Leaves, since informal function curtailed (3)

Answer: COS. Another three-letter triple-header, this time satisfying “leaves” (being a variety of lettuce), “since informal” (being an informal variant of “because”), and “function curtailed” (being a shortened form of the trigonometrical function cosine).

50. Russian once in charge of think tank with no on-screen broadcast (10,9)

Answer: KONSTANTIN CHERNENKO (i.e. “Russian once in charge”, albeit briefly. He was the third Russian leader to die in as many years and was succeeded by Mikhail Gorbachev). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “broadcast”) of THINK TANK and NO ON-SCREEN.

52. Recreation facility specially devised by US pal (7)

Answer: PLAYBUS (i.e. a mobile “recreation facility”). “Specially devised” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of BY US PAL.

53. Get to river crossing close to east Siberian city (7)

Answer: IRKUTSK (i.e. “Siberian city”). Solution is IRK (i.e. “get to”) followed by USK (a “river” in Wales) once wrapped around or “crossing” T (i.e. “close to east”, i.e. the last letter of “east”), like so: IRK-U(T)SK.

54. Short excursion on yours truly’s old boat (7)

Answer: TRIREME (i.e. “old boat”). Solution is TRIP (i.e. “excursion”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “short”) and the remainder followed by RE (i.e. “on” or regarding – think email replies) and ME (i.e. “yours truly”), like so: TRI-RE-ME.

55. You can take it from me, I do sympathise! (5)

Answer: THERE. Solution satisfies “you can take it from me”, imagine someone saying “there” when handing you something, and “I do sympathise”, as in someone saying “there, there” to comfort someone.

56. Chemical analyst in role of speaker (7)

Answer: ASSAYER (i.e. “chemical analyst”, one determining the metal content of ore). When written as AS SAYER the solution also satisfies “in role of speaker”.

57. Singular credit given to detectives for measure (9)

Answer: YARDSTICK (i.e. “measure”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “singular”) and TICK (i.e. “credit” or delayed payment, as in the phrase “on tick”) both placed after or “given to” YARD (i.e. “detectives”, slang for Scotland Yard), like so: YARD-(S-TICK).

Down clues

1. Delivery agents turned up with obscure US composer (8)

Answer: MIDWIVES (i.e. “delivery agents”). Solution is W (a recognised abbreviation of “with”) and DIM (i.e. “obscure”) all reversed (indicated by “up” – this being a down clue) and followed by Charles IVES (i.e. “US composer”), like so: (MID-W)-IVES.

2. Bare study in need of table, unfit? (5)

Answer: SCANT (i.e. “bare”). Solution is SCAN (i.e. “study”) followed by TABLE once the ABLE has been removed (indicated by “unfit” – “fit” being taken to mean ABLE), like so: SCAN-T. Like AMONTILLADO, SCANTY also appeared in the Jumbo a fortnight ago, and on odd intersecting letters. I’m claiming it, so…

3. Defiant words from snowbound queen, eg, and princess (5,3,3)

Answer: NEVER SAY DIE (i.e. “defiant words”). Solution is NÉVÉ (i.e. “snow”, specifically “the granular snow, not yet compacted into ice, lying on the upper end of a glacier” (Chambers). No, me neither) wrapped around or “binding” ER (i.e. “queen”, Elizabeth Regina), SAY (i.e. “e.g.” or for example) and DI (i.e. “princess”, Diana Spencer), like so: NÉV(ER-SAY-DI)É.

4. Gambling person’s pecuniary limits (2,4)

Answer: ON SPEC (i.e. “gambling” – spec being a shortened form of speculation). “Limits” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: PERS(ON’S PEC)UNIARY.

5. Not seemly, kin running amok in town (6,6)

Answer: MILTON KEYNES (i.e. “town”). “Running amok” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of of NOT SEEMLY KIN.

6. Delight with visit, providing money, finally (7)

Answer: BEATIFY (i.e. “delight”). Solution is BE AT (i.e. “visit”) followed by IF (i.e. “providing” that) and Y (i.e. “money, finally”, i.e. the last letter of “money”).

7. London venue’s porter getting cross – and blame falling on a doctor (9,6)

Answer: ALEXANDRA PALACE (i.e. “London venue”). Solution is ALE (i.e. “porter”, a dark ale) followed by X (i.e. “cross”), then AND, then RAP (i.e. “blame”), then A and LACE (i.e. to “doctor”, say, a drink).

8. US gadgets have no function? Game’s using one for nothing (10)

Answer: DOOHICKEYS (i.e. “US gadgets”). Solution is DO O (i.e. “have no function”, i.e. do nothing, with O representing nothing) followed by HOCKEY’S (i.e. “game’s”) once the O (i.e. “nothing”) has been swapped “for” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), like so: DO-O-(H(O)CKEY’S) => DO-O-(H(I)CKEY’S).

9. Poor Greer, no good any longer (7)

Answer: YEARNER (i.e. “longer” or one who longs for something). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “poor”) of GREER once the G has been removed (indicated by “no good”, G being a recognised abbreviation of “good”) and ANY.

10. Initiative to support pound is a dicey affair! (6,5)

Answer: BEETLE DRIVE (i.e. “a dicey affair”, being “a game in which a drawing of a beetle is made up gradually from its component parts, body, head, etc, according to the throw of dice, the object being to produce a completed drawing” (Chambers). Again, me neither). Solution is DRIVE (i.e. “initiative”) placed after or “supporting” – this being a down clue – BEETLE (i.e. to “pound” – a variant meaning of BEETLE is a heavy mallet. My Oxford supports its use as a verb).

11. Amino acid in excess: a rich source (9)

Answer: GLUTAMINE (i.e. an “amino acid”). Solution is GLUT (i.e. “excess”) followed by A and MINE (i.e. “rich source”).

