Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1638

A relatively straightforward Jumbo this week that was noticeably more fun to complete than it was to write up. Repeats are a given by this point, but the number of times I was writing “man’s name” or “woman’s name” was getting silly. I recall a previous Jumbo that came across like a baby names book, so maybe this a particular setter’s calling card. If so, I can’t say I’m a fan.

Anyway, 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 trampled your daisies 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, and thanks also to those of you dipping your toes in the comments for the first time. You’ll find a good bunch here, far better than the curmudgeonly bugger writing the posts deserves. 😀 Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

RBV (Repeats-By-Volume): 10.3% (including a biggie)

Across clues

1. Woman entertaining cricket side in Italian city (6)

Answer: VERONA (i.e. “Italian city”). Solution is VERA (i.e. “woman’s” name) wrapped around or “entertaining” ON (i.e. “cricket side”, also known as leg side), like so: VER(ON)A.

5. Piece of writing originally studied in father’s day (7)

Answer: PASSAGE (i.e. “piece of writing”). Solution is S (i.e. “originally studied”, i.e. the first letter of “studied”) placed “in” PA’S (i.e. “father’s”) and AGE (i.e. “day”, as in “back in my day”), like so: PA’S-(S)-AGE.

9. Independence of a university man receiving high honour (8)

Answer: AUTONOMY (i.e. “independence”). Solution is A followed by U (a recognised abbreviation of “university”) then TONY (i.e. a “man’s” name) once wrapped around or “receiving” OM (i.e. “high honour”, specifically the Order of Merit), like so: A-U-TO(NO)MY.

13. Suffer verbal abuse? A stranger on a bus may ask to (2,4,5,3,4,3)

Answer: BE TOLD WHERE ONE GETS OFF. Solution satisfies “suffer verbal abuse” and “a stranger on a bus may ask to”, if you follow it with the whole solution.

14. Objections of experts holding trial (8)

Answer: PROTESTS (i.e. “objections”). Solution is PROS (i.e. “experts”, short for professionals) wrapped around or “holding” TEST (i.e. “trial”), like so: PRO(TEST)S.

15. Comfortless role in school sickbay (7)

Answer: SPARTAN (i.e. “comfortless”). Solution is PART (i.e. “role”) placed “in” SAN (i.e. boarding “school sickbay”, short for sanatorium), like so: S(PART)AN.

16. Like a coward, react noisily to sudden pain (6)

Answer: YELLOW (i.e. “like a coward”). When written as YELL OW! The solution also satisfies “react noisily to sudden pain”.

17. Uncommonly loud surgical appliance, one used in Algerian port (10)

Answer: STENTORIAN (i.e. “uncommonly loud”). Solution is STENT (i.e. “surgical device”) followed by I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) once placed “in” ORAN (i.e. “Algerian port”), like so: STENT-OR(I)AN.

20. Old method of punishment avoiding spades and drill, say (7,5)

Answer: DUCKING STOOL (i.e. “old method of punishment”). Solution is DUCKING (i.e. “avoiding”) followed by S (a recognised abbreviation of “spades” used in some card games) and TOOL (i.e. “drill, say” – other tools are available).

23. Dress Mickey’s mousy girlfriend talked of? (4)

Answer: MINI (i.e. “dress”). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “talked of”) of MINNIE (i.e. “Mickey’s mousy girlfriend”).

24. Son making fun of ornamental needlework (8)

Answer: SMOCKING (i.e. “ornamental needlework”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “son”) followed by MOCKING (i.e. “making fun of”).

26. His sonata endlessly contrived to amaze (8)

Answer: ASTONISH (i.e. “to amaze”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “contrived”) of HIS SONATA once the last letter has been removed (indicated by “endlessly”).

29. Docker yearns to meet equestrian? Not so, at first (12)

Answer: LONGSHOREMAN (i.e. “docker”). Solution is LONGS (i.e. “yearns”) followed by HORSEMAN (i.e. “equestrian”) once the S has been removed (indicated by “not so, at first”, i.e. the first letter of “so”), like so: LONGS-HOREMAN.

