Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1695

A medium strength Jumbo that would have amused Previous Me with how French it got at times. It’s a shame I deem such things a bit of a Times crossword cliché these days. The countdown is therefore now 8 Jumbos to go.

Now that 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 helpful. If a recent Jumbo has given you the bum’s rush 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. Underwear line made smaller for French establishment (9)

Answer: BRASSERIE (i.e. “French establishment”, specifically a bar or simple restaurant). Solution is BRAS (i.e. “underwear”) followed by SERIES (i.e. “line”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “made smaller”), like so: BRAS-SERIE. Crikey, straight out the traps with a cliché. This setter’s not wasting any time. Times setters generally love squeezing French words and phrases into their puzzles. What do you mean “brasserie is perfectly acceptable over here in Blighty?” Pffff, away with you. Outrageous. Almost made me lose my monocle there. Have a demerit.

6. Thief to make decision in pool? (10)

Answer: PICKPOCKET (i.e. “thief”). When written as PICK POCKET the solution also playfully satisfies “make decision in pool”. I don’t know about you but I hate it when the opponent insists we all have to nominate the pocket we intend to pot in. It utterly ruins my “if in doubt, smack ’em about” strategy.

12. Went back with Frenchman, e.g. to return diamonds (7)

Answer: RENEGED (i.e. “went back” on an agreement). Solution is RENE (i.e. “Frenchman”, basically a French bloke’s name) followed by E.G. reversed or “returned”, then D (a recognised abbreviation of “diamonds” used in card games), like so: RENE-.G.E-D. Sure, squeeze some more French in there. I got all the memes for you.

13. Like some architecture in British university town’s entrance – top tier (9)

Answer: BRUTALIST (i.e. “like some architecture”). Solution is BR (a recognised abbreviation of “British”) followed by U (ditto “university”), then T (i.e. “town’s entrance”, i.e. the first letter of “town”) and A-LIST (i.e. “top tier”).

14. Get to give a sermon without introduction (5)

Answer: REACH (i.e. “get to”). Solution is PREACH (i.e. “give a sermon”) with the first letter removed (indicated by “without introduction”).

16. Crème de la crème of joints to the east of Brentford FC (3,4,5)

Answer: THE BEES KNEES (i.e. “crème de la crème”). Solution is KNEES (i.e. “joints”) placed after or “to the east of” – this being an across clue – THE BEES (nickname of “Brentford FC”). Don’t think I didn’t see you squeeze some more French in there, setter.

17. Busy period in pirates’ domain, with no going back (4,6)

Answer: HIGH SEASON (i.e. “busy period”). Solution is HIGH SEAS (i.e. “pirate’s domain”) followed by NO reversed (indicated by “going back”), like so: (HIGH-SEAS)-ON.

19. Policeman, one stopping pot user – an artist (5,9)

Answer: CHIEF CONSTABLE (i.e. “policeman”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”, again) placed in or “stopping” CHEF (i.e. “pot user”, referring to pots and pans rather than the Devil’s Lettuce) and followed by John CONSTABLE (i.e. “an artist”), like so: CH(I)EF-CONSTABLE. Using John Constable in this way is fairly common across all cryptic crosswords, not just those in The Times, so no demerit here.

22. Wow – fib about extremely dashing old leader (8)

Answer: Calvin COOLIDGE (i.e. “old leader”, specifically the 30th US president). Solution is COO (i.e. “wow”, both expressions of awe) followed by LIE (i.e. “fib”) once wrapped “about” DG (i.e. “extremely dashing”, i.e. the first and last letters of “dashing”), like so: COO-LI(DG)E. Tempted to drop a Who’s Who demerit here, but, compared to some of the obscure sorts that get immortalised in Jumbos, I think Coolidge is reasonably well known.

24. Certify central portion of data examination (6)

Answer: ATTEST (i.e. “certify”). Solution is AT (i.e. “central portion of data”, i.e. the middle letters of “data”) followed by TEST (i.e. “examination”).

25. Footballer with a bit of money getting on with support (6,4)

Answer: CENTRE BACK (i.e. “footballer”). Solution is CENT (i.e. “a bit of money” – a bit can mean a coin) followed by RE (i.e. “on” or regarding – think email replies) and BACK (i.e. “support”).

26. Improperly, mainly invest in island (5)

Answer: NEVIS (i.e. “island”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “improperly”) of INVEST once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “mainly”).