12. A school chum comes round for Easter (7)

Answer: PASCHAL (i.e. “Easter”, an archaic reference apparently). Solution is A and SCH (a recognised abbreviation of “school”) placed in or having “round” it PAL (i.e. “chum”), like so: P(A-SCH)AL.

19. With kiss between hugs, grandmother embraces one college member (7)

Answer: OXONIAN (i.e. “college member”). Solution is X (i.e. “kiss”) placed “between” O and O (i.e. both “hugs” – apparently this is a US thing, where hugs and kisses are sometimes expressed at the end of messages as XO or XOXO. I’ve seen the usage on social media but, when it comes to Jumbos, I would prefer to have it backed up by a reference book. Sadly this defeated my Chambers, my Oxford, my Collins Concise, my Bradford’s, my Cassell’s dictionary of slang and my Brewer’s. Maybe it has been included in later editions) and followed by NAN (i.e. “grandmother”) once wrapped around or “embracing” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), like so: O(X)O-N(I)AN.

22. Simple track taking very little time, note, or trouble (8)

Answer: MONORAIL (i.e. “simple track”). Solution is MO (i.e. “very little time”, short for a moment) followed by N (a recognised abbreviation of “note”), then OR, than AIL (i.e. “trouble”).

24. Cavorting drunkenly round a deck, getting imprisoned (5,4,3,3)

Answer: UNDER LOCK AND KEY (i.e. “imprisoned”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “cavorting”) of DRUNKENLY, O (i.e. “round”) and A DECK.

26. Made turn, surprisingly, that’s not fancied (8)

Answer: UNDREAMT (i.e. “not fancied”). “Surprisingly” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of MADE TURN.

27. Host poking spot on pet (6)

Answer: TOMCAT (i.e. “pet”). Solution is MC (i.e. “host” or Master of Ceremonies) placed in or “poking” TO A T (i.e. “spot on”), like so: TO-(MC)-A-T. Appeared back in September in grid 1574, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

28. Band turning up almost sure to meet agents (6)

Answer: FASCIA (i.e. “band” or any bandlike structure). Solution is SAFE (i.e. “sure”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “almost”) and the remainder reversed (indicated by “turning up” – this being a down clue). This is then followed by CIA (i.e. “agents” of the Central Intelligence Agency), like so: FAS-CIA.

32. Producer of half measure of material once brought up (2,5)

Answer: Cecil B DEMILLE (i.e. movie “producer” – not wanting to make this stinker any harder, but ought this not have been a seven letter solution? There is no space in the name, written DeMille). Solution is DEMI (i.e. “half”) followed by ELL (i.e. “measure of material once”, now obsolete) once reversed (indicated by “brought up” – this being a down clue), like so: DEMI-LLE.

33. One pressed to retreat supports step by major (9,3)

Answer: BACKSPACE KEY (i.e. on a typist’s keyboard, “one pressed to retreat”). Solution is BACKS (i.e. “supports”) followed by PACE (i.e. “step”) and KEY (i.e. “major” or important).

35. Outrageous perhaps fat cabbage containing trace of blight (11)

Answer: UNTHINKABLE (i.e. “outrageous”). Solution is UNTHIN (i.e. “perhaps fat”) followed by KALE (i.e. “cabbage”) once wrapped around or “containing” B (i.e. “trace of blight”, i.e. the first letter of “blight”), like so: UNTHIN-KA(B)LE. Another silly clue.

37. Demanding a lounger’s callous! (4,2,5)

Answer: HARD AS NAILS (i.e. “callous”). Solution is HARD (i.e. “demanding”) followed by A and SNAIL’S (i.e. “lounger’s”). Yes, setter. We get it. Have a biscuit.

38. Records judges for hangings (10)

Answer: TAPESTRIES (i.e. “hangings”). Solution is TAPES (i.e. “records”) followed by TRIES (i.e. “judges”).

40. Crossing motorway, I’m wise, following line (2,7)

Answer: ON MESSAGE (i.e. “following [the party] line”). Solution is ONE’S (i.e. “I’m”, or a contraction of ONE IS) wrapped around or “crossing” M (a recognised abbreviation of “motorway”) and followed by SAGE (i.e. “wise”), like so: ON(M)E’S-SAGE.

42. Open lock for releasing sort of collar (4-4)

Answer: POLO-NECK (i.e. “sort of collar”). “For releasing” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of OPEN LOCK.

43. Be punished for holding barrister up in compartment (7)

Answer: COCKPIT (i.e. “compartment”). Solution is COP IT (i.e. “be punished”) wrapped around or “holding” KC (i.e. “barrister” or King’s Counsel) once this has been reversed (indicated by “up” – this being a down clue), like so: CO(CK)P-IT. Appeared back in May in grid 1612, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

44. Glaswegian goes, lifting Cockney’s hat and hood (7)

Answer: GANGSTA (i.e. “hood” – more US slang. Is that the sharpening of knives I can hear back there?) Solution is GANGS (i.e. “Glaswegian goes” – gang can be a Scots form of go) followed by HAT once the H has been removed (indicated by “Cockney” as in how they’re always droppin’ their bleedin’ aitches, gawblessem, apples and pears, and all that palaver) and the remainder reversed (indicated by “lifting”, again this being a down clue), like so: GANGS-TA.

46. One chasing ball of wool maybe raising new jumper finally (7)

Answer: KNITTER. The solution satisfies the clue as a whole, albeit somewhat unsatisfactorily, and comprises KITTEN (i.e. “one chasing ball of wool maybe”) once the N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”) has been shifted up or “raised” a few notches – this again being a down clue. This is then followed by R (i.e. “jumper finally”, i.e. the last letter of JUMPER), like so: KITTE(N)-R => K(N)ITTE-R.

