Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1631

It’s taken a while but the corpse-like stench of grid 1630 has finally cleared. For a moment there I thought it would never go away. Even now, weeks on, I’m having flashbacks to what a joyless chore it was. Ugh. And yet here I am, back for more.

But why? you might ask. Why return to something that gobbles up hours of time every weekend when, oh, I dunno, an equally compelling timesink like Starfield is imminently due to launch (to pick an example entirely at random).

Why indeed. Could it be an

addiction (n) the state of being addicted; a habit that has become impossible to break

(Chambers 12th Edition)

“Impossible to break”? Blimey, that’s a bleak way of putting it. The prospect of posting solutions to the Times Jumbo Cryptic 4000 and beyond is positively chilling. At that age I’d hope to be knocking back cocktails of statins, stem cells, Southern Comfort and cocaine, all in the back of my flying limo.

Let’s try again.

exhibitionism (n) extravagant behaviour aimed at drawing attention to oneself; perversion involving public exposure of one’s sexual organs

(Chambers 12th Edition)

Okay, getting warmer. I’d say that’s at least half-right.

One more go…

obstinate (adj) blindly or excessively firm; unyielding; stubborn; not easily subdued or remedied

(Chambers 12th Edition)

Ah, yes, that’ll be it. Sheer bloodymindedness. It’s usually the way with me.

Anyway, as mentioned, I’m back – hello again! – so let’s get some housekeeping done. First up, the solution to last Saturday’s Jumbo. This, for me, was a medium strength effort that was pleasant enough to chip away at while tackling my laundry pile. The only fly in the ointment was the sheer number of repeated solutions. Michael Palin’s ears will be burning by the end of this post.

You can find my completed grid below along with explanations to my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them helpful. If a recent Jumbo gave you the shivers 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 while I was away. I’m glad to hear it wasn’t just me who’d had quite enough of last week’s setter’s shenanigans. Thanks also to the mysterious She for netting me the Jumbos in my absence. All being well, I’ll be back shortlyish with the next one. Till then, TTFN.

LP

RBV (Repeats-By-Volume): 18.3%

Across clues

1. Pledge made by leftist leader in Hanoi (5)

Answer: TROTH (i.e. a formal or archaic word for “pledge”). Solution is TROT (i.e. “leftist”, short for a Trotskyite) followed by H (i.e. “leader in Hanoi”, i.e. the first letter of “Hanoi”).

4. A jazzy ensemble gathering ace ratings (4,6)

Answer: ABLE SEAMEN (i.e. “ratings” – a rating is “the class of any member of a crew” and also “a sailor of such a class” (both Chambers)). Solution is A followed by an anagram (indicated by “jazzy”) of ENSEMBLE once wrapped around or “gathering” A (a recognised abbreviation of “ace” used on playing cards), like so: A-BLESE(A)MEN.

9. Buffoonish, irrational boss goes around (6)

Answer: STUPID (i.e. “buffoonish”). Solution is PI (an “irrational” number in mathematics, “a real number that cannot be expressed as a fraction whose denominator and numerator are both integers” (Chambers again)) placed in or having “around” it STUD (i.e. a projecting knob, “boss” or pin), like so: STU(PI)D. Appeared in grid 1592 on New Years Eve, also on even intersecting letters, so…

14. Articles about small, extinct bovid in reference work (9)

Answer: THESAURUS (i.e. “reference work”). Solution is THE and A (both “articles”) wrapped “about” S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) and followed by URUS (i.e. an aurochs or “extinct bovid” apparently last seen in the 17^th century. Pffff, give over, setter), like so: (THE-(S)-A)-URUS. Appeared in grid 1585 back in November, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

15. This confirms what criminals do in my address (13)

Answer: CORROBORATION (i.e. “this confirms”). Solution is ROB (i.e. “what criminals do”) placed “in” between COR (i.e. “my”, both exclamations) and ORATION (i.e. “address”), like so: COR-(ROB)-ORATION.

16. Reportedly cut grass and dig soil? I’m resigned to it (5-2)

Answer: HEIGH-HO (i.e. expressive of “I’m resigned to it”). “Reportedly” indicates homophone. Solution comprises homophones of HAY (i.e. an amount of “cut grass”) and HOE (i.e. to “dig soil”). Appeared in grid 1595 back in January, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

17. Shown two wines which a Yankee tucks into (9)

Answer: PORTRAYED (i.e. “shown”). Solution is PORT and RED (i.e. “two wines”) wrapped around or having “tucked in” A and Y (“Yankee” in the phonetic alphabet), like so: PORT-R(A-Y)ED.

