Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1652

…and straight into another one. The Christmas and New Year period is great for getting lots of Jumbos to solve, but a bit of a bugger for my two typing fingers! Anyway, if memory serves me correctly, this was a medium strength Jumbo, though some of this was thanks to exotic solutions being clued up as anagrams. Yuck. Mercifully this didn’t happen too often.

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 gotten up your nose 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 warm words and encouragement. Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

Across clues

1. Letters from struggling lads to New Statesman (9)

Answer: William GLADSTONE (former prime minister, i.e. “statesman”). “Letters from” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: STRUGGLIN(G LADS TO NE)W.

6. Send kind of file for researcher (7)

Answer: POSTDOC (i.e. “researcher”, short for one in a postdoctoral role). Solution is POST (i.e. “send” a letter) followed by DOC (i.e. “kind of file”, short for a document).

10. More mature message mourning late monarch (5)

Answer: RIPER (i.e. “more mature”). Solution is RIP (i.e. “message mourning”, i.e. Rest In Peace) followed by ER (i.e. “late monarch”, short for Elizabeth Regina).

13. Royal gets salad put on bagel? It’s a current rule (4,3)

Answer: OHM’S LAW (i.e. “it’s a[n electrical] current rule”). Solution is HM (i.e. “royal”, short for His or Her Majesty) and SLAW (i.e. a cabbage “salad”) both placed “on” or after O (i.e. “bagel”, after its shape), like so: O-(HM-SLAW).

14. I need to think, entering attraction in London gallery (7)

Answer: VERANDA (i.e. a roofed “gallery”). Solution is ER (i.e. “I need to think”) placed in or “entering” V AND A (i.e. “attraction in London”, short for the Victoria and Albert Museum), like so: V-(ER)-AND-A.

15. Marine creature in autumn time round some whales (7)

Answer: OCTOPOD (i.e. “marine creature”). Solution is OCT (i.e. “in autumn time”, short for October) followed by O (i.e. “round”) and POD (i.e. “some whales”).

16. Citizen keeps working, dealing with current kind of art (19)

Answer: NONREPRESENTATIONAL (i.e. “kind of art” purposely meant to not look like anything recognisable). Solution is NATIONAL (i.e. “citizen”) wrapped around or “keeping” ON (i.e. “working”), RE (i.e. “dealing with” or regarding – think email replies) and PRESENT (i.e. “current”), like so: N(ON-RE-PRESENT)ATIONAL.

17. Greek goddess returns as character in The Oresteia? (3)

Answer: ETA (i.e. “character in The Oresteia” – I think this merely means a letter of the Greek alphabet, in this case the seventh. The Oresteia is a trilogy of Greek tragedies by Aeschylus. Of course I Googled it). Solution is ATE (i.e. “Greek goddess” of mischief) reversed (indicated by “returns”).

18. Foil wrapping from supermarket that is holding cored yam (6)

Answer: STYMIE (i.e. to “foil”). Solution is ST (i.e. “wrapping from supermarket”, i.e. the first and last letters of “supermarket”) and IE (i.e. “that is”, i.e. “i.e.”, from the Latin id est) all wrapped around YM (i.e. “cored yam”, i.e. the word “yam” with the middle letter removed), like so: ST-(YM)-IE. An easy get thanks to the same solution appearing in the previous Jumbo only two days earlier. Ho hum.

20. Prepare miners for combat in depressed region (6)

Answer: ARMPIT (i.e. “depressed region”, the hollow under one’s shoulder). When written as ARM PIT the solution playfully satisfies “prepare miners for combat”.

21. Extremely gloomy mounted policeman stops one spinning around (9)

Answer: GYROSCOPE (i.e. “one spinning around”). Solution is GY (i.e. “extremely gloomy”, i.e. the first and last letters of “gloomy”) followed by ROSE (i.e. “mounted” up) once wrapped around or being “stopped” by COP (i.e. “policeman”), like so: GY-ROS(COP)E.

