Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1691

A very similar Jumbo to 1690: medium-strength; lower-than-usual Times crossword clichés, and an inevitable, almost fatal, attraction to the Bard. The latter alone is an instant kill, so there are now only 10 more Jumbos to go before I wrap up these posts.

Now that the competition deadline has long ago 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 done you a wrong un 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

The case for the prosecution

Across clues

1. Pet at the chemist’s, the old story (4,2,5)

Answer: PUSS IN BOOTS (i.e. “the old story” – a bit of a hand-wavy description). Solution is PUSS (i.e. a “pet”) followed by IN BOOTS (i.e. “at the chemist’s”, at least here in the UK. Other chemists are available).

7. He directed men and boys to conserve energy source first (5,6)

Answer: ORSON WELLES (i.e. “he directed” movies). Solution is OR (i.e. “men”, specifically the Other Ranks of the British Army) followed by SONS (i.e. “boys”) once wrapped around or “conserving” E (a recognised abbreviation of “energy”) once this has “first” been preceded by WELL (i.e. “source”), like so: OR-SON(WELL-E)S.

13. Brandish gun, a fine specimen (9)

Answer: SHOWPIECE (i.e. “a fine specimen”). Solution is SHOW (i.e. “brandish”) followed by PIECE (slang for a “gun”).

14. In brief ceremony almost nothing about one could be more richly stylish (7)

Answer: RITZIER (i.e. “more richly stylish”). Solution is RITE (i.e. “ceremony”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “in brief”) and ZERO (i.e. “nothing”) also with its last letter removed (indicated by “almost”). This is then wrapped “about” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), like so: RIT-Z(I)ER.

15. Plague is to lessen after time (5)

Answer: TEASE (i.e. to “plague” or annoy). Solution is EASE (i.e. “to lessen”) placed “after” T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”), like so: T-EASE.

16. Diver circles a good lake (6)

Answer: LAGOON (i.e. “lake”). Solution is LOON (i.e. “diver” bird) wrapped around or “circling” A and G (a recognised abbreviation of “good”), like so: L(A-G)OON.

17. Chief bird showing off (8)

Answer: SWANKING (i.e. “showing off”). When written as SWAN KING the solution also playfully satisfies “chief bird”. Hats off to the setter for getting WANKING into the grid. Good work! I’d shake your hand but, well, you know…

18. Cover where some dogs like to sprawl (7)

Answer: OVERLAP (i.e. to “cover”). When written as OVER LAP the solution also satisfies “where some dogs like to sprawl”.

20. Don’t delay rushed, curt thank-you note? (2,4,4,3,7)

Answer: NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT (i.e. “don’t delay”). When written as NO TIME! LIKE THE PRESENT! the solution playfully satisfies “rushed, curt thank-you note”.

23. Wrongly suggesting eastern and southern area of US? (7)

Answer: MIDWEST (i.e. “area of US”). Clue is playing on how E and S (recognised abbreviations of “east” and “south” form the MID of WEST, and how neither direction correctly describes where the Midwest is. You get the idea.

24. Wife no longer referred to as aroused (7)

Answer: EXCITED (i.e. “aroused” – goodness me, setter, and so soon after WANKING. You’re insatiable!) Solution is EX (i.e. “wife no longer” – well, that might explain the WANKING) followed by CITED (i.e. “referred to”).

26. Convertible option coming from the leader (3,4)

Answer: TOP-DOWN. Solution satisfies “convertible option” and “coming from the leader”.

28. Overcharge for plant (4)

Answer: RUSH. Solution satisfies to “overcharge” (informally, according to my Chambers) and a “plant”.

29. Find one’s about to enter port (8)

Answer: DISCOVER (i.e. “find”). Solution is I’S (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one” made possessive) and C (i.e. “about”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “circa”) both placed in or “entering” DOVER (i.e. “port”), like so: D(I’S-C)OVER.

32. Tutor’s work with small son on sci-fi writer (9)

Answer: GOVERNESS (i.e. “tutor”, especially in a private household). Solution is GO (i.e. “work”) followed by S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) and S (ditto “son”) once first placed “on” or after Jules VERNE (i.e. “sci-fi writer”), like so: GO-(VERNE-S-S).

35. Entering hotel, putting specs and card in receptacle (7,2)

Answer: BOOKING IN (i.e. “entering hotel”). Solution is OO (i.e. “specs”, as in how spectacles look like a pair of Os) and KING (i.e. playing “card”) both placed “in” BIN (i.e. “receptacle”), like so: B(OO-KING)IN.