48. Almost nothing, from Le Monde, is put in shredder (6)

Answer: ZESTER (i.e. “shredder”). Solution is ZERO (i.e. “nothing”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “almost”) and the remainder wrapped around or having “in” EST (i.e. “from Le Monde, is”, i.e. the French for “is”, Le Monde being a French newspaper), like so: Z(EST)ER.

51. Marks appearing evenly on paper veil (5)

Answer: NAEVI (i.e. birth “marks”). “Appearing evenly” indicates the solution is found in every other letter of ON PAPER VEIL.

A toughie this week, and along the spectrum between teeth-pullingly contrived and maddeningly brilliant this lies squarely in the middle. I was happy to chip away at it during the day, loving some of the inventiveness on show, but come HEPTAD, AUNTIE and the bottom left in general I’d had quite enough.

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 ground your gears 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

RBV (Repeats-By-Volume): 6.7%

Across clues

1. Support one position taken by fool up front (10)

Answer: ASSISTANCE (i.e. “support”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and STANCE (i.e. “position”) placed after or having “up front” ASS (i.e. “fool”), like so: ASS-(I-STANCE).

6. Part of PR for harbour island lacked initially (12)

Answer: PROPORTIONAL (i.e. “part of PR”, taking the initials to be Proportional Representation). Solution is PRO (i.e. “for” or in favour of) followed by PORT (i.e. “harbour”), then IONA (i.e. an “island” of Scotland) and L (i.e. “lacked initially”, i.e. the first letter of “lacked”).

14. Sun’s leader moved then taken out as amateurish (9)

Answer: UNSKILLED (i.e. “amateurish”). Solution is SUN’S with the first letter removed (indicated by “leader moved”) and the remainder followed by KILLED (i.e. “taken out”), like so: UN’S-KILLED.

15. What makes setter and solver mature? Practice (5)

Answer: USAGE (i.e. “practice”). Solution is US (i.e. descriptive of “setter and solver”) followed by AGE (i.e. “mature”).

16. Close-fisted, half-hearted boxing in practice (7)

Answer: SPARING (i.e. tight or “close-fisted”). Solution is SPARRING (i.e. “boxing in practice”) with one of the middle Rs removed (indicated by “half-hearted”).

17. Balance between sides that’s characteristic of noughts and crosses (9,8)

Answer: BILATERAL SYMMETRY (which is “symmetry about a single plane” (Chambers), i.e. “characteristic of noughts and crosses” – in this case I think the setter is referring to a zero character ‘0’ rather than a circle, the latter of course having an infinite number of lines of symmetry). BILATERAL means having two “sides”, while SYMMETRY can mean “balance”. You get the idea.

18. Bottle that’s drunk on either side of Philadelphia (5)

Answer: PHIAL (i.e. “bottle”). The remainder plays on how an anagram (indicated by “that’s drunk”) of the solution can be found at “either side” of (PHILA)DE(LPHIA). While I wasn’t keen on the Jumbo as a whole, this clue stood out for me. Clever. I like it.

19. Step up pressure within dysfunctional family (7)

Answer: AMPLIFY (i.e. “step up”). Solution is P (a recognised abbreviation of “pressure”) placed “within” an anagram (indicated by “dysfunctional”) of FAMILY, like so: AM(P)LIFY.

21. Surrounded by a weather feature in which Land’s End can be seen (6)

Answer: AMIDST (i.e. “surrounded by”). Solution is A and MIST (i.e. “weather feature”) wrapped around or “in which … can be seen” D (i.e. “Land’s End”, i.e. the last letter of “land”, ignoring the misleading capitalisation), like so: A-MI(D)ST.

22. Middle section of theatre’s our central facility (8)

Answer: RESOURCE (i.e. “facility”). “Middle section of” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: THEAT(RE’S OUR CE)NTRAL. Good grief this took ages to spot!

24. I show embarrassment about new cut (7)

Answer: IGNORED (i.e. “cut”). Solution is I followed by I GO RED (i.e. “I show embarrassment”) once wrapped “about” N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”), like so: I-G(N)O-RED.

26. Church member has central point deleted from innocent article (8)

Answer: ANGLICAN (i.e. “Church member”). Solution is ANGELIC (i.e. “innocent”) with the middle letter removed or “central point deleted” and the remainder followed by AN (i.e. “article”, being a word like a, an or the), like so: ANGLIC-AN.

27. Support for shooting party returning after expedition (6)

Answer: TRIPOD (i.e. “support for shooting” or photography). Solution is DO (i.e. “party”) reversed (indicated by “returning”) and placed “after” TRIP (i.e. “expedition”), like so: TRIP-OD.

30. Clear line in female’s news that’s hellish (11)

Answer: NETHERWORLD (i.e. “that’s hellish”). Solution is NET (i.e. “clear” of taxation, also spelled NETT) followed by L (a recognised abbreviation of “line”) once placed “in” HER WORD (i.e. “female’s news”), like so: NET-(HER-WOR(L)D).

32. A thorntree’s damaged in wind (11)

Answer: NORTHEASTER (i.e. “wind”). “Damaged” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of A THORNTREE’S.

33. Protest with explicit section of population (11)

Answer: DEMOGRAPHIC (i.e. “section of population”). Solution is DEMO (i.e. “protest”) followed by GRAPHIC (i.e. “explicit”).

35. Unreasonable non-attendance upset best man, I see (11)

Answer: ABSENTEEISM (i.e. “unreasonable non-attendance”). “Upset” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of BEST MAN I SEE.

