Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1641

A toughie but a goodie this week. A host of well-written clues helped make up for the glut of recent repeats in the grid. Overall, this was a fine Jumbo to chip away at during the day.

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 eluded you 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): 12.9%

Across clues

1. One loudly giving address of Parisian with fancy lime car (9)

Answer: DECLAIMER (i.e. “one loudly giving address”). Solution is DE (i.e. “of Parisian”, i.e. the French for “of”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “fancy”) of LIME CAR, like so: DE-CLAIMER.

6. Bachelor pad’s key (1,4)

Answer: B FLAT (i.e. musical “key”). Solution is B (a recognised abbreviation of “bachelor” used in degree qualifications, e.g. BA, BSc etc) followed by FLAT (i.e. “pad”, property-wise). Nicely worked.

9. Participant in combat sports has time for defensive work (7)

Answer: PARAPET (i.e. a “defensive work”). Solution is PARA (i.e. “participant in combat”, short for paratrooper) followed by PE (i.e. “sports” or Physical Education) and T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”).

13. Disapprove and appeal about instruction for players (5)

Answer: TUTTI (i.e. “instruction for players” or orchestra). Solution is TUT (i.e. “disapprove”) followed by IT (i.e. attraction or “appeal”) once reversed (indicated by “about”), like so: TUT-TI. TUTTI FRUTTI has appeared a couple of times this year, but I can’t really count those as repeats. TUTTI on its own appeared in grid 1594 in January, however, and also on odd intersecting letters, so…

14. Mess with toccata, omitting the middle G # (7)

Answer: HASHTAG (i.e. “#” across certain social media). Solution is HASH (i.e. a “mess”) followed by TA (i.e. “toccata, omitting the middle [letters]”) and G.

15. Cattle driver maybe takes the lead in festival (9)

Answer: WOODSTOCK (i.e. famous 1969 music “festival”). Solution is STOCK (i.e. “cattle”) with WOOD (i.e. “driver”, as in the golf club) placed before it or “taking the lead”, like so: WOOD-STOCK.

16. Profit from what baker might do, getting led astray (4,1,6)

Answer: MAKE A BUNDLE (i.e. “profit from”). Solution is MAKE A BUN (i.e. “what baker might do”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “astray”) of LED, like so: (MAKE-A-BUN)-DLE.

17. Game to follow spy providing bug (4,7)

Answer: MOLE CRICKET (i.e. “bug” – ugly little critter too). Solution is CRICKET (i.e. “game”) “following” MOLE (i.e. “spy” planted within an organisation).

18. Sadly about to get permeated by drip or dribble (6)

Answer: SALIVA (i.e. “dribble”). Solution is ALAS (i.e. “sadly”) reversed (indicated by “about”) and wrapped around or being “permeated by” IV (i.e. “drip”, short for intravenous), like so: SAL(IV)A.

19. Abandoned marsupial brought in with fur like a lion (8)

Answer: MAROONED (i.e. “abandoned”). Solution is ROO (i.e. “marsupial”, short for kangaroo) placed “in” MANED (i.e. “with fur like a lion”), like so: MA(ROO)NED.

21. Annoying person overlooking one’s distinction (6)

Answer: NUANCE (i.e. “distinction”). Solution is NUISANCE (i.e. “annoying person”) with the I’S removed (indicated by “overlooking one’s”, i.e. the Roman numeral I made possessive). NUANCED appeared in grid 1609 in April, and NUANCES appeared only last week, each time on odd intersecting letters. I’m claiming them both, so…

25. Noticed test result when cutting grass (8)

Answer: REMARKED (i.e. “noticed”). Solution is MARK (i.e. “test result”) placed in or “cutting” REED (i.e. “grass”), like so: RE(MARK)ED.

26. Temp in Conservative Party stopping working as a rule (6,8)

Answer: CASUAL LABOURER (i.e. “temp”). Solution is C (a recognised abbreviation of “Conservative”) followed by LABOUR (a political “Party”) once placed in or “stopping” an anagram (indicated by “working”) of AS A RULE, like so: C-ASUAL(LABOUR)ER.

