Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1672

A relatively straightforward one for Bank Holiday Monday. Unusually for me I had this one licked in under an hour, albeit not fully parsed. Still, get me, eh? (Puffs out chest for maximum peacockery.)

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 already ruined Christmas for you 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 patience and input. Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

Across clues

1. Realised what could be said of Scotland – but not home town (11)

Answer: CAPITALISED (i.e. “realised”, say, a profit). The rest of the clue plays on how “Scotland” has a capital letter, while “home town” does not.

7. Doing fair by niece, one who will gain from will? (11)

Answer: BENEFICIARY (i.e. “who will gain from will”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “doing”) FAIR BY NIECE.

13. Check uranium found in part of mine (5)

Answer: AUDIT (i.e. “check”). Solution is U (chemical symbol of “uranium”) placed “in” ADIT (i.e. “part of mine” – we had this one only a few weeks ago, being “an opening or passage, especially into a mine” (Chambers)), like so: A(U)DIT.

14. Persistent white tern always is around (7)

Answer: ETERNAL (i.e. “persistent”). “Is around” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: WHIT(E TERN AL)WAYS.

15. Boy I trick, say, over ending a race (9)

Answer: GENOCIDAL (i.e. “ending a race”). Solution is LAD (i.e. “boy”), I, CON (i.e. “trick”) and E.G. (i.e. “say”), all reversed (indicated by “over”), like so: GE-NOC-I-DAL.

16. Away without money and not inclined to drink (9)

Answer: ABSTINENT (i.e. “not inclined to drink”). Solution is ABSENT (i.e. “away”) wrapped around or placed “without” TIN (slang for “money”), like so: ABS(TIN)ENT.

17. Disillusioned with meter debit out of control (10)

Answer: EMBITTERED (i.e. “disillusioned”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “out of control”) of METER DEBIT.

20. Invention of a cold snack (4,3)

Answer: PORK PIE. Solution satisfies “invention” or lie, as in the cockney rhyming slang, and “cold snack”.

22. American specialised soldier regularly leads (7)

Answer: MAJORED (i.e. “American specialised” or studied at a US university). Solution is MAJOR (i.e. “soldier”) followed by ED (i.e. “regularly leads”, i.e. every other letter of LEADS).

24. Ineffective medicine’s rank smell (7)

Answer: PLACEBO (i.e. “ineffective medicine”). Solution is PLACE (i.e. “rank”) followed by BO (i.e. “smell”, or Body Odour).

25. Assess girl with stringed instrument keeping in key (8)

Answer: EVALUATE (i.e. “assess”). Solution is EVA (i.e. “girl’s” name) and LUTE (i.e. “stringed instrument”) once wrapped around or “keeping” A (i.e. musical “key”), like so: EVA-LU(A)TE.

26. Feat of splashing cash with compliment (14)

Answer: ACCOMPLISHMENT (i.e. “feat”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “splashing”) of CASH and COMPLIMENT.

28. Old piece of key found in Tube (5)

Answer: DUCAT (i.e. “old piece” or coin). Solution is A (i.e. musical “key” again) placed “in” DUCT (i.e. “tube”), like so: DUC(A)T.

29. Did revolt spread beyond port? (6)

Answer: RIOTED (i.e. “did revolt”). Solution is TED (i.e. “spread” – the TED spread is “a measure of the difference between the value of three-month US Treasury bills and three-month Eurodollar futures contracts” (Chambers). One of those everyday terms, then) placed after or “beyond” RIO (i.e. a “port” in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro), like so: RIO-TED.

30. Toothpaste certified prepared without nitrogen (10)

Answer: DENTIFRICE (i.e. “toothpaste”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “prepared”) of CERTIFIED wrapped around or placed “without” N (chemical symbol of “nitrogen”), like so: DE(N)TIFRICE.

33. I’m pleased nice hero is pious (5-5)

Answer: GOODY-GOODY (i.e. “pious”). Solution is GOODY (i.e. “I’m pleased”) followed by GOODY (i.e. “nice hero”).