37. A free source of news and entertainment, so-called (6)

Answer: AUNTIE. If I have this right then the solution satisfies the clue as a whole, referring to the nickname (indicated by “so-called”) of the BBC, though “a free source of news and entertainment” is one hell of a misleading description. Or am I the only idiot still paying their TV licence? Poor show…

[EDIT: Thanks to Michael EI in the comments for clearing this one up. The solution is correct, but the indicator is “source of news and entertainment, so-called”, and comprises A and UNTIE (i.e. to “free”). Cheers, Michael! – LP]

38. Teller of traveller’s tale that’s blunt, nothing held back (8)

Answer: FRANKLIN (i.e. “teller of traveller’s tale”, referring to The Franklin’s Tale in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales). Solution is FRANK (i.e. “blunt”) followed by NIL (i.e. “nothing”) reversed (indicated by “held back”), like so: FRANK-LIN.

39. Lose thread, pointlessly sewing inside of frock (7)

Answer: DIGRESS (i.e. “lose thread”). Solution is SEWING with all points of the compass, in this case SEWN, removed (indicated by “pointlessly”) and the remainder placed “inside of” DRESS, like so: D(IG)RESS. Another I liked once it clicked. Appeared in grid 1614 a few months ago also on odd intersecting letters, so…

42. Duck, getting caught after not scoring (8)

Answer: NOTCHING (i.e. “scoring”). Solution is NOTHING (i.e. “duck” or zero score) wrapped around or “getting” C (a recognised abbreviation of “caught”), like so: NOT(C)HING. Another well-worked clue.

44. Point about exercise for small Rugby team, say (6)

Answer: HEPTAD (i.e. “small Rugby team, say”, referring to a group of seven, in this case rugby sevens). Solution is HEAD (i.e. “point”, as in the geographical feature) wrapped “about” PT (i.e. “exercise”, specifically Physical Training), like so: HE(PT)AD. This was an utter sod to nail, especially given only _E_T_D to work with.

46. Mary mysteriously abandoned keyboard instrument (7)

Answer: CELESTE. Solution satisfies “Mary mysteriously abandoned”, the Mary Celeste, and “keyboard instrument” – a voix céleste is “an organ stop producing a soft tremulous sound” (Chambers), so “instrument” is referring to the stop itself.

[EDIT: I should have read the entry above CELESTE in my Chambers. Turns out CELESTE is also a variant name of CELESTA, a “keyboard instrument”. Cheers to Sue in the comments for clearing this one up. – LP]

48. Cook’s odd selections from statuettes (5)

Answer: SAUTE (i.e. to “cook”). “Odd selection from” indicates the solution is derived from every other letter of STATUETTES.

49. Keep record of Ireland’s importance for combatting rebels (17)

Answer: COUNTERINSURGENCY (i.e. “combatting rebels”). Solution is COUNT (i.e. “keep record of”) followed by ERIN’S (i.e. the female personification of “Ireland” to the Irish, made possessive) and URGENCY (i.e. “importance”).

51. Composer who sounds like his compatriot (7)

Answer: Benjamin BRITTEN (i.e. British “composer”). The remainder of the clue plays on the surname being a homophone (indicated by “who sounds like”) of BRITON (i.e. “[Britten’s] compatriot”).

52. Fish from West side of Thames, adjacent to Waterloo (5)

Answer: TROUT (i.e. “fish”). Solution is T (i.e. “west side of Thames”, i.e. the first letter of Thames – this being an across clue) followed by ROUT (i.e. “Waterloo” or final and decisive defeat). Appeared in grid 1593 back in January also on odd intersecting letters, so…

53. Refused to accept what may come with a catch? (9)

Answer: DISMISSAL. Solution satisfies “refused to accept” and “what may come with a catch” in several bat-and-ball games.

54. Eg turns on TV broadcast as inner ear test (12)

Answer: ENTERTAINERS (i.e. “e.g. turns on TV”, taking turns to be acts and artists – nicely disguised). “Broadcast” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of INNER EAR TEST.

55. Distant, like the islands of Tonga? Just the opposite (10)

Answer: UNFRIENDLY (i.e. “distant”). Clue plays on Tonga being referred to as the “Friendly Islands” after Captain Cook landed there and was well met by the natives. “The opposite” being… well, I’m sure you can work it out for yourself. One solely for the Olav Bjortomts out there.

Down clues

1. Overshadowing in a non-speaking part (11)

Answer: ADUMBRATION (i.e. “overshadowing”). Solution is A followed by DUMB (i.e. “non-speaking”) and RATION (i.e. “part”).

2. Material for rope or line unaltered when turned over (5)

Answer: SISAL (i.e. “material for rope”). Solution is L (a recognised abbreviation of “line”) and AS IS (i.e. “unaltered”) all reversed (indicated by “when turned over”), like so: (SI-SA)-L.

3. Less sinful, isn’t commonly detected in small untruth, right? (9)

Answer: SAINTLIER (i.e. “less sinful”). Solution is AIN’T (i.e. “isn’t commonly”) placed “in” S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”), LIE (i.e. “untruth”) and R (a recognised abbreviation of “right”), like so: S-(AIN’T)-LIE-R.

4. Largely mistreated aversion (7)

Answer: ALLERGY (i.e. “aversion”). “Mistreated” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of LARGELY. Appeared in grid 1612 a few months ago also on odd intersecting letters, so…

5. In French script, it underlies one character being soft-spoken (7)

Answer: CEDILLA. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole, referring to the little Z-like mark beneath the ‘c’ of Français.

7. Interpret assignment as another chance for student (11)

Answer: READMISSION (i.e. “another chance for student”). Solution is READ (i.e. “interpret”) followed by MISSION (i.e. “assignment”).

8. Fairly fair (6)

Answer: PRETTY. Solution satisfies “fairly” and “fair”.

9. Part of flower in Burgundy cut in different fashion (8)

Answer: RESTYLE (i.e. “cut in different fashion”). Solution is STYLE (i.e. “part of flower”, specifically “the slender part of the pistil of a flower connecting the stigma and the ovary” (Chambers). Glad that’s cleared up) placed “in” RED (i.e. “Burgundy”, a red wine), like so: RE(STYLE)D.

