Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1660

A medium strength Jumbo this week with a decent number of inventive clues. Not a bad little timewaster, all told.

Now that the competition deadline has passed, 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 pulled your pants down 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 your comments and patience. Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

Across clues

1. Reverse carriage and damage wall (7)

Answer: RAMPART (i.e. defensive “wall”). Solution is TRAP (i.e. “carriage”, as in a pony and trap) and MAR (i.e. “damage”) all “reversed”, like so: RAM-PART.

5. Saw guide with German about to fight (5,3)

Answer: MITRE BOX (i.e. “saw guide” – over to Chambers: “a box with narrow slots to guide a saw when cutting a mitre”). Solution is MIT (i.e. “with German”, i.e. the German for “with”) followed by RE (i.e. “about” or regarding – think email replies) and BOX (i.e. “to fight”).

9. Singular characteristic difficulty (6)

Answer: STRAIT (i.e. “difficulty”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “singular”) followed by TRAIT (i.e. “characteristic”).

13. Naïve and weak Tory responsible for visibly distressed male? (3,6,3,4)

Answer: WET BEHIND THE EARS (i.e. “naïve”). Solution is WET (i.e. moderate or “weak Tory”) followed by BEHIND (i.e. being “responsible” for an outcome), then HE placed in TEARS (hinted at by “visibly distressed male”), like so: WET-BEHIND-T(HE)EARS.

14. Plot is reconstructed for this part of Henry V (6)

Answer: PISTOL (i.e. “part of Henry V”, specifically a character who appears in not only this but a handful of other Billy Shakespeare plays). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “reconstructed”) of PLOT IS. One for the luvvies.

16. A couple of such fliers can be downloaded from Internet (8)

Answer: SEABIRDS (i.e. “fliers”). The rest of the clue plays on how TERN (one such seabird) can be found in or “downloaded from” IN(TERN)ET.

17. Stout one’s included in arbitrary order (4)

Answer: FIAT (i.e. “arbitrary order” – over to Chambers again: “a short order or warrant of a judge for making out or allowing processes, letters, patent, etc”. Busywork, then). Solution is FAT (i.e. “stout”) wrapped around or “including” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), like so: F(I)AT.

18. Easily win a fight in pedestrian appearance (9)

Answer: WALKABOUT (i.e. a “pedestrian appearance”, say, by a royal). Solution is WALK (i.e. “easily win”) followed by A, then BOUT (i.e. “fight”).

20. Like voices raised in argument after brief tumble (8)

Answer: FALSETTO (i.e. “like voices raised”). Solution is SET TO (i.e. “argument”) placed “after” FALL (i.e. “tumble”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “brief”), like so: FAL-(SET-TO). Nicely disguised.

21. Time to stop bad behaviour characteristic of French academicians (11)

Answer: IMMORTALITY (i.e. “characteristic of French academicians” – the Académie Française comprises forty members, collectively known as “the immortals”. Of course I looked it up). Solution is T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”) placed in or “stopping” IMMORALITY (i.e. “bad behaviour”), like so: IMMOR(T)ALITY.

24. Give more details after English dog appears to speak (9)

Answer: ELABORATE (i.e. “give more details”). Solution is E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”) followed by LAB (i.e. “dog”, short for labrador) and ORATE (i.e. “to speak”).

25. Behaving badly about power in revolutionary movement (8)

Answer: SPINNING (i.e. “revolutionary movement”). Solution is SINNING (i.e. “behaving badly”) wrapped “about” P (a recognised abbreviation of “power”), like so: S(P)INNING.

26. Crawl one of those babies does produce (4)

Answer: FAWN (i.e. to “crawl” or toady). The remainder of the clue plays on how a FAWN is also a young or “baby” deer. That’s about it, I guess.

