Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1690

A medium strength Jumbo for Bank Holiday Monday, and in the main it was a decent distraction. Those stuffy old Times crossword clichés were kept at bay for the most part, however the setter’s inability to resist tapping up history’s only playwright means there are now only 11 Jumbos to go before I wrap these posts up.

As the competition deadline has long since passed you can find my completed grid below along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them useful. If a recent Jumbo has dunked its trunk into your funky junk, whatever any of that means, then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of the things.

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

LP

The case for the prosecution

Across clues

1. Gives particulars of key drills fragmenting debris (9)

Answer: DESCRIBES (i.e. “gives particulars”). Solution is ESC (i.e. “key” on a computer keyboard, short for Escape) placed in or “drilling” an anagram (indicated by “fragmenting”) of DEBRIS, like so: D(ESC)RIBES.

6. Eulogistic report of events around pulpit, oddly (13)

Answer: COMPLIMENTARY (i.e. “eulogistic”). Solution is COMMENTARY (i.e. “report of events”) wrapped “around” PLI (i.e. “pulpit, oddly”, i.e. every other letter of PULPIT), like so: COM(PLI)MENTARY.

13. Cruel legislator with zero wit moving to the left (5)

Answer: DRACO (i.e. “cruel legislator” of Ancient Greece). Solution is O (i.e. “zero”) and CARD (i.e. “wit” or wag) all reversed (indicated by “moving to the left” – this being an across clue), like so: DRAC-O. Anything relating to ancient Greece is catnip to Times setters, so have a demerit.

14. Manager of Hearts, say, admitting this person with sign of hesitation (9)

Answer: ORGANISER (i.e. “manager”). Solution is ORGANS (i.e. “hearts, say”, ignoring the misleading capitalisation) wrapped around or “admitting” I (i.e. “this person”, from the point of view of the setter) and followed by ER (i.e. “sign of hesitation”), like so: ORGAN(I)S-ER.

15. My work environment (7)

Answer: SETTING. Solution satisfies “my work”, again from the point of view of the setter, and also “environment”. Simple, but nicely done.

16. Savaging idiot repeatedly in letter, I state (9,13)

Answer: CHARACTER ASSASSINATION (i.e. “savaging”). Solution is ASS and ASS (i.e. “idiot repeatedly”) both placed “in” CHARACTER (i.e. “letter”), I and NATION (i.e. “state”), like so: CHARACTER-(ASS-ASS)-I-NATION.

18. Weapon of Persian male, maybe a belligerent sort (8)

Answer: TOMAHAWK (i.e. “weapon”). Solution is TOM (i.e, “Persian male, maybe” – a Persian being a variety of cat) followed by A and HAWK (i.e. “belligerent sort”).

20. Servers evicting one short child slide over the drink (5-3)

Answer: WATER-SKI (i.e. “slide over the drink”, taking “drink” to be an informal reference to a body of water). Solution is WAITERS (i.e. “servers”) with the I removed (indicated by “evicting [Roman numeral] one”) and the remainder followed by KID (i.e. “child”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “short”), like so: WATERS-KI.

21. Trick for one party Democrat backs (5)

Answer: DODGE (i.e. a “trick”). Solution is EG (i.e. “for one”, or for example), DO (i.e. a “party”) and D (a recognised abbreviation of “Democrat”) all reversed (indicated by “backs”), like so: D-OD-GE.

23. Loathed touring Croatia’s capital, going west in Split (6)

Answer: DETACH (i.e. “split”, ignoring the misleading capitalisation). Solution is HATED (i.e. “loathed”) wrapped around C (i.e. “Croatia’s capital” letter) and the whole then reversed (indicated by “going west” – this being an across clue), like so: DETA(C)H.

24. Escort and look after carriage heading for Oxford (6)

Answer: GIGOLO (i.e. male “escort”). Solution is LO (i.e. “look”, as in lo and behold) placed “after” GIG (i.e. a light two-wheeled “carriage”) and O (i.e. “heading for Oxford”, or its initial letter), like so: (GIG-O)-LO.