23. Made new fashion navy instead, oddly (10)

Answer: MODERNISED (i.e. “made new”). Solution is MODE (i.e. “fashion”) followed by RN (i.e. “navy”, specifically the Royal Navy) and ISED (i.e. “instead, oddly”, i.e. every other letter of INSTEAD).

25. Instruction from journalist? Current story holds answer (11)

Answer: EDIFICATION (i.e. “instruction”). Solution is ED (i.e. “journalist”, short for an editor) followed by I (a recognised abbreviation of an electrical “current” used in physics) and A (a recognised abbreviation of “answer”, e.g. in Q&A) once placed in or “held” by FICTION (i.e. “story”), like so: ED-I-FIC(A)TION.

29. Provocative artist forbidding cycling (5)

Answer: Max ERNST (i.e. “provocative artist”). Solution is STERN (i.e. “forbidding”) with the letters “cycled” to the left a couple of times, like so: STERN => TERNS => ERNST. Ah, Max Ernst. It was only a matter of time before we’d see you again. I’m amazed there are any clues left to describe you.

30. For mum and dad, first article’s delayed before delivery (8)

Answer: PRENATAL (i.e. “before delivery” or birth). Solution is PARENTAL (i.e. “for mum and dad”) with the “first” A (i.e. “article”, being a word like a, an or the) moved a few notches to the right or “delayed”, like so: P(A)RENTAL => PREN(A)TAL.

31. Reported holes in old-fashioned bags (8)

Answer: BREECHES (i.e. “old-fashioned bags”, bags being slang for trousers). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “reported”) of BREACHES (i.e. “holes” in a defence).

34. Men on board determined to follow old red vessel (5,3)

Answer: CHESS SET (i.e. “men on board” – chess pieces are sometimes referred to as men). Solution is SET (i.e. “determined”) placed after or “following” CHE Guevarra (famous Marxist guerilla leader, i.e. “red”) and SS (i.e. “vessel”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of a steamship), like so: (CHE-SS)-SET.

36. Time lag reforms, accepting head of institution’s regulation (3,5)

Answer: AGE LIMIT (i.e. “regulation”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “reforms”) of TIME LAG wrapped around or “accepting” I (i.e. “head of institution”, i.e. the first letter of “institution”), like so: AGEL(I)MIT.

37. Cheers by Sampdoria’s no.1 thus for Italian linesman (5)

Answer: Torquato TASSO (i.e. “Italian linesman”, in this case a 16th century poet). Solution is TA (i.e. thanks or “cheers”) followed by S (i.e. “Sampdoria’s no.1” letter) and SO (i.e. “thus”). One nailed solely from the wordplay, unsurprisingly.

39. Adopt sexist hiring policy, given time slot for meeting (11)

Answer: APPOINTMENT (i.e. “slot for meeting”). Solution is APPOINT MEN (i.e. “adopt sexist hiring policy”) followed by T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”).

41. Queen Mother leaves African from fabulous kingdom (10)

Answer: RURITANIAN (i.e. “from fabulous kingdom”, fabulous being another way of saying fictitious. Ruritania is a made-up central European country that features in several novels by Anthony Hope). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “queen”, short for the Latin Regina) followed by MAURITANIAN (i.e. an “African”) once the MA has been removed (indicated by “mother leaves…”), like so: R-URITANIAN.

43. Go and nick fancy undies for cold-blooded killer (4,5)

Answer: KING COBRA (i.e. “cold-blooded killer”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “fancy”) of GO and NICK followed by BRA (i.e. “undies”), like so: KINGCO-BRA.

45. Test this person’s reason (6)

Answer: MOTIVE (i.e. “reason”). Solution is MOT (i.e. “test” of roadworthiness) followed by I’VE (i.e. “this person’s”, I guess a contraction of I HAVE. I don’t think this works, though, as I doubt anyone has ever abbreviated “this person has” to “this person’s”). Meh.