28. Play Debussy occasionally, hosting queen (5)

Answer: EQUUS (i.e. a “play” by Peter Shaffer). Solution is EUS (i.e. “Debussy occasionally”, i.e. every other letter of DEBUSSY) wrapped around or “hosting” QU (a recognised abbreviation of “queen”), like so: E(QU)US.

29. Sangfroid displayed by leader accepting hard phase (6)

Answer: PHLEGM (i.e. “sangfroid”). Solution is PM (i.e. “leader”, specifically a Prime Minister) wrapped around or “accepting” H (a recognised abbreviation of “hard” used in grading pencils) and LEG (a stage or “phase”), like so: P(H-LEG)M.

30. Biscuit’s trademark unknown still (6,4)

Answer: BRANDY SNAP (i.e. a very nomworthy “biscuit”). Solution is BRAND (i.e. “trademark”) followed by Y (i.e. “unknown” – setters love referring to X, Y or Z in solutions as unknowns) and SNAP (a photograph or “still”).

33. One reacts to base smut furiously in new titles (6,4)

Answer: LITMUS TEST (i.e. “one reacts to base” – a base in chemistry being “a compound that reacts with an acid to form a salt, or dissolves in water forming hydroxyl ions” (Chambers). And here was me thinking litmus tests reacted to acids and alkalis. The solution can also mean an indicator of underlying attitudes, so you could make an argument for taking the meaning of “base” as read. You decide…) Solution is an anagram (indicated by “furiously”) of SMUT placed in another anagram (indicated by “new”) of TITLES, like so: LI(TMUS)TEST.

35. E.g. crawled softly back from territory that’s sodden (6)

Answer: SWAMPY (i.e. “sodden”). Solution is SWAM (i.e. “e.g. crawled” – other swimming styles are available) followed by P (i.e. “softly”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “piano” used in musical lingo) and Y (i.e. “back from territory”, i.e. the last letter of “territory”).

36. What’s retained by litigant, ignoring kind of suit (4-1)

Answer: ANTI-G (i.e. “kind of suit”, short for anti-gravity). “What’s retained by” indicates the solution has been hidden in the solution as follows: LITIG(ANT IG)NORING.

38. Hippo’s notable in east, in awfully stifling hot period (5,9)

Answer: SAINT AUGUSTINE (i.e. “Hippo’s notable” – he was also known as Augustine of Hippo). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “awfully”) of IN EAST IN wrapped around or “stifling” AUGUST (i.e. “hot period” …usually), like so: SAINT(AUGUST)INE. Appeared in grid 1593 in January but on that occasion it was on even intersecting letters.

40. American novelist dropping ecstasy in May (8)

Answer: HAWTHORN (i.e. “may”, ignoring the misleading capitalisation, this is may blossom, which are hawthorn flowers). Solution is Nathaniel HAWTHORNE (i.e. “American novelist”) with the E removed (indicated by “dropping ecstasy” – E being a slang term for the drug).

42. Trial for flipping sponge, heartless bloodsucker (6)

Answer: TSETSE (a “bloodsucker” fly). Solution is TEST (i.e. “trial”) reversed (indicated by “for flipping”) and followed by SE (i.e. “sponge, heartless”, i.e. the word “sponge” with all its middle letters removed), like so: TSET-SE.

43. Carts reversing around trendy building site? (8)

Answer: SHIPYARD (i.e. “building site” for ships). Solution is DRAYS (i.e. “carts”) “reversed” and wrapped “around” HIP (i.e. “trendy”), like so: S(HIP)YARD. Appeared in grid 1620 in June, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

44. I caught you in clubs, hugged by one wearing black article (6)

Answer: GOTCHA (i.e. “I caught you”). Solution is C (a recognised abbreviation of “clubs” used in some card games) placed in or “hugged by” GOTH (i.e. “one wearing black”) and followed by A (i.e. “article”, being a word like a, an or the), like so: GOT(C)H-A. Appeared in grid 1596 in January, but on that occasion it was on odd intersecting letters.

