Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1640

A relatively straightforward Jumbo for a soggy Saturday afternoon. I don’t mind that. (The Jumbo, not the soggy afternoon.) Shame there were a few too many repeats, but I think we’ve established now that these are par for the course. A good number of well-written clues made up for it.

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 given you the slip 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): 11.7%

Across clues

1. Fanatical skipper in a cap and hat cavorting with sailor (7,4)

Answer: CAPTAIN AHAB (i.e. “fanatical skipper” of Herman Melville’s novel Moby Dick). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “cavorting”) of IN A CAP and HAT followed by AB (i.e. “sailor” of Able-Bodied rank), like so: CAPTAINAH-AB.

7. What makes the daily grind when pausing the daily grind? (6,5)

Answer: COFFEE BREAK. Clue plays on COFFEE “grinders” and the solution being a “pause” or BREAK in a working day or “daily grind”. You get the idea.

13. Secretary passes translation around (8,9)

Answer: PERSONAL ASSISTANT (i.e. “secretary”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “around”) of PASSES TRANSLATION.

14. Relative temperature finally seen in November frost (5)

Answer: NIECE (i.e. “relative”). Solution is E (i.e. “temperature finally”, i.e. the last letter of “temperature”) placed “in” N (“November” in the phonetic alphabet) and ICE (i.e. “frost”), like so: N-I(E)CE. Appeared in grid 1590 back in December, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

15. Alternatively, a revolutionary alternative to spinach (6)

Answer: ORACHE (i.e. “alternative to spinach”). Solution is OR (i.e. “alternatively”) followed by A and CHE Guevara (i.e. “revolutionary”).

16. Change parts of shell (8)

Answer: SHRAPNEL. Solution satisfies a slang word for pocket “change” and “parts of [ammunition] shell”.

17. Picture Thrace, fed by this canal transporting water (7)

Answer: URETHRA (i.e. anatomical “canal transporting water”). “Fed by this” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: PICT(URE THRA)CE.

19. Unbiased, the setter’s quite keen (9)

Answer: IMPARTIAL (i.e. “unbiased”). When written as I’M PARTIAL the solution also satisfies “the setter’s quite keen” from the point of view of the setter. Appeared in grid 1599 in February, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

21. Plain speaking in French we hear: “Everything OK?” “No” (8)

Answer: SAVANNAH (i.e. a “plain”). “We hear” indicates the solution comprises homophones of ÇA VA (i.e. “in French…: ‘Everything OK?’”) and NAH (i.e. “no”), like so: SAVA-NNAH

23. Weep when moving new joint in the leg (4)

Answer: KNEE (i.e. “joint in the leg”). Solution is KEEN (i.e. “weep”) with the N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”) “moved” like so: KEE(N) => K(N)EE.

25. Inuit boat unaffected by rolling over (5)

Answer: KAYAK (i.e. “Inuit boat”). “Unaffected by rolling over” plays on how the solution is a palindrome.

27. Walking over northern base (2,4)

Answer: ON FOOT (i.e. “walking”). Solution is O (a recognised abbreviation of “over” used in cricket) followed by N (a recognised abbreviation of “northern”) and FOOT (i.e. the “base” of something).

28. Shabby treatment given to rather bad European (10)

Answer: THREADBARE (i.e. “shabby”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “treatment given to”) of RATHER BAD followed by E (a recognised abbreviation of “European”), like so: THREADBAR-E.

30. Ring laced around roughly 25mm piece of meat (4,4)

Answer: LOIN CHOP (i.e. “piece of meat”). Solution is LOOP (i.e. “ring”) wrapped “around” INCH (i.e. “roughly 25mm”), like so: LO(INCH)OP.

31. Blond fop in Soho converted an important man of the cloth (6,2,6)

Answer: BISHOP OF LONDON (i.e. “an important man of the cloth”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “converted”) of BLOND FOP IN SOHO.

34. Turkey might need this as currency bear runs riot (9,5)

Answer: CRANBERRY SAUCE (i.e. “turkey might need this”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “runs riot”) of AS CURRENCY BEAR.

35. Tease and tear into joint of beef (3-5)

Answer: RIB-ROAST (i.e. “joint of beef”). Solution is RIB (i.e. “tease”) followed by ROAST (i.e. “tear into”).

