A medium strength Jumbo this week with a handful of spicy clues to liven up proceedings. A few recent repeats spoiled things a little, but overall this was a pretty good run-out.

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 you over a barrel 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 the warm words and input. It’s always interesting to hear the thoughts and opinions of other solvers once they’ve set down their pens. Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

FBV (French-By-Volume): 1.7%
suitable for consumption by minors under adult supervision

Across clues

1. Practical, say, and grand item for a picnic? (4-6,3)

Answer: HARD-BOILED EGG (i.e. “item for a picnic”). Solution is HARD-BOILED (i.e. “practical”) followed by EG (i.e. “say” or for example) and G (a recognised abbreviation of “grand”).

8. Preserved fruit succeeded best after upper-class fish (9)

Answer: SUGARPLUM (i.e. “preserved fruit”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “succeeded”) followed by PLUM (i.e. “best”) once placed “after” U (a recognised abbreviation of the “upper-class”) and GAR (a variety of “fish”), like so: S-(U-GAR)-PLUM.

13. Regret including English verse in entertainment (5)

Answer: REVUE (i.e. “entertainment”). Solution is RUE (i.e. “regret”) wrapped around or “including” E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”) and V (ditto “verse”), like so: R(E-V)UE.

14. Vegetable cooked, stew and pâté too (5,6)

Answer: SWEET POTATO (i.e. “vegetable”). “Cooked” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of STEW and PÂTÉ TOO.

15. Sectarian going back to Gibraltar (5)

Answer: BIGOT (i.e. “sectarian”). Solution is TO and GIB (informally short for “Gibraltar”) all reversed (indicated by “going back”), like so: BIG-OT.

16. Firm depressed about the empty fleet (9)

Answer: STEADFAST (i.e. “firm”). Solution is SAD (i.e. “depressed”) wrapped “about” TE (i.e. “the empty”, i.e. the word “the” with its middle letter missing) and followed by FAST (i.e. “fleet”), like so: S(TE)AD-FAST.

17. Long walk of trees reduced by two kilometres (4)

Answer: TREK (i.e. “long walk”). Solution is TREES with the last two letters removed (indicated by “reduced by two”) and the remainder followed by K (a recognised abbreviation of “kilometres”), like so: TRE-K.

18. Character backed in Times broadcast point-by-point (8)

Answer: SERIATIM (i.e. “point-by-point”). Solution is AIR (i.e. manner or “character”) reversed (indicated by “backed”) and placed “in” an anagram (indicated by “broadcast”) of TIMES, like so: SE(RIA)TIM. The mechanics of the clue were fairly obvious, but this took a brute force of my Chambers to nail it.

20. Fount of some Indo-European languages (6)

Answer: ITALIC. Solution satisfies “fount” or typeface, and “of some Indo-European languages”. Chambers offers “a branch of Indo-European usually considered to comprise Oscan, Umbrian, Latin and related languages, but sometimes applied to either the Latin group or the Osco-Umbrian group alone”, if any of that helps.

21. Cook’s staple grain has to lessen – evidence daily (11,5)

Answer: GREASEPROOF PAPER (i.e. “cook’s staple”). Solution is GR (a recognised abbreviation of “grain”, I believe relating to the weight measurement) followed by EASE (i.e. “to lessen”), then PROOF (i.e. “evidence”) and PAPER (i.e. “daily”).

24. I left after a month in London mostly – one can smell it (6,3)

Answer: ALMOND OIL (i.e. “one can smell it”). Solution is I and L (a recognised abbreviation of “left”) both placed “after” A and M (a recognised abbreviation of “month”) once the latter has been placed “in” LONDON after its last letter has been removed (indicated by “mostly”), like so: (A-L(M)ONDO)-I-L.

26. Woman’s horse mostly about without a warming cover (7)

Answer: EARFLAP (i.e. “warming cover”). Solution is PALFREY (i.e. “woman’s horse”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “mostly”) and the remainder reversed (indicated by “about”) and wrapped around or placed “without” A, like so: E(A)RFLAP.