30. Looking into Irish lineage, one gets shot (10)

Answer: IRIDESCENT (i.e. “shot” – over to Chambers for a few variant meanings: “with warp and weft of different colours, as in shot silk; showing a play of colours”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one” again) placed “into” IR (a recognised abbreviation of “Irish”) and DESCENT (i.e. “lineage”), like so: IR-(I)-DESCENT. IRIDESCENCE appeared in grid 1584 back in November, also on odd intersecting letters. Close enough for me, so…

32. Servant girl disturbed diner in wine store, right away (10)

Answer: CINDERELLA (i.e. “servant girl” of the Brothers Grimm tale). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “disturbed”) of DINER placed “in” CELLAR (i.e. “wine store”) once the R has been removed (indicated by “right away”, R being a recognised abbreviation of “right”), like so: C(INDER)ELLA.

34. Single state of Society playwright arresting second gangster (12)

Answer: SPINSTERHOOD (i.e. “single state”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “society”) followed by Harold PINTER (i.e. “playwright”) once wrapped around or “arresting” S (a recognised abbreviation of “second”). This is all then followed by HOOD (i.e. “gangster”), like so: S-PIN(S)TER-HOOD.

36. For example, a woman’ll collect good thin porcelain (8)

Answer: EGGSHELL (i.e. “thin porcelain”). Solution is E.G. (i.e. “for example”, after the Latin exampli gratia) and SHE’LL (i.e. “woman’ll”) all wrapped around or “collecting” G (a recognised abbreviation of “good”), like so: E.G.-(G)-SHE’LL.

38. Manxman possibly, one dogged by malicious defamation (8)

Answer: ISLANDER (i.e. “Manxman possibly”, other islanders are available). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”, again again) followed by SLANDER (i.e. “malicious defamation”).

39. Sort of test covering a defensive water-filled ditch (4)

Answer: MOAT (i.e. “defensive water-filled ditch”). Solution is MOT (i.e. “sort of test”, named after the old Ministry of Transport) wrapped around or “covering” A, like so: MO(A)T.

41. Incompatibility of trendy crook thus meeting granny at church (12)

Answer: INCONSONANCE (i.e. “incompatibility”). Solution is IN (i.e. “trendy”) followed by CON (i.e. “crook”), then SO (i.e. “thus”), then NAN (i.e. “granny”) and CE (i.e. “church”, specifically the Church of England).

43. Composer briefly hemmed in by bounder’s dog (10)

Answer: ROTTWEILER (i.e. “dog”). Solution is Kurt WEILL (i.e. “composer” who brought us The Threepenny Opera with Bertolt Brecht. I’ll now have Mack the Knife stuck in my head for the rest of this post, which is no bad thing) with the last letter removed (indicated by “briefly”) and the remainder placed in or “hemmed in by” ROTTER (i.e. “bounder”), like so: ROTT(WEIL)ER.

44. Current taking explorer from one side to the other (6)

Answer: ACROSS (i.e. “from one side to the other”). Solution is AC (i.e. alternating “current”) followed by John ROSS (i.e. polar “explorer” of the nineteenth century).

46. Film brought back to plug old injury in back of head (7)

Answer: OCCIPUT (i.e. “back of head”, anatomically speaking). Solution is PIC (i.e. “film”, short for picture) reversed (indicated by “brought back”) and placed in or “plugging” O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) and CUT (i.e. “injury”), like so: O-C(CIP)UT.

48. Sour woman taking chap round north-east (8)

Answer: VINEGARY (i.e. “sour”). Solution is VI (i.e “woman’s” name) and GARY (i.e. “chap’s” name) all wrapped “round” NE (a recognised abbreviation of “north-east”), like so: VI-(NE)-GARY. Good grief, this is four forenames used in solutions to this point, and we’re not even out of the across clues yet. Chuck in a couple of real-world people and it starts to feel a little one-track.