38. Christmas greetings message sent round that hurts playwright (4,6)

Answer: NOEL COWARD (i.e. “playwright”). Solution is NOEL (i.e. “Christmas”) and CARD (i.e. “greetings message”) wrapped “round” OW (i.e. “that hurts”), like so: NOEL-C(OW)ARD.

40. Crone hiding topper oddly where topper might be found (6)

Answer: HATPEG (i.e. “where topper might be found”). Solution is HAG (i.e. “crone”) wrapped around or “hiding” TPE (i.e. “topper oddly”, i.e. every other letter of TOPPER), like so: HA(TPE)G.

41. German with initially really enormous joint (5)

Answer: MITRE (i.e. a “joint” forming a right-angle using two pieces cut at a 45° angle). Solution is MIT (i.e. “German with”, i.e. the German for “with”) followed by R and E (i.e. “initially really enormous”, i.e. the first letters of “really” and “enormous”).

43. United featured in rubbish, heavy defeat (4)

Answer: ROUT (i.e. “heavy defeat”). Solution is U (a recognised abbreviation of “united”) placed or “featured in” ROT (i.e. “rubbish”), like so: RO(U)T.

44. Retired celebrity entertains Russian in the capital (8)

Answer: BRUSSELS (i.e. “capital” of Belgium). Solution is SLEB (slang for a “celebrity”) reversed (indicated by “retired”) and wrapped around or “entertaining” RUSS (a recognised abbreviation of “Russian”), like so B(RUSS)ELS.

45. One millimetre units of measurement the Spanish ultimately employ hugely (9)

Answer: IMMENSELY (i.e. “hugely”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) followed by MM (a recognised abbreviation of “millimetre”), then ENS (i.e. “units of measurement” – an EN is a space half the width of an ‘m’ character used in printing), then EL (i.e. “the Spanish”, i.e. the Spanish for “the”) and Y (i.e. “ultimately employ”, i.e. the last letter of “employ”). IMMENSE appeared in grid 1595 back in January, also on odd intersecting letters. I’m claiming it, so…

48. Greek character trips the light fantastic, daughter dropping subtle hints (7)

Answer: NUANCES (i.e. “subtle hints”). Solution is NU (i.e. “Greek character”, specifically the thirteenth letter of the Greek alphabet) followed by DANCES (i.e. “trips the light fantastic”) once the D has been removed (indicated by “daughter dropping” – D being a recognised abbreviation of “daughter”), like so: NU-ANCES. NUANCED appeared in grid 1609 back in April, also on odd intersecting letters. Again, I’m claiming it, so…

49. Always fitted in coach the cheapest berths (8)

Answer: STEERAGE (i.e. “the cheapest berths”). Solution is E’ER (poetic form of “always”) placed “in” STAGE (i.e. “coach”), like so: ST(E’ER)AGE.

50. Key universal party once ready for Lisbon? (6)

Answer: ESCUDO (i.e. “once ready for Lisbon”, i.e. the former currency of Portugal – “ready” being a slang word for money). Solution is ESC (i.e. “key” on a computer keyboard, short for Escape) followed by U (i.e. “universal” in film certification) and DO (i.e. “party”).

53. Jones the architect’s blue after losing diamonds (5)

Answer: INIGO (i.e. “Jones the architect”). Solution is INDIGO (i.e. “blue”) with the D removed (indicated by “after losing diamonds”, D being a recognised abbreviation of “diamonds” used in some card games).

54. Ace dad full of energy copies nan sporting a badge of honour (1,7,2,4,3)

Answer: A FEATHER IN ONE’S CAP (i.e. “a badge of honour”). Solution is A (a recognised abbreviation of “ace” on playing cards) followed by FATHER (i.e. “dad”) once wrapped around or being “full of” E (a recognised abbreviation of “energy”). This is then followed by an anagram (indicated by “sporting”) of COPIES NAN, like so: A-F(E)ATHER-INONESCAP.

55. Near Egypt, he messed with technique using DNA (4,7)

Answer: GENE THERAPY (i.e. “technique using DNA”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “messed with”) of NEAR EGYPT HE.

