Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword 1704

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.