This was a decent enough Jumbo that ran the risk of flirting with too many Times Crossword clichés, but just about got away with it. PICA was a swine, though. In other news, I completely forgot we had a Jumbo for Boxing Day, so my last Jumbo-related post will cover puzzle 1709, not 1708 as previously stated.

Anyway, admin aside, as the competition deadline for this one has long since passed here is my completed grid along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them helpful. If a recent Jumbo has given you the willies then my Just For Fun page might be of use, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of the things.

Thanks again for your patience and kind words. Till next time, stay safe out there kids, and I wish you all the very best for 2025.

LP

The case for the prosecution

Across clues

1. Fighter with height and strength (5)

Answer: MIGHT (i.e. “strength”). Solution is MIG (i.e. Russian “fighter” jet) followed by HT (a recognised abbreviation of “height”).

4. Sauce is excellent (7)

Answer: TOPPING. Solution satisfies a “sauce” or dressing, and “excellent”.

8. Prepared to fight a crowd, one shown the way around island (9)

Answer: MOBILISED (i.e. “prepared to fight”). Solution is MOB (i.e. “a crowd”), I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and LED (i.e. “shown the way”) all wrapped “around” IS (a recognised abbreviation of “island”), like so: MOB-I-L(IS)ED.

13. Some woman accepting a reduced prize, free programs (9)

Answer: SHAREWARE (i.e. “free programs”). Solution is SHE (i.e. “some woman”) wrapped around or “accepting” A and REWARD (i.e. “prize”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “reduced”), like so: SH(A-REWAR)E.

14. Ignore wind at centre of storm catching an awning (4,1,5,3)

Answer: TURN A BLIND EYE (i.e. “ignore”). Solution is TURN (i.e. to “wind” e.g. a winch) and EYE (i.e. “at centre of storm”) all wrapped around or “catching” A BLIND (i.e. “an awning”), like so: TURN-(A-BLIND)-EYE.

15. A way to travel, on the pillion? (7)

Answer: ASTRIDE (i.e. riding “on the pillion” or backseat of a motorcycle). Solution is A followed by ST (i.e. “way”, i.e. a recognised abbreviation of “street”) and RIDE (i.e. “to travel”).

16. Understand your old walls to be weak (7)

Answer: THREADY (i.e. “weak”). Solution is READ (i.e. “understand”) placed or “walled” in by THY (i.e. “your old”, i.e. ye olde word for “your”), like so: TH(READ)Y.

17. Greatly enlarges barrel wood suppliers stock (7)

Answer: TREBLES (i.e. “greatly enlarges”). Solution is BL (a recognised abbreviation of “barrel” I don’t recall seeing before) placed in or “stocked” by TREES (i.e. “wood suppliers”), like so: TRE(BL)ES.

18. A denial of evolution deliberately started quarrel (8,4,6)

Answer: ARGUMENT FROM DESIGN (i.e. “a denial of evolution”, specifically “the argument for the existence of God from the evidence of design in creation” (Chambers). Not from the nightclubs I’ve been to). The solution also playfully satisfies “deliberately started quarrel”.

21. Still a desire for unsuitable food (4)

Answer: PICA (i.e. “desire for unsuitable food” – a new one on me). Solution is PIC (i.e. “still” or photograph, short for picture) followed by A. This took a brute force of my Chambers to nail, which was about as much fun as eating a tumble drier.

23. They deliver a prince, it’s said (5,4)

Answer: ROYAL MAIL (i.e. “they deliver”, eventually). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “it’s said”) of ROYAL MALE (i.e. “a prince”).

25. No wife to advise aged headmaster (6)

Answer: Thomas ARNOLD (i.e. a “headmaster” of Rugby School. In the nineteenth century because, you know, The Times. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn the setter was one of his students). Solution is WARN (i.e. “to advise against”) with the W removed (indicated by “no wife” – W being a recognised abbreviation of “wife”) and the remainder followed by OLD (i.e. “aged”), like so: ARN-OLD. The wordplay was fairly straightforward, but crap like this will always warrant a demerit.

26. Race is run through small wood (6)

Answer: STREAK (i.e. to “race”). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “run” used in a number of ball games) placed in or “through” S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) and TEAK (i.e. variety of “wood”), like so: S-T(R)EAK.

28. Condemnation for resetting in tropics (12)

Answer: PROSCRIPTION (i.e. “condemnation” – one definition of PROSCRIBE is “to put on the list of those who may be put to death” (Chambers)). Solution is PRO (i.e. “for” something) followed by an anagram (indicated by “resetting”) of IN TROPICS, like so: PRO-SCRIPTION.

30. Criminal’s unhackable old phone (4-6)

Answer: SAFE-BLOWER (i.e. “criminal”). Solution is SAFE (i.e. “unhackable” – in my view the only device that is unhackable is one that has been switched off, unplugged and incinerated) followed by BLOWER (i.e. “old [slang for a] phone”).

33. Old investment vehicle? (5,5)

Answer: SIEGE TRAIN. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole, taking “invest” to mean, in a military sense, to besiege. The solution is “a train of artillery for besieging a place” (Chambers). Nicely worked.

34. Coupe, not safe, breaks down but it is found appealing (4,3,2,3)

Answer: ONE’S CUP OF TEA (i.e. “appealing”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “breaks down”) of COUPE NOT SAFE.

37. A ghost’s not about to show face (6)

Answer: ASPECT (i.e. “face”). Solution is A followed by SPECTRE (i.e. “ghost”) with the RE removed (indicated by “not about” – think email replies).

39. Law has given wrong impression, on reflection (6)

Answer: SHARIA (i.e. religious “law”, albeit one with no legal authority in the UK). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “wrong”) of HAS followed by AIR (i.e. “impression”) once reversed (indicated by “on reflection”), like so: SHA-RIA.

40. Embarrassed efforts leading to extremely elegant sort of parking (3-6)

Answer: OFF-STREET (i.e. “sort of parking”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “embarrassed”) of EFFORTS followed by ET (i.e. “extremely elegant”, i.e. the first and last letters of “elegant”), like so: OFFSTRE-ET.

42. Rabbit, caught, left out, however (4)

Answer: CONY (i.e. another word for a “rabbit”). Solution is C (a recognised abbreviation of “caught” used in cricket) followed by ONLY (i.e. “however”) once the L has been removed (indicated by “left out” – L being a recognised abbreviation of “left”), like so: C-ONY.

43. Stamp, being well-shod, but pass on fighting (3,4,4,5,2)

Answer: DIE WITH ONE’S BOOTS ON (i.e. “pass on fighting”). Solution is DIE (i.e. a “stamp” for impressing coins) followed by WITH ONE’S BOOTS ON (i.e. “being well-shod”).

46. Miss one feature of tropical noon? (3,4)

Answer: AIR SHOT (i.e. “miss”). When written as AIR’S HOT the solution playfully satisfies “one feature of tropical noon”.

47. Before one pressure shot, initially fix range (7)

Answer: MENDIPS (i.e. a “range” of hills in Somerset). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), P (a recognised abbreviation of “pressure”) and S (i.e. “shot, initially”, i.e. the first letter of “shot”) with MEND (i.e. “fix”) placed “before” them, like so: MEND-(I-P-S).

48. Drivers touring as far as I can see leaving house in a state (7)

Answer: ARIZONA (i.e. US “state”). Solution is AA (i.e. “drivers”, specifically the Automobiles Association) wrapped around or “touring” HORIZON (i.e. “as far as I can see”) once the HO has been removed (indicated by “leaving house” – HO being a recognised abbreviation of “house”), like so: A(RIZON)A.

50. Extreme situation in golf, opening up an advantage perhaps (8,5)

Answer: BREAKING POINT (i.e. “extreme situation”). Solution is IN and G (“golf” in the phonetic alphabet) both placed in or “opening up” BREAK POINT (i.e. “an advantage perhaps” in a game of tennis), like so: BREAK-(IN-G)-POINT.

51. Idle officer admits current information, having previously rejected it (9)

Answer: NEGLIGENT (i.e. “idle”). Solution is LT (i.e. “officer”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of a lieutenant) wrapped around or “admitting” I (a recognised abbreviation of an electrical “current” used in physics) and GEN (i.e. “information”). This is all then placed after or having “previous [to] it”) GEN again once reversed (indicated by “rejected”), like so: NEG-L(I-GEN)T.

52. Police check drama school: Romeo role going west (5,4)

Answer: RADAR TRAP (i.e. “police check”). Solution is RADA (i.e. “drama school”) followed by R (“Romeo” in the phonetic alphabet) and PART (i.e. “role”) once reversed (indicated by “going west” – this being an across clue), like so: RADA-R-TRAP.

53. Around university, close sort of family (7)

Answer: NUCLEAR (i.e. “sort of family”). Solution is UCL (i.e. “university”, specifically the University College London) with NEAR (i.e. “close”) placed “around” it, like so: N(UCL)EAR.

54. Land first of delayed aeroplanes in fine weather (5)

Answer: SUDAN (i.e. a country or “land”). Solution is D and A (i.e. “first of delayed aeroplanes”, i.e. the first letters of “delayed” and “aeroplanes”) both placed “in” SUN (i.e. “fine weather”), like so: SU(D-A)N.

Down clues

1. Daily consuming a drink beginning to rant, confusing speaker (3,8)

Answer: MRS MALAPROP (i.e. “confusing speaker”, a character in Richard Sheridan’s comedy play The Rivals. She would often get her worms long). Ablution is MRS MOP (i.e. a “daily” or cleaner) slapped round or “consuming” A, LAP (i.e. “drink”) and R (i.e. “beginning [lettuce] to rant”), like so: MRS-M(A-LAP-R)OP.

