Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1666

A medium strength Jumbo for Bank Holiday Monday with only a handful of annoying made-to-fit stuff to contend with. A decent enough outing, 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 given you a spanking then my Just For Fun page might be of use, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of the things. Then again, you might just like that kind of thing. There’s no judgement here.

Thanks again for your comments and patience. Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

Across clues

1. Sweets go astray, what’s more, that one’s sent in vain (5,6)

Answer: FOOL’S ERRAND (i.e. “that one’s sent in vain”). Solution is FOOLS (i.e. “sweets” or desserts) followed by ERR (i.e. “go astray”) and AND (i.e. “what’s more”).

7. Fuel, in the main hers, not for working large stoves (5,3,3)

Answer: NORTH SEA GAS (i.e. “fuel, in the main” – the main being another word for the high sea). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “for working”) of HERS NOT followed by AGAS (i.e. “large stoves”), like so: NORTHSE-AGAS.

13. Female forger unusually taken with Old Etonian’s old blazer (5,4,2,6)

Answer: GREAT FIRE OF LONDON (i.e. “old blazer” of 1666, in keeping with the Jumbo number this week). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “unusually”) of F (a recognised abbreviation of “female”), FORGER and OLD ETONIAN.

14. Roman emperor’s wife initially letting one through (5)

Answer: LIVIA (i.e. “Roman emperor’s wife”, specifically that of Augustus). Solution is L (i.e. “initially letting”, i.e. the first letter of “letting”) followed by I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), then VIA (i.e. “through”).

15. Element of poster perhaps one’s cutting off the wall (6)

Answer: RADIUM (i.e. chemical “element”). Solution is AD (i.e. “poster”, short for advertisement) an I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”, again) both placed in or “cutting” RUM (i.e. strange or “off the wall”), like so: R(AD-I)UM.

16. Declining privilege afforded exclusive patient, maybe, after day (8)

Answer: DOWNWARD (i.e. “declining”). Solution is OWN WARD (i.e. a “privilege afforded exclusive patient, maybe”) placed “after” D (a recognised abbreviation of “day”), like so: D-(OWN-WARD).

17. Betrayal of cause by Egypt’s far right (7)

Answer: TREASON (i.e. “betrayal”). Solution is REASON (i.e. “cause”) placed after or “by” T (i.e. “Egypt’s far right”, i.e. the last letter of “Egypt”), like so: T-REASON.

19. Men taking a long time after pub to get home (9)

Answer: ORPHANAGE (i.e. a “home”). Solution is OR (i.e. “men”, specifically the Other Ranks of the British Army) followed by AN AGE (i.e. “a long time”) once it has first been placed “after” PH (i.e. “pub”, specifically a Public House), like so: OR-((PH)-AN-AGE).

21. They’re far from the main sanctions to follow call for peace (8)

Answer: SHALLOWS (i.e. “they’re far from the main” – again, the main being the high sea). Solution is ALLOWS (i.e. “sanctions”) placed after or “following” SH (i.e. “call for peace” and quiet), like so: SH-ALLOWS.

23. Prophet very old woman recalled (4)

Answer: AMOS (i.e. Biblical “prophet”). Solution is SO (i.e. “very”) and MA (i.e. “old woman”, both slang for one’s mother) all reversed (indicated by “recalled”), like so: AM-OS.

25. Slight forgotten gladly by recipient ultimately (5)

Answer: FAINT (i.e. “slight”). Solution is FAIN (i.e. “gladly” – the “forgotten” bit seems an indicator that FAIN is an archaic word) followed by T (i.e. “recipient ultimately”, i.e. the last letter of “recipient”).

27. Light fruit that contains extra energy for run (6)

Answer: CHEERY (i.e. “light”). Solution is CHERRY (i.e. “fruit”) with the first R (a recognised abbreviation of “run” used in some ball games) swapped “for” E (a recognised abbreviation of “energy”), like so: CHE(R)RY => CHE(E)RY.

28. Article – no good – by hack, Polish language speaker (10)

Answer: ANGLOPHONE (i.e. “language speaker”). Solution is A (i.e. “article”, an article being a word like a, an or the) followed by N (a recognised abbreviation of “no”), then G (ditto “good”), then LOP (i.e. “hack”) and HONE (i.e. “polish”, ignoring the misleading capitalisation).

