Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1651

A relatively straightforward one to see out 2023, which is fine by me. I never mind the easier ones! There were a few well-crafted clues to enjoy too.

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 diddled you then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to solutions to hundreds of the things.

Thanks again for sticking with this whole delayed-solution thing. It’s a bit of a faff, isn’t it? Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

Across clues

1. Classic dish is extreme – duck served with rook (7)

Answer: RISOTTO (i.e. “classic dish”). Solution is IS, OTT (i.e. “extreme”, short for Over The Top) and O (i.e. “duck”, or a zero score) all placed after or “with” R (a recognised abbreviation of “rook” used in chess), like so: R-(IS-OTT-O).

5. Public cages chimed with a New Forest resident (5-4)

Answer: ORANG-UTAN (i.e. “forest resident” – ignoring the misleading capitalisation). Solution is OUT (i.e. “public”) wrapped around or “caging” RANG (i.e. “chimed”). This is then followed by A and N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”), like so: O(RANG)UT-A-N.

10. Seen in cap, driver finally gets vehicle on track (4)

Answer: TRAM (i.e. “vehicle on track”). Solution is TAM (i.e. “cap”, specifically a Tam o’ Shanter) wrapped around or having “in” R (i.e. “driver finally”, i.e. the last letter of “driver”), like so: T(R)AM.

14. Remarkable Parisian one backing secure catalogue (13)

Answer: UNFORGETTABLE (i.e. “remarkable”). Solution is UN (i.e. “Parisian one”, i.e. the French for “one”) followed by FOR (i.e. “backing” or favour of), then GET (i.e. “secure”) and TABLE (i.e. list or “catalogue”).

15. Book in at Bedouin residence, finding steward (9)

Answer: ATTENDANT (i.e. “steward”). Solution is DAN (i.e. short for Daniel, a “book” of the Old Testament of The Bible) placed “in” AT and TENT (i.e. “Bedouin residence”), like so: AT-TEN(DAN)T.

16. Second motif in accommodation mostly having similar function (10)

Answer: HOMOLOGOUS (i.e. “having similar function”). Solution is MO (i.e. “second”, short for a moment) and LOGO (i.e. “motif”) all placed “in” HOUSE (i.e. “accommodation”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “mostly”), like so: HO(MO-LOGO)US.

17. Using this, I’d somehow see a difference (11)

Answer: DISTINGUISH (i.e. “see a difference”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “somehow”) of USING THIS I’D.

18. Tea going with very large order? Far from it (5)

Answer: CHAOS (i.e. “order – far from it”). Solution is CHA (i.e. “tea”) followed by OS (i.e. “very large”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of outsized).

19. Excessively patronising encountered in the High Street? (10)

Answer: SHOPAHOLIC. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole, taking “patronising” to mean “to give one’s custom to”.

21. Eyesore around M1 spoiling green strategy? (6)

Answer: STYMIE (i.e. “spoiling green strategy” – one definition of STYMIE in Chambers is: “a situation on the putting green, once difficult to overcome, in which an opponent’s ball blocks the way to the hole, the rules now allowing the obstructing ball to be lifted and its position marked”). Solution is STYE (i.e. “eyesore” or eye infection) wrapped “around” M1 with the 1 replaced by its Roman numeral equivalent, like so: STY(MI)E. Nicely done.

23. Touring south, use horn excessively – go too far (9)

Answer: OVERSHOOT (i.e. “go too far”). Solution is OVER-HOOT (i.e. “use horn excessively”) wrapped around or “touring” S (a recognised abbreviation of “south”), like so: OVER-(S)-HOOT.

25. Back in parliament celebrating return (5)

Answer: ELECT (i.e. to “back” in an election). “In” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, while “return” indicates the solution has been reversed, like so: PARLIAMEN(T CELE)BRATING. Another well-worked clue.

26. Working method in thrill endlessly erotic (7)

Answer: AMOROUS (i.e. “erotic”). Solution is MO (i.e. “working method”, short for Modus Operandi) placed “in” AROUSE (i.e. “thrill”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “endlessly”), like so: A(MO)ROUS.

28. Emperor replacing his allies with ease (5,8)

Answer: HAILE SELASSIE (i.e. former “emperor” of Ethiopia). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “replacing”) of HIS ALLIES and EASE.

31. Grouse served on pan and dish (5,4)

Answer: ROAST BEEF (i.e. “dish”). Solution is BEEF (i.e. “grouse”, both words for a complaint) placed after or “on” ROAST (i.e. to “pan” or criticise).