2. Count on time for hard work (5)

Answer: GRAFT (i.e. “hard work”). Solution is GRAF (i.e. a “count” or earl, from the German) followed by T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”).

3. Identical schemes formulated for so-called economics (3,6,7)

Answer: THE DISMAL SCIENCE (i.e. “so-called economics”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “formulated”) of IDENTICAL SCHEMES.

4. Exchange some jazz with a German (5-2)

Answer: TRADE-IN (i.e. “exchange”). Solution is TRAD (i.e. “some jazz”) followed by EIN (i.e. “a German”, i.e. the German for “a” – more German so soon, eh? Makes a change from all the French we get, I suppose).

5. Feeble, one makes way for Leonard, becoming generous (9)

Answer: PLENTIFUL (i.e. “generous”). Solution is PITIFUL (i.e. “feeble”) with the first I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) swapped or “making way for” LEN (short form of “Leonard”), like so: P(I)TIFUL => P(LEN)TIFUL.

6. In panic holding gun over person who’s on your case (12)

Answer: INTERROGATOR (i.e. “person who’s on your case”). Solution is IN followed by TERROR (i.e. “panic”) wrapped around or “holding” GAT (i.e. “gun”) and O (a recognised abbreviation of “over” used in cricket), like so: IN-TERRO(GAT-O)R.

7. Put up flag over jetty and decking (10)

Answer: GARLANDING (i.e. “decking”). Solution is RAG (i.e. “flag”, derogatively-speaking) reversed (indicated by “put up” – this being a down clue) and followed by LANDING (i.e. “jetty”), like so: GAR-LANDING.

8. Have a meal, in my case non-vegetarian (5)

Answer: MEATY (i.e. “non-vegetarian”). Solution is EAT (i.e. “have a meal”) placed “in” MY, like so: M(EAT)Y. I think “case” here just reinforces MY being wrapped around EAT to get the solution.

9. Stay a long time securing lease for best floor of building (3,5)

Answer: BEL ETAGE (i.e. “best floor of building”). Solution is BE (i.e. “stay”) and AGE (i.e. “a long time”) all wrapped around or “securing” LET (i.e. “lease”), like so: BE-(LET)-AGE. It wouldn’t be The Times Crossword without some dalliance with the French. You know what that means.

10. Dawdle around centre of hotel in Germany (6)

Answer: LINGER (i.e. “dawdle around”). “Centre of” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: HOTE(L IN GER)MANY. Germany again, eh, setter? It’s like you’re asking for a Monty-Python-themed meme or something…

11. Bombardment, singular punishment for sinners (9)

Answer: SHELLFIRE (i.e. “bombardment”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “singular”) followed by HELLFIRE (i.e. “punishment for sinners” – see you there, everyone. Bring burgers).

12. Does gossip about second one Holmes may be seen with (11)

Answer: DEERSTALKER (i.e. a hat, specifically “one Holmes may be seen with”). Solution is DEER (i.e. “does”, the female of the species) and TALKER (i.e. “gossip”) all wrapped “about” S (a recognised abbreviation of “second”), like so: DEER-(S)-TALKER.

19. Feel uncertainly around unlit yard at first, then steadier (3-4)

Answer: GUYROPE (i.e. a “steadier” on a ship). Solution is GROPE (i.e. “feel uncertainly”) wrapped “around” U and Y (i.e. “unlit yard at first”, i.e. the first letters of “unlit” and “yard”), like so: G(U-Y)ROPE.

20. Greetings unfortunately upset a woman (7)

Answer: SALAAMS (i.e. “greetings” around the Middle East). Solution is ALAS (i.e. “unfortunately”) reversed (indicated by “upset”) and followed by A, then MS (i.e. “woman”, short for “miss”), like so: SALA-A-MS.

22. A book: Down and Out in Paris and London? (1,4,2,3,6)

Answer: A TALE OF TWO CITIES (i.e. “a book” by Charles Dickens – a bit of a theme of late). The remainder of the clue is the title of George Orwell’s account of poverty in said cities, which you could argue is also a tale of two cities. I’m not really getting much else on this one, but I could be missing something clever. Also, while I do like me some Dickens, he is a Times cliché so it’s demerit time.

24. Large enclosure always open to referee’s assistant: one’s inside (6)

Answer: AVIARY (i.e. “large enclosure”). Solution is AY (i.e. “always”) wrapped around or “open to” VAR (i.e. “referee’s assistant”, the slot-machine of subjective decision-making that is the Video Assistant Referee, or at least as far as football is concerned) once this has itself been wrapped around or having “inside” of it I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), like so: A(V(I)AR)Y.

27. Unexpectedly spurn unfinished puzzle with great force (6)

Answer: REBUFF (i.e. “unexpectedly spurn”). Solution is REBUS (i.e. a “puzzle”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “unfinished”) and the remainder followed by FF (i.e. “with great force”, in this case a recognised abbreviation of “fortissimo” in musical lingo), like so: REBU-FF.

29. Light vehicle could be blown up in this war (7)

Answer: TRISHAW (i.e. “light vehicle”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “blown up”) of THIS WAR.

31. See changing name for lake is stupid (7)

Answer: WITLESS (i.e. “stupid”). Solution is WITNESS (i.e. “see”) with the N (a recognised abbreviation of “name”) swapped “for” L (ditto “lake”), like so: WIT(N)ESS => WIT(L)ESS.

32. NATO is acting strangely hostile (12)

Answer: ANTAGONISTIC (i.e. “hostile”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “strangely”) of NATO IS ACTING.

33. Awful catarrh’s restricting Your Honour perhaps in court (4,7)

Answer: STAR CHAMBER (i.e. “court” of old – we’ve seen this one plenty of times in Jumbos, which made this one an easier get). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “awful”) of CATARRH’S wrapped around or “restricting” MBE (i.e. “Your Honour, perhaps” – in this case a Member of the British Empire, should you observe such things), like so: STARCHA(MBE)R.

35. Like to swallow, drinking last of gin in car (5,6)

Answer: ASTON MARTIN (i.e. “car” brand). Solution is AS (i.e. “like” or similar to) followed by TO and MARTIN (i.e. “swallow”, birds) all wrapped around or “drinking” N (i.e. “last of gin”, i.e. the last letter of “gin”), like so: AS-TO-(N)-MARTIN.

36. Affectation of not being worried yet? (10)

Answer: PRETENSION. Solution satisfies “affectation” and, playfully, “of not being worried yet”.

38. Maybe foreign correspondence in prison with colleague (3,6)

Answer: PEN FRIEND (i.e. “maybe foreign correspondence” – location doesn’t really matter, though, does it?) Solution is PEN (i.e. “prison”) followed by FRIEND (i.e. “colleague”).

40. Bow of canoe moving across bay, easing into sight from the front (9)

Answer: OBEISANCE (i.e. “bow” or act of reverence). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “moving”) of CANOE wrapped around or placed “across” BEIS (i.e. “bay easing into sight from the front” i.e. the first letters of “bay”, “easing”, “into” and “sight”), like so: O(BEIS)ANCE.

41. Having initially lost one, direct to acquire new auditor (8)

Answer: LISTENER (i.e. “auditor”). Solution is L (i.e. “initially lost”, i.e. the first letter of “lost”), I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and STEER (i.e. “direct”) all wrapped around or “acquiring” N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”), like so: L-I-STE(N)ER.

44. One scrounging book, who puts a cover on (7)

Answer: BLAGGER (i.e. “one scrounging”). Solution is B (a recognised abbreviation of “book”) followed by LAGGER (i.e. one “who puts a cover on”, say, a pipe).

45. Necklace to die for? (6)

Answer: CHOKER (i.e. “necklace”). The remainder plays on “choking” someone to death. Lovely.

47. Dispose of Spitz, it’s suggested (3,2)

Answer: MOP UP (i.e. “dispose of”). The remainder of the clue plays on the solution cryptically satisfying “Spitz”, another word for a Pomeranian dog, sometimes referred to as a Pom. UP meanwhile is a reversal indicator in down clues. You get the idea.

49. Please study this nymph (5)

Answer: OREAD (i.e. a mountain “nymph” from Greek mythology). When written as O READ the solution playfully satisfies “please study this”. Classics will often draw a yawn from me. Have a demerit.

Hello, peeps. I hope you all have had a good Christmas and are writing a list of New Year resolutions to break next week. As is tradition, I will be giving up sprouts in 2025. I’ve done really well in previous years (literally all of them). Hopefully I can keep this sprout-free streak going.

Anyway, there was something about a crossword, I believe? Crossword, crossword, crossword… ah yes, here we are. Crikey, the dust on this one! Tut, tut, forgive me, I have been… well, not writing up crossword solutions, clearly. Let’s crack on. Seems we have a few left to write before the year is out.

As the competition deadline for this one passed ages ago, here is my completed grid along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them helpful. If a recent Jumbo has shivered your timbers 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, and especially for the kind words as I call time on these Jumbo Cryptic posts. It’s nice to know I’ve helped and entertained. I hope I haven’t put too many noses out of joint. 😀 Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

The case for the prosecution

Across clues

1. Fish extra tasty essentially in small portion (5,4)

Answer: DOVER SOLE (i.e. “fish”). I’m not 100% sure but my solution is OVER (i.e. “extra”) and S (i.e. “tasty essentially”, i.e. the middle letter of “tasty”) both placed “in” DOLE (i.e. a “small portion”), like so: D(OVER-S)OLE. Does “essentially” equate to the dead-centre of a word to you? I’d argue it better suits all the middle letters of a word. Perhaps I’m overthinking it.