50. Issue a challenge that’s involved hero that’s now performing at Bayreuth? (5,4,3,2,3,4)

Answer: THROW ONE’S HAT IN THE RING (i.e. “issue a challenge”). A quick aside: thanks in part to restrictions placed on the amount of gambling advertising on UK TV, there are so few advertisers across Sky Sports these days that Sky often have to fill most or all of their ad breaks with show trailers or ads for their own umpteen spurious services. Meanwhile, those few adverts that aren’t for Sky are created by agencies who rarely create more than one TV ad per campaign. As a result, pretty much every ad break across Sky Sports comprises a vanishingly small pool of adverts on heavy rotation. TV types don’t seem to appreciate that when viewers are plagued with the same shit over and over and over again, they grow averse to the stuff being advertised. If I cease posting soon, it might be because I’ve stolen all the conservatory insulation, Sky “smart tech” (please…) and knob drugs I can get my hands on and burnt them all in a big pit. Sirram’s comment last week about me posting from prison may be strangely prophetic.

All this waffle is to say, in short: familiarity breeds contempt. Which brings me to this solution. Fans of the Jumbo cryptic will know we had virtually the same solution in grid 1632 barely over a month ago (also on odd intersecting letters). Now, a few five-letter repeats each week we can perhaps expect, but a 20+ letter phrase so soon after its last appearance? No. Not good enough. Not even close. Now, the temptation here would be for me to unload on this week’s setter in my usual graceless way, but, really, the problem lies squarely with The Times’ puzzles editor. A stronger editor would have rejected this grid due to the jarring repeat, or at the very least arranged for it to be published much later. But no, the editor just blindly published it unchallenged as he always does. It’s pathetic, and it’s getting really boring now. The fact that Max ERNST has made an appearance again this week, when I keep using him as a past example of dull repeats, is the cherry on the cake.

Right, that’s my customary rant about repeats out of the way for this week. On with the show…

The solution is an anagram (indicated by “involved”) of HERO THAT’S NOW followed by IN THE RING (indicative of “at Bayreuth” – The Bayreuth Festival was created to celebrate Richard Wagner’s works, in particular his Ring Cycle. Apparently the festival was his idea, which is some impressive next-level egotism).

51. One offering to be more affectionate (8)

Answer: TENDERER. Solution satisfies “one offering” and “more affectionate”. TENDERLY appeared in grid 1628 a couple of months ago, but on odd intersecting letters on that occasion.

52. Furtiveness of duck taking time in quiet environment (7)

Answer: STEALTH (i.e. “furtiveness”). Solution is TEAL (i.e. “duck”) and T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”) all placed “in” SH (i.e. “quiet”), like so: S(TEAL-T)H. STEALTHY appeared in grid 1588 in December and again in grid 1637 only last week, but on both occasions on even intersecting letters. Still, quite a popular word, isn’t it?

53. A piece of cake daughters received in hand-out (6)

Answer: DODDLE (i.e. a cinch or “piece of cake”). Solution is D and D (i.e. “daughters” – D being a recognised abbreviation of “daughter”) both placed “in” DOLE (i.e. “hand-out”), like so: DO(DD)LE. Appeared in grid 1625 in July, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

Down clues

2. Something that glows at the end of three months? (5)

Answer: EMBER (i.e. “something that glows”). The solution also satisfies the remainder of the clue, given EMBER is found “at the end of” SEPTEMBER, NOVEMBER and DECEMBER. This would have been a good clue were it not for the fact we had virtually the same thing in last week’s Jumbo. Almost worth a meme in itself.

3. Exceptional? Not in status (11)

Answer: OUTSTANDING (i.e. “exceptional”). Solution is OUT (i.e. “not in”) followed by STANDING (i.e. “status”).

4. Reference initially understood in the whole of Jerusalem (8)

Answer: ALLUSION (i.e. “reference”). Solution is U (i.e. “initially understood”, i.e. the first letter of “understood”) placed “in” ALL (i.e. “the whole of”) and SION (i.e. “Jerusalem”, variant spelling of Zion – Chambers doesn’t want to know, but my Oxford backs it up), like so: ALL-(U)-SION.