30. Most deprived youth returned clutching passes (8)

Answer: NEEDIEST (i.e. “most deprived”). Solution is TEEN (i.e. “youth”) reversed (indicated by “returned”) and wrapped around or “clutching” DIES (i.e. “passes” away), like so: NEE(DIES)T.

31. Judge’s long clothes adapted by English educational establishment (2,5,7)

Answer: ST JOHN’S COLLEGE (i.e. “educational establishment”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “adapted”) of J’S (a recognised abbreviation of “judge” made possessive) and LONG CLOTHES followed by E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”), like so: STJOHNSCOLLEG-E.

34. Part where two players can pack a punch? (9,5)

Answer: PANTOMIME HORSE. The clue plays on how “two players” or actors are used to play the “part”, and how a “punch” is a type of HORSE, sometimes called a Suffolk punch. You get the idea.

35. To avoid risk, appropriate one’s back should be well protected! (8)

Answer: HEDGEHOG (i.e. “one’s back should be well protected”). Solution is HEDGE (i.e. “to avoid risk”) followed by HOG (i.e. to “appropriate”).

38. Habit of French writer to disavow absorbing chapter (10)

Answer: DEPENDENCY (i.e. “habit”). Solution is DE (i.e. “of French”, i.e. the French for “of”) followed by PEN (i.e. “writer”) and DENY (i.e. “to disavow”) once wrapped around or “absorbing” C (a recognised abbreviation of “chapter”), like so: DE-PEN-DEN(C)Y.

40. Charlie may leave after knocking back drink (6)

Answer: COGNAC (i.e. “drink”). Solution is C (“Charlie” in the phonetic alphabet) followed by CAN GO (i.e. “may leave”) once reversed (indicated by “after knocking back”), like so: C-(OG-NAC).

41. Dominant part in final phase (5)

Answer: ALPHA (i.e. “dominant”). “Part” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: FIN(AL PHA)SE.

43. Climber of mountains to live on one? That’s wrong? (4)

Answer: IBEX (i.e. “climber of mountains”, in this case a mountain goat). Solution is BE (i.e. “to live”) placed “on” or after I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”, again, again) and followed by X (i.e. “that’s wrong”), like so: (I-(BE))-X.

44. City lad caught in a tangle of feet (8)

Answer: DACTYLIC (i.e. “of feet”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “in a tangle”) of CITY LAD and C (a recognised abbreviation of “caught” used in some ball games).

45. Unable perhaps to wriggle out of medical department getting rebuked (9)

Answer: ENTRAPPED (i.e. “unable to wriggle out of”). Solution is ENT (i.e. “medical department”, in this case Ear, Nose and Throat) followed by RAPPED (i.e. “rebuked”).

48. Where one might stick out leg, moving around quietly (7)

Answer: GLUEPOT (i.e. “where one might stick”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “moving”) of OUT LEG wrapped “around” P (i.e. “quietly”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “piano” used in musical lingo), like so: GLUE(P)OT.

49. Way of working crank that has blokes entering tomb? (8)

Answer: MONUMENT (i.e. “tomb”). Solution is MO (i.e. “way of working”, or Modus Operandi) followed by NUT (i.e. “crank” or eccentric) once wrapped around or being “entered” by MEN (i.e. “blokes”), like so: MO-NU(MEN)T.

50. Lass’s note found by small bottle, unfinished (6)

Answer: SOPHIA (i.e. “lass’s” name). Solution is SO (i.e. musical “note” in the sol-fa scale, can also be spelled SOL or SOH) followed by PHIAL (i.e. “small bottle”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “unfinished”), like so: SO-PHIA.

53. Satellite’s antenna for broadcast, not seen (5)

Answer: ARIEL (i.e. “satellite”, specifically one of Uranus’s moons). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “broadcast”, further qualified by “not seen”) of AERIAL (i.e. “antenna”).

54. All will be lucky as normal, handling trouble with reduced pot (5,3,3,3,3)

Answer: EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY (i.e. “all will be lucky”). Solution is EVERYDAY (i.e. “normal”) wrapped around or “handling” DOG (i.e. to “trouble”) and HASHISH (i.e. “pot” or marijuana) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “reduced”), like so: EVERY(DOG-HASHIS)DAY.

55. The Speaker’s indeed backing one – supporting vote for justice? (3,3,2,3)

Answer: EYE FOR AN EYE (i.e. “justice”). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “the speaker’s” – ignoring the misleading capitalisation) of AYE (i.e. “indeed”) followed by FOR (i.e. “backing” or in favour of) and AN AYE (i.e. a “supporting vote”).