10. Not fitting in pocket (13)

Answer: INAPPROPRIATE (i.e. “not fitting”). Solution is IN followed by APPROPRIATE (i.e. to “pocket” or steal).

11. Bizarre ironies more obvious to listeners (7)

Answer: NOISIER (i.e. “more obvious to listeners”). “Bizarre” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of IRONIES.

12. Money and support an uncle, say, provided – about time! (5,6)

Answer: LEGAL TENDER (i.e. “money”). Solution is LEG (i.e. table “support”) followed by A LENDER (i.e. “an uncle, say”, slang for a pawnbroker) once wrapped “about” T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”), like so: LEG-(A-L(T)ENDER).

13. Makeshift reason for mistrial? (4-6)

Answer: JURY-RIGGED (i.e. “makeshift”). When written as JURY RIGGED the solution also playfully satisfies “reason for mistrial”.

20. Fold part of flower on plant (9)

Answer: PENSTEMON (i.e. “plant” – can’t say I’ve heard of them, but then I’m hardly Percy Thrower). Solution is PEN (i.e. enclosure or “fold”) followed by STEM (i.e. “part of flower”) and ON.

23. Old-fashioned way to contradict him upset 19th century president (8)

Answer: William Henry HARRISON (i.e. “19th century president” of the United States). Solution is NO SIRRAH (i.e. “old-fashioned way to contradict him” – SIRRAH being an old form of SIR often used in anger or contempt) all reversed (indicated by “upset” – this being a down clue), like so: HARRIS-ON.

25. Hanging skin friend hitched up (6)

Answer: DEWLAP (i.e. “hanging skin”). Solution is PAL (i.e. “friend”) and WED (i.e. “hitched”) all reversed (indicated by “up” – again, this being a down clue), like so: DEW-LAP.

26. Heard broadcast covering kind of horse or cow (8)

Answer: AYRSHIRE (i.e. breed of “cow”). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “heard”) of AIR (i.e. “broadcast”) followed by SHIRE (i.e. “kind of horse”), like so: AYR-SHIRE.

28. Brevity of speech in which you can see the spin is doctored (9)

Answer: PITHINESS (i.e. “brevity of speech”). “Doctored” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of THE SPIN IS.

29. Verbally communicated what doctor may have written about individual (6)

Answer: PHONED (i.e. “verbally communicated”). Solution is PHD (i.e. “what doctor may have”) “written about” ONE (i.e. “individual”), like so: PH(ONE)D.

31. Puzzle creator of this island breed (7,6)

Answer: ENGLISH SETTER. Solution playfully satisfies “puzzle creator of this island” – The Times being an English newspaper – and a “breed” of dog.

33. Set up island air support open to identification (11)

Answer: DIAGNOSABLE (i.e. “open to identification”). Solution is ELBA (i.e. an “island” of Italy), SONG (i.e. “air”) and AID (i.e. “support”) all reversed (indicated by “set up” – again, this being a down clue), like so: DIA-GNOS-ABLE.

34. One who gets Brahms and Liszt and pays for it, facing the music? (11)

Answer: CONCERTGOER. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole. I recall a few years ago there was another Jumbo that played on Brahms and Liszt being cockney rhyming slang for being pissed. Maybe it was from the same setter. Anyway, I hadn’t heard the phrase back then and, in the intervening years, still haven’t. It’s either a phrase that has travelled poorly beyond the M25 or a mass Mandela effect fooling cockneys into believing the rest of us all talk like thieves. Only kidding, cockneys! I love you all really. Please don’t nick my stuff.

35. Everyone repeats what Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck do (10)

Answer: ALLITERATE (i.e. “what Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck”, as in how both characters’ names repeat the same initial letter). Solution is ALL (i.e. “everyone”) followed by ITERATE (i.e. “repeats”).

36. Religious work the writer’s changed partly? Yes (7,4)

Answer: MYSTERY PLAY (i.e. “religious work” or a play depicting the life of Christ, where each week the audience is asked to deduce which apostle is going to betray the big man. Probably). Solution is MY (i.e. “the writer’s” from the point of view of the setter) followed by an anagram (indicated by “changed”) of PARTLY YES.

40. Explosive, for example, turned over coal (9)

Answer: GELIGNITE (i.e. “explosive”). Solution is EG (i.e. “for example”) reversed (indicated by “turned over”) and followed by LIGNITE (a type of “coal”), like so: GE-LIGNITE.

41. A prisoner put inside as well as a snake (8)

Answer: ANACONDA (i.e. variety of “snake”). Solution is A and CON (i.e. “prisoner”) both “put inside” AND (i.e. “as well as”) and A, like so: AN(A-CON)D-A. Appeared in grid 1611 back in April, also on even intersecting letters, so…

43. Holidaymaker in French city – it wraps up the final part (7)

Answer: TOURIST (i.e. “holidaymaker”). Solution is TOURS (i.e. “French city”) with the S or “final part” “wrapped” in IT, like so: TOUR(I(S)T).

45. Sand piled up on middle of ridge in Pacific port (7)

Answer: DUNEDIN (i.e. “Pacific port” of New Zealand). Solution is DUNE (i.e. “sand piled up”) followed by D (i.e. “middle [letter] of ridge”) and IN. Chalk one to my Bradford’s here, which will come as no surprise to regular readers. My disdain of ports being used as crossword solutions is endless, legendary and by now worthy of its own Wikipedia page. (Seriously, someone, get on that.) I mean, what is the point of them? They’re the equivalent of those loose polystyrene Wotsits that surround your online shopping. They’re filler, nothing more. They are never worth the effort to solve so why do setters bother writing a clue? They may as well just scribble down “45a. The answer is DUNEDIN. You’re welcome” and move along. Still, at least I’ve heard of DUNEDIN. Next week it’ll probably be QYZYK, Madeupistan’s 34th largest port.