33. Swimmer drawing in archaeologist Croft – suspect treachery? (5,1,3)

Answer: SMELL A RAT (i.e. “suspect treachery”). Solution is SMELT (i.e. “swimmer”, a variant meaning of SMELT is a variety of fish) wrapped around or “drawing in” LARA (i.e. “archaeologist Croft” from the Tomb Raider video games – this geek approves!), like so: SMEL(LARA)T.

35. Echo with very loud TV’s nice: see fantastic power? (13)

Answer: EFFECTIVENESS (i.e. “power”). Solution is E (“echo” in the phonetic alphabet) followed by FF (i.e. “very loud”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “fortissimo” used in musical lingo) and an anagram (indicated by “fantastic”) of TV’S NICE SEE, like so: E-FF-ECTIVENESS.

37. Shock regarding reserve showing initial loss (7)

Answer: ASTOUND (i.e. “shock”). Solution is AS TO (i.e. “regarding”) followed by FUND (i.e. “reserve”) once its first letter has been removed (indicated by “showing initial loss”), like so: AS-TO-UND.

38. German writer needing answer: it’s an unexpected gift (5)

Answer: MANNA (i.e. “it’s an unexpected gift”). Solution is Thomas MANN (i.e. “German writer”) followed by A (a recognised abbreviation of “answer”, e.g. in Q&A).

40. Drug creation’s out of order (9)

Answer: NARCOTISE (i.e. to “drug”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “out of order”) of CREATION’S. Nicely worked.

42. Slight wind about in hot spring city (6)

Answer: BREATH (i.e. “slight wind”). Solution is RE (i.e. “about” or regarding – think email replies) placed “in” BATH (i.e. “hot spring city” – the spring water there reaches the surface at around 45°C), like so: B(RE)ATH.

44. Sea creature: grump on Channel Island catching it (6,4)

Answer: HERMIT CRAB (i.e. “sea creature”). Solution is CRAB (i.e. to “grump”) placed “on” or after HERM (i.e. “Channel Island”). This is all then wrapped around or “catching” IT, like so: HERM-(IT)-CRAB.

46. One billion stolen from dope, or grand? (5)

Answer: NOBLE (i.e. “grand”). Solution is NOBBLE (i.e. to “dope” someone or something) with one of the Bs removed (indicated by “one billion stolen from” – B being a recognised abbreviation of “billion”).

48. Listened to one putting up with joint in stiff condition (5,6)

Answer: RIGOR MORTIS (i.e. “stiff condition”). Solution comprises homophones (indicated by “listened to”) of RIGGER (i.e. “one putting up” equipment) and MORTISE (i.e. a type of “joint” – over to Chambers: “a hole made in wood, stone etc to receive a tenon”). Nicely done.

50. People in country put Croatian port into magical drink (10)

Answer: POPULATION (i.e. “people in country”). Solution is PULA (i.e. “Croatian port”, and rather a pretty one too if Google Images is any judge) placed “into” POTION (i.e. “magical drink”), like so: PO(PULA)TION.

52. European in circles close to his capital banning a musical work (9)

Answer: RIGOLETTO (i.e. “musical work” by Giuseppe Verdi). Solution is LETT (i.e. “European”, specifically one from Latvia) placed “in” O and O (i.e. “circles”). This is all then placed after or “close to” RIGA (i.e. “his capital”, i.e. the capital of Latvia) once the A has been removed (indicated by “banning a”), like so: RIG-(O-LETT-O).

53. Grey-haired judge, posh worker hosting the Italian’s anniversary (6,7)

Answer: SILVER JUBILEE (i.e. “anniversary”). Solution is SILVER (i.e. “grey-haired”) followed by J (a recognised abbreviation of “judge”), then U (ditto for the upper classes, or “posh”), then BEE (i.e. “worker”) once wrapped around or “hosting” IL (i.e. “the Italian”, i.e. the Italian for “the”), like so: SILVER-J-U-B(IL)EE.

54. Team displaying primitive instincts in Kentish region? (4)

Answer: SIDE (i.e. “team”). Solution is ID (i.e. “primitive instincts” in psychoanalysis) placed “in” SE (i.e. “Kentish region”, or South-East England), like so: S(ID)E.

55. Member on foot on way in distance sees poisoner (9)

Answer: MISTLETOE (i.e. “poisoner”). Solution is TOE (i.e. “member on foot”) placed “on” or after ST (i.e. “way”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “street”) once placed “in” MILE (i.e. “distance”), like so: MI(ST)LE-TOE.

56. Rapidly announce cancellation of dance? (4,3)

Answer: REEL OFF. Solution satisfies “rapidly announce” and, playfully, “cancellation of dance”.