56. Drink with naval officer: remain seated with one in theory (11)

Answer: SUPPOSITION (i.e. “theory”). Solution is SUP (i.e. “drink”) followed by PO (i.e. “naval officer”, in this case a Petty Officer) and SIT ON (i.e. “remain seated”) once wrapped around or having “in” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”, again, again, again), like so: SUP-PO-SIT-(I)-ON.

Down clues

1. Fine to stop topless sister’s statue becoming something ridiculed (6,2,3)

Answer: FIGURE OF FUN (i.e. “something ridiculed”). Solution is F (a recognised abbreviation of “fine” used in grading pencils) placed in or “stopping” FIGURE OF NUN (i.e. “sister’s statue”) one the first letter of NUN has been removed (indicated by “topless”), like so: FIGURE-OF-(F)-UN.

2. Mineral supplement with endless highland spirit (5)

Answer: OREAD (i.e. “highland spirit”, more a mountain spirit than a Scottish one it seems). Solution is ORE (i.e. “mineral”) followed by ADD (i.e. “supplement with”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “endless”), like so: ORE-AD. Made. To. Fit.

3. Fruit tree posed problem in need of answer (7)

Answer: SATSUMA (i.e. “fruit”). Solution is SAT (i.e. “posed”) followed by SUM (i.e. mathematical “problem”) and A (a recognised abbreviation of “answer”, as in Q&A).

4. Loss of home game is depressing (4)

Answer: RUIN (i.e. “loss”). Solution is IN (i.e. at “home”) placed after or under RU (i.e. “game”), this being a down clue, like so: RU-IN. “Depressing” here describes the wordplay, taken to mean “to cause to sink” (Chambers).

5. Exercising meant more endurance in the end, and a measure of puff (10)

Answer: ANEMOMETER (i.e. “a measure of puff” or wind gauge). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “exercising”) of MEANT MORE and E (i.e. “endurance in the end”, i.e. the last letter of “endurance”).

6. Windows outage? (14)

Answer: DEFENESTRATION. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole, being the act of throwing someone “out” of a “window”.

7. Turning up in Galata, no end of new arrivals (8)

Answer: NEONATAL (i.e. “of new arrivals” or newborns). “In” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, while “turning” indicates the solution has been reversed, like so: GA(LATA NO EN)D.

8. Carried out overhaul of left-wing papers? (5)

Answer: REDID (i.e. “carried out overhaul”). Solution is RED (i.e. “left-wing”) followed by ID (i.e. identity “papers”).

9. Pass our people large cloth (9)

Answer: HANDTOWEL (i.e. “cloth”). Solution is HAND TO (i.e. “pass”) followed by WE (i.e. “our people”) and L (a recognised abbreviation of “large”).

10. Girl wanting story recalled evening of poetry (6)

Answer: EILEEN (i.e. “girl’s” name). Solution is LIE (i.e. “story”) reversed (indicated by “recalled”) followed by E’EN (i.e. “evening of poetry”, a contraction of even), like so: EIL-E’EN.

11. Wind up with a star ranking? (4,7,3,3)

Answer: GIVE SOMEONE THE PIP (i.e. “wind up” or annoy). The rest of the clue plays on PIPs being “stars” denoting military “ranking”.

12. Occasion in January or November in part’s cut short (2,6,3)

Answer: ST AGNES’S EVE (i.e. “occasion in January”, specifically the 20th, when, “according to tradition, having performed certain rites, one may dream of the person that will be one’s husband or wife” (Chambers)). Solution is N (“November” in the phonetic alphabet) placed “in” STAGE’S (i.e. “part’s”) and followed by SEVER (i.e. “cut”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “short”), like so: STAG(N)E’S-SEVE.

18. Bloomers made by drug agent: ones that can be viewed both ways (8)

Answer: NARCISSI (i.e. flowers or “bloomers”). Solution is NARC (i.e. “drug agent”) followed by IS (i.e. “ones”, the one replaced by – surprise, surprise – its Roman numeral equivalent again, again, again, again) both forward and backwards (indicated by “that can be viewed both ways”), like so: NARC-IS-SI.

20. I induce DJ to run with prepared work (5,3,9)

Answer: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (i.e. “work” or novel by Jane Austen). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “to run”) of I INDUCE DJ and PREPARED.