18. Ardent knight’s not seen in splendid clothes (5)

Answer: FIERY (i.e. “ardent”). Solution is FINERY (i.e. “splendid clothes”) with the N (a recognised abbreviation of “knight” used in chess) removed or “not seen”.

19. Cool star caught English composer in a stew (6,3,5)

Answer: CHILLI CON CARNE (i.e. “stew”). Solution is CHILL (i.e. “cool”) followed by ICON (i.e. celebrity or “star”), then C (a recognised abbreviation of “caught” used in some ball games) and Thomas ARNE (i.e. “English composer”).

22. Flirted and got together with daughter at first (7)

Answer: DALLIED (i.e. “flirted”). Solution is ALLIED (i.e. “got together”) “with” D (a recognised abbreviation of “daughter”) placed “at first”, like so: D-ALLIED.

25. As Spooner says, that lady disturbs cabinet-making procedures (10)

Answer: RESHUFFLES (i.e. “cabinet-making procedures”, politically). Solution is a “Spoonerism” of SHE RUFFLES (i.e. “that lady disturbs”).

27. Travelling Aussies bring cultivation on a large scale? (12)

Answer: AGRIBUSINESS (i.e. “cultivation on a large scale”). “Travelling” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of AUSSIES BRING.

30. Ornamental fabric I had appended to underwear (5)

Answer: BRAID (i.e. “ornamental fabric”). Solution is I’D (a contraction of “I had”) placed after or “appended to” BRA (i.e. “underwear”), like so: BRA-I’D.

31. Visiting South Bank attraction entertains the setter’s friend (8)

Answer: INTIMATE (i.e. a “friend”). Solution is IN TATE Gallery (i.e. “visiting South Bank attraction”) wrapped around or “entertaining” I’M (i.e. “the setter’s”, i.e. a contraction of I AM from the point of view of the setter), like so: IN-T(I’M)ATE.

32. Kind of letter from a person using a postbox, we hear (8)

Answer: ASCENDER (i.e. “kind of letter”, a printing term for a letter such as b, d, h or k, apparently). Solution is A followed by a homophone (indicated by “we hear”) of SENDER (i.e. “person using a postbox”), like so: A-SCENDER.

35. When texting, you are, in conclusion, going on and on (8)

Answer: ENDURING (i.e. “going on and on”). Solution is UR (i.e. “when texting, you are” – not me, guv. I’m a gr8 believer in writing things out in full) placed “in” ENDING (i.e. “conclusion”), like so: END(UR)ING.

36. Soldier welcoming group of fliers with appropriate tags (8)

Answer: GRAFFITI (i.e. “tags”, slang thereof – I think the tag is the signature or identifying mark of the artist rather than the graffiti itself, but I could be wrong). Solution is GI (i.e. US “soldier”) wrapped around or “welcoming” RAF (i.e. “group of fliers”, the Royal Air Force) and FIT (i.e. “appropriate”), like so: G(RAF-FIT)I.

37. Man, perhaps on line, providing fine, strong material (5)

Answer: LISLE (i.e. “fine, strong material”). Solution is ISLE (i.e. “Man, perhaps” – other isles are available) placed “on” or after L (a recognised abbreviation of “line”), like so: L-ISLE. Appeared in grid 1616 back in May, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

39. Lunatic reliably defending role for outdated politicians (7,5)

Answer: LIBERAL PARTY (i.e. “outdated politicians” – the Liberal Party ceased in the late 1980s). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “lunatic”) of RELIABLY wrapped around or “defending” PART (i.e. “role”), like so: LIBERAL(PART)Y.

41. One’s perhaps served left-leaning 39’s popular goal (6,4)

Answer: TENNIS BALL (i.e. “one’s perhaps served”). Solution is L and LAB’S (i.e. “39’s” – the solution to 39a is LIBERAL PARTY: L is a recognised abbreviation of “Liberal”, while LAB is a recognised abbreviation of “Labour”, another political PARTY. Setters usually place an indicator in the clue when some cryptic translation is required. Not on this occasion, it seems. A bit naughty), followed by IN (i.e. “popular”) and NET (i.e. “goal”) all reversed (indicated by “left-leaning” – this being an across clue), like so: TEN-NI-S’BAL-L.