46. Lots of boatmen heard on river in leisure craft (7)

Answer: CRUISER (i.e. “leisure craft”). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “heard”) of CREWS (i.e. “lots of boatmen”) followed by R (a recognised abbreviation of “river”), like so: CRUISE-R.

47. Save large weight that’s worth very little (6)

Answer: BUTTON (i.e. “that’s worth very little”). Solution is BUT (i.e. “save” or except for) followed by TON (i.e. “large weight”).

50. Proceeded with caution and replaced one’s diamonds (5)

Answer: NOSED (i.e. “proceeded with caution”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “replaced”) of ONE’S followed by D (a recognised abbreviation of “diamonds” used in card games), like so: NOSE-D.

A medium-strength Jumbo to chip away at during a soggy August weekend. I rather liked this one. There was a decent dollop of misdirection that didn’t rely too much on arcane definitions of well-known words. The geek in me also appreciated a few techie clues and solutions, e.g. APPLET and COMPUTER LANGUAGE. 4d also made me smile.

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 you flummoxed 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 the dust has settled. Till next time, stay dry out there, kids.

LP

RBV (Repeats-By-Volume): 8.3%

Across clues

1. Excellent lesson leads to improved coursework (7)

Answer: CLASSIC (i.e. “excellent”). Solution is CLASS (i.e. “lesson”) followed by I and C (i.e. “leads to improved coursework”, i.e. the first letters of “improved” and “coursework”).

5. English composer working with us going left false impression (8)

Answer: DELUSION (i.e. “false impression”). Solution is Frederick DELIUS (i.e. “English composer”) and ON (i.e. “working”) once the US of DELIUS has been moved one notch to the “left”, like so: DELI(US)-ON => DEL(US)I-ON. Appeared in grid 1569 last August, just within my threshold for recent repeats, and also on odd intersecting letters, so…

9. Mind games involving vacuous silly children (6)

Answer: PSYCHE (i.e. “mind”). Solution is PE (i.e. “games”, specifically Physical Education) wrapped around or “involving” SY (i.e. “vacuous silly”, i.e. the word “silly” with its middle letters removed) and CH (a recognised abbreviation of “children”), like so: P(SY-CH)E.

13. Suspect permit endlessly checks faculty’s composure (16)

Answer: IMPERTURBABILITY (i.e. “composure”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “suspect”) of PERMIT followed by CURBS (i.e. “checks”) once its first and last letters have been removed (indicated by “endlessly”), then ABILITY (i.e. “faculty”), like so: IMPERT-URB-ABILITY.

14. What’s written in court to cover end of affair? (6)

Answer: PRENUP, short for a prenuptial agreement. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole.

16. Hunters dislike turning in game for the most part (8)

Answer: CHEETAHS (i.e. “hunters”). Solution is HATE (i.e. “dislike”) reversed (indicated by “turning”) and placed “in” CHESS (i.e. “game”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “for the most part”), like so: CHE(ETAH)S.

17. Harsh sound of donkey having its tail docked (4)

Answer: BURR (i.e. “harsh sound”, e.g. to whisper hoarsely). Solution is BURRO (i.e. a “donkey”, from the Spanish) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “having its tail docked”).

18. Soldier rounded on marauding sailor (9)

Answer: PRIVATEER (i.e. “marauding sailor”). Solution is PRIVATE (i.e. “soldier”) followed by RE (i.e. “on” or regarding – think email replies) once reversed (indicated by “rounded”), like so: PRIVATE-ER.

20. Hard line adopted by patrician cast (5,3)

Answer: THROW OFF (i.e. to “cast”). Solution is H (a recognised abbreviation of “hard” used when grading pencils) and ROW (i.e. “line”) both placed in or “adopted by” TOFF (i.e. “patrician”), like so: T(H-ROW)OFF.

21. What draws a line between fiction and non-fiction? (3,8)

Answer: LIE DETECTOR. Another solution that satisfies the clue as a whole, given how the “line” drawn by a polygraph can supposedly help detect when someone strays from the truth. I rather liked this one when I twigged it. Appeared in grid 1614 back in May, though, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

24. Italian team involved in something bent set about Italian gang (7)

Answer: CAMORRA (i.e. “Italian gang” – no, me neither). Solution is ROMA (i.e. “Italian [footie] team”) placed or “involved in” ARC (i.e. “something bent”) and the whole then reversed (indicated by “set about”), like so: C(AMOR)RA. I rather swore when I finally found the sod in my Chambers. Not fun.

25. Scoff as blood-covered person dies after dropping ecstasy (10)

Answer: GORMANDISE (i.e. “scoff”). Solution is GORE (i.e. “blood”) wrapped around or “covering” MAN (i.e. “person”) and DIES once the E has been removed (indicated by “after dropping ecstasy” – E being a slang term for the drug), like so: GOR(MAN-DIS)E.

26. Maintain women’s reproductive cells with revolutionary treatment (4)

Answer: AVOW (i.e. “maintain”). Solution is W (a recognised abbreviation of “women”) and OVA (i.e. “reproductive cells”) all reversed (indicated by “with revolutionary treatment”), like so: AVO-W.

29. Part of weapon found in boot erupted unexpectedly (7,4)

Answer: TORPEDO TUBE (i.e. “part of weapon”). “Unexpectedly” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of BOOT ERUPTED.

31. Exactly what must be written on envelope containing rent? (2,3,6)

Answer: TO THE LETTER. Solution satisfies “exactly” and, playfully, “what must be written on envelope containing rent”, a letter being a landlord.