36. Check competitiveness, not initially courteous behaviour (8)

Answer: CHIVALRY (i.e. “courteous behaviour”). Solution is CH (a recognised abbreviation of “check” used in chess) followed by RIVALRY (i.e. “competitiveness”) once the first letter has been removed (indicated by “not initially”), like to: CH-IVALRY.

37. Swimmer’s blue with cold penetrating (4)

Answer: SCAD (i.e. a fish or “swimmer”). Solution is SAD (i.e. “blue”) wrapped around or “penetrated” by C (a recognised abbreviation of “cold” used on water taps), like so: S(C)AD.

39. Buried away from home, with no confirmation of age (7)

Answer: UNDATED (i.e. “with no confirmation of age”). Solution is INUNDATED (i.e. “buried”, say, with work) with the IN (i.e. at “home”) removed or taken “away from” the word.

41. Plant college in favoured area (7)

Answer: PETUNIA (i.e. “plant”). Solution is UNI (i.e. “college”, short for university) placed “in” PET (i.e. “favourite”) and A (a recognised abbreviation of “area”), like so: PET-(UNI)-A.

44. A quiet reputation not at first given to dwarf’s leader, Bashful (7)

Answer: ASHAMED (i.e. “bashful”). Solution is A followed by SH (i.e. “quiet”), then NAME (i.e. “reputation”) once its initial letter has been removed (indicated by “not at first”). This is all then followed by D (i.e. “dwarf’s leader”, i.e. the first letter of “dwarf”), like so: A-SH-AME-D.

45. Parliament put in a fix by a rigged photo: now there’s a story (3,5,2,4,6)

Answer: THE HOUSE AT POOH CORNER (i.e. “story” by AA Milne). Solution is THE HOUSE (i.e. “parliament”) followed by CORNER (i.e. to “put in a fix”) once first placed after or “by” A and an anagram (indicated by “rigged”) of PHOTO, like so: THE-HOUSE-(A-TPOOH-CORNER).

49. Look into swimming costume; a bit short for very large figures (7)

Answer: COLOSSI (i.e. “very large figures”). Solution is LO (i.e. “look”, as in lo and behold) placed “into” COSSIE (informal word for a “swimming costume”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “a bit short”), like so: CO(LO)SSI.

50. Sort of love some tea with meals provided (8)

Answer: CUPBOARD (i.e. “sort of love”, specifically a “hypocritical show of affection for material gain” (Chambers)). Solution is CUP (i.e. “some tea”) followed by BOARD (i.e. of accommodation “with meals provided”).

51. Following collapse close crew’s quarters (6)

Answer: FO’C’SLE (i.e. ship’s “crew’s quarters”, a contracted form of forecastle). Solution is F (a recognised abbreviation of “following”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “collapse”) of CLOSE, like so: F-OCSLE.

53. Loaded information at end of magazine column (5)

Answer: SPINE (i.e. “column”). Solution is SPIN (i.e. “loaded information”, especially politically) followed by E (i.e. “end [letter] of magazine”).

54. Novice to shower wearing shirt (7)

Answer: TRAINEE (i.e. “novice”). Solution is RAIN (i.e. “to shower”) placed in or “wearing” TEE (i.e. variety of “shirt”), like so: T(RAIN)EE.

55. Piano, late alternative for leader of singing (9)

Answer: PRECENTOR (i.e. “leader of singing” in a church choir). Solution is P (a recognised abbreviation of “piano” in musical lingo) followed by RECENT (i.e. of “late”) and OR (i.e. “alternative”).

56. Digression as man interrupts two relatives (11)

Answer: PARENTHESIS (i.e. “digression”). Solution is HE (i.e. “man”) placed in or “interrupting” PARENT and SIS (i.e. “two relatives”, the latter shortened form of sister), like so: PARENT-(HE)-SIS.

57. Refuse to deal with brawl: I had come in time for a bargain (5,6)

Answer: BLACK FRIDAY (i.e. “time for a bargain”). Solution is BLACK (i.e. to boycott or “refuse to deal with”) followed by I’D (a contraction of “I had”) once placed “in” FRAY (i.e. “brawl”), like so: BLACK-FR(I’D)AY.

Down clues

1. Pound and a penny, let’s start to eat out (6)

Answer: PESTLE (i.e. to “pound”). Solution is P (a recognised abbreviation of “penny”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “out”) of LET’S and E (i.e. “start [letter] to eat”).