47. Perhaps keeper’s better catching header from defender? (6)

Answer: FINDER (i.e. “perhaps keeper”, from the phrase “finders keepers”). Solution is FINER (i.e. “better”) wrapped around or “catching” D (i.e. “header from defender”, i.e. the first letter of “defender”), like so: FIN(D)ER.

49. Group staying dry and hot? How delightful! (3)

Answer: AAH (i.e. “how delightful!”). Solution is AA (i.e. “group staying dry”, specifically Alcoholics Anonymous) followed by H (a recognised abbreviation of “hot” used on water taps).

50. Rogue in kindergarten began giving offence (8,3,8)

Answer: BREAKING AND ENTERING (i.e. criminal “offence”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “rogue”) of IN KINDERGARTEN BEGAN.

52. Bird getting behind ape in admiration (7)

Answer: EMULATE (i.e. “ape in admiration”). Solution is EMU (i.e. a “bird”) followed by LATE (i.e. “behind” time).

53. Mind ringing a hotel in gulf state (7)

Answer: BAHRAIN (i.e. “gulf state”). Solution is BRAIN (i.e. “mind”) wrapped around or “ringing” A and H (“hotel” in the phonetic alphabet), like so: B(A-H)RAIN.

54. With energy, married couple perhaps do this? (7)

Answer: EMBRACE (i.e. “married couple perhaps do this”). Solution is E (a recognised abbreviation of “energy”) followed by M (ditto “married”) and BRACE (i.e. “couple”). Nicely worked.

55. Return from India, packing cases for 19 and Lapland (5)

Answer: YIELD (i.e. “return” on investment). Solution is I (“India” in the phonetic alphabet) placed in or “packing” YE and LD (i.e. “cases for 19 and Lapland”, i.e. the first and last letters of both YAOUNDE (the solution to “19” down) and “Lapland”), like so: Y(I)E-LD.

56. Hard to climb flipping frame of Eiffel Tower! (7)

Answer: STEEPLE (i.e. “tower”, ignoring the misleading capitalisation). Solution is STEEP (i.e. “hard to climb”) followed by the first and last letters of “Eiffel” (indicated by “frame of…”) once reversed (indicated by “flipping”), like so: STEEP-LE.

57. Gift yours truly wrapped in blue taken into part of hospital (9)

Answer: ENDOWMENT (i.e. “gift”). Solution is ME (i.e. “yours truly”) placed “in” DOWN (i.e. “blue”) which is itself then placed “into” ENT (i.e. “part of hospital”, specifically Ear, Nose and Throat), like so: EN(DOW(ME)N)T.

Down clues

1. My healthy food provides it (8)

Answer: GOODNESS (i.e. “my”, both taken to be exclamations). Solution also satisfies “healthy food provides it”.

2. Superhero saving British Indian’s soul (5)

Answer: ATMAN (i.e. “Indian’s soul”). Solution is BATMAN (i.e. a “superhero”) with the B removed (indicated by “saving British”, B being a recognised abbreviation of “British”). A new one on me.

3. Plain or veldt, if seen abroad (4-7)

Answer: SELF-EVIDENT (i.e. “plain”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “abroad”) of VELDT IF SEEN.

4. Running down, covering area by River Forth (6)

Answer: ONWARD (i.e. “forth”, ignoring the misleading capitalisation). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “running”) of DOWN wrapped around or “covering” A (a recognised abbreviation of “area”) and R (ditto “river”), like so: ONW(A-R)D.

5. Spy seller I’ve thrashed, having hit record merchant (5,7)

Answer: ELVIS PRESLEY (i.e. “hit record merchant”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “thrashed”) of SPY SELLER I’VE.

6. Maybe spin round a cut vegetable (7)

Answer: PARSNIP (i.e. “vegetable”). Solution is PR (i.e. “spin”, or Public Relations) wrapped “round” A and followed by SNIP (i.e. “cut”), like so: P(A)R-SNIP.

