A medium strength Jumbo this week, and another pretty good one. I’ll skip over mentioning the repeats as I’ll have more to say on that below. You lucky, lucky people.
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 rained on your parade then you might find my Just For Fun page, 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 safe out there kids.
LP
RBV (Repeats-By-Volume): 12.9%
Across clues
- Big belts? (9)
Answer: STRAPPING. Solution satisfies “big” and, taken as a collective, “belts”.
- Game to show quantity of film a film idol trimmed (7)
Answer: CANASTA (i.e. “game”). Solution is CAN (i.e. “quantity of film”) followed by A and STAR (i.e. “film idol”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “trimmed”), like so: CAN-A-STA. Appeared only a few weeks ago in grid 1639, also on odd intersecting letters. More on this later, but, in the meantime, have a meme…
- Promotional material backing corporation statistic (5)
Answer: DATUM (i.e. “statistic”). Solution is AD (i.e. “promotional material”, short for advertisement) reversed (indicated by “backing”) and followed by TUM (i.e. “corporation”, an archaic description of a pot belly – setters love using this variant meaning, so it’s one worth keeping in mind), like so: DA-TUM. Another that appeared very recently in grid 1641, and again on odd intersecting letters. Again, more on this in a mo.
- Repartee of comedienne, perhaps, becomes wasted (7)
Answer: WITHERS (i.e. “becomes wasted”). When written as WIT HERS the solution also playfully satisfies “repartee of comedienne, perhaps”.
- Late, with daughter slipping out and son coming in? It’s a strain (7)
Answer: OVERUSE (i.e. “strain”). Solution is OVERDUE (i.e. “late”) with the D removed (indicated by “with daughter slipping out” – D being a recognised abbreviation of “daughter”) and S (ditto “son”) “coming in”, like so: OVER(D)UE => OVERUE => OVERU(S)E.
- Insects not beginning to circulate disease (7)
Answer: RICKETS (i.e. “disease”). Solution is CRICKETS (i.e. “insects”) with a C removed (indicated by “not beginning to circulate”, i.e. the first letter of “circulate”).
- Soon relieved with riddles worked out? Their successes aren’t remembered (3,8,5,3)
Answer: OLD SOLDIERS NEVER DIE (i.e. “their successes aren’t remembered” – the line is from an old army ballad, the full line being “old soldiers never die, they just fade away”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “worked out”) of SOON RELIEVED and RIDDLES.
- Punt to end of line (3)
Answer: TOE (i.e. to “punt”). Solution is TO followed by E (i.e. “end [letter] of line”).
- Medicine man apparently not the real article (6)
Answer: SHAMAN (i.e. “medicine man”). Solution is SHAM (i.e. “not…real”) followed by AN (i.e. “article”, being a word like a, an or the).
- Train stops working when given to US railway (6)
Answer: DIESEL (i.e. a type of “train”). Solution is DIES (i.e. “stops working”) followed by EL (i.e. “US railway” – we’ve seen this a few times now, an “el” is apparently US slang for an elevated railway. I’ve still yet to hear or see it used).
- Attempt to restrain tutor, heading off betrayal (9)
Answer: TREACHERY (i.e. “betrayal”). Solution is TRY (i.e. “attempt”) wrapped around or “restraining” TEACHER (i.e. “tutor”) once the first letter has been removed (indicated by “heading off”), like so: TR(EACHER)Y.
- Query from rabbit had put cows out (5,2,3)
Answer: WHAT’S UP DOC? (i.e. “query from rabbit”, specifically Bugs Bunny). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “out”) of HAD PUT COWS.
- Crown and money absorbing a wicked Biblical King, a tragic character (7,4)
Answer: CAPTAIN AHAB (i.e. “a tragic character” from Herman Melville’s novel Moby Dick). Solution is CAP (i.e. “crown”) followed by TIN (slang for “money”) once wrapped around or “absorbing” A. This is all then followed by AHAB (i.e. “a wicked Biblical king”), like so: CAP-T(A)IN-AHAB.