27. Keep mum putting horse into Japanese dish? I disappeared (5)

Answer: SHUSH (i.e. “keep mum”). Solution is H (i.e. “horse”, both slang for heroin) placed “into” SUSHI (i.e. “Japanese dish”) once the I has been removed (indicated by “I disappeared”), like so: S(H)USH-I.

29. City hospital has money given by one small company (3,9)

Answer: SAN FRANCISCO (i.e. “city”). Solution is SAN (i.e. “hospital” – san is short for a sanatorium) followed by FRANC (i.e. “money”), then I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), then S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) and CO (i.e. “company”).

31. Petitions to take in interrupting candidates (10)

Answer: ENTREATIES (i.e. “petitions”). Solution is EAT (i.e. “to take in”) placed in or “interrupting” ENTRIES (i.e. “candidates”), like so: ENTR(EAT)IES.

33. Worker in bacon factory, possibly one who walks around (10)

Answer: BACKPACKER (i.e. “one who walks around”). When written as BACK PACKER the solution playfully satisfies “worker in bacon factory, possibly” – bacon is sourced from the back (and sides) of a pig.

35. Disagreeable hour with insomnia, tossing and turning (12)

Answer: INHARMONIOUS (i.e. “disagreeable”). “Tossing and turning” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of HOUR and INSOMNIA. Nicely worked.

38. Regular time for game, say (5)

Answer: EVENT (i.e. “game, say” – other flavours of event are available). Solution is EVEN (i.e. “regular”) followed by T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”).

39. National day’s abolished by prime minister (7)

Answer: ISRAELI (i.e. “national”). Solution is Benjamin DISRAELI (i.e. 19th century “prime minister”) with the D (a recognised abbreviation of “day”) removed or “abolished”. After my comment in grid 1595 a couple of months ago I can only conclude that intensive research into alternative clues for ISRAELI/DISRAELI continues. Godspeed, setters. We know you’ll crack it eventually.

40. Chap from Maggot island (9)

Answer: GENTLEMAN (i.e. “chap”). Solution is GENTLE (a kind of “maggot” used as bait) followed by MAN (i.e. “island”, specifically the Isle of Man).

42. Get better small pie once again with tea, perhaps (4,4,1,3,4)

Answer: TURN OVER A NEW LEAF (i.e. “get better”). Solution is TURNOVER (i.e. “small pie”) followed by ANEW (i.e. “once again”) and LEAF (i.e. “tea, perhaps”).

44. Savoury pastry from Greek island area (6)

Answer: SAMOSA (i.e. “savoury pastry”). Solution is SAMOS (i.e. “Greek island”) followed by A (a recognised abbreviation of “area”).

47. Tasty food doctor and men backed in eastern lands (8)

Answer: AMBROSIA (i.e. “tasty food” of the Greek gods). Solution is MB (i.e. “doctor”, specifically a Bachelor of Medicine or Medicinae Baccalaureus) and OR (i.e. “men”, specifically the Other Ranks of the British Army) once the latter has been reversed (indicated by “backed”). These are both then placed “in” ASIA (i.e. “eastern lands”), like so: A(MB-RO)SIA.

49. Just show decent objective (4)

Answer: FAIR. A quadruple-header, this, satisfying “just”, “show”, “decent” and “objective”.

50. At the moment doctor is in to examine blockage during cold (9)

Answer: SNOWDRIFT (i.e. “blockage during cold”). Solution is NOW (i.e. “at the moment”) and DR (a recognised abbreviation of “doctor”) both placed “in” SIFT (i.e. “to examine”), like so: S(NOW-DR)IFT.

52. Only partial certitude over measurement for solution (5)

Answer: TITRE (i.e. “measurement for (chemical) solution”). “Only partial” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, while “over” indicates the solution has been reversed, like so: C(ERTIT)UDE.

53. Land plot held by church as a protection for horses (11)

Answer: SADDLECLOTH (i.e. “protection for horses”). Solution is SADDLE (i.e. to “land” someone with) followed by LOT (i.e. “plot” of land) once placed in or “held by” CH (a recognised abbreviation of “church”), like so: SADDLE-C(LOT)H.