25. Southern French state established in the first place (9)

Answer: PROVENCAL (i.e. “southern French”). Solution is CAL (i.e. US “state”, short for California) with PROVEN (i.e. “established”) put “in the first place”, like so: PROVEN-CAL. The vast majority of Times setters simply cannot help themselves when it comes to all things French, so here we go again…

28. Stuttering criminal’s rating of PC’s intelligence? (6,4)

Answer: TURING TEST (i.e. “rating of PC’s intelligence” – not strictly true, I’d argue (there’s a distinction between systems and the computer hardware they run on, certainly these days, but then the clue wouldn’t scan so well). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “criminal”) of STUTTERING.

29. Translation of Mrs Dalloway’s opening ignored by hoaxer (4)

Answer: FRAU (i.e. “translation of Mrs”, specifically the German word for “Mrs”). Solution is FRAUD (i.e. “hoaxer”) with the D (i.e. “Dalloway’s opening” letter) removed or “ignored”.

30. Roomy English stores close to pork butcher’s (4-3)

Answer: LOOK-SEE (i.e. “butcher’s” hook, cockney rhyming slang for a look). Solution is LOOSE (i.e. “roomy”) and E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”) all wrapped around or “storing” K (i.e. “close to pork”, i.e. the last letter of “pork”), like so: LOO(K)SE-E.

32. A broadcaster breaks payment promise – really! (1,3,3)

Answer: I ASK YOU (i.e. “really”, both exclamations of disbelief). Solution is A and SKY (i.e. a “broadcaster” in the UK) both “breaking” IOU (i.e. “payment promise”), like so: I(A-SKY)OU.

34. Bank without charges, deferring fine (4)

Answer: REEF (i.e. “bank”). Solution is FREE (i.e. “without charges”) with the F (a recognised abbreviation of “fine”, used in grading pencils) knocked back or “deferred”, like so: (F)REE => REE(F).

35. Indirect answer following drinks binge (10)

Answer: ROUNDABOUT (i.e. “indirect”). Solution is A (a recognised abbreviation of “answer”, as in Q&A) placed after or “following” ROUND (i.e. “drinks”) and followed by BOUT (i.e. “binge”), like so: (ROUND-A)-BOUT.

38. Society getting cross somewhere in Surrey (9)

Answer: GUILDFORD (i.e. “somewhere in Surrey”). Solution is GUILD (i.e. “society”) followed by FORD (i.e. to “cross” a river, for example).

39. Protest against work singular Gothic writer pens (6)

Answer: OPPOSE (i.e. “protest against”). Solution is OP (i.e. “work”, short for “opus”) followed by S (a recognised abbreviation of “singular”) once placed in or “penned” by Edgar Allan POE (i.e. “Gothic writer”), like so: OP-PO(S)E.

40. Various people who may come up with pearls (6)

Answer: DIVERS. Solution satisfies “various”, as in an old variant spelling of “diverse” – we had this in a recent Jumbo clue, so this was an easier get second time around – and also “people who may come up with pearls”.

43. Emblem directed at those people lacking height (5)

Answer: TOTEM (i.e. “emblem”). Solution is TO THEM (i.e. “directed at those people”) with the H removed (indicated by “lacking height” – H being a recognised abbreviation of “height”).

45. Building compiler returning: eager vacuous fellow (8)

Answer: EMERGENT (i.e. “building”). Solution is ME (i.e. “compiler” from the point of view of the setter) reversed (indicated by “returning”) and followed by ER (i.e. “eager vacuous”, i.e. the word “eager” with all its middle letters removed), then GENT (i.e. “fellow”), like so: EM-ER-GENT.