So, then: repeats. We do get quite a lot of them, don’t we? Around 10% each week, if the last six months are anything to go by. That’s quite high considering the millions of potential solutions that could make it into a Jumbo each year versus the 3,600-ish solutions that do. That’s just the way it is, I suppose. A 10% rate seems to be the norm, and no amount of bellyaching from an internet nonentity is going to change that.
This will therefore be my last week spent keeping track of repeats (don’t all cheer at once, please). As a parting shot, I thought I’d jot down some final thoughts on the matter.
Of the 6-8 repeats we get each week, the majority are, to be fair, reasonably inoffensive. Often these are mundane five or seven letter words that barely register as repeats, only coming to light once I’ve searched my various lists. Meanwhile, several other solutions appear so often in crosswords (not just Jumbos) that they are a cliché. You can almost smell the shame from any setter resorting to their use. (ORIGAMI is a prime example.) At least with these repeats one can have a little fun.
A smallish number of repeats, however, are rather suspicious. These are the faintly obscure ones, solutions that you might not expect setters to immediately reach for when starting out a grid, and so become all the more memorable when they get repeated. These solutions are like buses, seldom seen until two or three arrive in quick succession. CAPTAIN AHAB is one such suspicious solution, having also appeared barely a month ago in grid 1640. A five letter solution such as DATUM getting repeated? Fine. I can see how that can happen. A seven letter solution like CANASTA? A little less likely, but, sure, let’s give the setters the benefit of the doubt. What, then, are the chances of CAPTAIN AHAB being chosen again so soon? Somewhat narrower, don’t you think? Or how about a dirty great phrase such as THROW ONE’S HAT IN THE RING, which appeared in grids 1632 and 1638? As I’ve said before, this keeps happening in Times Jumbos and I’m curious as to why.
Over the years I’ve had a lot of fun on these pages ribbing setters for crutching on the office GridFill 4000 to get the job done. It’s a silly conspiracy theory of mine, granted, but one that’s not too far from the truth. We know that several setters use crossword solver tools to help fill their grids. The Times probably has one specifically tailored to its style guide. Maybe what is happening is a grid being approved for publication and any new solutions from it being added to the tool’s database for future use. Maybe what we are seeing is merely a new solution being added to the database and it being picked up shortly afterwards by another setter using the tool, thinking “ooh, I’ve not seen that one before, that’s a good one”. Maybe, but it still sounds a little far-fetched.
We’ll probably never know why the same solutions sometimes keep appearing in close succession. It might just be one of those things.
Still. It’s bloody annoying, though. Have a meme.
- A pair one left for over four weeks (5)
Answer: APRIL (i.e. “over four weeks”, given April is 30 days long). Solution is A followed by PR (a recognised abbreviation of “pair”), then I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and L (a recognised abbreviation of “left”).
- Flower, one adapted to the desert, to weaken after setback (8)
Answer: CAMELLIA (i.e. “flower”). Solution is CAMEL (i.e. “one adapted to the desert”) followed by AIL (i.e. “to weaken”) once this latter has been reversed (indicated by “after setback”), like so: CAMEL-LIA. One nailed solely from the wordplay.
- Certainly needing pen to depict classic Western scene (2,6)
Answer: OK CORRAL (i.e. “classic Western scene”, referencing the site of a famous gunfight in 1881). Solution is OK (i.e. “certainly”, both affirmations) followed by CORRAL (i.e. to “pen” something).
- Song session interrupted by a waster (8)
Answer: LAYABOUT (i.e. “waster”). Solution is LAY (i.e. a “song”) and BOUT (i.e. “session”) wrapped around or “interrupted by” A, like so: LAY-(A)-BOUT.
- Council worker, say, finding waste outside old chemical company (8)
Answer: OFFICAL (i.e. “council worker, say”). Solution is OFFAL (i.e. “waste”) wrapped around or placed “outside” of ICI (i.e. “old chemical company”, specifically Imperial Chemical Industries, which, after a series of demergers during the 1990s, was eventually taken over in 2008), like so: OFF(ICI)AL.