29. In cruel way, call demanding attention traps innocent learner (11)

Answer: HEARTLESSLY (i.e. “in a cruel way”). Solution is HEY (i.e. “call demanding attention”) wrapped around or “trapping” ARTLESS (i.e. “innocent”) and L (a recognised abbreviation of “learner” on L-plates), like so: HE(ARTLESS-L)Y.

31. Awful thing one encountered in swamp, truly awful (11)

Answer: NIGHTMARISH (i.e. “truly awful”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “awful”) of THING followed by I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) once placed “in” MARSH (i.e. “swamp”), like so: NIGHT-MAR(I)SH.

33. Conversely, copies out what led to first dismissal (8,3)

Answer: ORIGINAL SIN (i.e. “what led to first dismissal”, referring to Eve getting booted out of the Garden of Eden in The Bible). Solution comprises the opposites (indicated by “conversely”) of COPIES and OUT, i.e. ORIGINALS and IN.

36. Should, for example, state almost everything (11)

Answer: CONDITIONAL (i.e. “should, for example” – another example being “if”). Solution is CONDITION (i.e. “state” of something) followed by ALL (i.e. “everything”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “almost”), like so: CONDITION-AL.

38. Draw conclusions from Laurence Olivier portraying Othello so (4)

Answer: ERGO (i.e. “so”). “Draw conclusions from” indicates the solution is derived from the last letters of “LaurencE OlivieR portrayinG OthellO“.

39. Slam, beat badly (8)

Answer: LAMBASTE (i.e. “slam” – the solution can be spelled with or without an E, though with an E the only roasting it conjures up is that of juicy, tender meat. Nom, nom, nom). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “badly”) of SLAM BEAT. Nice bit of recycling there.

41. Combinations of sayings oddly selected about articles referenced (9)

Answer: SYNTHESES (i.e. “combinations”). Solution is SYNS (i.e. “sayings oddly selected”, i.e. every other letter of SAYINGS) wrapped “about” THESE (i.e. “articles referenced”), like so: SYN(THESE)S.

44. Partners securing success with arrest for nonviolent kind of crime? (5-6)

Answer: WHITE-COLLAR (i.e. “nonviolent kind of crime”). Solution is W and E (i.e. “partners” in a game of bridge, being East and West) wrapped around or “securing” HIT (i.e. “success”). This is all followed by COLLAR (i.e. “arrest”), like so: W(HIT)E-COLLAR.

45. Cooked rice came for dessert (3,5)

Answer: ICE CREAM (i.e. “dessert”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “cooked”) of RICE CAME.

48. How one sees things in struggle with head (9)

Answer: VIEWPOINT (i.e. “how one sees things”). Solution is VIE (i.e. “struggle”) followed by W (a recognised abbreviation of “with”) and POINT (i.e. “head”).

49. Attending promotion, recalled information (4)

Answer: DATA (i.e. “information”). Solution is AT (i.e. “attending”) and AD (i.e. “promotion”, short for advertisement) all reversed (indicated by “recalled”), like so: DA-TA.

50. Create diversion from Land’s End, with vehicles heading West in it (8)

Answer: DISTRACT (i.e. “create diversion”). Solution is D (i.e. “Land’s End”, i.e. the last letter of “Land”) followed by IT once CARTS (i.e. “vehicles”) has been reversed (indicated by “heading West” – this being an across clue) and placed “in” it, like so: D-I(STRAC)T.

52. Routine that’s central to spirituality (6)

Answer: RITUAL (i.e. “routine”). “That’s central to” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: SPI(RITUAL)ITY.

53. Part of annual event in which some stand and face the music (9,7)

Answer: PROMENADE CONCERT (i.e. “in which some stand and face the music”). “Part of annual event” likely refers to the BBC Proms.

54. Shed less light on rescue vessel in study (6)

Answer: DARKEN (i.e. “shed less light on”). Solution is ARK (i.e. Biblical “rescue vessel”) placed “in” DEN (i.e. “study”), like so: D(ARK)EN.