47. More exuberant relative eclipsed by Dallas oilman (8)

Answer: JAUNTIER (i.e. “more exuberant”). Solution is AUNTIE (i.e. “relative”) placed in or “eclipsed by” JR (i.e. “Dallas oilman”, JR Ewing, a character from the old TV series Dallas), like so: J(AUNTIE)R.

49. Saw advocating quiet, emotionless date saddens drunk (5,4,7,6)

Answer: LEAST SAID SOONEST MENDED (i.e. a phrase or “saw advocating quiet”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “drunk”) of EMOTIONLESS DATE SADDENS.

52. Climber in standard place for event, finishing early (7)

Answer: PARVENU (i.e. social “climber”). Solution is PAR (i.e. “standard”) followed by VENUE (i.e. “place for event”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “finishing early”), like so: PAR-VENU.

53. Peer inside proper vehicle component (4,5)

Answer: REAR LIGHT (i.e. “vehicle component”). Solution is EARL (i.e. “peer”) placed “inside” RIGHT (i.e. “proper”), like so: R(EARL)IGHT.

54. Prince Albert killed in accordance with law (5)

Answer: HALAL (i.e. of something “killed in accordance with [Muslim] law”). Solution is HAL (i.e. “prince” – we’ve had this several times over the years as Times setters can’t keep their mitts off of Billy Shakespeare. Prince Hal is a reference to Shakespeare’s portrayal of a young Henry V) followed by AL (shortened form of “Albert”). Clever, but you should all know by now that anything Shakespeare is like an earwax sandwich to me. Begone foul beast!

55. Ingredient for baking best doughnut substantially covers pastry (5,2,6)

Answer: CREAM OF TARTAR (i.e. “ingredient for baking”, or “purified argol, used in baking powder etc” (Chambers)). Solution is CREAM (i.e. the “best”) followed by O (i.e. “doughnut”, as in it looks like an O) and FAR (i.e. “substantially”) once wrapped around or “covering” TART (i.e. “pastry”), like so: CREAM-O-F(TART)AR.

56. Rush to secure politician promotion and bit of capital (9)

Answer: HAMPSTEAD (i.e. “bit of [England’s] capital”). Solution is HASTE (i.e. “rush”) wrapped around or “securing” MP (i.e. “politician” or Member of Parliament) and followed by AD (i.e. “promotion” or advertisement), like so: HA(MP)STE-AD.

Down clues

1. Stalwart old guards ruling briefly (9)

Answer: DEDICATED (i.e. “stalwart”). Solution is DATED (i.e. “old”) wrapped around or “guarding” EDICT (i.e. “ruling”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “briefly”), like so: D(EDIC)ATED.

2. A number of Catholics in attempt to win chess game with queen (6,5)

Answer: STABAT MATER (i.e. “a number of Catholics”, taking “number” to be a musical piece, in this case a hymn). Solution is STAB AT MATE (i.e. “attempt to win chess game”) followed by R (a recognised abbreviation of “queen”, after the Latin Regina).

3. Show up, drinking soft drink and alcoholic one (5)

Answer: RIOJA (i.e. “alcoholic [drink]”). Solution is AIR (i.e. to “show”) reversed (indicated by “up” – this being a down clue) and wrapped around or “drinking” OJ (i.e. “soft drink”, short for orange juice), like so: RI(OJ)A.

4. Heckle record label releasing disc in rich place (8)

Answer: BOOMTOWN (i.e. “rich place”). Solution is BOO (i.e. “heckle”) followed by MOTOWN (i.e. “record label”) once the first O has been removed (indicated by “releasing disk”, again referring to the shape of a letter O), like so: BOO-MTOWN.

5. Sweet, unknown guy from America’s upset (6)

Answer: SUGARY (i.e. “sweet”). Solution is Y (i.e. “unknown” – setters love referring to X, Y or Z in solutions as “unknowns”) followed by RAG (i.e. “guy”, both taken to mean making fun of someone) and US (i.e. “from America”), all reversed (indicated by “upset” – this being a down clue), like so: SU-GAR-Y.