- Animated film and book having curtailed range (5)
Answer: BAMBI (i.e. “animated film”). Solution is B (a recognised abbreviation of “book”) followed by AMBIT (i.e. “range”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “curtailed”), like so: B-AMBI.
- Tweet about more efficient way to keep Tube open? (4,7)
Answer: PIPE CLEANER (i.e. “way to keep tube open” – ignoring the misleading capitalisation). Solution is PIPE (i.e. to chirp or “tweet about”) followed by CLEANER (i.e. “more efficient”).
- Fastener twisted round tree – a point one observes (10)
Answer: EYEWITNESS (i.e. “one observes”). Solution is TIE (i.e. “fastener”) reversed (indicated by “twisted”) and wrapped “round” YEW (i.e. “tree”). This is all then followed by NESS (i.e. a geographic “point”), like so: E(YEW)IT-NESS.
- France formerly curtailed expression of affection in Paris – it’s socially awkward (9)
Answer: GAUCHERIE (i.e. “socially awkward”). Solution is GAUL (i.e. “France formerly”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “curtailed”) and the remainder followed by CHERIE (i.e. “expression of affection in Paris”), like so: GAU-CHERIE.
- Nearly all soccer team appearing amongst international set (6)
Answer: INTENT (i.e. mind “set”). Solution is TEN (i.e. “nearly all soccer team”, being a team of eleven) placed in or “amongst” INT (a recognised abbreviation of “international”), like so: IN(TEN)T.
- Entertained two Americans with edition (6)
Answer: AMUSED (i.e. “entertained”). Solution is AM and US (i.e. “two Americans”, the former being a recognised abbreviation thereof) followed by ED (a recognised abbreviation of “edition”).
- Eggs on, very assiduously at first (3)
Answer: OVA (i.e. “eggs”). “At first” indicates the solution is derived from the first letters of ON VERY ASSIDUOUSLY.
- Romantic comedy about sex involving four? It regularly takes over part of London (7,4,8)
Answer: NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL (i.e. “it regularly takes over part of London”). Solution is NOTTING HILL (i.e. a “romantic comedy” movie from 1999) followed by CARNAL (i.e. “about sex”) once wrapped around or “involving” IV (i.e. “four” expressed in Roman numerals), like so: NOTTING-HILL-CARN(IV)AL.
- Cut short attempt to confiscate weapon? One can’t be serious (7)
Answer: TRIFLER (i.e. “one can’t be serious”). Solution is TRY (i.e. “attempt”, again) with its last letter removed (indicated by “cut short”) and the remainder wrapped around or “confiscating” RIFLE (i.e. “weapon”), like so: T(RIFLE)R. We had TRIFLE in grid 1635 only a couple of months ago, and TRIFLED in grid 1605 further back in March, on all occasions on odd intersecting letters, so…
- Very long time to accept Scottish mountain plant (7)
Answer: VERBENA (i.e. “plant”). Solution is V (a recognised abbreviation of “very”) followed by ERA (i.e. a “long time”) once wrapped around or “accepting” BEN (i.e. “Scottish mountain”), like so: V-ER(BEN)A. Another repeat, this time from grid 1614 in May, on odd intersecting letters, so…
- Jazz music with German backing is in fashion (7)
Answer: RAGTIME (i.e. “Jazz music”). Solution is MIT (i.e. “with German”, i.e. the German for “with”) reversed (indicated by “backing”) and placed “in” RAGE (i.e. “fashion”, as in being all the rage), like so: RAG(TIM)E.
- Stop Frenchman entering company area (5)
Answer: COMMA (i.e. “stop” or punctuation mark). Solution is M and M (i.e. “Frenchmen” – M being a recognised abbreviation of the title “Monsieur”) both placed in or “entering” CO (a recognised abbreviation of “company”) and A (ditto “area”), like so: CO-(MM)-A.
- Pedants possibly man rebuffed in places (7)
Answer: PURISTS (i.e. “pedants possibly”). Solution is SIR (i.e. “man”) reversed (indicated by “rebuffed”) and placed “in” PUTS (i.e. “places”), like so: PU(RIS)TS.