35. At first believe old butcher’s lamb tender (2-4)

Answer: BO-PEEP (i.e. “lamb tender” of nursery rhyme). Solution is B (i.e. “at first believe”, i.e. the initial letter of “believe”) followed by O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) and PEEP (i.e. “butcher’s” – more cockney rhyming slang, this time butcher’s hook = look).

37. Visitor from east sheltering in wind (5)

Answer: GUEST (i.e. “visitor”). Solution is E (a recognised abbreviation of “east”) placed “in” GUST (i.e. “wind”), like so: GU(E)ST.

39. Where location of Portsmouth harbour entrance is irrelevant (6,3,5)

Answer: BESIDE THE POINT. Solution satisfies “irrelevant”, and “where location of Portsmouth harbour entrance is” – one of the few places in Jumbos I’ve actually been to! Fun fact: Portsmouth Point used to be abbreviated to “Po’m P” in ships’ logbooks, and so was born the nickname “Pompey”.

41. Diatribe’s answer resounded in tone (8)

Answer: HARANGUE (i.e. “diatribe”). Solution is A (a recognised abbreviation of “answer”, as in Q&A) and RANG (i.e. “resounded”) both placed “in” HUE (i.e. “tone”), like so: H(A-RANG)UE.

44. One dug out new underground room (7)

Answer: DUNGEON (i.e. “underground room”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “out”) of ONE DUG followed by N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”), like so: DUNGEO-N.

45. Movement that’s annoyed feral cat taking time out (7)

Answer: FLOUNCE (i.e. “movement that’s annoyed”). Solution is FERAL and OUNCE (i.e. “cat”, the snow leopard) once the ERA (i.e. “time”) has been “taken … out”.

46. Wide area of plant endlessly filling river (7)

Answer: EXPANSE (i.e. “wide area”). Solution is PANSY (i.e. “plant”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “endlessly”) and the remainder placed in or “filling” EXE (i.e. an English “river”), like so: EX(PANS)E.

47. Banning or backing me visiting pubs? (10)

Answer: EMBARGOING (i.e. “banning”). Solution is ME reversed (indicated by “backing”) and followed by BAR-GOING (i.e. “visiting pubs”), like so: EM-BAR-GOING.

49. I am receiving treatment for itching (9)

Answer: IMPATIENT (i.e. “itching”). When written as I’M PATIENT the solution also satisfies “I am receiving treatment”.

53. Conductor’s to study in Italy initially (9)

Answer: Arturo TOSCANINI (i.e. “conductor”). Solution is TO, SCAN (i.e. “study”), IN and I (i.e. “Italy initially”, i.e. the first letter of “Italy”).

54. Country road Tim found in car with never an end (7)

Answer: CROATIA (i.e. “country”). Solution is ROAD and TIM both placed “in” CAR once the last letter of all three has been removed (indicated by “with never an end”), like so: C(ROA-TI)A.

55. Without protection Zunis and Utes stick together (5)

Answer: UNITE (i.e. “stick together”). Solution is ZUNIS and UTES once the first and last letters of each has been removed (indicated by “without protection”, like so: UNI-TE.

56. Harmonises decorations in a make-over (11)

Answer: COORDINATES (i.e. “harmonises”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “in a make-over”) of DECORATIONS.

57. Business listing has unnerved hotel workers (6,5)

Answer: YELLOW PAGES (i.e. “business listing”). Solution is YELLOW (i.e. “unnerved”) followed by PAGES (i.e. “hotel workers”).

Down clues

1. Fruit nipper peeled, marked with spots (4,5)

Answer: CRAB APPLE (i.e. “fruit”). Solution is CRAB (i.e. “nipper”) followed by DAPPLED (i.e. “marked with spots”) once the first and last letters have been removed (indicated by “peeled”).

