Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1702

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.