7. Folk hero sorry that man’s imprisoned in orient following transgression (6,3,6)

Answer: SINBAD THE SAILOR (i.e. “folk hero”). Solution is BAD (i.e. “sorry” condition, for example) followed by HE’S (i.e. “that man’s”) once placed or “imprisoned in” TAILOR (i.e. to “orient” I suppose, though I’m not seeing any overlap between the two words in Chambers, Bradford’s doesn’t support it and I can’t be arsed to go upstairs to check my other dictionaries. Yellow card time?) This is all then placed after or “following” SIN (i.e. “transgression”), like so: SIN-(BAD-T(HE’S)AILOR).

8. Two medics claiming a triumph with hip fixing device (7,3)

Answer: DRAWING PIN (i.e. “fixing device”). Solution is DR and GP (i.e. “two medics”, one a recognised abbreviation of “doctor”, the other a General Practitioner) wrapped around or “claiming” A and WIN (i.e. “triumph”) and followed by IN (i.e. “hip” or trendy), like so: (DR-(A-WIN)-GP)-IN.

9. Public official moving over for Frank Sinatra? (7)

Answer: CROONER (i.e. “Frank Sinatra”). Solution is CORONER (i.e. “public official”) with one of the Os (a recognised abbreviation of “over” in cricket) “moving” a smidge, like so: C(O)RONER => CR(O)ONER.

10. Throw small, uncovered, tailless reptile (11)

Answer: RATTLESNAKE (i.e. “reptile”). Solution is RATTLE (i.e. “throw”) followed by S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) and NAKED (i.e. “uncovered”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “tailless”), like so: RATTLE-S-NAKE.

11. Argentinian leader eats course with starter of Italian meat (9)

Answer: PEPPERONI (i.e. “meat”). Solution is Juan PERÓN (i.e. former “Argentinian leader”) wrapped around or “eating” PPE (i.e. a university “course” – not had this for a while, this is short for Philosophy, Politics and Economics) and followed by I (i.e. “starter [letter] of Italian”), like so: PE(PPE)RÓN-I.

12. Auditor’s studied record for bureaucratic business (3,4)

Answer: RED TAPE (i.e. “bureaucratic business”). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “auditor’s”) of READ (i.e. “studied”) followed by TAPE (i.e. “record”).

19. Dane travelling with you in the capital (7)

Answer: YAOUNDE (i.e. “capital” of Cameroon). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “travelling”) of DANE and YOU.

22. Foot beginning to ache? Peasant is put out (8)

Answer: ANAPAEST (i.e. “foot”). Solution is A (i.e. “beginning to ache”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “put out”) of PEASANT, like so: A-NAPAEST. According to Chambers, the solution, in prosody, is “a foot of two short (or unstressed) syllables followed by a long (or stressed) syllable”, so a word like “interrupt” or “comprehend”. This and YAOUNDE in close succession reminded me how much I dislike exotic solutions clued as anagrams. Fume, seethe and so forth.

24. Ability to draw game with craft, capturing piece of 34 (15)

Answer: DRAUGHTSMANSHIP (i.e. “ability to draw”). Solution is DRAUGHTS (i.e. “game”) and SHIP (i.e. “craft”) all wrapped around or “capturing” MAN (i.e. “piece of 34” – the solution to 34a is CHESS SET, and chess pieces are sometimes referred to as “men”), like so: DRAUGHTS-(MAN)-SHIP.

26. Temperature in water, not good for bug (8)

Answer: IRRITATE (i.e. to “bug”). Solution is T (a recognised abbreviation of “temperature”) placed “in” IRRIGATE (i.e. to “water”) once the G has been removed (indicated by “not good” – G being a recognised abbreviation of “good”), like so: IRRI(T)ATE.

27. Child raised question for absent guest (2-4)

Answer: NO-SHOW (i.e. “absent guest”). Solution is SON (i.e. “child”) reversed (indicated by “raised”) and followed by HOW (i.e. “question”), like so: NOS-HOW.