33. Computer, like an android, holding one’s description of diet (11)

Answer: MACROBIOTIC (i.e. “description of diet”, supposedly one designed to prolong life). Solution is MAC (i.e. “computer”, short for an Apple Macintosh) and ROBOTIC (i.e. “like an android”) once wrapped around or “holding” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), like so: MAC-ROB(I)OTIC.

36. US colony is beginning to criticise founders on purpose (11)

Answer: CONSCIOUSLY (i.e. “on purpose”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “founders”) of US COLONY IS and C (i.e. “beginning [letter] to criticise”).

38. Dupe old relative (4)

Answer: NANA. Solution satisfies “dupe” – both can refer to one deceived – and “old relative” or grandmother.

39. Problem with corruption in China? (3,7)

Answer: TEA SERVICE (i.e. “china” – ignore the misleading capitalisation). Solution is TEASER (i.e. “problem”) followed by VICE (i.e. “corruption”). Another excellent clue.

41. Suspend commercial by paper: a line has been removed (7)

Answer: ADJOURN (i.e. “suspend”). Solution is AD (i.e. “commercial”) followed by JOURNAL (i.e. “paper”) once the A and L (a recognised abbreviation of “line”) have been “removed”.

44. Drink and moan about work trouble (11)

Answer: AMONTILLADO (i.e. “drink”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “about”) of MOAN followed by TILL (i.e. “work” the land) and ADO (i.e. “trouble”), like so: AMON-TILL-ADO. Appeared in grid 1575 back in September, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

45. Plant is removed from French port before strike (8)

Answer: CALABASH (i.e. “plant”). Solution is CALAIS (i.e. “French port”) with the “IS removed” and the remainder followed by BASH (i.e. “strike”), like so: CALA-BASH.

48. List reporter’s record of karate moves? (9)

Answer: CATALOGUE (i.e. “list”). “Reporter’s” indicates homophone, in this case of KATA (i.e. “karate moves”) and LOG (i.e. “record”).

49. Mountain states eliminating borders (4)

Answer: PEAK (i.e. “mountain”). Solution is SPEAKS (i.e. “states”) with the first and last letters removed (indicated by “eliminating borders”).

50. Interrupt mostly when drunk and salacious (8)

Answer: PRURIENT (i.e. “salacious”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “when drunk”) of INTERRUPT once the last letter has been removed (indicated by “mostly”). Appeared in grid 1584, back in November, also on even intersecting letters, so…

52. Spare toilet in filthy place (6)

Answer: SCANTY (i.e. “spare”). Solution is CAN (slang for a “toilet”) placed “in” STY (i.e. “filthy place”), like so: S(CAN)TY.

53. Ada or Ruby possibly swearing next to PC? (8,8)

Answer: COMPUTER LANGUAGE (i.e. “Ada or Ruby possibly”. I guess Perl would have been stretching it a little too far.) Solution is LANGUAGE (i.e. “swearing”) placed after or “next to” COMPUTER (i.e. “PC”).

54. Lump from figure in plastic surgery (6)

Answer: DOLLOP (i.e. “lump”). Solution is DOLL (i.e. “figure in plastic”) followed by OP (i.e. “surgery”, short for operation). Another good un.

55. Popular taunt about French article is unworthy (5,3)

Answer: INFRA DIG (i.e. “unworthy”, short for the Latin infra dignitatem). Solution is IN (i.e. “popular”) and DIG (i.e. “taunt”) wrapped “about” FR (a recognised abbreviation of “French”) and A (i.e. “article”, a word like a, an or the), like so: IN-(FR-A)-DIG. One I recalled from a previous puzzle.

56. Long broadcast about missing hotel stationery (7)

Answer: NOTELET (i.e. “stationery”). Solution is TELETHON (i.e. “long broadcast”) with the H removed (indicated by “missing hotel” – hotel being H in the phonetic alphabet) and the remainder reversed (indicated by “about”).

Down clues

1. Drive home from medical centre after one’s left hospital (6)

Answer: CLINCH (i.e. to “drive home”, say, an argument). Solution is CLINIC (i.e. “medical centre”) with the I removed (indicated by “after [Roman numeral] one’s left”) and the remainder followed by H (a recognised abbreviation of “hospital” used, say, on maps), like so: CLINC-H.

2. Tech company finally adopt program (6)

Answer: APPLET (i.e. a small computer “program”). Solution is APPLE (i.e. a “tech company”) followed by T (i.e. “finally adopt”, i.e. the last letter of “adopt”).

3. Means of conveying sick distortion of the truth (9)

Answer: STRETCHER. Solution satisfies “means of conveying sick” and a “distortion of the truth”.

4. Media viewer with sluggish performance? (5,6)

Answer: COUCH POTATO. Another where the solution satisfies the clue as a whole, being “a person whose leisure time is spent sitting shiftlessly in front of the television or video” (Chambers).

5. Inverted time plot used to establish growth in arrears (4)

Answer: DEBT (i.e. “arrears”). Solution is T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”) and BED (i.e. “plot used to establish growth” of plants) all reversed (indicated by “inverted”), like so: DEB-T.

6. Human Resources in favour of charging work colleague on vacation (6,5)

Answer: LABOUR FORCE (i.e. “Human Resources”). Solution is FOR (i.e. “in favour of”) placed in or “charging” – think of one filling or charging their glasses for a toast – LABOUR (i.e. “work”) and CE (i.e. “colleague on vacation”, i.e. the word “colleague” with all its middle letters removed), like so: LABOUR-(FOR)-CE.

7. Develop filter lanes capable of autonomous operation (4-7)

Answer: SELF-RELIANT (i.e. “capable of autonomous operation”). “Develop” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of FILTER LANES.