6. Metro jams in a city, holding up group seen at night (5,5)

Answer: CANIS MAJOR (i.e. a constellation or “group seen at night”). “Holding” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, while “up” indicates the solution has been reversed – this being a down clue, like so: MET(RO JAMS IN A C)ITY.

7. Where to find posters in English with writing about judicious committee (7,5)

Answer: MESSAGE BOARD (i.e. “where to find posters”). Solution is E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”) placed in or having “about” it MS (i.e. “writing”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of a manuscript). This is then followed by SAGE (i.e. wise or “judicious”) and BOARD (i.e. “committee”), like so: M(E)S-SAGE-BOARD.

8. Primates wife expelled from small buildings (7)

Answer: LORISES (i.e. “primates”). Solution is LOW-RISES (i.e. “small buildings”) with the W removed (indicated by “wife expelled from…” – W being a recognised abbreviation thereof).

9. Parents love president defending Democrat policy – it was divisive in the States (5-5,4)

Answer: MASON-DIXON LINE (i.e. “it was divisive in the States”, essentially separating the North and South). Solution is MAS (i.e. “parents”, informal reference to mothers) followed by O (i.e. “love”, a zero score in tennis), then Richard NIXON (i.e. former US “president”) once wrapped around or “defending” D (a recognised abbreviation of “Democrat”). This is all then followed by LINE (i.e. “policy”), like so: MAS-O-N(D)IXON-LINE.

10. Wrote down polite refusal addressed to Edward or Theodore? (7)

Answer: NOTATED (i.e. “wrote down”). When written as NO TA, TED the solution also playfully satisfies “polite refusal addressed to Edward or Theodore”.

11. Where Americans might climb road and can skid off (11)

Answer: ADIRONDACKS (i.e. “where Americans might climb”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “off”) of ROAD and CAN SKID. Wordplay was reasonably obvious, but you know what I think about exotic solutions when they are clued as anagrams. Utterly useless.

12. Instigators of youthful offences get incarcerated? One may do a big stretch (4)

Answer: YOGI (i.e. “one may do a big stretch”). “Instigators of” indicates the solution is derived from the first letters of Youthful Offences Get Incarcerated.

17. Determined chap’s going to gamble, clutching note (4-4)

Answer: HELL-BENT (i.e. “determined”). Solution is HE’LL BET (i.e. “chap’s going to gamble”) wrapped around or “clutching” N (a recognised abbreviation of “note”), like so: HE’LL-BE(N)T.

19. Tired journalist reported why penury is limiting (9)

Answer: HACKNEYED (i.e. “tired”). Solution is HACK (informal word for a “journalist”) followed by Y (i.e. “reported why”, i.e. a homophone of “why”) once placed in or “limited” by NEED (i.e. “penury”), like so: HACK-NE(Y)ED.

22. Female has no doubt over diamonds with cracks in (8)

Answer: FISSURED (i.e. “with cracks in”). Solution is F (a recognised abbreviation of “female”) followed by IS SURE (i.e. “has no doubt”) and D (a recognised abbreviation of “diamonds” used in card games).

25. Stirred miso soup more rapidly (3,5)

Answer: PIU MOSSO (i.e. “more rapidly” in musical lingo). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “stirred”) of MISO SOUP. It’s well worked, granted, but 1) see my previous moan about exotic trash clued up as anagrams, and 2) I’m pig sick of musical terms in Jumbos now. Have an angry Beethoven.

26. Summoning memories of Antonin periodically cheers old fellow up (9)

Answer: EVOCATION (i.e. “summoning memories”). Solution is NOI (i.e. “Antonin periodically”, i.e. every other letter of ANTONIN) followed by TA (i.e. “cheers”, both informal forms of giving thanks) and COVE (i.e. “old fellow”, both informal forms of address for a man) all reversed (indicated by “up” – this being a down clue), like so: EVOC-AT-ION.