6. Persian cleaner’s emergency transport (7)

Answer: MEDEVAC (i.e. “emergency transport”, a contraction of medical evacuation). Solution is MEDE (i.e. “Persian”, specifically one of the people of Media, “an ancient kingdom NW of Persia (corresponding to modern NW Iran)” (Chambers) – early shots fired from this week’s setter. “Crumbs? From my table? Pfff! Away with you”) followed by VAC (i.e. “cleaner”, short for a vacuum cleaner).

10. Knot restraining the Spanish in the hold? (5)

Answer: BELOW (i.e. “in the hold” of a ship). Solution is BOW (i.e. “knot”) wrapped around or “restraining” EL (i.e. “the Spanish”, i.e. the Spanish for “the”), like so: B(EL)OW.

13. BA staff interchanged good correspondence (7)

Answer: POSTBAG (i.e. “correspondence”). Solution is BA and POST (i.e. a “staff”) swapped round or “interchanged” and followed by G (a recognised abbreviation of “good”), like so: (BA-POST)-G => (POST-BA)-G.

14. 1 in 55 obstructing animal rescue (7)

Answer: DELIVER (i.e. “rescue”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) placed in or “obstructing” LV (i.e. “55”, also expressed in Roman numerals). This is then itself placed in or “obstructing” DEER (i.e. an “animal”), like so: DE(L(I)V)ER.

15. PPE item finished with a fringing of laurel (7)

Answer: OVERALL (i.e. “PPE item”, being an item of Personal Protective Equipment). Solution is OVER (i.e. “finished”) followed by A and LL (i.e. “fringing of laurel”, i.e. the first and last letters of “laurel”).

16. Dear campers: with energy shortage, propane’s used up practically (2,3,7,3,8)

Answer: TO ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES (i.e. “practically”). Solution is TO ALL IN TENTS (i.e. “Dear campers”, taken as a form of address) followed by an anagram (indicated by “up”) of PROPANE’S USED once one of the Es has been removed (indicated by “with energy shortage” – E being a recognised abbreviation of “energy”), like so: TO-ALL-IN-TENTS-ANDPURPOSES. When this appeared last time in grid 1588 the clue was “Toast for campers with goals, virtually”.

17. Scoundrel getting pass for green assistant (6)

Answer: CADDIE (i.e. golf “green assistant”). Solution is CAD (i.e. “scoundrel”) followed by DIE (i.e. to “pass” on).

18. For instance, bone comprises optimum insulating material (8)

Answer: ASBESTOS (i.e. “insulating material”). Solution is AS (i.e. “for instance”) and OS (i.e. a “bone”, anatomically speaking – just in case you thought I was kidding about this week’s setter giving no freebies) all wrapped around or “comprising” BEST (i.e. “optimum”), like so: AS-(BEST)-OS.

19. Sailor in bed rolled edges of cacao leaves (7)

Answer: TOBACCO (i.e. “leaves”). Solution is AB (i.e. “sailor” of Able Bodied rank) placed “in” COT (i.e. “bed”) and the whole then reversed (indicated by “rolled”). This is all then followed by CO (i.e. “edges of cacao”, i.e. the first and last letters of “cacao”), like so: TO(BA)C-CO.

22. Where one is cast as a WWII Commander (10)

Answer: Dwight EISENHOWER (i.e. former US President and “WWII Commander”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “cast”) of WHERE ONE IS.

23. Words at back of US magazine Time for long-term residents (4,8)

Answer: LIFE SENTENCE (i.e. “time for long-term residents”). Solution is SENTENCE (i.e. “words”) placed after or “at back of” LIFE (i.e. “US magazine” of old).

27. Bone sample from hospital useful (5)

Answer: TALUS (i.e. foot “bone”). “Sample from” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: HOSPI(TAL US)EFUL.

29. Takes in Charlie and small bird in retirement (7)

Answer: ASSUMES (i.e. “takes in”). Solution is ASS (i.e. a fool or proper “Charlie”) followed by S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) and EMU (i.e. “bird”) once these latter two have been reversed (indicated by “in retirement”), like so: ASS-(UME-S).

30. One in tank perhaps a printer when out of joint (8)

Answer: TERRAPIN (i.e. “one in [glass] tank perhaps”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “out of joint”) of A PRINTER.

32. Over-active lover of Zeus with new god (8)

Answer: HYPERION (i.e. “god” of Greek mythology). Solution is HYPER (i.e. “over-active”) followed by IO (i.e. “lover of Zeus”, which, let’s be honest, isn’t saying much. Greek mythology would have you believe Zeus has shagged his way through pretty much everyone and everything in existence. He probably had your mum too) and N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”). It’s fertile ground for writers of all stripes, but Greek mythology often leaves me cold. Demerit time.

34. Register hair in pickled fillet (7)

Answer: ROLLMOP (i.e. a “pickled fillet” of herring). Solution is ROLL (i.e. “register”, e.g. the electoral roll) followed by MOP (slang for “hair”).

36. Hard slippery things might be painful footwear (5)

Answer: HEELS (i.e. “painful footwear”). Solution is H (a recognised abbreviation of “hard” used in grading pencils) followed by EELS (i.e. “slippery things”).

39. Grandly changing silver for United in a generous way (12)

Answer: MUNIFICENTLY (i.e. “in a generous way”). Solution is MAGNIFICENTLY (i.e. “grandly”) with the AG (chemical symbol of “silver”) swapped “for” U (a recognised abbreviation of “united”), like so: M(AG)NIFICENTLY => M(U)NIFICENTLY.

41. Most rough thickets spread across empty estuaries (10)

Answer: SKETCHIEST (i.e. “most rough”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “spread”) of THICKETS wrapped “across” ES (i.e. “empty estuaries”, i.e. the word “estuaries” with all the middle letters removed), like so: SKETCHI(ES)T.

44. Singer brought back separate gin for Roland? (3-4)

Answer: RAT-TRAP (i.e. “gin for Roland”, referencing the 80s kids TV character Roland Rat; a variant meaning of “gin”, meanwhile, is a trap). Solution is RAT (i.e. “singer” or traitor) followed by PART (i.e. “separate”) once this latter has been reversed (indicated by “brought back”).

46. Container joint force west of state uncovered (3,5)

Answer: HIP FLASK (i.e. “container”). Solution is HIP (i.e. anatomical “joint”) followed by F (a recognised abbreviation of “force”) and ALASKA (i.e. US “state”) once its first and last letters have been removed (indicated by “uncovered”), like so: HIP-F-LASK.

48. Editor replacing intro to book to make safe for consumers (6)

Answer: EDIBLE (i.e. “safe for consumers”). Solution is BIBLE (i.e. a “book”. There have been a few books, setter. Just sayin’) with the B (its “intro”) “replaced” by ED (short for “editor”), like so: (B)IBLE => (ED)IBLE.

50. A definition of “Irregularity” in Chambers (11,12)

Answer: VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole, being a rapid “irregular” heartbeat. The “chambers” of a heart are called ventricles. You get the idea.

53. Protective garment is burnt periodically before match (7)

Answer: SUNSUIT (i.e. “protective garment”). Solution is SUN (i.e. “is burnt periodically”, i.e. every other letter of IS BURNT) followed by SUIT (i.e. to “match”).

54. Drink over in prison mostly good for one’s blood (7)

Answer: NEPOTIC (i.e. “good for one’s blood” – clever, I like it). Solution is TOPE (i.e. to “drink” heavily) reversed (indicated by “over”) and placed “in” NICK (slang for a “prison”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “mostly”), like so: N(EPOT)IC.

55. Hollow bamboo cut down regularly near city (7)

Answer: BOLOGNA (i.e. “city” in Italy). Solution is BO (i.e. “hollow bamboo”, i.e. the word “bamboo” with all its middle letters removed) followed by LOG (i.e. to “cut down” trees) and NA (i.e. “regularly near”, i.e. every other letter of NEAR).

56. Sluggish speech from doctor with boring instrument (5)

Answer: DRAWL (i.e. “sluggish speech”). Solution is DR (a recognised abbreviation of “doctor”) followed by AWL (i.e. “boring instrument”).

57. Eggs close to grass repelled ungulate (3,4)

Answer: ROE DEER (i.e. “ungulate”). Solution is ROE (i.e. “eggs”) followed by REED (i.e. “grass”) once this has been reversed (indicated by “repelled”).

58. Mistakes spoiled Cleo’s one text message (9)

Answer: SOLECISMS (i.e. “mistakes”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “spoiled”) of CLEO’S followed by I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and SMS (i.e. “text message”, short for Short Messaging System), like so: SOLEC-I-SMS.

Down clues

1. Chicago station record framed by Mark (5)

Answer: DEPOT (i.e. “Chicago station”, basically a depot is what they call a bus or train station over in the States). Solution is EP (i.e. “record”, specifically an Extended Play) placed in or “framed by” DOT (i.e. “mark” – ignoring the misleading capitalisation), like so: D(EP)OT.

2. Monitor what initially Stroud Vehicles takes north (6,7,4)

Answer: VISUAL DISPLAY UNIT (i.e. computer screen or “monitor”). The remainder of the clue plays on how the “initials” VDU are reversed (indicated by “takes north” – this being a down clue) and hidden in the clue, like so: STRO(UD V)EHICLES.

3. Revolting skinned birds before large feline (9)

Answer: REBELLION (i.e. “revolting”). Solution is GREBES (i.e. “birds”) with the first and last letters removed (indicated by “skinned”) and the remainder followed by L (a recognised abbreviation of “large”) and LION (i.e. “feline”), like so: REBE-L-LION.

4. Church features in gold with difficulty lifted (6)

Answer: ORGANS (i.e. “church features”). Solution is OR (i.e. “gold” in heraldry) followed by SNAG (i.e. “difficulty”) once reversed (indicated by “lifted”), like so: OR-GANS.