47. Popular cheesemonger’s wrapping cheese without mass additive (11)

Answer: INCREMENTAL (i.e. “additive”). Solution is IN (i.e. “popular”) followed by CR (i.e. “cheesemonger’s wrapping”, i.e. the first and last letters of “cheesemonger”) and EMMENTAL (i.e. variety of “cheese”) once one of the Ms has been removed (indicated by “without mass” – M being a recognised abbreviation of “mass”), like so: IN-CR-EMENTAL.

50. Cultivation displayed by wife during, say, quarrelling (4-7)

Answer: WINE-GROWING (i.e. “cultivation”). Solution is W (a recognised abbreviation of “wife”) followed by IN (i.e. “during”), then EG (i.e. “say”, or for example) and ROWING (i.e. “quarrelling”).

52. Small girl wearing ring getting caught, for example (9)

Answer: DISMISSAL (i.e. “caught, for example” – there are other ways of being out in ball games). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) and MISS (i.e. “girl”) all placed in or “wearing” DIAL (i.e. to “ring” someone on a telephone), like so: DI(S-MISS)AL. Appeared in grid 1629 in August, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

53. Fellow Scot, one possibly found in 55 Across (7)

Answer: GENTIAN (i.e. a flower or “one possibly found in 55 Across”, the solution to which is a NOSEGAY or bouquet). Solution is GENT (i.e. “fellow”) followed by IAN (i.e. “Scot” – I never find this wordplay satisfying, but the name is of Scots origin so what can you do).

54. Confirm family home is to the west (3,2)

Answer: INK IN (i.e. “confirm”). Solution is KIN (i.e. “family”) with IN (i.e. “home”) placed “to the west” of it – this being an across clue – like so: IN-KIN.

55. Curious trousers for one firstly in bloomers (7)

Answer: NOSEGAY (i.e. a bouquet or a bunch of “bloomers”). Solution is NOSY (i.e. “curious”) wrapped around or “trousering” EG (i.e. “for one”, or for example) and A (i.e. “firstly” – think of it in terms of someone listing points in order of importance, i.e. “I’m saying such-and-such because a) blah blah blah, and b) yada yada yada”), like so: NOS(EG-A)Y.

56. Eccentric like a Seurat painting? (5)

Answer: DOTTY. Solution satisfies “eccentric” and, playfully, “like a Seurat painting”, referring to his pointillist artworks.

57. Reform can create current opposition (9)

Answer: REACTANCE (i.e. electric “current opposition”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “reform”) of CAN CREATE.

Down clues

1. A bit of dope parent inhales thus at intervals (5)

Answer: DATUM (i.e. “a bit of dope” or information – the plural of datum is data). Solution is DAM (i.e. “parent” – a variant meaning of DAM is “a mother, usually of cattle, horses etc [A form of dame]” (Chambers)) wrapped around or “inhaling” TU (i.e. “thus at intervals” i.e. every other letter of THUS), like so: DA(TU)M.

2. Horse is slain by lions, say, as in rocky peaks (8,9)

Answer: CATSKILL MOUNTAINS (i.e. “peaks” in New York State). Solution is CATS KILL MOUNT (i.e. “horse is slain by lions, say”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “rocky”) of AS IN.

3. What critic does with plug inserted into mains supply (11)

Answer: ANIMADVERTS (i.e. “what critic does”). Solution is ADVERT (i.e. “plug”) placed “into” an anagram (indicated by “supply”, as in being supple) of MAINS, like so: ANIM(ADVERT)S. Nicely worked. Great word too. This is what I come to Jumbos for.

4. Asian who tends to animal meat turned away (6)

Answer: MAHOUT (i.e. “Asian who tends to animal”). Solution is HAM (i.e. “meat”) reversed (indicated by “turned”) and followed by OUT (i.e. “away”), like so: MAH-OUT.

5. Remaining after revolution, praise one’s former leader (8)

Answer: RESIDUAL (i.e. “remaining”). Solution is LAUD (i.e. “praise”), I’S (i.e. “one’s”, already covered) and ER (i.e. “former leader”, specifically Elizabeth Regina). This is all then reversed (indicated by “after revolution”), like so: RE-S’I-DUAL.

