Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1628

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.