5. Infinity cryptically written as NES (11)

Answer: ENDLESSNESS (i.e. “infinity”). The rest of the clue plays on how the solution, when written as ENDLESS NESS, can get you “NES”, i.e. NESS with the last letter removed.

6. Driver’s shirt grabbed by scraggy lemur (8)

Answer: MULETEER (i.e. “driver”). Solution is TEE (i.e. “shirt”) placed in or “grabbed by” an anagram (indicated by “scraggy”) of LEMUR, like so: MULE(TEE)R.

7. Freak hollow swallows street in Naples (7)

Answer: DEVIANT (i.e. “freak”). Solution is DENT (i.e. “hollow”) wrapped around or “swallowing” VIA (i.e. “street in Naples”, i.e. the Italian for way or a “street”), like so: DE(VIA)NT. “Strada” seems a stronger fit for “street” judging by things like Google Translate, but I know nothing about Italian so I don’t know how far the setter is stretching things here.

8. Greenish coin bearing six horses? (11)

Answer: VIRIDESCENT (i.e. “greenish”). Solution is CENT (i.e. “coin”) placed at the bottom of or “bearing” – this being a down clue – VI (i.e. “six” expressed as Roman numerals) and RIDES (i.e. “horses”), like so: (VI-RIDES)-CENT.

9. Game shot late ultimately for bite to eat (9)

Answer: CROQUETTE (i.e. “bite to eat”). Solution is CROQUET (i.e. “game”) followed by T and E (i.e. “shot late ultimately”, i.e. the last letters of “shot” and “late”).

10. Bishop shoulders barrel we pour intermittently in boozer (7)

Answer: BREWPUB (i.e. “boozer”). In a similar fashion to 8d, the solution is B (a recognised abbreviation of “bishop”) placed at the bottom of or “shouldering” BREWPU (i.e. “barrel we pour intermittently”, i.e. every other letter of BARREL WE POUR), like so: BREWPU-B.

11. Escapes earth rising within bodies of water (5)

Answer: LEAKS (i.e. “escapes”). Solution is LAKES (i.e. “bodies of water”) with the E (a recognised abbreviation of “earth” you don’t often see used in crosswords. Or anywhere else, for that matter. Chambers likes it, mind) “raised” a couple of notches, this being a down clue, like so: LAK(E)S => L(E)AKS.

12. Blimey! Part of wheel and pole articulate (4-6)

Answer: WELL-SPOKEN (i.e. “articulate”). Solution is WELL (i.e. “blimey”, both exclamations) followed by SPOKE (i.e. “part of wheel”) and N (i.e. “pole”, specifically the North Pole – N is a recognised abbreviation of “north”).

17. Chicken at first laid onto warm foil (5)

Answer: CHEAT (i.e. “foil” – honestly I can’t see any overlap between the two words. Chambers doesn’t seem to want to know. No doubt there’ll be some slack-arse dictionary out there that’ll back the setter up). Solution is C (i.e. “chicken at first”, i.e. the first letter of “chicken”) followed by HEAT (i.e. “warm”).

20. Spanners, tin & titanium left always with Jeff? (10,7)

Answer: CANTILEVER BRIDGES (i.e. “spanners”, as in how bridges span two points). Solution is CAN (i.e. “tin”) followed by TI (chemical symbol of “titanium”), L (a recognised abbreviation of “left”), EVER (i.e. “always”) and BRIDGES (i.e. “Jeff”, US actor – a small hint of The Times easing up on certain of its crossword conventions. Usually people would have to be dead before they’re allowed to appear in clues or solutions). The Dude abides.

21. Language really applied to African country (6)

Answer: SOMALI (i.e. “language”). Solution is SO (i.e. “really” or very) followed by MALI (i.e. “African country”).

24. Slight change of units across back of wall (6)

Answer: INSULT (i.e. to “slight”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “change of”) of UNITS wrapped around or placed “across” L (i.e. “back of wall”, i.e. the last letter of “wall”), like so: INSU(L)T.

25. Criticise loud music when first husband’s away (5)

Answer: TRASH (i.e. to “criticise”). Solution is THRASH (i.e. “loud music”) with the “first” H removed (indicated by “husband’s away”, H being a recognised abbreviation of “husband”). Ah, those halcyon days of metal when you could count the number of subgenres on your fingers. These days there are a comical number – over two hundred if you’d give any credence to them, and they’ve all either been coined by music journalists struggling to describe the guttural strains of one metal band afresh from the guttural strains of another, or they have been invented by the bands themselves in an attempt to distinguish their own particular guttural strains from the guttural strains of their peers. More often than not they are little more than cross-pollinations of near-adjacent subgenres with very little new ground broken. But, sure, slap a new label on it and pretend you’re innovating. Good grief, listen to me. I sound like I’m a hundred years old.

26. Note travellers climbing without principles (6)

Answer: AMORAL (i.e. “without principles”). Solution is LA (i.e. musical “note” of the sol-fa scale) and ROMA (i.e. “travellers”) all reversed (indicated by “climbing” – this being a down clue), like so: AMOR-AL.

28. Different females carrying a bundle (5)

Answer: SHEAF (i.e. “bundle”). Solution is SHE and F (i.e. “different females”, the latter a recognised abbreviation thereof) all wrapped around or “carrying” A, like so: SHE-(A)-F.

31. Standing on set with heart of steel (6)

Answer: REPUTE (i.e. “standing”). Solution is RE (i.e. “on” or regarding – think email replies) followed by PUT (i.e. to “set” in place) and E (i.e. “heart of steel”, i.e. the middle letter of “steel”).

33. Cool refusal from Norman city blocking opportunity (11)

Answer: NONCHALANCE (i.e. “cool”). Solution is NON (i.e. “refusal from Norman”, i.e. the French for “no”, the medieval Normans hailing from Normandy) followed by LA (i.e. “city”, in this case Los Angeles) once placed in or “blocking” CHANCE (i.e. “opportunity”), like so: NON-CHA(LA)NCE.

35. Leaves outline of what HS2 does (less so now) (5,6)

Answer: MAKES TRACKS. Solution satisfies “leaves outline” (possibly just “leaves” on its own) and “what HS2 does (less so now)” – the latter referring to the High Speed 2 railway line that was originally going to connect London to Birmingham, Manchester, East Midlands Parkway, Leeds and York, but whose scope has since been cut back. It does baffle me when timelessness is cited as an essential element of The Times Crossword, for example when justifying the same novels from the same Victorian-era novelists appearing again and again, and yet clues like this get allowed. Is anyone going to remember this about HS2 in 50 years’ time? Thought not.

37. He composed king exiting edgy comedy (5)

Answer: Erik SATIE (i.e. “he composed”). Solution is SATIRE (i.e. “edgy comedy”) with the R removed (indicated by “king exiting” – R being a recognised abbreviation of “king” after the Latin Rex). Psst. Guess Satie’s nationality. Go on. Have a guess. This is the Times, remember, so that’ll make it easier. Yes, of course…

38. Better bandaging is made up (10)

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

40. Drug mainly lining gaoler’s storage device (9)

Answer: CAPACITOR (i.e. “storage device”). Solution is ACID (i.e. “drug”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “mainly”) and the remainder placed in or “lining” CAPTOR (i.e. “gaoler”), like so: CAP(ACI)TOR.

42. Labour with dual winch, alternately operated by fluid (9)

Answer: HYDRAULIC (i.e. “operated by fluid”). Solution is HYDRA (i.e. the slaying of which was one of the twelve “labours” of Hercules – I like it, but Greek mythology will always draw a demerit from me) followed by ULIC (i.e. “dual winch, alternately”, i.e. every other letter of DUAL WINCH).

43. Cold Lane maybe starts in the empty ruined arcade (8)

Answer: CLOISTER (i.e. “arcade”). Solution is C (a recognised abbreviation of “cold” used on water taps) followed by LOIS (i.e. “Lane maybe”, referring to a character from the Superman comic series) and TER (i.e. “starts in the empty ruined”, i.e. the first letters of “the”, “empty” and “ruined”).

45. Whale question in exam right at the start (7)

Answer: RORQUAL (i.e. “whale”). Solution is QU (a recognised abbreviation of “question”) placed “in” ORAL (i.e. “exam”). This is all then placed after or having “at the start” of it R (a recognised abbreviation of “right”), like so: R-(OR(QU)AL). Made. To. Fit.

47. Old kipper swimming around crusted item (4,3)

Answer: PORKPIE (i.e. “crusted item”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “swimming around”) of O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) and KIPPER.

49. Lass biting Chuck in comprehensive (6)

Answer: GLOBAL (i.e. “comprehensive”). Solution is GAL (i.e. “lass”, both slang terms for a young woman) wrapped around or “biting” LOB (i.e. to “chuck” – ignoring the misleading capitalisation), like so: G(LOB)AL.

51. Jack aboard Christopher’s ship fighting artist (5)

Answer: NINJA (i.e. “fighting artist”). Solution is J (a recognised abbreviation of “jack” used in playing cards) placed in or “aboard” NINA (i.e. “Christopher [Columbus]’s ship”), like so: NIN(J)A. One for the history buffs, so…

52. In part, bhuna answers meal choice (5)

Answer: NAANS (i.e. “meal choice” – keema for me, please!) “In part” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: BHU(NA ANS)WERS.

As you probably know I’ve been counting down these last few months towards the end of my Times Jumbo Cryptic posts. This was triggered in part by my desire to free up some spare time, and in part how certain aspects of The Times Crossword had started to bore me (especially when writing up the solutions). I started the count at 20 Jumbos, taking one off whenever a setter strayed too often into tiresome Times Crossword clichés – you know the like: philosophers nobody cares about, novels from over a hundred years ago, films known only to Mark Kermode. Billy Bloody Shakespeare. That kind of thing. Sadly, despite an initiative from The Times’ puzzle editor to freshen up the crossword a little, half a year later the count is nearly zero. Nothing’s really changed.