8. Extend available odds indicated (9)

Answer: OUTSPREAD (i.e. “extend”). Solution is OUT (i.e. published or “available”) followed by SP (i.e. “odds”, in this case the Starting Price) and READ (i.e. to register or “indicate”).

10. Runner wanting any form of coverage? (8)

Answer: STREAKER. Another where the solution satisfies the clue as a whole, playing on how streakers run onto pitches in the altogether.

11. Link copy-editor’s statement and vital personal material? (10,6)

Answer: CONNECTIVE TISSUE (i.e. “vital personal material”). Solution is CONNECT (i.e. “link”) followed by I VET ISSUE (i.e. “copy-editor’s statement”), taking ISSUE to be an edition of a newspaper or magazine. Appeared in grid 1604 back in March, but on that occasion on even intersecting letters.

12. Politician implicated in key mistake following loss of second leader (7)

Answer: EMPEROR (i.e. “leader”). Solution is MP (i.e. “politician” or Member of Parliament) placed or “implicated in” E (i.e. a musical “key”) and ERROR (i.e. “mistake”) once its “second” letter has been “lost”, like so: E-(MP)-EROR.

15. Auteur’s biopic in East End, somewhat scaled down (8)

Answer: CINEASTE (i.e. “auteur”). “Somewhat scaled down” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: BIOPI(C IN EAST E)ND.

19. Yearn to match outstanding quality (4,4)

Answer: LONG SUIT (i.e. a talent or “outstanding quality”). Solution is LONG (i.e. “yearn”) followed by SUIT (i.e. “to match”). Appeared in grid 1584 back in November, though on that occasion on odd intersecting letters.

22. National examination covers most ground (8)

Answer: SCOTSMAN (i.e. “national”). Solution is SCAN (i.e. “examination”) wrapped around or “covering” an anagram (indicated by “ground”) of MOST, like so: SC(OTSM)AN.

23. Be of calm and rational resolve to make sport (8,8)

Answer: AMERICAN FOOTBALL (i.e. “sport”). “Resolve” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of BE OF CALM and RATIONAL.

27. Upsetting argument about call involving unknown quantity (8)

Answer: WORRYING (i.e. “upsetting”). Solution is ROW (i.e. “argument”) reversed (indicated by “about”) and followed by RING (i.e. “call”) once wrapped around or “involving” Y (i.e. “unknown quantity” – setters love referring to X, Y or Z in solutions as unknowns), like so: WOR-R(Y)ING.

28. Champion horse losing at home (4)

Answer: HERO (i.e. “champion”). Solution is HEROIN (i.e. “horse”, slang thereof) once the IN (i.e. “at home”) has been removed or “lost”.

30. Rare form of wood partly responsible for brittle bones (4)

Answer: EBON (i.e. “rare form of wood”). “Partly responsible for” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: BRITTL(E BON)ES.

32. Proposal disheartened lady with a delicate manner (8)

Answer: TENDERLY (i.e. “with a delicate manner”). Solution is TENDER (i.e. “proposal”) followed by LY (i.e. “disheartened lady”, i.e. the word “lady” with its middle letters removed).

34. Good yield almost changed particular way of thinking (8)

Answer: IDEOLOGY (i.e. “particular way of thinking”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “changed”) of GOOD YIELD once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “almost”).

35. Cream, after separating at one point, might represent this reproductive material (6,5)

Answer: CARBON PAPER (i.e. “reproductive material”). The solution also satisfies the clue when “cream” is “separated at one point” like so – C REAM, “C” being the chemical symbol of CARBON and “ream” being a bundle of PAPER.

36. Gossiped about problem and nasty trends regularly (11)

Answer: CHITCHATTED (i.e. “gossiped”). Solution is C (i.e. “about”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “circa”) followed by HITCH (i.e. “problem”) and ATTED (i.e. “nasty trends regularly”, i.e. every other letter of NASTY TRENDS).

37. Officer having gun compartment set down (11)

Answer: CHAMBERLAIN (i.e. “officer”). Solution is CHAMBER (i.e. “gun compartment”) followed by LAIN (i.e. “set down”).

40. Reduce the amount of coverage for fish and fowl (5,4)

Answer: SCALE DOWN (i.e. “reduce the amount”). Solution comprises “coverage for fish” (SCALE) and the same for “fowl” (DOWN).

42. Perfect, if only in one direction? (4,5)

Answer: JUST RIGHT. Solution satisfies “perfect” and, playfully, “only in one direction”.

43. Broken toilets blocked by tip of this shoe (8)

Answer: STILETTO (i.e. “shoe”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “broken”) of TOILETS wrapped around or “blocked by” T (i.e. “tip of this”, i.e. the first letter of “this”), like so: S(T)ILETTO.

44. Person charged after sending up record company outside America (7)

Answer: ACCUSED (i.e. “person charged”). Solution is DECCA (i.e. a “record company”) reversed (indicated by “sending up” – this being a down clue) and wrapped “outside” of US (i.e. “America”), like so: ACC(US)ED.

46. Disrupt Queen opening parliament (6)

Answer: DERAIL (i.e. “disrupt”). Solution is ER (i.e. “Queen”, Elizabeth Regina) placed in or “opening” DAIL (i.e. “parliament” in the Republic of Ireland), like so: D(ER)AIL.

47. Give evidence during trial (6)

Answer: ATTEST (i.e. “give evidence”). Solution is AT (i.e. “during”) followed by TEST (i.e. “trial”). Appeared in grid 1616 a couple of months ago, also on even intersecting letters, so…

51. What may impede defender’s comeback after leaving United? (4)

Answer: DRAG (i.e. “what may impede”). Solution is GUARD (i.e. “defender”) reversed (indicated by “comeback”) once the U (a recognised abbreviation of “United”, e.g. Man U) has been “left” out.