- Ill-repute that is close to merit, embraced by committed left-winger? (9)
Answer: NOTORIETY (i.e. “ill-repute”). Solution is IE (i.e. “that is”, i.e. “i.e.”!) and T (i.e. “close to merit”, i.e. the last letter of “merit”) all placed in or “embraced by” NO TORY (i.e. “committed left-winger”), like so: NO-TOR(IE-T)Y.
Down clues
- Wood’s supporter saying supplier of water needed around middle of April (8)
Answer: SAWHORSE (i.e. “wood’s supporter” in carpentry). Solution is SAW (i.e. a phrase or “saying”) followed by HOSE (i.e. “supplier of water”) once wrapped “around” R (i.e. “middle [letter] of April”), like so: SAW-HO(R)SE.
- Cheers up, with Republican around, becoming valued (5)
Answer: RATED (i.e. “valued”). Solution is TA (i.e. “cheers”) reversed (indicated by “up” – this being a down clue), and placed in or having “around” it RED (i.e. “Republican”), like so: R(AT)ED.
- Flying creature that could shift to protect lady (11)
Answer: PTERODACTYL (i.e. prehistoric “flying creature”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “shift”) of PROTECT LADY.
- Imprisoned those who could all be on strike? (6)
Answer: INSIDE (i.e. slang for “imprisoned”). When written as IN SIDE the solution also satisfies “those who could all be on strike”, referring to a cricket team – being the active batsman is known as being “on strike”.
- Some go and decide to change efficient structure (8,4)
Answer: GEODESIC DOME (i.e. “efficient structure” – over to Chambers: “a light strong dome made by combining a grid of triangular or other straight-line elements within a section of a sphere”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “to change”) of SOME GO and DECIDE.
- Doubles up regarding participating in court events (7)
Answer: CREASES (i.e. “doubles up” with laughter). Solution is RE (i.e. “regarding” – think email replies) placed “in” CASES (i.e. “court cases”), like so: C(RE)ASES.
- Lively Nice venue with soul I start to like for the food there? (8,7)
Answer: NOUVELLE CUISINE (i.e. French “food”, within the context of the clue). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “lively”) of NICE VENUE, SOUL, I and L (i.e. “start [letter] of like”).
- Unfairly classify as not having a single-track mind? (10)
Answer: STEREOTYPE (i.e. “unfairly classify”). When written as someone being a STEREO TYPE the solution also playfully satisfies “not having a single-track mind”.
- Cut a passage in middle of movement (7)
Answer: ABRIDGE (i.e. to “cut”). Solution is A followed by BRIDGE (i.e. “passage in middle of movement”, musically).
- A month ultimately for key conclusion: none softening (11)
Answer: DECRESCENDO (i.e. “softening” in musical lingo). Solution is DEC (i.e. “a month”, in this case December) followed by R (i.e. “ultimately for”, i.e. the last letter of “for”), then ESC (i.e. a “key” on a computer keyboard, short for Escape), then END (i.e. “conclusion”) and O (i.e. “none”).
- Leader in Times left the I upset? Just a fraction (9)
Answer: TWENTIETH (i.e. “just a fraction”). Solution is T (i.e. “leader in Times”, i.e. its first letter) followed by WENT (i.e. “left”) and an anagram (indicated by “upset”) of THE I, like so: T-WENT-IETH.
- My pen’s written about former monarch, an inscrutable figure (7)
Answer: MYSTERY (i.e. “an inscrutable figure”). Solution is MY followed by STY (i.e. “pen”) once wrapped “about” ER (i.e. “former monarch”, specifically Elizabeth Regina), like so: MY-ST(ER)Y. I get why ER has elicited phrasings such as “former monarch” in clues following the death of Queen Elizabeth II last year, but isn’t this a little redundant? Does ER not also describe Queen Elizabeth I?
- Wrong to seal off hot waste receptacle (7)
Answer: ASHTRAY (i.e. “waste receptacle”). Solution is ASTRAY (i.e. “wrong”) wrapped around or “sealing off” H (a recognised abbreviation of “hot” on water taps), like so: AS(H)TRAY.