It has not escaped my attention, however, that we’re close to the end of the year, and that most of 2024’s Jumbo Cryptics will be republished in a few years’ time as The Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword Book 27. I’ll therefore see out the remainder of 2024’s Jumbos and then hang up my black biro. Jumbo 1708 will be my last.

(Don’t worry. Although I’ve cancelled the countdown I’ll still flag all the dull better-than-thou stuff that gets on my nerves. 😀 )

Anyway, enough admin. On with the solution. The competition deadline for this one expired an ice age ago, so here is my completed grid along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them helpful. If a recentish Jumbo has given you gyp 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. Male with inclination to engage in securing deliveries? (4,7)

Answer: SEAM BOWLING (i.e. “deliveries” in cricket). Solution is M (a recognised abbreviation of “male”) and BOW (i.e. leaning or “inclination”) placed or “engaged in” SEALING (i.e. “securing”), like so: SEA(M-BOW)LING.

7. Gaze a long time on story involving female’s elevated status? (4,7)

Answer: LIFE PEERAGE (i.e. “elevated status”). Solution is PEER (i.e. “gaze”) and AGE (i.e. “a long time”) both placed “on” or after LIE (i.e. a “story” or something made-up) once this has been wrapped around or “involving” F (a recognised abbreviation of “female”), like so: LI(F)E-(PEER-AGE).

13. Gallery publication possibly providing art analogies on cue (9,8)

Answer: CATALOGUE RAISONNÉ (i.e. “gallery publication”, being a comprehensive and annotated list of all the known works of a particular artist). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “possibly providing”) of ART ANALOGIES ON CUE. Goodness me, art and French. You don’t get more Times than this! Have a two-fer.

14. European river starts to run here in East (5)

Answer: RHINE (i.e. “European river”). Solution is R and H (i.e. “starts to run here”, i.e. the first letter of “run” and “here”) followed by IN, then E (a recognised abbreviation of “East”).

15. Right to avoid description of motorway for description of flying (6)

Answer: AERIAL (i.e. “description of flying”). Solution is ARTERIAL (i.e. “description of motorway”) with the RT removed (indicated by “right to avoid”, RT being a recognised abbreviation of “right”, e.g. in the title Rt Hon).

16. Additional comment: cowboy’s sidekick recalled stabbing enemy (8)

Answer: FOOTNOTE (i.e. “additional comment”). Solution is TONTO (i.e. “cowboy’s sidekick” in the old TV show The Lone Ranger) reversed or “recalled” and placed in or “stabbing” FOE (i.e. “enemy”), like so: FO(OTNOT)E.

17. Small bird – horse pursued by it around area (4,3)

Answer: COAL TIT (i.e. “small bird”). Solution is COLT (i.e. “horse”) and IT wrapped “around” A (a recognised abbreviation of “area”), like so: CO(A)LT-IT.

19. Smooth surface I start to appreciate in nut tree (9)

Answer: MACADAMIA (i.e. “nut tree”). Solution is MACADAM (i.e. “smooth [road] surface”) followed by I, then A (i.e. “start [letter] to appreciate”).

21. Drug is found following arrest behind prison (8)

Answer: CANNABIS (i.e. “drug”). Solution is IS placed after or “following” NAB (i.e. “arrest”) once this itself has been placed after or “behind” CAN (slang for a “prison”), like so: CAN-NAB-IS.

23. Annoyance after losing last old currency (4)

Answer: PESO (i.e. “currency” of a number of countries). Solution is PEST (i.e. “annoyance”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “losing last”) and the remainder followed by O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”), like so: PES-O.

25. Little daughter beside jetty, abandoned by husband (5)

Answer: DWARF (i.e. “little”). Solution is D (a recognised abbreviation of “daughter”) followed by WHARF (i.e. “jetty”) once the H has been removed (indicated by “abandoned by husband” – H being a recognised abbreviation of “husband”), like so: D-WARF.

27. Tolkien character? Try to think back (6)

Answer: GOLLUM (i.e. “Tolkien character”). Solution is GO (i.e. a turn or “try”) followed by MULL (i.e. “to think”) once reversed (indicated by “back”), like so: GO-LLUM.

28. Refine jet design, perhaps, lest airmen crashed (10)

Answer: STREAMLINE (i.e. “refine jet design, perhaps” – the solution can also mean improving the efficiency of things). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “crashed”) of LEST AIRMEN.

30. Where’s most of the dictionary when everything’s accounted for? (5,3)

Answer: AFTER ALL. Solution satisfies “where’s most of the dictionary”, given ALL is found early on in the book, and also “when everything’s accounted for”. I’ll admit this one did raise a smile when I twigged it. Nicely done.

31. Work beginning to manifest death to ruler, King? (2,5,7)

Answer: LE MORTE D’ARTHUR (i.e. a “work”, specifically Thomas Malory’s take on the legend of King Arthur). Solution is an anagram (also indicated by “work”) of M (i.e. “beginning to manifest”) and DEATH TO RULER followed by R (i.e. “King”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of the Latin Rex), like so: LEMORTEDARTHU-R. Goodness me again! Myddel Englyshe books with French titles? Move aside CATALOGUE RAISONNÉ! Surely – nay, verily! – this must be the pinnacle of Times crossword clichés! I’ll grant this one’s clever, but it’s not going to escape another two-fer.

34. Location of capital often a holiday destination (6,2,6)

Answer: BUREAU DE CHANGE. The solution satisfies the clue as a whole, taking “capital” to be another word for money. One would often frequent such a place to exchange currency. The temptation to slap another French meme on the setter is quite strong, but I think the phrase is fairly well-established over here. Ask me on another day, however, and you might get a different outcome.

35. Lower area of land occupied by graduate negotiator (8)

Answer: DIPLOMAT (i.e. “negotiator”). Solution is DIP (i.e. “lower”) and LOT (i.e. “area of land”) all wrapped around or “occupied by” MA (i.e. “graduate”, in this case a Master of Arts), like so: DIP-LO(MA)T.

38. Auctions go astray, affecting contacts (10)

Answer: CONTAGIOUS (i.e. “affecting contacts”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “astray”) of AUCTIONS GO.

40. Buffalo Bill enthrals me – light entertainment (6)

Answer: COMEDY (i.e. “light entertainment”). Solution is CODY (“Buffalo Bill’s” surname) wrapped around or “enthralling” ME, like so: CO(ME)DY.

41. Safe haven – at first, only what it seems (5)

Answer: OASIS (i.e. “safe haven”). Solution is O (i.e. “at first, only”, i.e. the first letter of “only”) followed by AS IS (i.e. “what it seems”).

43. Surprise without opening wine (4)

Answer: HOCK (i.e. “wine”). Solution is SHOCK (i.e. “surprise”) with the first letter removed (indicated by “without opening”).

44. Composer’s name is translated – French are engaged in that (8)

Answer: Olivier MESSIAEN (i.e. “composer”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “translated”) of NAME IS wrapped around or having “engaged” ES (i.e. “French are”, i.e. the French for “are”), like so: M(ES)SIAEN. Stop press! What’s that? A composer who is also French?! Oh, and a bonus use of French in the clue too! Okay, forget CATALOGUE RAISONNE and LE MORTE D’ARTHUR. This is surely peak Times crossword cliché! Have another two-fer.

45. Height in a border may be an Alpine problem? (9)

Answer: AVALANCHE (i.e. “an Alpine problem”). Solution is H (a recognised abbreviation of “height”) placed “in” A and VALANCE (i.e. “border”, specifically “a hanging border of drapery” (Chambers)), like so: A-VALANC(H)E.

48. Are resident in home, like family members, often (7)

Answer: NEAREST (i.e. “like family members, often”, e.g. in the phrase “nearest and dearest”). Solution is ARE placed or “resident in” NEST (i.e. “home”), like so: NE(ARE)ST.

49. Likely charge netting pounds to cover a blood relative (8)

Answer: FEASIBLE (i.e. “likely”). Solution is FEE (i.e. “charge”) wrapped around or “netting” L (a recognised abbreviation of “pounds” weight or sterling). This is then all wrapped around or “covering” A and SIB (i.e. “blood relative”, short for sibling), like so: FE(A-SIB)(L)E.

50. Sorceress adopting line – one in London? (6)

Answer: CIRCLE (i.e. underground “line – one in London”). Solution is CIRCE (i.e. “sorceress of Greek myth) wrapped around or “adopting” L (a recognised abbreviation of “line”), like so: CIRC(L)E. Greek mythology is forever in Jumbos. Have a demerit.

53. Failure nearer, after yielding lead (5)

Answer: LOSER (i.e. “failure”). Solution is CLOSER (i.e. “nearer”) once the initial letter has been removed (indicated by “after yielding lead”).

54. Discussion topics, say, implementing switch in limits to visitors for wildlife protection zones (12,5)

Answer: CONSERVATION AREAS (i.e. “wildlife protection zones”). Solution is CONVERSATION AREAS (i.e. “discussion topics, say”) with the S and V of CONVERSATION switched (indicated by “implementing switch in limits to visitors”, the first and last letters of “visitors” being V and S), like so: CON(V)ER(S)ATION AREAS => CON(S)ER(V)ATION AREAS.

55. Large southern area sadly blocking European country (11)

Answer: AUSTRALASIA (i.e. “large southern area”). Solution is ALAS (i.e. “sadly”) placed in or “blocking” AUSTRIA (i.e. “European country”), like so: AUSTR(ALAS)IA.