5. Wartime captives transfixed by unknown part of Wales (5)

Answer: POWYS (i.e. “part of Wales”). Solution is POWS (i.e. “wartime captives”, or Prisoners of War) wrapped around or “transfixed by” Y (i.e. “unknown” – setters love referring to X, Y or Z in solutions as unknowns), like so: POW(Y)S.

6. Family member’s measures, old and new (7)

Answer: STEPSON (i.e. “family member”). Solution is STEPS (i.e. “measures”) followed by O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) and N (ditto “new”).

7. Fellow embracing Roman law, an Egyptian citizen (11)

Answer: ALEXANDRIAN (i.e. “Egyptian citizen”). Solution is ADRIAN (i.e. “fellow’s” name – another forename) wrapped around or “embracing” LEX (i.e. “Roman law”, i.e. the Latin for law) and AN, like so: A(LEX-AN)DRIAN.

8. He painted sailors in east of France (5)

Answer: Max ERNST (i.e. “he painted”). Is he back for another residency in Times Jumbos? Could be. Solution is RN (i.e. “sailors”, the Royal Navy) placed “in” EST (i.e. “east of France”, i.e. the French for “east”), like so: E(RN)ST.

9. Country bloke in sports stadium having change of heart (9)

Answer: ARGENTINA (i.e. “country”). Solution is GENT (i.e. “bloke”) placed “in” ARENA (i.e. “sports stadium”) once its middle letter or “heart” has been “changed”, like so: AR(GENT)ENA => AR(GENT)INA. I’m seldom a fan of “change of heart” wordplay. It’s valid, but it always feels lazy to me. Meanwhile, the solution appeared in grid 1588 back in December, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

10. Worn out Rechabite thrown into Scottish river (5)

Answer: TATTY (i.e. “worn out”). Solution is TT (i.e. “Rechabite”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of a teetotaller. Over to Chambers again: “a descendant of Jonadab, son of Rechab, who did not drink wine or dwell in houses”) placed “into” TAY (i.e. “Scottish river”), like so: TA(TT)Y.

11. Like a branch of philosophy misrepresented in a plot once (3-8)

Answer: NEO-PLATONIC (i.e. “like a branch of philosophy”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “misrepresented”) of IN A PLOT ONCE.

12. Second note about a woman member of Cosa Nostra (7)

Answer: MAFIOSO (i.e. “member of Cosa Nostra”, or the Mafia). Solution is MO (i.e. “second”, short for a moment) and SO (i.e. musical “note” of the sol-fa scale) all wrapped “about” A and FI (i.e. “woman’s” name, the sixth forename now), like so: M(A-FI)O-SO.

18. In Herts town, worry over cut of clothes (9)

Answer: TAILORING (i.e. “cut of clothes”). Solution is TRING (i.e. “Herts town”) wrapped around or having “in” AIL (i.e. “worry”) and O (a recognised abbreviation of “over” used in cricket), like so: T(AIL-O)RING.

19. Dissolute males involved in current exam (7)

Answer: IMMORAL (i.e. “dissolute”). Solution is M and M (i.e. “males”, much like DD for daughters earlier, M being a recognised abbreviation of “male”) both placed “in” I (a recognised abbreviation of an electrical “current” used in physics) and ORAL (i.e. “exam”), like so: I-(MM)-ORAL.

21. Perception of minor employee no one can set up (9)

Answer: COGNITION (i.e. “perception”). Solution is COG (i.e. “minor employee”) followed by NO, I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one” again again again) and TIN (i.e. “can”) once these last three have been reversed (indicated by “set up” – this being a down clue), like so: COG-(NIT-I-ON).

22. As harvest is in autumn, it’s understood (8)

Answer: GATHERED. Solution satisfies “as harvest is in autumn” and “understood”.