2. What gets one over uninspiring Atlantic voyage? (10,8)

Answer: PEDESTRIAN CROSSING (i.e. “what gets one over” the road). Solution is PEDESTRIAN (i.e. “uninspiring”) followed by CROSSING (i.e. “Atlantic voyage”).

3. Time two notes to be played together (5)

Answer: TUTTI (i.e. “to be played together” in musical lingo). Solution is T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”) followed by UT and TI (i.e. “two notes” of the sol-fa scale – UT was later superseded by “doh”).

4. Polygraph machine – electrode’s involved with it (3,8)

Answer: LIE DETECTOR (i.e. “polygraph machine”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “involved”) of ELECTRODE and IT.

5. It seemed about the season to plant corn? (8)

Answer: SEEDTIME (i.e. “the season to plant corn”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “about”) of IT SEEMED.

6. Coat put on essential lifting device taking little energy and time (6,6)

Answer: DONKEY JACKET (i.e. “coat”). Solution is DON (i.e. “put on”) followed by KEY (i.e. “essential”), then JACK (i.e. “lifting device”), then E and T (recognised abbreviations, or “little” forms of “energy” and “time” respectively).

7. Hungarian composer’s band accepting a piece of music very well (4,6)

Answer: BELA BARTOK (i.e. “Hungarian composer”). Solution is BELT (i.e. “band”) wrapped around or “accepting” A and BAR (i.e. “piece of music”). This is all then followed by OK (i.e. “very well”), like so: BEL(A-BAR)T-OK.

8. What’s black chess piece (not king) (5)

Answer: NIGHT (i.e. “what’s black”). Solution is KNIGHT (i.e. “chess piece”) with the K removed (indicated by “not king” – K being a recognised abbreviation of “king” used in chess).

9. Handle issue in characteristic style (11)

Answer: of the three words that fit (FINGERPOINT, FINGERPAINT and FINGERPRINT) I’m plumping for FINGERPRINT (i.e. “characteristic style”). Can’t say I’m entirely sold, but I guess the setter is playing on a FINGERPRINT being a characteristic of someone, in that fingerprints are supposedly unique among people. Solution is FINGER (i.e. to “handle”) followed by PRINT (i.e. publication or “issue”). Not a classic.

10. Track events repeated regularly and aptly hard (5,4)

Answer: CYCLE PATH (i.e. “track”). Solution is CYCLE (i.e. “events repeated regularly”) followed by PAT (i.e. “aptly”) and H (a recognised abbreviation of “hard” used in grading pencils).

11. Assistant dropping unknown from lead of Mozart opera (4)

Answer: AIDE (i.e. “assistant”). Solution is ZAIDE (i.e. “Mozart opera”, unfinished apparently) with the Z removed (indicated by “dropping unknown from…” – setters love referring to X, Y or Z in solutions as unknowns).

12. I agree about large dog’s cry of pain (4)

Answer: YELP (i.e. “dog’s cry of pain”). Solution is YEP (i.e. “I agree”) wrapped “about” L (a recognised abbreviation of “large”), like so: YE(L)P.

18. Enticing green genie to work life-altering change (7,11)

Answer: GENETIC ENGINEERING (i.e. “life-altering change”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “to work”) of ENTICING GREEN GENIE.

19. Most noble of connections garnered by elite regularly (8)

Answer: LOFTIEST (i.e. “most noble”). Solution is OF and TIES (i.e. “connections”) all placed in or “garnered by” LT (i.e. “elite regularly”, i.e. every other letter of ELITE), like so: L(OF-TIES)T.

21. Birds in City of London street (7)

Answer: POULTRY. Solution satisfies “birds” and “City of London street”.

23. Exhausted and wiped out, broken by pressure (8)

Answer: DEPLETED (i.e. “exhausted”). Solution is DELETED (i.e. “wiped out”) wrapped around or “broken by” P (a recognised abbreviation of “pressure”), like so: DE(P)LETED.