54. Certainly a pious creature (5)

Answer: OKAPI (i.e. “creature”, and friend of crossword setters everywhere). Solution is OK (i.e. “sure”, both forms of assent) followed by A and PI (short for “pious”).

55. Somehow never once get together again (9)

Answer: RECONVENE (i.e. “get together again”). “Somehow” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of NEVER ONCE.

56. Celebration deserving wild dancing (6,7)

Answer: SILVER WEDDING (i.e. “celebration”). “Dancing” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of DESERVING WILD.

Down clues

1. Emperor surrendering to mother around S Honshu city (9)

Answer: HIROSHIMA (i.e. “Honshu city”). Solution is HIROHITO (Japanese “Emperor” of the 20th Century) with the TO removed (indicated by “surrendering to”) and the remainder followed by MA (i.e. “mother”). This is all then wrapped “around” S, like so: HIRO(S)HI-MA.

2. I arrive to be treated in coastal resort area (7)

Answer: RIVIERA (i.e. “coastal resort area”). “To be treated” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of I ARRIVE.

3. Bureau initially study wife with secret source of family income (11)

Answer: BREADWINNER (i.e. “source of family income”). Solution is B (i.e. “bureau initially”, i.e. the first letter of “bureau”) followed by READ (i.e. “study”), then W (a recognised abbreviation of “wife”) and INNER (i.e. “secret”).

4. Popular and well-known form if insect (6)

Answer: INSTAR (i.e. “form of insect” between moult and moult (Chambers) – I’m still none the wiser). Solution is IN (i.e. “popular”) followed by STAR (i.e. “well-known”, as in a star turn).

5. Elite exam for type of college in the US (9)

Answer: ELECTORAL (i.e. “type of college in the US”). Solution is ELECT (i.e. “elite”) followed by ORAL (i.e. “exam”).

6. Where to seek property, position in life and power (6,6)

Answer: ESTATE AGENCY (i.e. “where to seek property”). Solution is ESTATE (i.e. rank or “position in life”) followed by AGENCY (i.e. instrumentality, operation or “power”).

7. Unwelcome character of slime on outside of stale fish egg (10)

Answer: GOOSEBERRY (i.e. “unwelcome character”). Solution is GOO (i.e. “slime”) followed by SE (i.e. “outside of slate”, i.e. the first and last letters of “slate”), then BERRY (i.e. “fish egg” – a new one on me, this is “a lobster’s or crayfish’s egg” (Chambers)).

8. Thoroughly water small tree (4)

Answer: SOAK (i.e. “thoroughly water”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) followed by OAK (i.e. “tree”).

9. Key? Really like remark about role for car locker (5,11)

Answer: GLOVE COMPARTMENT (i.e. “car locker”, or, rather, a locker found in a car’s dashboard). Solution is G (i.e. musical “key”) followed by LOVE (i.e. “really like”), then COMMENT (i.e. “remark”) once placed “about” PART (i.e. “role”), like so: G-LOVE-COM(PART)MENT.

10. Some headline-grabbing religious leader (5)

Answer: RABBI (i.e. “religious leader”). “Some” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: HEADLINE-G(RABBI)NG.

11. Look suddenly pleased to start smoking (5,2)

Answer: LIGHT UP. Solution satisfies “look suddenly pleased” and “start smoking”.

12. Swap round rooms with shipmate for a change (13)

Answer: METAMORPHOSIS (i.e. “a change”). “Swap round” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of ROOMS and SHIPMATE.

19. Land in kraals is redistributed (3,5)

Answer: SRI LANKA (i.e. “land” or country). “Is redistributed” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of IN KRAALS.

22. Brief infatuation with a Turkish officer (5)

Answer: PASHA (i.e. “Turkish officer”). Solution is PASH (i.e. “brief infatuation”, i.e. an informal abbreviation of “passion”) followed by A. A recent repeat, like ISRAELI/DISRAELI, making this a much easier get.