28. South of foreign sea, spies ancient kingdom (6)

Answer: MERCIA (i.e. “ancient kingdom”). Solution is MER (i.e. “foreign sea”, basically the French for “sea”) followed by CIA (i.e. “spies”, specifically the Central Intelligence Agency). “South of” just means CIA is placed under MER, this being a down clue.

32. Save pop group from American hours, initially (7)

Answer: HUSBAND (i.e. “save”). Solution is US (i.e. “American”) and BAND (i.e. “pop group”) placed after H (i.e. “hours, initially”, i.e. the first letter of “hours”), like so: H-(US-BAND).

33. Newspaper covered MP in Barking displaying short-sightedness (12)

Answer: IMPROVIDENCE (i.e. “short-sightedness”). Solution is I (i.e. a UK “newspaper”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “barking” mad, ignoring the misleading capitalisation) of COVERED MP IN, like so: I-MPROVIDENCE.

35. Son and enchantress get on where callers are received (11)

Answer: SWITCHBOARD (i.e. “where callers are received”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “son”) followed by WITCH (i.e. “enchantress”) and BOARD (i.e. “get on”).

37. Complaint of one appearing regularly in court? (6,5)

Answer: TENNIS ELBOW (i.e. muscular “complaint” caused by overexercise). Clue plays on a tennis “court”. You get the idea.

38. Newly assess president adopting line that’s noteworthy (10)

Answer: REMARKABLE (i.e. “noteworthy”). Solution is RE-MARK (i.e. “newly assess”, say, coursework) followed by ABE Lincoln (i.e. former US “president”) once wrapped around or “adopting” L (a recognised abbreviation of “line”), like so: RE-MARK-AB(L)E.

40. Room at the Top writer has grand scene’s outline (9)

Answer: PENTHOUSE (i.e. “room at the top”, ignoring the misleading capitalisation). Solution is PEN (i.e. “writer”) followed by THOU (i.e. “grand”, both slang for a thousand) and SE (i.e. “scene’s outline”, i.e. the first and last letters of “scene”).

42. Paper bags clothes dealers split into pieces (8)

Answer: FRAGMENT (i.e. “split into pieces”). Solution is FT (i.e. UK “paper”, The Financial Times) wrapped around or “bagging” RAGMEN (i.e. “clothes dealers”), like so: F(RAGMEN)T.

43. Starts off knowing nothing, admitting really bad behaviour (7)

Answer: KNAVERY (i.e. “bad behaviour”). Solution is K, N and A (i.e. “starts off knowing nothing, admitting”, i.e. the first letters of “knowing”, “nothing” and “admitting”) followed by VERY (i.e. “really”).

44. Empty beer jugs for those who might fill them? (7)

Answer: BREWERS (i.e. “those who might fill [beer jugs]”). Solution is BR (i.e. “empty beer”, i.e. the word “beer” with its middle letters removed) followed by EWERS (i.e. “jugs”).

46. Roughly cutting wood, European gets snack (7)

Answer: TEACAKE (i.e. “snack”). Solution is CA (i.e. “roughly”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “circa”) placed in or “cutting” TEAK (i.e. “wood”) and followed by E (a recognised abbreviation of “European”), like so: TE(AC)AK-E.

48. Mean, finally, to expel ambassador (6)

Answer: INTEND (i.e. “mean”). Solution is IN THE END (i.e. “finally”) with the HE removed (indicated by “to expel ambassador”, addressed often as His Excellency if you go in for all that bowing and scraping), like so: IN-T-END.

51. A Gershwin tune leaves a Parisian in a bad mood (5)

Answer: IRATE (i.e. “in a bad mood”). Solution is IRA (i.e. “a Gershwin”) and TUNE once the UN has been removed (indicated by “leaves a Parisian” – UN being French for “a”), like so: IRA-TE.