22. Refusing to ignore last month’s ruling? (6)

Answer: LINING (i.e. “ruling” of lines on a paper). Solution is DECLINING (i.e. “refusing”) with the DEC removed (indicated by “ignoring last month” – DEC being short for December).

24. Written argument for holding game in a private area (8)

Answer: APOLOGIA (i.e. “written argument”, defence or vindication). Solution is POLO (i.e. “game”) placed “in” A, GI (i.e. “private” or US soldier) and A (a recognised abbreviation of “area”), like so: A-(POLO)-GI-A.

26. Treasurer in charge of old sailors’ hats (8)

Answer: TRICORNS (i.e. “hats”). Solution is TR (a recognised abbreviation of “treasurer”) followed by IC (ditto “in charge”), then O (ditto ditto “old”) and RN’S (i.e. “sailors”, specifically the Royal Navy, made possessive).

29. Put up with TV regulator facing battle in Parliament (5,2,7)

Answer: HOUSE OF COMMONS (i.e. “Parliament”). Solution is HOUSE (i.e. “put up”) followed by OFCOM (i.e. “TV regulator”) and MONS (i.e. “battle” of the First World War).

32. Crops boasted about over time in America (4,4)

Answer: CREW CUTS (i.e. haircuts or “crops”). Solution is CREW (i.e. “boasted” or crowed) followed by C (i.e. “about”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “circa”), then T (ditto “time”) once placed “in” US (i.e. “America”), like so: CREW-C-U(T)S.

33. Cook keeps trying not to offend old trendy (6)

Answer: HEPCAT (i.e. “old trendy”). Solution is HEAT (i.e. “cook”) wrapped around or “keeping” PC (i.e. “trying not to offend”, or Political Correctness), like so: HE(PC)AT.

34. Landed up in gaol, originally for disturbing city street (7,4)

Answer: PUDDING LANE (i.e. “street”, in keeping with the 1666 theme, being where the Great Fire of London was believed to have started). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “for disturbing”) of LANDED UP IN and G (i.e. “gaol, originally”, i.e. the first letter of “gaol”).

36. Piano to discard? That causes huge depression (5,6)

Answer: GRAND CANYON (i.e. “huge depression”). Solution is GRAND (i.e. “piano”) followed by CAN (i.e. “to discard”) and YON (i.e. “that” over there).

37. A certain type of post to bury, and poles with it (10)

Answer: INTERNSHIP (i.e. “a certain type of post”). Solution is INTER (i.e. “to bury”) followed by N and S (i.e. “poles”, recognised abbreviations of “north” and “south” respectively), then HIP (i.e. “with it” or trendy).

39. Rash to have abandoned first popular song? (9)

Answer: EXANTHEMA (i.e. “rash” or skin eruption). When written as EX-ANTHEM A the clue tortuously satisfies “to have abandoned first popular song”, the next one presumably being ANTHEM B.

42. Huge volume on duke misused key, valuable source (8)

Answer: KLONDYKE (i.e. “valuable source”). Solution is KL (i.e. “huge volume”, short for a kilolitre) followed by ON, then D (a recognised abbreviation of “duke”) and an anagram (indicated by “misused”) of KEY, like so: KL-ON-D-YKE.

46. Boys painted nude or in a skirt (7)

Answer: AMORINI (i.e. “boys painted nude”, specifically cherubs). Solution is OR placed “in” A and MINI (i.e. “skirt”), like so: A-M(OR)INI.

47. Launch programme with a vote, getting zero support (6)

Answer: APOLLO (i.e. NASA “launch programme”). Solution is A followed by POLL (i.e. “vote”) and O (i.e. “zero”). “Support” just means O is placed at the end, propping up the rest – this being a down clue.

49. Female got up in the morning the day before (5)

Answer: MAEVE (i.e. “female” name – a secondary mini-theme this week, it seems). Solution is AM (i.e. “in the morning”) reversed (indicated by “got up” – this being a down clue) and followed by EVE (i.e. “the day before”), like so: MA-EVE.

51. Pilgrim, and their personal struggle if cycling? (5)

Answer: HADJI (i.e. Muslim “pilgrim”). Solution is JIHAD (i.e. “their personal struggle”, from the Arabic for “struggle”) with the letters “cycled” a couple of times, like so: JIHAD => IHADJ => HADJI.

52. Lower half of floor disappearing is concerning (2,2)

Answer: AS TO (i.e. “concerning”). Solution is ASTONISH (i.e. to “floor”) with the “lower half … disappearing”.