2. In great misery, God’s help found so transforming (6,2,7)

Answer: SLOUGH OF DESPOND (i.e. “in great misery” – not a phrase I’m familiar with, if I’m honest). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “transforming”) of GOD’S HELP FOUND SO.

[EDIT: Thanks to Andy in the comments for the typo fix. I’d written SLOUGH IN DESPOND by accident. The solution was correct in the grid. – LP]

3. Better holding is made up (10)

Answer: IMPROVISED (i.e. “made up”). Solution is IMPROVED (i.e. “better”) wrapped around or “holding” “IS”, like so: IMPROV(IS)ED.

4. Bowled, do you agree? Not if these result (4)

Answer: BYES. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole given BYES are runs scored in cricket that are not attributable to the batter, and given that no runs of any flavour would be awarded if a batsman gets bowled out. The solution is also formed from B (a recognised abbreviation of “bowled” in cricket) followed by YES (i.e. “do you agree”).

5. Compose in too ornate a style, but finished properly, we hear (9)

Answer: OVERWRITE (i.e. “compose in too ornate a style”). Solution is OVER (i.e. “finished”) followed by a homophone (indicated by “we hear”) of RIGHT (i.e. “properly”), like so: OVER-WRITE.

6. Not the usual way to classify (7)

Answer: STRANGE (i.e. “not the usual”). Solution is ST (i.e. “way”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “street”) followed by RANGE (i.e. “to classify”).

7. Don’t hold back Lady Macbeth’s feeling about her spot? (3,4,2)

Answer: OUT WITH IT (i.e. “don’t hold back”). Solution plays on a quote from Lady Macbeth, “out, damned spot!”, thinking her hands are stained with blood. Oh dear, Billly Shakespeare alert! And things were going so well this week too. But here’s another Times setter who simply has to get history’s only playwright into their Jumbo by any means necessary. It’s like some kind of sick addiction. You know the deal, though: Shakespeare = instant deduction from the remaining blog count.

8. Big band music be hanged (5)

Answer: SWING. Solution satisfies “big band music” and “be hanged”.

9. Most precise projectile fired into sniper’s lair (9)

Answer: NARROWEST (i.e. “most precise”). Solution is ARROW (i.e. “projectile”) placed or “fired into” NEST (i.e. “sniper’s lair”), like so: N(ARROW)EST.

10. Dangerous activity for the most gentlemanly competitor (7,5)

Answer: EXTREME SPORT (i.e. “dangerous activity”). Solution is EXTREME (i.e. “the most”) followed by SPORT (i.e. “gentlemanly competitor”).

11. Brochure made from the tiniest bit of tree? (7)

Answer: LEAFLET (i.e. “brochure”). The remainder of the clue plays on leaves on trees and how the suffix -LET is used to signify diminutives. You get the idea.

12. Oozing round one side of lid, about to drop off (6)

Answer: SLEEPY (i.e. “about to drop off”). Solution is SEEPY (i.e. “oozing”) wrapped “round” L (i.e. “one side of lid”, specifically the left side of the word), like so: S(L)EEPY.

19. Observe diluted gallon coming to the boil (8)

Answer: SEETHING (i.e. “coming to the boil”). Solution is SEE (i.e. “observe”) followed by THIN (i.e. “diluted”) and G (a recognised abbreviation of “gallon”).

21. Gang regularly taken in school run a pain (7)

Answer: PODAGRA (i.e. “pain”, another word for gout). Solution is AG (i.e. “gang regularly”, i.e. every other letter of GANG) placed “in” POD (i.e. “school” of fish), R (a recognised abbreviation of “run” used in a number of ball games) and A, like so: POD-(AG)-R-A. Made. To. Fit.

22. Unbalanced, I am helped to avoid area (3-5)

Answer: ONE-SIDED (i.e. “unbalanced”). Solution is ONE’S AIDED (i.e. “I am helped”) with the A removed (indicated by “to avoid area” – A being a recognised abbreviation of “area”).

23. Muslim hermit is around after a month (8)

Answer: MARABOUT (i.e. “Muslim hermit” – another new one on me, though I doubt I’ll remember this one). Solution is ABOUT (i.e. “around”) placed “after” MAR (i.e. “a month”, in this case short for March), like so: MAR-ABOUT.