27. Good ancient arable land fine for valuable cover (4,4)

Answer: GOLD LEAF (i.e. “valuable cover”). Solution is G (a recognised abbreviation of “good”) followed by OLD (i.e. “ancient”), then LEA (i.e. “arable land”) and F (a recognised abbreviation of “fine”, again used in grading pencils).

28. One who works hard to reveal remains of cairn? (8)

Answer: DOGSBODY (i.e. “one who works hard”). When written as DOG’S BODY the solution also satisfies “remains of cairn”, a variety of Scottish terrier.

31. What helps one see travelling dandy going round well-dressed (3,4)

Answer: FOG LAMP (i.e. “what helps one see travelling”). Solution is FOP (i.e. “dandy”) wrapped “round” GLAM (i.e. “well-dressed”), like so: FO(GLAM)P.

32. Reportedly lamenting parrot eating grand Ipomoea (7,5)

Answer: MORNING GLORY (i.e. “ipomoea” – not quite sure why it was capitalised). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “reportedly”) of MOURNING (i.e. “lamenting”) and LORY (i.e. variety of “parrot”) all wrapped around or “eating” G (a recognised abbreviation of “grand”), like so: MORNING-(G)-LORY.

34. Show Belgian port’s terminus perhaps exporting diamonds and sulphur (11)

Answer: OSTENTATION (i.e. “show”). Solution is OSTEND STATION (i.e. “Belgian port’s terminus perhaps”) with the D and S in the middle removed (indicated by “exporting diamonds and sulphur”, D being a recognised abbreviation of “diamonds” used in card games, S being the chemical symbol of “sulphur”), like so: OSTEN-TATION.

36. Instrument’s power level is over quiet (6,5)

Answer: PLAYER PIANO (i.e. “instrument”). Solution is P (a recognised abbreviation of “power”) followed by LAYER (i.e. “level”) and PIANO (i.e. “quiet” in musical lingo).

38. Obtained work that is having reduced tax and lose it (2,2,6)

Answer: GO TO PIECES (i.e. “lost it”). Solution is GOT (i.e. “obtained”) followed by OP (i.e. “work”, short for opus), then IE (i.e. “that is”, i.e. “i.e.”, after the Latin id est) and CESS (i.e. an obsolete word for a “tax”, short for assess) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “reduced”), like so: GOT-OP-IE-CES.

40. Man Dr Dale treated for state of unconsciousness (9)

Answer: DREAMLAND (i.e. “state of unconsciousness”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “treated”) of MAN DR DALE.

42. Chosen Republican regularly teases voter (9)

Answer: ELECTRESS (i.e. female “voter”). Solution is ELECT (i.e. “chosen”) followed by R (a recognised abbreviation of “Republican”) and ESS (i.e. “regularly teases”, i.e. every other letter of TEASES).

43. Hand in money in Brazil for pardoning (8)

Answer: REMITTAL (i.e. “pardoning”). Solution is MITT (i.e. “hand”) placed “in” REAL (i.e. “money in Brazil”), like so: RE(MITT)AL.

48. Ground corn’s right stuffed into marrow (5)

Answer: GRIST (i.e. “ground corn”). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “right”) placed “into” GIST (i.e. “marrow” or essence of something), like so: G(R)IST.

50. Trick’s beginning with bottom card of winning suit (5)

Answer: TRUMP (i.e. “card of winning suit”). Solution is T (i.e. “trick’s beginning”, i.e. the first letter of “trick”) followed by RUMP (i.e. “bottom”).

51. Somewhat exotically having a shell-like nature? (4)

Answer: OTIC (i.e. “having a shell-like nature” – taking “shell-like” to be slang for the ear). “Somewhat” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: EX(OTIC)ALLY.

52. Very large centre in Toulouse city (4)

Answer: OSLO (i.e. “city” in Norway). Solution is OS (i.e. “very large”, short for outsize) followed by LO (i.e. “centre in Toulouse”, or the middle letters of “Toulouse”).