Down clues

1. Soldier’s rear exposed in disorderly retreat (4)

Answer: ROUT (i.e. “disorderly retreat”). Solution is R (i.e. “soldier’s rear”, i.e. the last letter of “soldier”) followed by OUT (i.e. “exposed”).

2. Maybe Ipswich rowing crew said to choke (9)

Answer: SUFFOCATE (i.e. “choke”). Solution comprises homophones (indicated by “said”) of SUFFOLK EIGHT (i.e. “Ipswich rowing crew”). I did chuckle when the penny dropped.

3. Kinky stiletto heels for burly trucker initially? Delicate creature (13,9)

Answer: TORTOISESHELL BUTTERFLY (i.e. “delicate creature”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “kinky”) of STILETTO HEELS FOR BURLY and T (i.e. “trucker initially”, i.e. the first letter of “trucker”).

4. Oppressive old Roman emperor starts to unnerve Senate (7)

Answer: ONEROUS (i.e. “oppressive”). Solution is O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) followed by NERO (i.e. “Roman emperor”), then U and S (i.e. “starts to unnerve Senate”, i.e. the first letters of “unnerve” and “Senate”).

5. Duck before whirling tornado hit dental practice (11)

Answer: ORTHODONTIA (i.e. “dental practice”). Solution is O (i.e. “duck”, or a zero score) followed by an anagram (indicated by “whirling”) of TORNADO HIT.

6. American rebel keeping rickety plane makes sudden attack (9)

Answer: AMBUSCADE (i.e. “sudden attack”). Solution is AM (a recognised abbreviation of “American”) and Jack CADE (i.e. a “rebel” who headed a revolt against the government of England in 1450) all wrapped around or “keeping” BUS (i.e. slang for an old or “rickety plane”), like so: AM-(BUS)-CADE.

7. Insatiable desire to have browser – Google’s first up (5)

Answer: GREED (i.e. “insatiable desire”). Solution is DEER (i.e. “browser”, taking “browse” to mean “to feed on the rough shoots of plants” (Chambers)) followed by G (i.e. “Google’s first [letter]”). This is all then reversed (indicated by “up” – this being a down clue), like so: G-REED.

8. Radio maybe managed by sergeant major – have giggle about that? (11)

Answer: TRANSMITTER (i.e. “radio maybe”). Solution is RAN (i.e. “managed”) and SM (a recognised abbreviation of “sergeant major”) both placed in or having “about” them TITTER (i.e. “giggle”), like so: T(RAN-SM)ITTER.

9. Can appearing upside-down humour an idiot? (6)

Answer: NITWIT (i.e. “idiot”). Solution is TIN (i.e. “can”) reversed (indicated by “appearing upside-down” – this being a down clue) and followed by WIT (i.e. “humour”), like so: NIT-WIT.

11. Art style one’s introduced to province (7)

Answer: REALISM (i.e. “art style” – I’ve probably mentioned him before, but I can’t let this clue go without directing you towards the incredible work of the late Ralph Goings. His scenes of American diners and stores were simply astonishing for their realism. Don’t believe me? Check out the (rather scaled-down) example below. In fact, pop his name into Google Images and marvel at the results. You’re welcome!) Solution is I’S (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one” made possessive) placed in or “introduced to” REALM (i.e. “province”), like so: REAL(I’S)M.

12. Unique floor covering – length deployed in game (9)

Answer: MATCHLESS (i.e. “unique”). Solution is MAT (i.e. “floor covering”) followed by L (a recognised abbreviation of “length”) once placed or “deployed in” CHESS (i.e. “game”), like so: MAT-CH(L)ESS.

13. Percival and co think about saving grand, but not as managed with freehold (7,2,3,5,5)

Answer: KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE (i.e. “Percival and co”). Solution is THINK reversed (indicated by “about”) and wrapped around or “saving” G (a recognised abbreviation of “grand”). This is then followed by an anagram (indicated by “managed”) of BUT NOT AS and FREEHOLD, like so: KNI(G)HT-SOFTHEROUNDTABLE.

18. Garments from rococo chest – take look inside (7)

Answer: CLOTHES (i.e. “garments”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “rococo” – over to Chambers again: “florid, extravagant in style”) of CHEST wrapped around or having “inside” of it LO (i.e. “look”, as in lo and behold), like so: C(LO)THES.

20. Pronoun given by solitary, small and mischievous creature (7)

Answer: ONESELF (i.e. “pronoun”). Solution is ONE (i.e. “solitary”) followed by S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) and ELF (i.e. “mischievous creature”).