25. Senior commander arrests one very unmilitary (5)

Answer: CIVIC (i.e. “unmilitary”). Solution is CIC (i.e. “senior commander”, specifically a Commander in Chief) wrapped around or “arresting” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and V (a recognised abbreviation of “very”), like so: C(I-V)IC.

27. Not quite get the better of author, more than satisfied with extravagant fee (15)

Answer: OVERCOMPENSATED (i.e. “with extravagant fee”). Solution is OVERCOME (i.e. “get the better of”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “not quite”) and the remainder followed by PEN (i.e. to “author”) and SATED (i.e. “more than satisfied”), like so: OVERCOM-PEN-SATED.

30. Tin with dreadful soup – just one star (7)

Answer: CANOPUS (i.e. the brightest “star” in the constellation Carina, wherever that is). Solution is CAN (i.e. “tin”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “dreadful”) of SOUP, like so: CAN-OPUS. Another made-to-fit solution, but at least this was an easier get.

31. Be in charge and come down to speak (5)

Answer: REIGN (i.e. “be in charge”). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “to speak”) of RAIN (i.e. “come down”).

33. In dispute, referee’s assistant intended to ignore fine (8)

Answer: VARIANCE (i.e. “in dispute”). Solution is VAR (i.e. “referee’s assistant”, short for Video Assistant Referee) followed by FIANCÉ (i.e. one’s “intended”) once the F has been removed (indicated by “to ignore fine” – F being a recognised abbreviation of “fine” used in grading pencils), like so: VAR-IANCE.

34. Philosopher isn’t tweeting nonsense (12)

Answer: Ludwig WITTGENSTEIN (i.e. “philosopher”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “nonsense”) of ISN’T TWEETING. Pretty well known he may be, but philosophers are a big old Times crossword cliché too, so…

38. Applause welcoming a huge success for racing driver (10)

Answer: CHARIOTEER (i.e. “racing driver”). Solution is CHEER (i.e. “applause”) wrapped around or “welcoming” A and RIOT (i.e. “huge success”), like so: CH(A-RIOT)EER. An easy get given CHARIOTEERING only appeared a few Jumbos earlier in grid 1687. As I always seem to be saying, isn’t it unusual how often that happens?

40. Supernatural creature I found in gutter, a source of irritation (5,4)

Answer: DHOBI ITCH (i.e. a form of dermatitis or “a source of irritation”). Solution is HOB (i.e. “supernatural creature”, such as Robin Goodfellow) and I both placed “in” DITCH (i.e. “gutter”), like so: D(HOB-I)ITCH.

42. Taking principal piece last, fastening up paraphernalia (9)

Answer: TRAPPINGS (i.e. “paraphernalia”). Solution is STRAPPING (i.e. “fastening up”) with the S (i.e. the first letter or “principal piece”) placed “last”, like so: (S)TRAPPING => TRAPPING(S).

43. Novel approach, collecting unknown religious literature (9)

Answer: APOCRYPHA (i.e. “religious literature”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “novel”) of APPROACH wrapped around or “collecting” Y (i.e. “unknown” – setters love referring to X, Y or Z in solutions as unknowns), like so: APOCR(Y)PHA.

45. Counter Reformation composer shortly to meet his monarch (7)

Answer: TALLIER (i.e. “counter” or one who tallies). Solution is Thomas TALLIS (i.e. “Reformation composer”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “shortly”) and the remainder followed by ER (i.e. “his monarch”, specifically Elizabeth Regina), like so: TALLI-ER. Clever, but you can’t move in Jumbos for composers so have an angry Beethoven.

46. Second demonstrator’s moral lesson (7)

Answer: PROVERB (i.e. “moral lesson”). When written as PROVER B the solution also satisfies “second demonstrator”, presumably after PROVER A.

47. Law on drink performs badly (4,2)

Answer: ACTS UP (i.e. “performs badly”). Solution is ACT (i.e. “law”) followed by SUP (i.e. “drink”).

48. Settle to repair what’s unravelling? (6)

Answer: DEFRAY (i.e. “settle”). When written as DE-FRAY the solution also playfully satisfies “to repair what’s unravelling”.

50. Blokes’ fortune in type of gas (5)

Answer: CHAPS (i.e. “blokes”). Solution is HAP (i.e. “fortune” or chance) placed “in” CS (i.e. “type of gas”, specifically that used in riot control), like so: C(HAP)S.

52. Sparingly eat a measure of grain (4)

Answer: PECK. Solution satisfies “sparingly eat” and “a measure of grain”.