29. With no time at the end, competition is deadlocked (4)

Answer: EVEN (i.e. “deadlocked”). Solution is EVENT (i.e. “competition”) with the T “at the end” removed (indicated by “no time…” – T being a recognised abbreviation of “time”).

30. Plane tilts back – let go! (8)

Answer: SPITFIRE (i.e. famous “plane” of WW2). Solution is TIPS (i.e. “tilts”) reversed (indicated by “back”) and followed by FIRE (i.e. “let go” or sack), like so: SPIT-FIRE.

32. Return to ground and score, getting 6 points (5,4)

Answer: TOUCH DOWN (i.e. “return to ground”). When written without the space the solution also satisfies “6 points” in a game of American Football.

34. Heard work by instrument that’s shared between friends (5,4)

Answer: PEACE PIPE (i.e. “that’s shared between friends”). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “heard”) of PIECE (i.e. musical “work”) followed by PIPE (i.e. “instrument”).

35. Parrot, maybe, swallows tablet periodically, showing sign of overindulgence (8)

Answer: POTBELLY (i.e. “sign of overindulgence”. I was going to grumble about this being a single word but my Collins Concise backs it up. All it takes is one dictionary). Solution is POLLY (i.e. “parrot, maybe” – other names for your parrot are available. Steve, for example) wrapped around or “swallowing” TBE (i.e. “tablet periodically”, i.e. every other letter of TABLET), like so: PO(TBE)LLY.

36. Soft rock featuring in metal concert (4)

Answer: TALC (i.e. “soft rock”). “Featuring in” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: ME(TAL C)ONCERT. Simple but very nicely done. My favourite clue for some time.

39. Light brown garments on at first for dance (5)

Answer: TANGO (i.e. “dance”). Solution is TAN (i.e. “light brown”) followed by GO (i.e. “garments on at first”, i.e. the initial letters of “garments” and “on”).

40. Endlessly feast on French writer’s cheese (10)

Answer: GORGONZOLA (i.e. “cheese”). Solution is GORGE (i.e. “feast”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “endlessly”) and the remainder followed by ON and Émile ZOLA (i.e. “French writer”. What do you mean, “who?” He wrote Nana! No? How about The Ladies’ Paradise? Never heard of it? Hmm. The Masterpiece then? Perhaps not. What about Germinal? That was at least used in a Jumbo a few years ago, predictably pissing off yours truly at the time. Not that either, eh? Wow. It’s almost as if the guy’s been crowbarred into the clue because, you know, Times setters and anything French. You know what that means…), like so: GORG-ON-ZOLA.

42. Saint breaking rule to stand down (6)

Answer: RESIGN (i.e. “stand down”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “saint”, not just “St”) placed in or “breaking” REIGN (i.e. “rule”), like so: RE(S)IGN.

44. Those who don’t believe in ex-Cuban leader and head of state (8)

Answer: INFIDELS (i.e. “those who don’t believe” – raises hand). Solution is IN followed by FIDEL Castro (i.e. “ex-Cuban leader”), then S (i.e. “head of state”, i.e. the first letter of “state”).

46. Fool infiltrates cultural movement for survey (14)

Answer: RECONNAISSANCE (i.e. “survey”). Solution is CON (i.e. to “fool”) placed in or “infiltrating” RENAISSANCE (i.e. “cultural movement”), like so: RE(CON)NAISSANCE.

48. Robot from a film has period in a hill (10)

Answer: TERMINATOR (i.e. “robot from a film” – oh, hello, a modern cultural reference! Nice. Keep it up). Solution is TERM (i.e. “period”) followed by IN A and TOR (i.e. “hill”).

49. Leicester cop ordered to create shadowy law enforcement group (6,6)

Answer: SECRET POLICE (i.e. “shadowy law enforcement group”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “ordered”) of LEICESTER COP.

53. Relax briefly with daughter’s kid (5)

Answer: CHILD (i.e. “kid”). Solution is CHILL (i.e. “relax”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “briefly”) and the remainder followed by D (a recognised abbreviation of “daughter”), like so: CHIL-D.

54. I am quick to get uniform that’s not prepared (9)

Answer: IMPROMPTU (i.e. “that’s not prepared”). Solution is I’M (a contraction of “I am”) followed by PROMPT (i.e. “quick”) and U (“uniform” in the phonetic alphabet).