56. Soldiers with tale about irrational gunners getting out of breath (11)

Answer: RESPIRATORY (i.e. “of breath”). Solution is RE (i.e. “soldiers”, specifically the Royal Engineers of the British Army) followed by STORY (i.e. “tale”) once this has been wrapped “about” PI (an “irrational” number, being one that cannot be expressed as a fraction with an integer numerator and denominator) and RA (i.e. “gunners” – the British Army again, this time the Royal Artillery), like so: RE-S(PI-RA)TORY.

Down clues

1. Political advisor upset after party member’s debut in online fora (6,5)

Answer: SOCIAL MEDIA (i.e. “online fora”). Solution is AIDE (i.e. “political advisor”) reversed (indicated by “upset” – this being a down clue) and placed “after” SOCIAL (i.e. a “party”) and M (i.e. “member’s debut”, i.e. the first letter of “member”), like so: (SOCIAL-M)-EDIA.

2. Eighteen letters defending prelude of classical performer (5)

Answer: ACTOR (i.e. “performer”). Solution is A TO R (i.e. “eighteen letters” of the alphabet) wrapped around or “defending” C (i.e. “prelude of classical”, i.e. the first letter of “classical”), like so: A-(C)-TO-R.

3. Assistance for mooring lines pushed through side of ship (7)

Answer: BOLLARD (i.e. “assistance for mooring”). Solution is L and L (both “lines”, recognised abbreviation thereof) placed in or “pushed through” BOARD (i.e. “side of ship”), like so: BO(L-L)ARD.

4. Prosecute comedian over conclusion to joke (4)

Answer: WAGE (i.e. to carry on with or “prosecute”, e.g. waging war). Solution is WAG (i.e. “comedian”) followed by E (i.e. “conclusion to joke”, i.e. the last letter of “joke”).

5. Remorseless boxer, Ali, dancing, keeping mostly fresh (10)

Answer: INEXORABLE (i.e. “remorseless”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “dancing”) of BOXER ALI wrapped around or “keeping” RAW (i.e. “fresh”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “mostly”), like so: INEXO(RA)BLE.

6. Castaway genius repurposed coastal rocks (6,8)

Answer: GIANT’S CAUSEWAY (i.e. famous “coastal rocks” located in County Antrim, Northern Ireland). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “repurposed”) of CASTAWAY GENIUS.

7. Girl working to outlaw foremost activity in rodeo (8)

Answer: LASSOING (i.e. “activity in rodeo”). Solution is LASS (i.e. “girl”) followed by GOING (i.e. “working”) once its first letter has been removed (indicated by “to outlaw foremost”), like so: LASS-OING.

8. Criminal to engage in swordplay (5)

Answer: FENCE. Solution satisfies “criminal” and “to engage in swordplay”.

9. A lot of newspaper copy leading to editor’s first decree (9)

Answer: PRESCRIBE (i.e. “decree”). Solution is PRESS (i.e. “newspaper”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “a lot of”) and the remainder followed by CRIB (i.e. “copy”) and E (i.e. “editor’s first” letter), like so: PRES-CRIB-E.

10. Attention was curtailed by problem in hearing? (6)

Answer: EARWAX (i.e. “problem in hearing”). Solution is EAR (i.e. “attention”) followed by WAS once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “curtailed”), then X (i.e. “by”, i.e. the multiplication symbol), like so: EAR-WA-X.

11. Broadway show using thematic lilt in a new way (1,6,5,5)

Answer: A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (i.e. “Broadway show” by Stephen Sondheim). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “in a new way”) of USING THEMATIC LILT.

12. Electricity row ensnaring one party representative (11)

Answer: ELECTIONEER (i.e. “party representative”). Solution is ELEC (a recognised abbreviation of “electricity”) followed by TIER (i.e. “row”) once wrapped around or “ensnaring” ONE, like so: ELEC-TI(ONE)ER.

18. No magical individual in Hogwarts had finally brought in prohibited items (8)

Answer: SMUGGLED (i.e. “brought in prohibited items”). Solution is MUGGLE (i.e. “no magical individual” in JK Rowling’s Harry Potter books – crikey, a modern cultural reference!) placed “in” S and D (i.e. “Hogwarts had finally”, i.e. the last letters of “Hogwarts” and “had”), like so: S-(MUGGLE)-D.

20. People with an opinion about origin of conflict in mad character in spectacles (10,7)

Answer: CHATTERING CLASSES (i.e. “people with an opinion”). Solution is C (i.e. “about”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “circa”) followed by C (i.e. “origin of conflict”, i.e. the first letter of “conflict”) once placed “in” among HATTER (i.e. “mad character” of Lewis Carroll’s Alice books), IN and GLASSES (i.e. “spectacles”), like so: C-HATTER-IN-G(C)LASSES.

22. Critical comments picked up in A&E, being perceptive (6)

Answer: ASTUTE (i.e. “perceptive”). Solution is TUTS (i.e. “critical comments”) reversed (indicated by “picked up” – this being a down clue) and placed “in” A and E, like so: A-(STUT)-E.

24. A stream running through a second Texan city (8)

Answer: AMARILLO (i.e. “Texan city”). Solution is A followed by RILL (i.e. “stream”) once placed in or “through” A and MO (i.e. “second”, short for a moment), like so: A-M(A-RILL)O.

26. Passion in a lot of football teams means: “Shoot!” (4,4)

Answer: FIRE AWAY (i.e. “shoot”). Solution is FIRE (i.e. “passion”) followed by AWAY (i.e. “a lot of football teams” on a given match day).

29. Underwear I have incorporating left and right leg? I’m missing one (4,4,6)

Answer: LONG JOHN SILVER (a character from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, indicated by “leg? I’m missing one”). Solution is LONG JOHNS (i.e. “underwear”) followed by I’VE (a contraction of “I have”) once wrapped around or “incorporating” L (a recognised abbreviation of “left”). This is all then followed by R (a recognised abbreviation of “right”), like so: LONG JOHNS-I(L)’VE-R.

32. Huge number turned up, a number unspecified for delivery worker (8)

Answer: DAIRYMAN (i.e. “delivery worker”). Solution is MYRIAD (i.e. “huge number”) reversed (indicated by “turned up” – this being a down clue). This is then followed by A and N (i.e. “number unspecified” in mathematics), like so: DAIRYM-A-N.

33. Cancels credit offered in regular payments (6)

Answer: SCRUBS (i.e. “cancels”). Solution is CR (a recognised abbreviation of “credit”) placed “in” SUBS (i.e. “regular payments”, short for subscriptions), like so: S(CR)UBS.

34. China cabal disrupted a historic festivity (11)

Answer: BACCHANALIA (i.e. “historic festivity”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “disrupted”) of CHINA CABAL followed by A, like so: BACCHANALI-A.

36. Most of latest styles arranged insipidly (11)

Answer: TASTELESSLY (i.e. “insipidly”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “arranged”) of LATEST STYLES once the last letter of LATEST has been removed (indicated by “most of”).

37. Philosopher identified in girl’s account on literature (American) (10)

Answer: HERACLITUS (i.e. ancient Greek “philosopher”). Solution is HER (i.e. “girl’s”) and AC (a recognised abbreviation of “account”) followed by LIT (a recognised abbreviation of “literature”) and US (i.e. “American”). Philosophers often feature in Jumbos, enough to be a cliché. Have another demerit.

39. Best to accept new response, all the same (9)

Answer: IDENTICAL (i.e. “all the same”). Solution is IDEAL (i.e. “best”) wrapped around or “accepting” N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”) and TIC (a nervous “response”), like so: IDE(N-TIC)AL.

42. Hard alcohol’s source: Prohibition Era dance (8)

Answer: HABANERA (i.e. “dance”). Solution is H (a recognised abbreviation of “hard” used in grading pencils) followed by A (i.e. “alcohol’s source”, i.e. the first letter of “alcohol”), then BAN (i.e. “prohibition”) and ERA.

46. Five line verse scheme including half line for Arabian hero (3,4)

Answer: ALI BABA (i.e. “Arabian hero”). Solution is A-B-A-B-A (i.e. “five line verse scheme”) wrapped around or “including” LI (i.e. “half line”, specifically the first half), like so: A-(LI)-B-A-B-A.

47. Revolutionary period taking head of the old Queen, King and heads of other royals (6)

Answer: TERROR (i.e. “revolutionary period” from… guess where? Oh come on, this is The Times, it’s France of course! The Terror was a period of persecution during the French Revolution where thousands were put to the guillotine). Solution is T (i.e. “head of the”, i.e. the first letter of “the”) followed by ER (i.e. “old Queen”, specifically Elizabeth Regina), R (a recognised abbreviation of “king”, after the Latin Rex) and OR (i.e. “heads of other royals”, again the first letters of “other” and “royals”).

49. Enjoyable days disposing of core reserves? (5)

Answer: FUNDS (i.e. “reserves”). Solution is FUN (i.e. “enjoyable”) followed by DAYS once its middle letters are removed (indicated by “disposing of core”), like so: FUN-DS.

51. What indicates debt in company? This is what I believe (5)

Answer: CREDO (i.e. “this is what I believe”). Solution is RED (i.e. “what indicates debt”, as in going into the red) placed “in” CO (a recognised abbreviation of “company”), like so: C(RED)O.

52. Hot and largely scented Indian festival (4)

Answer: HOLI (i.e. “Indian festival” of colours, often celebrated with a load of powder paint being chucked around. It’s very pretty, but I’m not sure I’d like to be there when it’s happening!) Solution is H (a recognised abbreviation of “hot” used on water taps) followed by OLID (i.e. “scented”, or, as Chambers would have it, “rank-smelling”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “largely”), like so: H-OLI.