25. Friend of fellow member with girl about ten (9)

Answer: COMPANION (i.e. “friend”). Solution is CO (i.e. prefix denoting “fellow”) followed by MP (i.e. “Member” of Parliament), then ANN (i.e. “girl’s” name, the seventh forename now) once wrapped “about” IO (i.e. “ten”), like so: CO-MP-AN(IO)N.

27. Ultimately many poets can somehow give an offbeat performance? (9)

Answer: SYNCOPATE (i.e. “give an offbeat performance”. Chambers offers: “to alter the rhythm (of music etc) temporarily by transferring the accent to a normally unaccented beat”. Whatever any of that means). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “somehow”) of Y (i.e. “ultimately many”, i.e. the last letter of “many”) and POETS CAN.

28. People demanding payment for battery boosters (8)

Answer: CHARGERS. Solution satisfies “people demanding payment” and “battery boosters”.

31. Examine pitch initially during cricket, perhaps (7)

Answer: INSPECT (i.e. “examine”). Solution is P (i.e. “pitch initially”, i.e. the first letter of “pitch”) placed in or “during” INSECT (i.e. “cricket, perhaps” – other flavours of insect are available), like so: INS(P)ECT.

33. Shamed donor hides outside entrance to United’s ground (11)

Answer: DISHONOURED (i.e. “shamed”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “ground”) of DONOR HIDES wrapped around or placed “outside” of U (i.e. “entrance to United”, i.e. the first letter of “United”), like so: DISHONO(U)RED. Solution appeared in grid 1603 back in March, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

34. Sadly reveal split in tableware, perhaps (6,5)

Answer: SILVER PLATE (i.e. “tableware, perhaps”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “sadly”) of REVEAL SPLIT.

35. One that hovers, smelling rat at first in offer (11)

Answer: HUMMINGBIRD (i.e. “one that hovers”). Solution is HUMMING (i.e. “smelling”) followed by R (i.e. “rat at first”, i.e. the first letter of “rat”) placed “in” BID (i.e. “offer”), like so: HUMMING-BI(R)D. Solution appeared in grid 1592 back in December, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

37. Squire at lower level in country road by river (9)

Answer: LANDOWNER (i.e. “squire”). Solution is DOWN (i.e. “at lower level”) placed “in” LANE (i.e. “country road”) and R (a recognised abbreviation of “river”), like so: LAN(DOWN)E-R.

40. Bird-keeper pale woman’s located in South Dakota (8)

Answer: SWANHERD (i.e. “bird-keeper”). Solution is WAN (i.e. “pale”) and HER (i.e. “woman’s”, read as possessive instead of a contraction of “woman is”) both placed “in” SD (US state abbreviation of “South Dakota”), like so: S(WAN-HER)D.

42. Canoodle on moor – in formal wear! (7)

Answer: NECKTIE (i.e. “formal wear”). Solution is NECK (i.e. “canoodle”) followed by TIE (i.e. to “moor”).

43. Further hearing set up in a while outside Rhode Island (7)

Answer: RETRIAL (i.e. “further hearing”). Solution is LATER (i.e. “in a while”) reversed (indicated by “set up” – this being a down clue) and wrapped “outside” of RI (US state abbreviation of Rhode Island), like so: RET(RI)AL.

45. Thus you and I originally recognised a broadcaster? (5)

Answer: SOWER (i.e. “broadcaster”). Solution is SO (i.e. “thus”) followed by WE (i.e. “you and I”) and R (i.e. “originally recognised”, i.e. the first letter of “recognised”).

47. Bags patients? (5)

Answer: CASES. Solution satisfies “bags” and “patients”.

48. Make an impression supporting head of vehicle plant (5)

Answer: VETCH (i.e. “plant”). Solution is ETCH (i.e. “make an impression”) placed after or “supporting” – this being a down clue – V (i.e. “head of vehicle”, i.e. the first letter of “vehicle”), like so: V-ETCH.

49. Equipment used by the Spanish star (5)

Answer: RIGEL (i.e. a “star” of the constellation Orion). Solution is RIG (i.e. “equipment”) followed by EL (i.e. “the Spanish”, i.e. the Spanish for “the”).