22. Spanish wine and pork pie right for royalist (8)

Answer: CAVALIER (i.e. “royalist”). Solution is CAVA (i.e. “Spanish wine”) followed by LIE (i.e. “pork pie”, cockney rhyming slang thereof) and R (a recognised abbreviation of “right”).

24. Annul sin filling Roman writer close to Jerome (8)

Answer: OVERRIDE (i.e. “annul”). Solution is ERR (i.e. “sin”) placed in or “filling” OVID (i.e. “Roman writer”) and followed by E (i.e. “close to Jerome”, i.e. the last letter of “Jerome”), like so: OV(ERR)ID-E.

27. Alumnus, having feasted regularly, appears thus? (5)

Answer: OBESE (i.e. “having feasted regularly, appears thus”). Solution is OB (i.e. “alumnus”, short for Old Boy) followed by ESE (i.e. “feasted regularly”, i.e. every other letter of FEASTED).

29. Still at the crease – no boundaries in Perth (5)

Answer: INERT (i.e. “still” or motionless). Solution is IN (i.e. “at the crease” in game of cricket) followed by ERT (i.e. “no boundaries in Perth”, i.e. “Perth” with its first and last letters removed).

30. Bone hard? I’m not sure (7)

Answer: STERNUM (i.e. “bone”). Solution is STERN (i.e. “hard”) followed by UM (i.e. “I’m not sure”).

32. Energy invested in dubious electronic lens type? (4-3)

Answer: FISH-EYE (i.e. “lens type”). Solution is E (a recognised abbreviation of “energy”) placed or “invested in” FISHY (i.e. “dubious”) and followed by E (denotive of “electronic” in such words as email, ecommerce and so on), like so: FISH(E)Y-E.

34. Passionate Dicky seems put out (11)

Answer: TEMPESTUOUS (i.e. “passionate”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “dicky”) of SEEMS PUT OUT.

36. Two coins securing extremely rare table decoration (11)

Answer: CENTREPIECE (i.e. “table decoration”). Solution is CENT and PIECE (i.e. “two coins”) wrapped around or “securing” RE (i.e. “extremely rare”, i.e. the first and last letters of “rare”), like so: CENT-(RE)-PIECE.

37. Fixative used in perfume has a light colour: French grey (9)

Answer: AMBERGRIS (i.e. “fixative used in perfume”). Solution is AMBER (i.e. traffic “light colour”) followed by GRIS (i.e. “French grey”, i.e. the French for “grey”).

39. George in perfect place, just about, to open a packet (9)

Answer: AUTOPILOT (i.e. “George”, RAF slang thereof). Solution is UTOPIA (i.e. “perfect place”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “just about”) and the remainder placed in or “opening” A LOT (i.e. “a packet”), like so: A-(UTOPI)-LOT.

41. Agitated microbiologist – no stoic – creates confusion (9)

Answer: IMBROGLIO (i.e. “confusion”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “agitated”) of MICROBIOLOGIST once the letters of STOIC have been removed.

43. Good time in bowls game promised (7)

Answer: ENGAGED (i.e. affianced or “promised”). Solution is G (a recognised abbreviation of “good”) and AGE (i.e. “time”) both placed “in” END (i.e. “bowls game”), like so: EN(G-AGE)D.

45. Gas container from Scottish inventor upset government (4,3)

Answer: BELL JAR (i.e. “gas container”). Solution is Alexander Graham BELL (i.e. “Scottish inventor”) followed by RAJ (i.e. “government”, especially the British government of India 1858-1947) once the latter has been reversed (indicated by “upset”).

47. German fellow in German car leaving wife behind (6)

Answer: BOTTOM (i.e. one’s “behind”). Solution is OTTO (i.e. “German fellow”, and, thanks to Airplane, the one I immediately think of when autopilot is mentioned) placed “in” BMW (i.e. “German car”) once the W has been removed (indicated by “leaving wife behind” – W being a recognised abbreviation of “wife”), like so: B(OTTO)M.

49. Plant left unaltered when climbing (5)

Answer: SISAL (i.e. “plant”). Solution is L (a recognised abbreviation of “left”) and AS IS (i.e. “unaltered”) all reversed (indicated by “when climbing” – this being a down clue), like so: SI-SA-L.

51. One side not quite covering a page (4)

Answer: LEAF (i.e. “page”). Solution is LEFT (i.e. “one side” – right being the other) with its last letter removed (indicated by “not quite”) and the remainder wrapped around or “covering” A, like so: LE(A)F.