56. Harsh, upper-class rubbish old Republican to whom we say “Bless you!” (11)

Answer: STERNUTATOR (i.e. “to whom we say ‘Bless you!’” – sternutation is the act of sneezing). Solution is STERN (i.e. “harsh”) followed by U (a recognised abbreviation of the “upper-class”), then TAT (i.e. “rubbish”), then O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) and R (ditto “Republican”).

Down clues

1. Alloy trophy in locker bent out of shape (11)

Answer: CUPRONICKEL (i.e. “alloy”). Solution is CUP (i.e. “trophy”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “bent out of shape”) of IN LOCKER, like so: CUP-RONICKEL.

2. Run into dad and mum somewhere in Emilia Romagna (5)

Answer: PARMA (i.e. “somewhere in Emilia Romagna”, a region of northern Italy). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “run” used in a number of ball games) placed “into” or between PA and MA (i.e. “dad and mum”), like so: PA-(R)-MA.

3. A different answer – different woman (7)

Answer: ANOTHER (i.e. “a different”). Solution is A (a recognised abbreviation of “answer”, as in Q&A) followed by NOT HER (i.e. “different woman”).

4. Tidy amount initially put in after tax deducted (4)

Answer: NEAT (i.e. “tidy”). Solution is A (i.e. “amount initially”, i.e. the first letter of “amount”) placed “in” NET (i.e. “after tax deducted”, sometimes also spelled nett), like so: NE(A)T.

5. Former PM with scar a literary hero? (10)

Answer: HEATHCLIFF (i.e. “literary hero” of Emily Brontë’s novel Wuthering Heights). Solution is Edward HEATH (i.e. “former PM”) followed by CLIFF (i.e. “scar” geographically speaking).

6. Poor Somali husband with yen for a vacation? Hardly! (7,7)

Answer: BUSMAN’S HOLIDAY (i.e. “a vacation? Hardly” – the solution is a holiday spent doing pretty much the same thing as one would do at work. Quite surprised to find Chambers not listing this one). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “poor”) of SOMALI HUSBAND followed by Y (a recognised abbreviation of “yen”, the Japanese currency), like so: BUSMANSHOLIDA-Y.

7. Ladies’ man Staunton occasionally opening the bubbly (8)

Answer: CASANOVA (i.e. “ladies man”). Solution is SANO (i.e. “Staunton occasionally”, i.e. every other letter of STAUNTON) placed in or “opening” CAVA (i.e. a bottle of “bubbly”), like so: CA(SANO)VA. Appeared in grid 1607 in April, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

8. Weak leaders of firm regret adding inexperienced labour (5)

Answer: FRAIL (i.e. “weak”). “Leaders of” indicates the solution is derived from the initial letters of Firm Regret Adding Inexperienced Labour.

9. Train that’s caught by Rouen tour agent (9)

Answer: ENTOURAGE (i.e. “train” or retinue). “That’s caught by” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: ROU(EN TOUR AGE)NT. Appeared in grid 1611 in April, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

10. British soldier maybe starts to enjoy romantic badinage (6)

Answer: BANTER (i.e. “badinage”). Solution is B (a recognised abbreviation of “British”) followed by ANT (i.e. “soldier maybe”, other flavours of ant are available), then E and R (i.e. “starts to enjoy romantic”, i.e. the first letters of “enjoy” and “romantic”).

11. Station jumbo beach construction with no roof (8,3,6)

Answer: ELEPHANT AND CASTLE (i.e. train “station” in South London). Solution is ELEPHANT (i.e. “jumbo”) followed by SANDCASTLE (i.e. “beach construction”) once the first letter has been removed (indicated by “with no roof”), like so: ELEPHANT-ANDCASTLE.

12. Watch over fortified tower – middle of storm coming in shortly (4,2,3,2)

Answer: KEEP AN EYE ON (i.e. “watch over”). Solution is KEEP (i.e. “fortified tower”) followed by EYE (i.e. “middle of storm”) once placed “in” ANON (i.e. “shortly”), like so: KEEP-AN(EYE)ON.

18. Two-tone pen knocking out note of grief (8)

Answer: BICOLOUR (i.e. “two-tone”). Solution is BIC (i.e. “pen”) followed by DOLOUR (i.e. “grief”) once the D has been removed (indicated by “knocking out note of” – “note” being taken to be a musical note), like so: BIC-OLOUR.