23. Link one old solider with children and vital support system (10,6)

Answer: CONNECTIVE TISSUE (i.e. “vital support system”). Solution is CONNECT (i.e. “link”) followed by I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), then VET (i.e. “old soldier”, short for veteran) and ISSUE (i.e. “children”).

25. Seeing glass has blemish around company name when held up (7)

Answer: MONOCLE (i.e. “seeing glass”). Solution is MOLE (i.e. “blemish”) wrapped “around” CO (a recognised abbreviation of “company”) and N (ditto “name”) once these have been reversed (indicated by “held up” – this being a down clue), like so: MO(N-OC)LE.

28. Regular follower of tango (7)

Answer: UNIFORM (i.e. “regular”). The rest of the clue plays on the phonetic alphabet, where “Tango” for T is “followed” by UNIFORM for U.

29. Topic for debate likely to be affected by business (7,6)

Answer: SUBJECT MATTER (i.e. “topic for debate”). Solution is SUBJECT to (i.e. “likely to be affected by”) followed by MATTER (i.e. “business”).

30. Neapolitan, perhaps, in charge of European elite (3,5)

Answer: ICE CREAM (i.e. “Neapolitan, perhaps”). Solution is IC (a recognised abbreviation of “In charge”) followed by E (ditto “European”) and CREAM (i.e. “elite”).

32. Organised call in a trice concerning attitude of militant atheist? (12)

Answer: ANTICLERICAL (i.e. “concerning attitude of militant atheist”). “Organised” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of CALL IN A TRICE.

34. Courtyard just right for the occasion with current circle (5)

Answer: PATIO (i.e. “courtyard”). Solution is PAT (i.e. “just right for the occasion”) followed by I (a recognised abbreviation of an electrical “current” used in physics) and O (i.e. “circle”).

36. Greek character left country unoccupied and without legal force (4,3,4)

Answer: NULL AND VOID (i.e. “without legal force”). Solution is NU (i.e. “Greek character”, specifically the thirteenth letter of the Greek alphabet) followed by L (a recognised abbreviation of “left”), then LAND (i.e. “country”) and VOID (i.e. “unoccupied”).

37. A new rebel’s meddled with sources of power (10)

Answer: RENEWABLES (i.e. “sources of power”). “Meddled with” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of A NEW REBEL’S.

40. Good young men with character could make prime minister (9)

Answer: William GLADSTONE (i.e. 19th century “prime minister”). Solution is G (a recognised abbreviation of “good”) followed by LADS (i.e. “young men”) and TONE (i.e. “character”).

41. New reason for lightning rods just avoided catastrophe (4,5)

Answer: NEAR THING (i.e. “just avoided catastrophe”). Solution is N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”) followed by EARTHING (i.e. “reason for lightning rods”).

43. Plunder old heart from mortician making up stiff (7)

Answer: ROBOTIC (i.e. “stiff”). Solution is ROB (i.e. “plunder”) followed by O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”), then TIC (i.e. “heart from mortician”, i.e. the middle letters of “mortician”).

45. What gets sheets folded at first shortly before friend appears (7)

Answer: ORIGAMI (i.e. “what gets sheets folded”). Solution is ORIG (a recognised abbreviation of “originally”, i.e. “at first shortly”) followed by AMI (i.e. “friend”, from the French so you know what that means…)

46. Food over with for restaurant diner not turning up (2-4)

Answer: NO-SHOW (i.e. “diner not turning-up”). Solution is NOSH (i.e. “food”) followed by O (a recognised abbreviation of “over” used in cricket) and W (a recognised abbreviation of “with”).

48. Ulysses chronicler’s no judge and unknown in the main (5)

Answer: OCEAN (i.e. “the main” or the sea). Solution is JOYCEAN (i.e. “Ulysses chronicler’s”, i.e. of James JOYCE) with the J removed (indicated by “no judge” – J being a recognised abbreviation of “judge”) and the Y also removed (indicated by “no…unknown” – setters love referring to X, Y or Z in solutions as unknowns), like so: (J)O(Y)CEAN => OCEAN.