Crikey, we were on a right old tour with this week’s setter, weren’t we? Reading out all the countries referenced would be like reciting the lyrics to Yakko’s World. (I’ll let you YouTube that one.) And then there was the French. So. Much. French! It seemed barely an opportunity was missed by the setter in crowbarring un petit morceau de français into clues and solutions. I found it funny, truth be told, though it is still a massive Times crossword cliché for me. It was not for nothing that I was ragging all the Times setters for this stuff a few years ago. Not that any of that matters now, of course. 3 Jumbos to go.

Now the competition deadline has long 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 slip then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of the things. 351 of them, if I’m not mistaken.

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

LP

The case for the prosecution

Across clues

1. Fish Swedish chefs originally served in pastry dishes (6)

Answer: PISCES (i.e. “fish” in zoology). Solution is S and C (i.e. “Swedish chefs originally”, i.e. the first letters of “Swedish” and “chefs”) both placed “in” PIES (i.e. “pastry dishes”), like so: PI(SC)ES.

4. Wedding attendant married on fateful day in interwoven fabric (10)

Answer: BRIDESMAID (i.e. “wedding attendant”). Solution is M (a recognised abbreviation of “married”) placed “on” or after IDES (i.e. “fateful day” in March for Julius Caesar). These are then placed “in” BRAID (i.e. “interwoven fabric”), like so: BR(IDES-M)AID.

10. Engineers attack renovation of vessel, say (5)

Answer: REFIT (i.e. “renovation of vessel, say”). Solution is RE (i.e. “engineers”, specifically the Royal Engineers of the British Army) followed by FIT (i.e. an “attack”).

14. English reader, a Liberal, concerned with voting (9)

Answer: ELECTORAL (i.e. “concerned with voting”). Solution is E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”) followed by LECTOR (i.e. “reader”), then A and L (a recognised abbreviation of “Liberal”).

15. Top European is able to maintain a large missile launching site (4,9)

Answer: CAPE CANAVERAL (i.e. “missile launching site” – I guess this is a historic reference as I don’t think one could accurately describe spacecraft as missiles). Solution is CAP (i.e. to “top” or better someone or something) followed by E (a recognised abbreviation of “European”), then CAN (i.e. “is able to”), then AVER (i.e. to declare to be true or to “maintain”), then A and L (a recognised abbreviation of “large”).

16. Unsurpassed junior officer hiding in a tree (3-4)

Answer: ALL-TIME (i.e. “unsurpassed”). Solution is LT (i.e. “junior officer”, in this case short for “lieutenant”) placed or “hiding in” A and LIME (i.e. “tree”), like so: A-L(LT)IME.

17. Baskets of celebratory wine Charlie left out (7)

Answer: HAMPERS (i.e. “baskets”). Solution is CHAMPERS (i.e. “celebratory wine”) with the C removed (indicated by “Charlie left out” – “Charlie” being C in the phonetic alphabet).

18. Protein in connective tissue finally introduced to a German (7)

Answer: ELASTIN (i.e. “protein in connective tissue”). Solution is LAST (i.e. “finally”) placed in or “introduced to” EIN (i.e. “a German”, i.e. the German for “a”), like so: E(LAST)IN.

19. Bar, merchandise and beer container – the whole lot! (4,5,3,6)

Answer: LOCK STOCK AND BARREL (i.e. “the whole lot”). Solution is LOCK (i.e. “bar”) followed by STOCK (i.e. “merchandise”), then AND, then BARREL (i.e. “beer container”).

21. Short extra box? (4)

Answer: SPAR (i.e. “box” practise). Solution is SPARE (i.e. “extra”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “short”).

24. Tenor ultimately associated with estrangement (5)

Answer: DRIFT (i.e. gist or “tenor”). Solution is D (i.e. “ultimately associated”, i.e. the last letter of “associated”) followed by RIFT (i.e. “estrangement”).

26. Plot involving girl in South Carolina port (8)

Answer: SCENARIO (i.e. “plot”). Solution is ENA (i.e. “girl’s” name) placed “in” SC (US state abbreviation of “South Carolina”) and RIO (i.e. Brazilian “port”, Rio De Janeiro), like so: SC-(ENA)-RIO.

27. Beasts of burden carrying good, first-class light spears (8)

Answer: ASSEGAIS (i.e. “light spears”). Solution is ASSES (i.e. “beasts of burden”) wrapped around or “carrying” G (a recognised abbreviation of “good”) and AI (i.e. excellent or “first-class”, i.e. A1 with the 1 replaced by its Roman numeral equivalent), like so: ASSE(G-AI)S.

29. Abandoned Nigel calmly, though with lack of care (11)

Answer: NEGLIGENTLY (i.e. “with lack of care”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “abandoned”) of NIGEL followed by GENTLY (i.e. “calmly”), like so: NEGLI-GENTLY.

30. Dependable NHS management of unknown value? (11)

Answer: TRUSTWORTHY (i.e. “dependable”). Solution is TRUST (i.e. “NHS management”) followed by WORTH Y (playfully satisfying “of unknown value” – setters love referring to X, Y or Z in solutions as “unknowns”).

32. Blatancy of old boy and girl initially outraging American head (11)

Answer: OBVIOUSNESS (i.e. “blatancy”). Solution is OB (a recognised abbreviation of “old boy”) followed by VI (i.e. another “girl’s” name), then O (i.e. “initially outraging”, i.e. the first letter of “outraging”), then US (i.e. “American”) and NESS (i.e. promontory or “head”).

35. Lacking capacity to carry table reportedly set in stone? (11)

Answer: UNALTERABLE (i.e. “set in stone”). Solution is UNABLE (i.e. “lacking capacity”) wrapped around or “carrying” a homophone (indicated by “reportedly”) of ALTAR (i.e. “table”), like so: UN(ALTER)ABLE.

37. Example of popular fellow, civil engineer (8)

Answer: INSTANCE (i.e. “example”). Solution is IN (i.e. “popular”) followed by STAN (i.e. “fellow”, a man’s name this time), then CE (a recognised abbreviation of “civil engineer”).

39. Pertinent, rejecting a gang leader’s suggestion (8)

Answer: PROPOSAL (i.e. “suggestion”). Solution is APROPOS (i.e. “pertinent”) with the A removed (indicated by “rejecting a”) and the remainder followed by AL Capone (i.e. “gang leader”), like so: PROPOS-AL.

40. Flower starts to look inferior, nibbled by sheep (5)

Answer: TULIP (i.e. “flower”). Solution is LI (i.e. “starts to look inferior”, i.e. the first letters of “look” and “inferior”) placed in or “nibbled by” TUP (i.e. a ram or “sheep” – we’ve seen this loads of times in recent Jumbos), like so: TU(LI)P.

43. House acceptable for a literary pirate (4)

Answer: HOOK (i.e. “literary pirate” from JM Barrie’s Peter Pan). Solution is HO (a recognised abbreviation of “house”) followed by OK (i.e. “acceptable”).

44. Glorify oneself – with a fanfare, perhaps? (4,4,3,7)

Answer: BLOW ONE’S OWN TRUMPET. Solution satisfies “glorify oneself”. The remainder of the clue plays on “fanfares” of TRUMPETS. You get the idea.

47. Imposing building, or small one in opera? (7)

Answer: MANSION (i.e. “imposing building”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) and I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) both placed “in” MANON (i.e. an “opera”) like so: MAN(SI)ON. I must say Wikipedia’s overview of MANON quickly decided which demerit ought to apply here: “Manon is an opéra comique in five acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Henri Meilhac and Philippe Gille, based on the 1731 novel L’histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut by the Abbé Prévost.” Mon dieu!

48. Most obtrusive yobbo taking in some of the French (7)

Answer: LOUDEST (i.e. “most obtrusive”). Solution is LOUT (i.e. “yobbo”) wrapped around or “taking in” DES (i.e. “some of the French”, i.e. the French for “some”), like so: LOU(DES)T. Another look-in for the French, I see.

50. Time and motive for lese-majesty (7)

Answer: TREASON (i.e. “lese-majesty” – a French phrase, eh? Noted). Solution is T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”) followed by REASON (i.e. “motive”).

51. Old Europeans vet hols, we hear, touring capital city (13)

Answer: CZECHOSLOVAKS (i.e. “old Europeans” – Czechoslovakia was dissolved following the Velvet Revolution of 1989, eventually splitting into the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic at the start of 1993). Solution is homophones of CHECK (i.e. to “vet” or screen) and VACS (i.e. “hols” – I was sceptical of this given the pronunciation of “vacation”, but Chambers seems to back it up. I’m still not convinced) wrapped around or “touring” OSLO (i.e. “capital city” of Norway), like so: CZECH-(OSLO)-VAKS.

52. Frenchman’s to go inside container to meet a dancer (9)

Answer: BALLERINA (i.e. “dancer”). Solution is ALLER (i.e. “Frenchman’s to go”, i.e. the French for “to go”) placed “inside” BIN (i.e. “container”) and A, like so: B(ALLER)IN-A. French again? Pining for Provence, eh, setter?

53. Feeble wife quietly dislodged by cat (5)

Answer: WUSSY (i.e. “feeble”). Solution is W (a recognised abbreviation of “wife”) followed by PUSSY (i.e. “cat”) once the P has been removed (indicated by “quietly dislodged” – P being a recognised abbreviation of “piano” or quiet in musical lingo), like so: W-USSY.

54. They expand a detective’s offers (10)

Answer: DISTENDERS (i.e. “they expand”). Solution is DI’S (i.e. “detective’s”, specifically a Detective Inspector made possessive) followed by TENDERS (i.e. “offers”).