43. Men who might have trunks down? (7)

Answer: FELLERS. Solution satisfies “men” and “who might have trunks down”, referring to tree fellers.

45. Living beside town, heard vagrant’s good in a fight (5,2,3,4)

Answer: QUICK ON THE DRAW (i.e. “good in a [gun] fight”). Solution is QUICK (i.e. “living”, archaically or Biblically speaking) followed by an anagram (indicated by “vagrant”) of TOWN HEARD.

48. Learner in top class is unique (5)

Answer: ALONE (i.e. “unique”). Solution is L (a recognised abbreviation of “learner”) placed “in” A ONE (i.e. “top class” or A1), like so: A-(L)-ONE.

49. Fix sets of computer data? Digitally, these may smooth things out (9)

Answer: NAILFILES (i.e. “digitally, these may smooth things out”). Solution is NAIL (i.e. to “fix” in place) followed by FILES (i.e. “sets of computer data”).

51. Nice area has German figure breaking into flipping song (7)

Answer: RIVIERA (i.e. “Nice area”, Nice being a French city). Solution is VIER (i.e. “German figure”, specifically the German for four) placed or “breaking into” AIR (i.e. “song”) once reversed or “flipped”, like so: RI(VIER)A. Appeared in grid 1604 back in March, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

53. After Sprite, kid’s given plum – it’s this or nothing (7,6)

Answer: HOBSON’S CHOICE (i.e. “it’s this or nothing” – over to Brewer’s for this one: “the saying derives from Thomas or Tobias Hobson (c. 1544-1631), a Cambridge carrier well known in his day (John Milton commemorated him in two epitaphs), who refused to let out any horse except in its proper turn”). Solution is HOB (i.e. “sprite”, e.g. Robin Goodfellow) followed by SON’S (i.e. “kid’s”) and CHOICE (i.e. “plum” or thing of excellence).

54. Sitting at home, lying about going missing (9)

Answer: INCUMBENT (i.e. “sitting”). Solution is IN (i.e. “at home”) followed by RECUMBENT (i.e. reclining or “lying”) once the RE has been removed (indicated by “about going missing”, taking RE to be regarding or “about” – think email replies), like so: IN-CUMBENT.

55. Group’s second degree, not the last from Princeton (6)

Answer: SEXTET (i.e. “group” of six). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “second”) followed by EXTENT (i.e. “degree”) once the N has been removed (indicated by “not the last from Princeton”, the last letter of “Princeton” being an N), like so: S-EXTET.

56. One who’s still growing a bouquet pockets hand-out (10)

Answer: ADOLESCENT (i.e. “one who’s still growing”). Solution is A and SCENT (i.e. “bouquet”) wrapped around or “pocketing” DOLE (i.e. “hand-out”), like so: A-(DOLE)-SCENT. Appeared in grid 1618 back in May, also on even intersecting letters, so…

57. Satisfied scripture from the east shows symbolic item (5)

Answer: TOTEM (i.e. “symbolic item”). Solution is MET (i.e. “satisfied”) and OT (i.e. “scripture”, specifically the Old Testament of The Bible) all reversed (indicated by “from the east” – this being an across clue), like so: TO-TEM. Appeared in grid 1587 back in December, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

Down clues

1. Your old clothing and so on is unpleasantly short (6)

Answer: TETCHY (i.e. “unpleasantly short”). Solution is THY (i.e. “your old”, or ye olde “your”) wrapped around or “clothing”) ETC (i.e. “and so on”, short for et cetera), like so: T(ETC)HY.

2. Fling bottle finally in place of bedside light? (3-5,5)

Answer: ONE-NIGHT STAND (i.e. “fling”). Solution is E (i.e. “bottle finally”, i.e. the last letter of “bottle”) placed “in” ON NIGHT STAND (i.e. “place of bedside light”), like so: ON-(E)-NIGHT-STAND.