55. Disturbed by result, becoming windy (8)

Answer: BLUSTERY (i.e. “windy”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “disturbed”) of BY RESULT.

56. Full of fight after goal in final part of match (7)

Answer: ENDGAME (i.e. “final part of match”). Solution is GAME (i.e. “full of fight”) placed “after” END (i.e. “goal”), like so: END-GAME.

Down clues

1. Red or green in the extreme (6)

Answer: RAWEST. Solution satisfies the clue has a whole, being “red in the extreme” (referring to meat) and “green in the extreme” (referring to experience).

2. Laid up most of season, left and returned (6)

Answer: MUTUAL (i.e. “returned”). Solution AUTUMN (i.e. “season”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “most of…”) and the remainder reversed (indicated by “laid up” – this being a down clue). This is all then followed by L (a recognised abbreviation of “left”), like so: MUTUA-L.

3. On camera, broadcast about one kind of coffee (9)

Answer: AMERICANO (i.e. “kind of coffee”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “broadcast”) of ON CAMERA wrapped “about” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), like so: AMER(I)CANO.

4. Common people in one way contained by the government (5,6)

Answer: THIRD ESTATE (i.e. “common people”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”, again) and RD (i.e. “way”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “road”) all placed in or “contained by” THE STATE (i.e. “the government”), like so: TH(I-RD)E-STATE.

5. Kind of skirt from part of France (4)

Answer: MIDI. Solution satisfies “kind of skirt” and the southern “part of France”.

6. Musical great has tea put out – covered by television channel (11)

Answer: Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (i.e. “musical great”). Solution is CHAI (i.e. “tea”) and KO (i.e. “put out” or render unconscious, short for “knock out”) both placed in or “covered by” TV (short for “television”). This is all then followed by SKY (i.e. UK satellite “channel”, several hundred of them nowadays), like so: T(CHAI-KO)V-SKY.

7. Expert on current issues amended nice article (11)

Answer: ELECTRICIAN (i.e. “expert on [electrical] current issues”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “amended”) of NICE ARTICLE.

8. Females with pulling power in shell company? (9)

Answer: OARSWOMEN. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole, taking “shell” to be “a type of light racing boat” (Chambers).

10. Smart kind of knitwear for boat (8)

Answer: TRIMARAN (i.e. a “boat” with three hulls). Solution is TRIM (i.e. “smart”) followed by ARAN (i.e. “kind of knitwear”, a pattern originating from the Aran Islands).

11. Dictatorial approach that I confused with our heresy (16)

Answer: AUTHORITARIANISM (i.e. “dictatorial approach”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “confused”) of THAT I and OUR followed by ARIANISM (i.e. “heresy”, specifically “the heretical doctrine of Arius, that Christ was not consubstantial with God the Father, but only the first and highest of all finite beings” (Chambers)), like so: AUTHORIT-ARIANISM.

12. Author revised lots in play (7)

Answer: Leo TOLSTOY (i.e. “author”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “revised”) of LOTS placed “in” TOY (i.e. “play”), like so: TO(LSTO)Y.

15. Restructured recital around new instrument (8)

Answer: CLARINET (i.e. “instrument”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “restructured”) of RECITAL wrapped “around” N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”), like so: CLARI(N)ET.

19. Disbelieving people present during robberies (8)

Answer: ATHEISTS (i.e. “disbelieving people”). When written as AT HEISTS the solution also satisfies “present during robberies”. Seen it before.

22. Remove power from shirker shielding the drunk (8)

Answer: DETHRONE (i.e. “remove power from”). Solution is DRONE (i.e. “shirker”) wrapped around an anagram (indicated by “drunk”) of THE, like so: D(ETH)RONE.

23. Boss I had upset with university head following older fellow? (8,8)

Answer: MANGING DIRECTOR (i.e. “boss”). Solution is I’D (a contraction of “I had”) reversed (indicated by “upset” – this being a down clue) and followed by RECTOR (i.e. “university head”). This is all then placed after or “following” MAN AGING (i.e. “older fellow”), like so: MAN-AGING-(D’I-RECTOR).