55. Second chance to hear new trailer? (7)

Answer: RETRIAL (i.e. “second chance to hear” – referring to a court hearing). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “new”) of TRAILER.

56. Reportedly was familiar with Boston’s location? It’s here! (3,7)

Answer: NEW ENGLAND (i.e. “Boston’s location” in the US). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “reportedly”) of KNEW (i.e. “was familiar with”) followed by ENGLAND (i.e. “Boston’s location”, in this case a town in Lincolnshire).

57. I dared her to dance like Rita Hayworth (3-6)

Answer: RED-HAIRED (i.e. “like Rita Hayworth”. Oh well, so much for the modern stuff. She wasn’t even a natural redhead either). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “to dance”) of I DARED HER.

Down clues

1. Overdo it grabbing empty bottles (5)

Answer: BINGE (i.e. “overdo it”). “Bottles” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: GRAB(BING E)MPTY.

2. RAF agitated with English submarine type? (10)

Answer: ANGLERFISH (i.e. a fish or “submarine type”. I was going to grumble about this one being a single word too, but my Oxford backs it up. Again, it just takes one dictionary). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “agitated”) of RAF and ENGLISH.

3. Circus attraction features teams in what way? (8)

Answer: SIDESHOW (i.e. “circus attraction”). Solution is SIDES (i.e. “teams”) followed by HOW (i.e. “in what way”).

4. Flier showcasing reduced clothing (5)

Answer: ROBIN (i.e. bird or “flier”). Solution is ROBING (i.e. “clothing”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “reduced”).

5. Former taxi company worker, for one, is high-spirited (9)

Answer: EXUBERANT (i.e. “high-spirited”). Solution is EX (i.e. “former”) followed by UBER (i.e. “taxi company” – okay, getting modern again) and ANT (i.e. “worker”).

6. Flavour for some scotch eggs originally found in bit of butter (4)

Answer: PEAT (i.e. “flavour for some scotch” whisky). Solution is E (i.e. “eggs originally”, i.e. the first letter of “eggs”) placed “in” PAT (i.e. “bit of butter”), like so: P(E)AT.

7. Majority of gel pens in medical centre (6)

Answer: CLINIC (i.e. “medical centre”). Solution is CLICK (i.e. to get along or “gel”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “majority of”) and the remainder wrapped around or “penning” IN, like so: CL(IN)IC.

8. Plot to succeed – leave carrying large bed cover (9,5)

Answer: PATCHWORK QUILT (i.e. “bed cover”). Solution is PATCH (i.e. “plot” of land) followed by WORK (i.e. “to succeed”) and QUIT (i.e. “leave”) once wrapped around or “carrying” L (a recognised abbreviation of “large”), like so: PATCH-WORK-QUI(L)T.

9. Freedom to transport English character in A Streetcar Named Desire (5,7)

Answer: CARTE BLANCHE (i.e. “freedom”). Solution is CART (i.e. “to transport”) followed by E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”) and BLANCHE Dubois (i.e. “character in A Streetcar Named Desire”). French again, eh? Have another meme!

10. Proceeded with punishment from coach, entering river backwards (7)

Answer: ELAPSED (i.e. “proceeded”). Solution is LAPS (i.e. “punishment from coach”, i.e. laps of a running track. Or, if your PE teacher was a sadist, the entire playing field) placed in or “entering” DEE (i.e. a “river” in Scotland) once this has been reversed (indicated by “backwards”), like so: E(LAPS)ED.

11. Character running to catch one creature in the north (6,4)

Answer: ARCTIC HARE (i.e. “creature in the north”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “running” of CHARACTER wrapped around or “catching” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), like so: ARCT(I)CHARE.

15. Hotel gets irritated about entourage (7-2)

Answer: HANGERS-ON (i.e. “entourage”). Solution is H (“hotel” in the phonetic alphabet) followed by ANGERS (i.e. “gets irritated”) and ON (i.e. “about” or regarding – already covered in 25a).

18. Small vegetable established to be the most shiny (8)

Answer: SLEEKEST (i.e. “most shiny”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) followed by LEEK (i.e. “vegetable”) and EST (a recognised abbreviation of “established”).