3. Tory leader no longer has to entertain European (5)

Answer: Edward HEATH (i.e. former “Tory leader”). Solution is HATH (i.e. “no longer has”, or ye olde “has”) wrapped around or “entertaining” E (a recognised abbreviation of “European”), like so: H(E)ATH. Appeared in grid 1575 back in September, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

4. Theoretically, troops must be engaged by 11/04 (1,6)

Answer: A PRIORI (i.e. “theoretically”). Solution is OR (i.e. “troops”, specifically the Other Ranks of the British Army) placed in or “engaged by” APR II (i.e. “11/04”, with 11 expressed as two consecutive Roman numeral Is), like so: APR-I(OR)I.

5. Where mislaid items are thrown, fitting Tony’s jacket (4,8)

Answer: LOST PROPERTY (i.e. “where mislaid items are”). Solution is LOST (i.e. “thrown”, usually losing deliberately) followed by PROPER (i.e. “fitting”) and TY (i.e. “Tony’s jacket”, i.e. the first and last letters of “Tony”).

6. Dismiss people in activity for bounders (4,4)

Answer: SACK RACE (i.e. “activity for bounders”, given you can’t do much else racing with one’s legs in a sack). Solution is SACK (i.e. “dismiss”) followed by RACE (i.e. “people”).

7. More attractive female’s left clothes horse (5)

Answer: AIRER (i.e. “clothes horse”). Solution is FAIRER (i.e. “more attractive”) once the F has been removed (indicated by “female’s left”, F being a recognised abbreviation of “female”).

8. What may create a strong bond, before admitting rotten crime (5,5)

Answer: EPOXY RESIN (i.e. “what may create a strong bond”). Solution is ERE (i.e. poetic form of “before”) wrapped around or “admitting” POXY (i.e. “rotten”) and followed by SIN (i.e. “crime”), like so: E(POXY)RE-SIN.

10. Sad time, given ticking off (7)

Answer: TEARFUL (i.e. “sad”). Solution is T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”) followed by EARFUL (i.e. “ticking off”). Appeared in grid 1608 back in April, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

11. Prepare to screen film with one million viewers expected now? (5,4)

Answer: PRIME TIME (i.e. “one million viewers expected now”). Solution is PRIME (i.e. “prepare”) wrapped around or “screening” ET (i.e. “film”, specifically ET: The Extra Terrestrial), I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and M (a recognised abbreviation of “million”), like so: PRIM(ET-I-M)E.

12. Lacking light boat, wanting horse (5)

Answer: DINGY (i.e. “lacking light”). Solution is DINGHY (i.e. “boat”) with the H removed (indicated by “wanting horse”, “horse” and H being slang terms for heroin).

13. Rich adventure I go on, oddly, is a kind of trap (6,8)

Answer: LOADED QUESTION (i.e. “a kind of trap”). Solution is LOADED (i.e. “rich”) followed by QUEST (i.e. “adventure”), then I and ON.

20. Cleaner city south of Ecuador’s borders (9)

Answer: LAUNDERER (i.e. “cleaner”). Solution is LA (i.e. “city”, specifically Los Angeles) followed by UNDER (i.e. “south of”) and ER (i.e. “Ecuador’s borders”, i.e. the first and last letters of “Ecuador”).

21. Immediately meriting a tick and meriting a cross (5,3)

Answer: RIGHT OFF (i.e. “immediately”). Solution is RIGHT (i.e. something correct or “meriting a tick”) followed by OFF (i.e. something incorrect or “meriting a cross”).

23. Associate of drunk detective, crafty concealing rank (10)

Answer: DISORDERLY (i.e. “associate of drunk” in the phrase “drunk and disorderly”). Solution is DI (i.e. “detective”, in this case a Detective Inspector) followed by SLY (i.e. “crafty”) once wrapped around or “concealing” ORDER (i.e. “rank”), like so: DI-S(ORDER)LY.

24. Rebel felt bothered about first of contracts staff sign (6,4)

Answer: TREBLE CLEF (i.e. “staff sign”, taking “staff” to mean the lines upon which musical notes are hung). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “bothered”) of REBEL FELT wrapped “about” C (i.e. “first [letter] of contacts”), like so: TREBLE(C)LEF.

26. New stuffing cooked by bar head being sadly unaccompanied (14)

Answer: FRIENDLESSNESS (i.e. “being sadly unaccompanied”). Solution is N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”) placed in or “stuffing” FRIED (i.e. “cooked”) and followed by LESS (i.e. “bar” or except for) and NESS (i.e. “head”, the geographic feature), like so: FRIE(N)D-LESS-NESS.