27. Totally unprincipled type in part of UK greeting problem for crew (8)

Answer: NIHILIST (i.e. “totally unprincipled type”). Solution is NI (i.e. “part of UK”, specifically Northern Ireland) followed by HI (i.e. “greeting”) and LIST (i.e. “problem for [ship’s] crew”).

28. Garment necessarily trimmed more on the left than right (4)

Answer: SARI (i.e. “garment”). The remainder of the clue plays on how the solution is hidden in NECES(SARI)LY if the word has been “trimmed more on the left than right”.

30. Change of heart for beginner in crowd, supposedly (4)

Answer: TRIO (i.e. “crowd, supposedly”, after the phrase “two’s company, three’s a crowd”). Solution is TIRO (i.e. “beginner”) with the middle two letters switched, or having a “change of heart”.

32. Bad person that’s good? Awfully strange (8)

Answer: GANGSTER (i.e. “bad person”). Solution is G (a recognised abbreviation of “good”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “awfully”) of STRANGE, like so: G-ANGSTER.

34. A Western team turned up trouble in part of Asia (8)

Answer: ANATOLIA (i.e. “part of Asia”, also known as Asia Minor). Solution is A followed by NATO (i.e. “Western team”, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) and AIL (i.e. “trouble”) once this latter has been reversed (indicated by “turned up” – this being a down clue), like so: A-NATO-LIA.

35. Prophet holding crazy skills the wrong way in mind (11)

Answer: NOSTRADAMUS (i.e. “prophet”). Solution is MAD (i.e. “crazy”) and ARTS (i.e. “skills”) all reversed (indicated by “the wrong way”) and placed “in” NOUS (i.e. “mind”), like so: NO(STRA-DAM)US.

36. Peaceful kind of life one can never have (11)

Answer: COEXISTENCE (i.e. “peaceful kind of life”). The rest of the clue plays on how the solution requires at least two parties.

37. Part of target set in board for exclusive group (5,6)

Answer: INNER CIRCLE. Solution satisfies “part of target set in board” and “exclusive group”.

40. Both left and right, at historical time, covered by draft law (9)

Answer: BILATERAL (i.e. “both left and right”, politically). Solution is AT and ERA (i.e. “historical time”) both placed in or “covered by” BILL (i.e. “draft law”), like so: BIL(AT-ERA)L.

42. Be told by nurse about drug that’s given boost (9)

Answer: HEARTENED (i.e. “given boost”). Solution is HEAR (i.e. “be told”) followed by TEND (i.e. to “nurse”) once wrapped “about” E (slang name for the “drug” ecstasy), like so: HEAR-TEN(E)D.

43. Quickly look up drink in personal aide-memoire (8)

Answer: KEEPSAKE (i.e. “personal aide-memoire”). Solution is PEEK (i.e. “quickly look”) reversed (indicated by “up” – this being a down clue) and followed by SAKE (i.e. Japanese “drink”), like so: KEEP-SAKE.

44. Hesitated to get married outside state (7)

Answer: WAVERED (i.e. “hesitated”). Solution is WED (i.e. “get married”) wrapped around or placed “outside” of AVER (i.e. to “state”), like so: W(AVER)ED.

46. Means of producing pictures appeared before recognized artist (6)

Answer: CAMERA (i.e. “means of producing pictures”). Solution is CAME (i.e. “appeared”) followed by RA (i.e. “recognised artist”, specifically a Royal Academician).

47. Figure in law passed, apart from third time (6)

Answer: STATUE (i.e. “figure”). Solution is STATUTE (i.e. “law passed”) with the third T removed (indicated by “apart from third time” – T being a recognised abbreviation of “time”).

51. It’s not stress-free, being avant-garde (4)

Answer: EDGY. Solution satisfies “it’s not stress-free” and “avant-garde”.