20. Generally, popular home occupied by those people first of all? (2,3,4)

Answer: IN THE MAIN (i.e. “generally”). Solution is IN (i.e. “popular”) and IN (i.e. at “home”) all wrapped around or “occupied by” THEM (i.e. “those people”) and A (i.e. “first [letter] of all”), like so: IN-(THEM-A)-IN.

21. You and I must be seen in fancy theatres, darling (10)

Answer: SWEETHEART (i.e. “darling”). Solution is WE (i.e. “you and I”) placed “in” an anagram (indicated by “fancy”) of THEATRES, like so: S(WE)ETHEART.

23. Violently liberates northern walled city once (4,6)

Answer: EAST BERLIN (i.e. “walled city once”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “violently”) of LIBERATES followed by N (a recognised abbreviation of “northern”), like so: EASTBERLI-N.

27. Breach metal around front of opening underneath instrument (9)

Answer: VIOLATION (i.e. “breach”). Solution is TIN (i.e. “metal”) wrapped “around” O (i.e. “front of opening”, i.e. the first letter of “opening”). This is all then placed after or “underneath” – this being a down clue – VIOLA (i.e. a musical “instrument”), like so: VIOLA-TI(O)N.

28. May chores bring about release of ultimately problematic tendency? (6-8)

Answer: SPRING CLEANING (i.e. “May chores”). Solution is SPRING (i.e. “bring about release”) followed by C (i.e. “ultimately problematic”, i.e. the last letter of “problematic”) and LEANING (i.e. “tendency”).

31. Devilish sort moved around a lot and got better (8)

Answer: IMPROVED (i.e. “got better”). Solution is IMP (i.e. “devilish sort”) followed by ROVED (i.e. “moved around a lot”).

33. Support fraud in subordinate role (6,6)

Answer: SECOND FIDDLE (i.e. “subordinate role”). Solution is SECOND (i.e. “support”) followed by FIDDLE (i.e. “fraud”).

34. Nationalist at violent disturbance caught in photo (9)

Answer: PATRIOTIC (i.e. “nationalist”). Solution is AT and RIOT (i.e. “violent disturbance”) both placed or “caught in” PIC (i.e. “photo”), like so: P(AT-RIOT)IC.

37. Heroine recalled in novel (10)

Answer: CINDERELLA (i.e. fairy tale “heroine”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “novel”) of RECALLED IN.

38. Blowgun damaged ape’s nose (3,7)

Answer: PEA SHOOTER (i.e. “blowgun”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “damaged”) of APE’S followed by HOOTER (slang for the “nose”), like so: PEAS-HOOTER. The solution also appeared, without a space, in grid 1689 barely a month ago. The repeats keep happening, people.

41. Animal worker in rush to get rid of last big fish (9)

Answer: ZOOKEEPER (i.e. “animal worker”). Solution is ZOOM (i.e. “rush”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “to get rid of last”) and the remainder followed by KEEPER (i.e. “big fish” – I’m guessing this is an important person; Chambers has this definition for KEEPER: “the title of certain officials, such as Lord Keeper (of the Great Seal), whose office since 1757 has been merged in that of Lord Chancellor”), like so: ZOO-KEEPER.

43. Waiter is moving plant (8)

Answer: WISTERIA (i.e. “plant”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “moving”) of WAITER IS.

45. Pardon four caught inside blacksmith’s workshop (7)

Answer: FORGIVE (i.e. “pardon”). Solution is IV (i.e. “four” in Roman numerals) placed “inside” FORGE (i.e. “blacksmith’s workshop”), like so: FORG(IV)E.

47. Upset a large bear, creating fuss (6)

Answer: HOOPLA (i.e. “fuss”). Solution is A, L (a recognised abbreviation of “large”) and POOH (i.e. “bear”, Winnie the Pooh) all reversed (indicated by “upset” – this being a down clue), like so: HOOP-L-A.

50. Some drinks, like 100? (5)

Answer: ROUND. Solution satisfies “some drinks” and “like 100”, i.e. a round number.

51. Epic work, one penned by rising artist (5)

Answer: ILIAD (i.e. “epic work” by the ancient Greek poet Homer). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) placed in or “penned by” Salvador DALI (i.e. “artist”) once reversed (indicated by “rising” – this being a down clue), like so: IL(I)AD. The classics always attract Times setters, so here’s a demerit.

52. By the sound of it, was on highway (4)

Answer: ROAD (i.e. “highway”). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “by the sound of it”) of RODE (i.e. “was on”).