28. Thought a lot of trade is covered by newspaper editor (9)

Answer: IDEALISED (i.e. “thought a lot of”). Solution is DEAL (i.e. “trade”) and IS placed in or “covered by” I (a British “newspaper”) and ED (short for “editor”), like so: I-(DEAL-IS)-ED.

29. Little cherubs in capital keeping extra dry (8)

Answer: AMORETTI (i.e. cupids or “little cherubs”). Solution is AI (i.e. “capital”, excellent, i.e. A1 with the 1 written as its Roman numeral equivalent) wrapped around or “keeping” MORE (i.e. “extra”) and TT (i.e. “dry”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of teetotal), like so: A(MORE-TT)I.

33. Knocking shop emptied in Reading with team deployed (13)

Answer: DISPARAGEMENT (i.e. “knocking”). Solution is SP (i.e. “shop emptied”, i.e. the word “shop” with all its middle letters removed) placed “in” an anagram (indicated by “deployed”) of READING and TEAM, like so: DI(SP)ARAGEMENT.

34. Moving in readiness, catching husband’s rousing remark (4,3,5)

Answer: RISE AND SHINE (i.e. “rousing remark”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “moving”) of IN READINESS wrapped around or “catching” H (a recognised abbreviation of “husband”), like so: RISEANDS(H)INE.

38. Overcome, queen was no longer seen going outside (10)

Answer: VANQUISHED (i.e. “overcome”). Solution is QU (a recognised abbreviation of “queen”) with VANISHED (i.e. “no longer seen”) placed “outside” of it, like so: VAN(QU)ISHED. VANQUISHING appeared in grid 1574 back in September, but on odd intersecting letters on that occasion.

40. British assign part of pitch into which a cross may go? (6,3)

Answer: BALLOT BOX (i.e. “into which a cross may go”, taking a cross or X to mean a vote). Solution is B (a recognised abbreviation of “British”) followed by ALLOT (i.e. “assign”) and BOX (i.e. “part of [football] pitch”).

42. Pans theatre performances without lines and energy (8)

Answer: SKILLETS (i.e. “pans”). Solution is SKITS (i.e. “theatre performances”) wrapped around or placed “without” LL (i.e. “lines”, L being a recognised abbreviation of “line”) and E (a recognised abbreviation of “energy”), like so: SKI(LL-E)TS.

44. Start to embezzle deposit? After fine, I won’t appeal! (7)

Answer: EYESORE (i.e. “I won’t appeal”). Solution is E (i.e. “start [letter] to embezzle”) and ORE (i.e. “deposit”) once the latter has been placed “after” YES (i.e. “fine”, both words of agreement or acceptance), like so: E-(YES)-ORE. Appeared in grid 1588 back in December, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

46. Hard fruit, not soft French food (7)

Answer: HARICOT (i.e. “French food”, specially the French bean or kidney bean). Solution is H (a recognised abbreviation of “hard”) followed by APRICOT (i.e. “fruit”) once the P has been removed (indicated by “not soft”, P being a recognised abbreviation of “piano” or quietly in musical lingo), like so: H-ARICOT.

47. Noise made by blow catching six-footer, a boxer (6)

Answer: BANTAM (i.e. “a boxer”). Solution is BAM (i.e. “noise made by blow”) wrapped around or “catching” ANT (an insect or “six-footer”), like so: B(ANT)AM. I rather liked this clue when I twigged it.

48. Taking day off, runs a series of tests (5)

Answer: ASHES (i.e. “a series of [cricket] tests” between England and Australia). Solution is DASHES (i.e. “runs”) with the D removed (indicated by “taking day off”, D being a recognised abbreviation of “day”).

50. Flounce or run wearing stuff (5)

Answer: FRILL (i.e. “flounce”). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “run” used in some ball games) placed in or “wearing” FILL (i.e. to “stuff”), like so: F(R)ILL. Appeared in grid 1599 back in February, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

52. Raised some subject I’m overexcited to bring up (5)

Answer: VOMIT (i.e. “to bring up”). “Some” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, while “raised” indicates the solution has been reversed – this being a down clue – like so: SUBJEC(T I’M OV)EREXCITED.