6. Fruit that’s very cold round 2 Down, say (6,6)

Answer: BITTER ORANGE (i.e. “fruit”). Solution is BITTER (i.e. “very cold”) followed by O (i.e. “round”) and RANGE (i.e. “2 Down, say” – the solution being an example of a mountain range).

7. Like beans and egg, mostly? Eating it is brilliant (10)

Answer: LEGUMINOUS (i.e. “like beans”). Solution is EG (i.e. “egg, mostly”, i.e. the word “egg” with its last letter removed) placed in or being “eaten” by LUMINOUS (i.e. “brilliant”), like so: L(EG)UMINOUS.

8. Drier wine’s case left closed, at first (5)

Answer: TOWEL (i.e. “drier”). Solution is WE (i.e. “wine’s case”, i.e. the first and last letters of “wine”) and L (a recognised abbreviation of “left”) both placed after or having “at first” TO (i.e. as in a door “closed” to), like so: TO-(WE-L). Appeared in grid 1582 last October, just within my threshold for recent repeats, and also on odd intersecting letters, so…

9. Racine’s plays about love under pressure offering parts in theatre (9)

Answer: PROSCENIA (i.e. “parts in theatre” – a proscenium is the front part of the stage). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “plays”) of RACINE’S wrapped “about” O (i.e. “love”, a zero score in tennis) and the whole then placed after or “under” – this being a down clue – P (a recognised abbreviation of “pressure”), like so: P-(R(O)SCENIA).

10. Republican politician pens high praise in kind of tract (11)

Answer: RESPIRATORY (i.e. “kind of tract”, anatomically). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “Republican”) and TORY (i.e. “politician” of the Conservative Party) all wrapped around or “penning” an anagram (indicated by “high”) of PRAISE, like so: R-(ESPIRA)-TORY.

11. Place without refinement in Bordeaux costing little? (5)

Answer: PLONK. Solution satisfies to set down or “place without refinement”, and also a “Bordeaux costing little”.

12. Like second attempt to film western getting ditched (4,2)

Answer: TAKE TO (i.e. “like”). Solution is TAKE TWO (i.e. “second attempt to film”) with the W removed (indicated by “western getting ditched” – W being a recognised abbreviation of “western”).

18. Artist has no problem keeping close to major stars (10)

Answer: SURREALIST (i.e. “artist”). Solution is SURE (i.e. “no problem”, words of acceptance) wrapped around or “keeping” R (i.e. “close to major”, i.e. the last letter of “major”) and followed by A-LIST (i.e. celebrities or “stars”), like so: (SUR(R)E)-A-LIST.

20. 500 fuel containers I must leave in dumps (8)

Answer: DOLDRUMS (i.e. the “dumps”). Solution is D (i.e. “500” expressed as a Roman numeral) followed by OIL DRUMS (i.e. “fuel containers”) once the I has been removed (indicated by “I must leave…”), like so: D-(OL-DRUMS).

22. Crumbs old people put on yellow, 70-year-old dish (10,7)

Answer: CORONATION CHICKEN (i.e. “70-year-old dish”, the Queen’s coronation having taken place 70 years ago in 1953. It’ll be interesting to see if this puzzle gets republished in the annual Jumbo Cryptic book in a few years’ time, as this clue will need to be rewritten). Solution is COR (i.e. “crumbs”, both exclamations) followed by O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”), then NATION (i.e. “people”) and CHICKEN (i.e. “yellow” or cowardly), like so: COR-O-NATION-CHICKEN.

23. Covers journalist knocked up showing terrible ruler (6)

Answer: DESPOT (i.e. “terrible ruler”). Solution is TOPS (i.e. “covers”) and ED (i.e. “journalist”, short for editor) all reversed (indicated by “knocked up” – this being a down clue), like so: DE-SPOT.

24. Influential material to support a leaderless country (10)

Answer: PROPAGANDA (i.e. “influential material”). Solution is PROP (i.e. “to support”) followed by A and UGANDA (i.e. “country”) once its first letter has been removed (indicated by “leaderless”), like so: PROP-A-GANDA.