55. Thin and emaciated male bore (6)

Answer: MEAGRE (i.e. “thin and emaciated”). Solution is M (a recognised abbreviation of “male” followed by EAGRE (i.e. a “bore” or sudden rise in a river tide – not seen this in Jumbos for a few months).

Down clues

1. Quiet cleric was unwell, but gained mastery (9)

Answer: PREVAILED (i.e. “gained mastery”). Solution is P (a recognised abbreviation of “piano”, already covered in 53a) followed by REV (i.e. “cleric”, short for reverend) and AILED (i.e. “was unwell”).

2. That woman left without applying glossy coat (11)

Answer: SHELLACKING (i.e. “applying glossy coat”). Solution is SHE (i.e. “that woman”) followed by L (a recognised abbreviation of “left”) and LACKING (i.e. “without”).

3. Guards dismissing first of such registered competitors (7)

Answer: ENTRIES (i.e. “registered competitors”). Solution is SENTRIES (i.e. “guards”) with the first S removed (indicated by “dismissing first of such”, i.e. the first letter of “such”).

5. Fellow encountered in rural pharmacy (5)

Answer: RALPH (i.e. “fellow’s” name, another one). “Encountered in” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: RU(RAL PH)ARMACY.

6. Study Latin with new intake, penning a factual film (11)

Answer: DOCUMENTARY (i.e. “factual film”). Solution is DO (i.e. “study”, as in “I’m having to do French because of this week’s setter”) followed by CUM (i.e. “Latin with”, i.e. the Latin for “with”) and ENTRY (i.e. “new intake”) once wrapped around or “penning” A, like so: DO-CUM-ENT(A)RY. There’s an entire crossword in the main paper for Latin wonks, for goodness sake. Have a classics demerit.

7. Boss regularly met priest reforming a participant in massacre (11)

Answer: SEPTEMBRIST (i.e. “participant in massacre”, referring to “a participant in the September massacres of royalist prisoners in Paris, 2-7 September 1792”. French again, eh, setter? This is getting to be rather funny now). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “reforming”) of BS (i.e. “boss regularly”, i.e. every other letter of BOSS) and MET PRIEST.

8. A northern church’s attempt to establish roots (8)

Answer: ANCESTRY (i.e. “roots”). Solution is A followed by N (a recognised abbreviation of “northern”), then CE’S (i.e. “church’s”, specifically Church of England made possessive), then TRY (i.e. “attempt”).

9. Information found in sandhills on south Kent headland (9)

Answer: DUNGENESS (i.e. “Kent headland”). Solution is GEN (i.e. “information”) placed or “found in” DUNES (i.e. “sandhills”) and S (a recognised abbreviation of “south”), like so: DUN(GEN)ES-S.

10. Expose girl with article in both hands (6)

Answer: REVEAL (i.e. “expose”). Solution is EVE (i.e. yet another “girl’s” name) and A (an “article”, being a word like a, an or the) both placed “in” R and L (i.e. “both hands”, being recognised abbreviations of “right” and “left” respectively), like so: R-(EVE-A)-L.

11. Warning to top politician – a way to get supporter on board (11)

Answer: FORETOPMAST (i.e. “supporter on board” a ship). Solution is FORE (i.e. “warning” on a golf course) followed by TO, then PM (i.e. “top politician”, specifically a Prime Minister), then A and ST (i.e. “way”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of a “street”).

12. Heavyweight holding almost all remaining cards (5)

Answer: TALON (i.e. “remaining cards” or those not dealt, sometimes called the “stock” – one I remembered from its previous appearance in an age-old Jumbo. Weird how some things stick). Solution is TON (i.e. “heavyweight”) wrapped around ALL once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “almost”), like so: T(AL)ON.

13. Severity of poor European singers entertaining you in Paris (12)

Answer: GRIEVOUSNESS (i.e. “severity”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “poor”) of E (a recognised abbreviation of “European”) and SINGERS all wrapped around or “entertaining” VOUS (i.e. “you in Paris”, i.e. the French for “you”), like so: GRIE(VOUS)NESS. Oh-la-la, yet more French!

20. King meets newsman bringing in unknown old coin (8)

Answer: KREUTZER (i.e. “old coin”, specifically “any of various former copper coins of Austria, S Germany, etc, one hundredth of the florin or gulden” (Chambers), apparently derived from the German for “cross”, as such coins were stamped with them). Solution is K (a recognised abbreviation of “king” used in chess) followed by Paul REUTER (i.e. “newsman”, founder of the Reuters news agency) once wrapped around or “bringing in” Z (i.e. “unknown” – setters love calling X, Y or Z in solutions as unknowns), like so: K-REUT(Z)ER. Well, at least it wasn’t French, eh?

22. Change form of extremely rare historical writing implement (7)

Answer: RESTYLE (i.e. “change form”). Solution is RE (i.e. “extremely rare”, i.e. the first and last letters of “rare”) followed by STYLE (i.e. “historical writing implement” used for writing on wax tablets).

23. US politician in rally runs into moggy (8)

Answer: DEMOCRAT (i.e. “US politician”). Solution is DEMO (i.e. “rally”, short for demonstration) followed by R (a recognised abbreviation of “runs” used in a number of ball games) once placed “into” CAT (i.e. “moggy”), like so: DEMO-C(R)AT.

25. Stumble over young chap climbing, having three feet (8)

Answer: TRIPODAL (i.e. “having three feet”). Solution is TRIP (i.e. “stumble”) followed by O (a recognised abbreviation of “over” used in cricket) and LAD (i.e. “young chap”) once reversed (indicated by “climbing” – this being a down clue), like so: TRIP-O-DAL.

28. Dog and donkey primarily obsessed with crested bird (8)

Answer: CURASSOW (i.e. a turkey-like “crested bird” from South America). Solution is CUR (i.e. “dog”) followed by ASS (i.e. “donkey”), then O (i.e. “primarily obsessed”, i.e. the first letter of “obsessed”) and W (a recognised abbreviation of “with”).

29. Characters in Borneo lithographing stone implement (7)

Answer: NEOLITH (i.e. “stone implement” from the later Stone Age). “Characters in” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: BOR(NEO LITH)OGRAPHING.

31. Chitchat of abstainer in old hat story Times breaks (6-6)

Answer: TITTLE-TATTLE (i.e. “chitchat”). Solution is TT (i.e. “abstainer”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of a teetotaller) placed “in” TILE (i.e. “old hat”, specifically a slang term for a hat – I guess “old” infers this is an archaic slang word, but Chambers doesn’t back this up). This is then followed by TALE once wrapped around or “broken” by T and T (i.e. both “times”, ignoring the misleading capitalisation – T is a recognised abbreviation of “time”), like so: TI(TT)LE-TA(TT)LE.

33. Noblewoman representing vet’s cousins (11)

Answer: VISCOUNTESS (i.e. “noblewoman”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “representing”) of VET’S COUSINS.

34. Constrict great aunts travelling across lake (11)

Answer: STRANGULATE (i.e. “constrict”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “travelling”) of GREAT AUNTS wrapped around or placed “across” L (a recognised abbreviation of “lake”), like so: STRANGU(L)ATE.

35. Owned by no one – but not crazed (11)

Answer: UNPOSSESSED. Solution satisfies “owned by no one” and “not crazed”. Chambers doesn’t really back up the latter, but another dictionary might.

36. Fellow given appointment working for advertisers (11)

Answer: BILLPOSTING (i.e. being in the employment of or “working for advertisers”). Solution is BILL (i.e. “fellow’s” name) followed by POSTING (i.e. “appointment”).

38. Stop one’s free land eventually being occupied (9)

Answer: COLONISED (i.e. “occupied”). Solution is COLON (i.e. punctuation “stop”) followed by I’S (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one” made possessive), then E and D (i.e. “free land eventually”, i.e. the last letters of “free” and “land”).

41. Ruler’s earthenware vessel in French gallery (9)

Answer: POTENTATE (i.e. “ruler”). Solution is POT (i.e. “earthenware”) followed by EN (i.e. “in French”, i.e. the French for “in”) and TATE (i.e. famous art “gallery”). Blimey, I’d nearly forgotten this week’s setter’s bonk-on for the French it had been so long.

42. Birds farm animals observed crossing barrier (8)

Answer: SWALLOWS (i.e. “birds”). Solution is SOWS (i.e. “farm animals”, female pigs) wrapped around or “crossing” WALL (i.e. “barrier”), like so: S(WALL)OWS.

43. Stringed instrument from our country the Spanish at last gave the French (7)

Answer: UKELELE (i.e. “stringed instrument”). Solution is UK (i.e. “our country”, the United Kingdom, The Times being a British newspaper) followed by EL (i.e. “the Spanish”, i.e. the Spanish for “the”), then E (i.e. “at last gave”, i.e. the last letter of “gave”) and LE (i.e. “the French”, i.e. the “French” for “the”). I know there’s Spanish in there too, but I’m having too much fun picking up the setter’s comical predilection for our Gallic chums.

46. In Berlin I invested in trains – lavishly! (6)

Answer: RICHLY (i.e. “lavishly”). Solution is ICH (i.e. “in Berlin I”, i.e. the German for “I”) placed “in” RLY (i.e. “trains”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of a “railway”), like so: R(ICH)LY.

47. Parrot beginning to make a crow’s sound (5)

Answer: MACAW (i.e. “parrot”). Solution is M (i.e. “beginning to make”, i.e. the first letter of “make”) followed by A and CAW (i.e. “crow’s sound”).

49. Container finally made for King Edward? (5)

Answer: TUBER (i.e. “King Edward”, a TUBER being a potato). Solution is TUB (i.e. “container”) followed by E and R (i.e. “finally made for”, i.e. the last letters of “made” and “for”).