27. Move confidently in groove among rocks over gorge (5,4,5)

Answer: STRUT ONE’S STUFF (i.e. “move confidently”). Solution is RUT (i.e. “groove”) placed “among” STONES (i.e. “rocks”) and followed by STUFF (i.e. to “gorge” on something), like so: ST(RUT)ONES-STUFF.

28. One wearing dodgy metal tag, millions having fallen off the back of a lorry (8)

Answer: TAILGATE (i.e. “the back of a lorry”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) placed in or “wearing” an anagram (indicated by “dodgy”) of METAL TAG once the M has been removed (indicated by “millions having fallen off” – M being a recognised abbreviation of “million”), like so: TA(I)LGATE.

31. Maverick can get stoned – it helps with inspiration (12)

Answer: DECONGESTANT (i.e. “it helps with inspiration”, taking “inspiration” to mean breathing). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “maverick”) of CAN GET STONED.

33. Champion of a nation’s failing segregation (5,6)

Answer: SAINT GEORGE (i.e. “champion of a nation”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “failing”) of SEGREGATION.

36. Devouring extremely large nuts – so do this? (11)

Answer: OVERINDULGE. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole, but is also an anagram (indicated by “nuts”) of DEVOURING and LE (i.e. “extremely large”, i.e. the first and last letters of “large”).

37. One responsible for deliveries pinches flipping hat (4,6)

Answer: SPIN BOWLER (i.e. “one responsible for deliveries” in a game of cricket). Solution is NIPS (i.e. “pinches”) reversed (indicated by “flipping”) and followed by BOWLER (i.e. “hat”).

41. Fiddle with light clothing daughter put pins around? (9)

Answer: STRADDLED (i.e. “put pins around”, “pins” taken as an informal reference to legs). Solution is STRAD (i.e. “fiddle” or violin, short for a Stradivarius) and LED (i.e. “light”, specifically a Light Emitting Diode”) all wrapped around or “clothing” D (a recognised abbreviation of “daughter”), like so: STRAD-(D)-LED.

42. Handyman caught filling corpulent, round stomach (8)

Answer: FACTOTUM (i.e. “handyman”). Solution is C (a recognised abbreviation of “caught” used in a number of ball games) placed in or “filling” FAT (i.e. “corpulent”) and followed by O (i.e. “round”), then TUM (i.e. “stomach”), like so: FA(C)T-O-TUM.

44. Wrongly designate English form of address by its short French equivalent (7)

Answer: MISTERM (i.e. “wrongly designate”). Solution is MISTER (i.e. “English form of address”) followed by M (i.e. “its short French equivalent” – M being a recognised abbreviation of “monsieur”).

46. Country’s flag raised on beginning to advance (7)

Answer: ERITREA (i.e. “country”). Solution is TIRE (i.e. to “flag”) reversed (indicated by “raised”) and followed by RE (i.e. “on” or regarding – think email replies) and A (i.e. “beginning [letter] to advance”), like so: ERIT-RE-A.

48. Distance one may swim fast, absorbing good hour (6)

Answer: LENGTH (i.e. “distance one may swim” in a pool). Solution is LENT (i.e. a religious “fast”) wrapped around or “absorbing” G (a recognised abbreviation of “good”) and followed by H (ditto “hour”), like so: LEN(G)T-H.

50. Spirit is something stimulating with rum shot (5)

Answer: ETHOS (i.e. “spirit”). Solution is E (i.e. “something stimulating”, specifically the drug ecstasy, it’s informal name being E) followed by an anagram (indicated by “rum”) of SHOT, like so: E-THOS.

51. Product information is not half plausibly misleading (4)

Answer: SPEC (i.e. “product information”). Solution is SPECIOUS (i.e. “plausibly misleading”) with the last half removed (indicated by “not half”).