27. Competitions including drop shots (5-3)

Answer: CLOSE-UPS (i.e. “shots” or photographs). Solution is CUPS (i.e. “competitions”) wrapped around or “including” LOSE (i.e. to “drop”), like so: C(LOSE)UPS.

31. Deny auditor’s beastly utterance has influence (6)

Answer: NAYSAY (i.e. “deny”). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “auditor’s”) of NEIGH (i.e. “beastly utterance”) followed by SAY (i.e. “influence”, as in having a say in something), like so: NAY-SAY.

32. Travelled through Turkey on vacation? Repeated assessment of sight (6-6)

Answer: TWENTY-TWENTY (i.e. “assessment of sight”). Solution is WENT (i.e. “travelled”) placed in or “through” TY (i.e. “Turkey on vacation”, i.e. the word “Turkey” with all its middle letters removed). This is then “repeated”, like so: T(WENT)Y-T(WENT)Y.

34. Liberating tune composed before musical cycle (11)

Answer: UNTETHERING (i.e. “liberating”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “composed”) of TUNE followed by THE RING (i.e. “musical cycle” of Richard Wagner), like so: UNTE-(THE-RING).

36. Maybe worker getting raise, engaging record collector (11)

Answer: ANTHOLOGIST (i.e. “collector”). Solution is ANT (i.e. “maybe worker” – other varieties of ant are available) followed by HOIST (i.e. “raise”) once wrapped around or “engaging” LOG (i.e. “record”), like so: ANT-HO(LOG)IST.

37. Snub inspiring drug experience? It offers illumination (5,5)

Answer: STRIP LIGHT (i.e. “it offers illumination”). Solution is SLIGHT (i.e. “snub”) wrapped around or “inspiring” TRIP (i.e. “drug experience”), like so: S(TRIP)LIGHT.

39. Husband gets jacket from laundry in an idle manner (9)

Answer: USELESSLY (i.e. “in an idle manner”). Solution is USE LESS (i.e. “husband”, a meaning of which can be “to manage with economy” (Chambers)) followed by LY (i.e. “jacket from laundry”, i.e. the first and last letters of “laundry”). A very, very good clue.

41. Marches in vanguard? That is right (8)

Answer: FRONTIER (i.e. “marches”, a variant meaning of “march” is a boundary). Solution is FRONT (i.e. “vanguard”) followed by IE (i.e. “that is”, i.e. “i.e.”, short for the Latin id est) and R (a recognised abbreviation of “right”).

45. Where fox may be, beneath large tree (6)

Answer: LINDEN (i.e. “tree”). Solution is IN DEN (i.e. “where fox may be”) placed after or “beneath” – this being a down clue – L (a recognised abbreviation of “large”), like so: L-(IN-DEN). One nailed solely from the wordplay.

46. Answer female, say, on radio programme (6)

Answer: AGENDA (i.e. “programme”). Solution is A (a recognised abbreviation of “answer”, as in Q&A) followed by a homophone (indicated by “on radio”) of GENDER (i.e. “female, say”), like so: A-GENDA.

48. Learner of German must grasp these bags (5)

Answer: CASES. Solution satisfies “learner of German must grasp these”, grammatically speaking, the four cases being nominative, accusative, dative and genitive – and also satisfies “bags”. Appeared in grid 1638 only a few weeks ago, and also on odd intersecting letters, so…

49. Maybe like a bathroom light, after it’s knocked over (5)

Answer: TILED (i.e. “maybe like a bathroom”). Solution is LED (i.e. “light”, specifically a Light Emitting Diode) placed “after” IT once it has been “knocked over”, like so: TI-LED. Appeared in grid 1627 in July, also on odd intersecting letters, so…

51. Vincent or Kelly, say, drinking current contents of bottle (5)

Answer: GENIE (i.e. “contents of bottle”). Solution is GENE (i.e. “Vincent or Kelly, say”, the former being an American singer, the latter being an American actor and dancer) wrapped around or “drinking” I (a recognised abbreviation of an electrical “current” used in physics), like so: GEN(I)E.