20. Quiet energy used in this training briefly? (8,9)

Answer: PHYSICAL EDUCATION (i.e. “training”). The clue plays on a recognised abbreviation of the solution, PE, comprising abbreviations or “brief” forms of “quiet” (P being “piano” in musical lingo) and E (“energy”).

22. Only Crosby, presumably, lacking prospects (2-4)

Answer: NO-HOPE (i.e. “lacking prospects”). Solution also playfully satisfies “only Crosby, presumably”, a nod to the various semi-musical comedies that starred Bing Crosby and Bob Hope.

24. Descriptive character Victor deleted from film cassette (8)

Answer: IDEOGRAM (i.e. “descriptive character”). Solution is VIDEOGRAM (i.e. “film cassette”) once the V has been removed (indicated by “Victor deleted from” – “Victor” being V in the phonetic alphabet).

26. An inducement to retaliate? (8)

Answer: KICKBACK (i.e. “an inducement”). When written as KICK BACK the solution also satisfies “retaliate”.

29. Sensational stories about sailor brothers turning over car parts (5,9)

Answer: SHOCK ABSORBERS (i.e. “car parts”). Solution is SHOCKERS (i.e. “sensational stories”) wrapped “about” AB (i.e. “sailor”, Able-Bodied again) and BROS (a recognised abbreviation of “brothers”) once the latter has been reversed (indicated by “turning over”), like so: SHOCK(AB-SORB)ERS.

32. Perhaps coconut shy is a legitimate target (4,4)

Answer: FAIR GAME. Solution satisfies “perhaps coconut shy” – other fairground games are available – and “legitimate target”.

33. Founder of Persian Empire assuming power in Mediterranean island (6)

Answer: CYPRUS (i.e. “Mediterranean island”). Solution is CYRUS The Great (i.e. “founder of Persian Empire”) wrapped around or “assuming” P (a recognised abbreviation of “power”), like so: CY(P)RUS.

34. Challenging Tory acting as nominal leader (11)

Answer: CONFRONTING (i.e. “challenging”). Solution is CON (i.e. “Tory”, short for Conservative) followed by FRONTING (i.e. “acting as nominal leader”).

36. Young trendy getting two very different hats from Spooner? (11)

Answer: TEENYBOPPER (i.e. “young trendy”). Solution is a “Spoonerism” of BEENY and TOPPER (i.e. “two very different hats”).

37. Rising temp spreading, which is to be expected after winter (10)

Answer: SPRINGTIME (i.e. “which is to be expected after winter”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “spreading”) of RISING TEMP.

39. Cop wreaks havoc in an area of the office? (9)

Answer: WORKSPACE (i.e. “an area of the office”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “havoc”) of COP WREAKS.

42. Paltry sum of cash in bank of late (8)

Answer: RECENTLY (i.e. “of late”). Solution is CENT (i.e. “paltry sum of cash”) placed “in” RELY (i.e. to “bank” on something), like so: RE(CENT)LY.

46. Beginning noon climb (7)

Answer: NASCENT (i.e. “beginning”). Solution is N (a recognised abbreviation of “noon”) followed by ASCENT (i.e. “climb”).

47. Challenge the bill for climate control? (6)

Answer: ACCOST (i.e. “challenge”). When written as AC COST the solution also playfully satisfies “the bill for climate control”, AC being a recognised abbreviation of “air conditioning”. Appeared in grid 1611 in April, also on even intersecting letters, so…

49. Ancient realm where the Queen made a noted arrival (5)

Answer: SHEBA (i.e. “ancient realm”). The rest of the clue plays on George Frideric Handel’s famous piece of music Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba, referred to here as a “noted arrival”.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=U9FaoRJAgII%3Fsi%3DhMQRsbfEgZ5bR4mF

51. Sober, presumably, like a rough diamond? (5)

Answer: UNCUT (i.e. “like a rough diamond”). The solution also playfully satisfies “sober, presumably”, after the phrase “half-cut” or being drunk.

52. Old capital elevating noble knight (4)

Answer: BONN (i.e. “old capital”, specifically of the former East [EDIT: Sorry, had a brain-fart. This should be “West”. Thanks to Ned in the comments for correcting this. – LP] Germany). Solution is NOB (slangy shortened form of “noble”) reversed (indicated by “elevating” – this being a down clue) and followed by N (a recognised abbreviation of “knight” used in chess”), like so: BON-N.