- Constant routine kept up in month: a critical moment (8)
Answer: JUNCTURE (i.e. “a critical moment”). Solution is C (a recognised abbreviation of “constant”) and RUT (i.e. “routine”), the latter reversed (indicated by “kept up” – this being a down clue). These are all then put “in” JUNE (i.e. “a month”), like so: JUN(C-TUR)E.
- Beach Boys song is fair carolling when broadcast (10,5)
Answer: CALIFORNIA GIRLS (i.e. “Beach Boys song”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “when broadcast”) of IS FAIR CAROLLING.
- Caffeine, say – help keeping all OK, if stimulated (8)
Answer: ALKALOID (i.e. “caffeine, say”). Solution is AID (i.e. “help”) wrapped around or “keeping” an anagram (indicated by “if stimulated”) of ALL OK, like so: A(LKALO)ID.
- Island keeping temperature in cold sea (6)
Answer: BALTIC (i.e. “sea”). Solution is BALI (i.e. an “island”) wrapped around or “keeping” T (a recognised abbreviation of “temperature”) and followed by C (a recognised abbreviation of “cold”, again on water taps), like so: BAL(T)I-C.
- Race involving everyone amongst Republicans (6)
Answer: GALLOP (i.e. to “race”). Solution is ALL (i.e. “everyone”) placed “amongst” GOP (i.e. “Republicans” in the US, known as the Grand Old Party), like so: G(ALL)OP.
- Rebels to replace one with a ME king (7)
Answer: RAMESES (i.e. Egyptian “king”, a few thereof). Solution is RISES (i.e. “rebels”) with the I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) “replaced” by A and ME, like so: R(I)SES => R(A-ME)SES.
- Benefit from experience, as it happens, with large gain (4,3,5)
Answer: LIVE AND LEARN (i.e. “benefit from experience”). Solution is LIVE (i.e. “as it happens”) followed by AND (i.e. “with”), then L (a recognised abbreviation of “large”) and EARN (i.e. “gain”).
- Composer doubling third part, obsessing over one A – wild songs etc (11)
Answer: BACCHANALIA (i.e. “wild songs etc”). Solution is Johann Sebastian BACH (i.e. “composer”) with the C or “third part” of the surname repeated or “doubled”. This is then followed by ANAL (i.e. “obsessing”), then I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and A, like so: BACCH-ANAL-I-A.
- One offering account from row thirteen, possibly: a person getting on? (4,7)
Answer: BANK MANAGER (i.e. “one offering account”). Solution is BANK M (i.e. “row thirteen, possibly”, remembering that M is the thirteenth letter of the alphabet) followed by AN AGER (i.e. “a person getting on”). Appeared in grid 1594 in January, also on odd intersecting letters, so…
- A French minister, upset, about to contradict atheist (10)
Answer: UNBELIEVER (i.e. “atheist”). Solution is UN (i.e. “a French”, i.e. the French for “a”) and REV (i.e. “minister”, short for reverend), the latter reversed or “upset” – this being a down clue. The whole is then wrapped “about” BELIE (i.e. “to contradict”), like so: UN-(BELIE)-VER.
- Artist with a lot of inclination to participate in exclusive mingling of styles? (9)
Answer: PLURALISM (i.e. “mingling of styles”). Solution is RA (i.e. “artist”, specifically a Royal Academician) and LIST (i.e. “inclination”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “a lot of…”). This is all then placed “in” PLUM (i.e. choice or “exclusive”), like so: PLU(RA-LIS)M.
- Praise overlooking a railway affair? (8)
Answer: ADULTERY (i.e. “affair”). Solution is ADULATE (i.e. “praise”) with an A removed (indicated by “overlooking a”) and the remainder followed by RY (a recognised abbreviation of “railway”), like so: ADULTE-RY.
- Knowing tune’s picked up with habitual response (7)
Answer: GNOSTIC (i.e. “knowing”). Solution is SONG (i.e. “tune”) reversed (indicated by “picked up” – this being a down clue) and followed by TIC (i.e. “habitual response”), like so: GNOS-TIC.
- Not fully a sailor, being bowled over in restrictive situation (3,4)
Answer: RAT TRAP (i.e. “restrictive situation”). Solution is PART (i.e. “not fully”) and TAR (slang for a “sailor”) all reversed (indicated by “bowled over”).
- Instant power provided by small muscle (7)
Answer: TRICEPS (i.e. “muscle”). Solution is TRICE (i.e. “instant”) followed by P (a recognised abbreviation of “power”) and S (ditto “small”).
- One copying standard hill climbing (6)
Answer: PARROT (i.e. “one copying”). Solution is PAR (i.e. “standard”) followed by TOR (i.e. “hill”) once the latter has been reversed (indicated by “climbing” – this being a down clue), like so: PAR-ROT.
- Gripping item, involving old singer (5)
Answer: VOICE (i.e. “singer”). Solution is VICE (i.e. “gripping item”) wrapped around or “involving” O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”), like so: V(O)ICE. Appeared in grid 1602 back in March, also on odd intersecting letters, so…
Lucian Poll's Web Ramblings 
Thanks, Lucian, a good one this week and nothing that annoyed me. I would say with regards to 39a, pipe cleaner, that I think ‘about’ gives us ‘c’ as an abbreviation of ‘circa’, then ‘more efficient’ gives us ‘leaner’.
It’s nice to be able to be a pedant for once. I normally miss the boat as I’m usually still trying to panic finish last week’s Jumbo on a Friday evening.
Thanks, Lucian, another pretty straightforward offering. What’s up, Doc? I liked. Cheers
Yes, this was a good ‘un … needed a bit of brainwork and no silly scrabbling through the dictionary to find archaic words.
About the repeats … one of the Saturday puzzles email talked about this, pointing out several cases where the Concise and Cryptic jumbos had the same answer.
I tried several times to copy the email here but it seems WordPress wouldn’t allow it. So here’s a snippet …
Both Jumbos 1601 had the answer PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION at 3 down. Of course, once you get into the realm of the long Jumbo entries, the choice of word or phrase narrows dramatically. The Default word list in my Crossword Compiler software gives only 27 options for a 22-letter space, although that can be expanded by consideration of, say, works of culture.
Thanks Lucian. This wasn’t too bad on the whole, but we didn’t understand the parsing of PLURALISM – and having seen your explanation (for which many thanks), I hope you’ll understand why I harbour such dislike for deletion clues. Here we have a prime example of why they’re virtually impossible to solve just from the wordplay – especially if the synonym (in this case, LIST for INCLINATION) isn’t the first one to spring to mind.
My other bête noire (for the same reason) is the type of clue where the answer involves a name. At least we were mercifully spared any of those this week!
Take care, and stay safe. SB
Mostly enjoyed this one, but a couple where I needed your parsing help eg Pluralism and Notoriety (ta for that). Mustn’t grumble though as this puzzle gave me what I like ie several left over to finish off on the second day.
Enjoyed reading your thoughts re repeats. I don’t have a good enough memory of past puzzles for them to be noticed and hence irritating – I’d love to know if any Times’ setters read your comments though.
Repetition (or very nearly, anyway) within the same puzzle is a bit off though. This one had TRY in both 52a TrifleR and 21a TReacherY.
No beer related answers this week but a couple of cricket related, and three political ones so happy overall.
Cheers Lucian
Finally, forgot to say that I thought using row thirteen to give a letter M was a bit off. Why ROW unless the letters of the alphabet are set out vertically in a spreadsheet?
Lucian, I am probably one many people who never usually leave a comment, but who come to your website to enjoy your humorous assessment of the week’s offering and to find the last couple of evasive answers. So on behalf of the silent devotees I just want to say thank you so much for what you do.
It is your decision of course as to whether you continue but please know how much you are appreciated and how much you would be missed. In other words….
Toss noted apple crumble (5,4,4)
Oops
(6,4,4)