51. Unoccupied island, mined finally for sulphur (4)

Answer: IDLE (i.e. “unoccupied”). Solution is ISLE (i.e. “island”) with the D (i.e. “mined finally”, i.e. the last letter of “mined”) swapped “for” S (chemical element of “sulphur”), like so: I(S)LE => I(D)LE.

A toughie this week. I’d have probably been less forgiving had I wrote this up yesterday. In the (mercifully warmer) light of day, this wasn’t too bad. Except for GRAPPELLI. He can still do one.

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 screaming habdabs 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 the kind words and input. It’s always interesting to hear the thoughts of fellow solvers once they’ve set down their pens. Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

FBV (French-By-Volume): 3.2%

Across clues

1. Most swimming in the sea is something infernal (9)

Answer: BRIMSTONE (i.e. “something infernal”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “swimming”) of MOST placed “in” BRINE (i.e. “the sea”), like so: BRI(MSTO)NE.

6. Likely to don French priest collar (7)

Answer: CAPTURE (i.e. to “collar”). Solution is APT (i.e. “likely” – Stephen King makes frequent use of the phrase “apt to” in his work; perhaps this was what led to him being outed as Richard Bachman all those years ago) placed in or “donning” CURÉ (i.e. “French priest”), like so: C(APT)URÉ. An early showing of the French this week.

10. Picked up lolly in store (5)

Answer: CACHE (i.e. “store”). “Picked up” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of CASH (i.e. “lolly”, slang thereof).

13. Champ is defeated, punched by one with a cataract (8,5)

Answer: VICTORIA FALLS (i.e. “cataract” – its chief definition in Chambers is a waterfall). Solution is VICTOR (i.e. “champ”) and FALLS (i.e. “is defeated”) wrapped around or “punched by” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and A, like so: VICTOR-(I-A)-FALLS.

14. Backtracking Liverpool player admits slipping, whence shot comes (9)

Answer: DERRINGER (i.e. a variety of pistol, i.e. “whence shot comes”). Solution is RED (i.e. “Liverpool player”) reversed (indicated by “backtracking”) and wrapped around or “admitting” ERRING (i.e. “slipping”), like so: D(ERRING)ER.

15. Fast worker in post office put on uniform (2-5)

Answer: UP-TEMPO (i.e. “fast”). Solution is TEMP (i.e. “worker”) placed “in” PO (a recognised abbreviation of “post office”). This is all then placed “on” or after U (“uniform” in the phonetic alphabet), like so: U-(P(TEMP)O)

16. Someone jumping in African river, as some say (7)

Answer: VAULTER (i.e. “someone jumping”). “As some say” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of VOLTA (i.e. “African river”).

17. Shell of iron present where van is (2,5)

Answer: IN FRONT (i.e. “where van is” – “van” being a shortened form of “vanguard”). Solution is IN (i.e. “shell of iron”, i.e. the first and last letters of “iron”) followed by FRONT (i.e. to “present”, e.g. a TV show).

18. All there is on guys brought in to make fertiliser (6,6)

Answer: COMPOS MENTIS (i.e. sane or “all there”). Solution is IS placed “on” or after MEN (i.e. “guys”) once this has been “brought in” COMPOST (i.e. “to make fertiliser”), like so: COMPOS(MEN)T-IS.

20. Holding run, instigate competition – it’s refreshing for an equestrian (7,3)

Answer: STIRRUP CUP (i.e. “it’s refreshing for an equestrian” – Chambers offers: “a drink taken on horseback on departing”). Solution is STIR UP (i.e. “instigate”) placed around or “holding” R (a recognised abbreviation of “run” used in a number of ball games) and followed by CUP (i.e. “competition”), like so: (STIR-(R)-UP)-CUP.

23. Car brand, not Rover or Sierra? (5)

Answer: RANGE (i.e. “sierra” – ignore the misleading capitalisation). Solution is RANGE ROVER (i.e. “car brand”) once the ROVER has been removed (indicated by “not Rover”).

24. Maybe Winter’s Tale’s opening by mediocre poet (9)

Answer: TRIMESTER (i.e. an academic term of three months, i.e. “maybe winter” – again, ignoring the formatting of the text). Solution is T (i.e. “tale’s opening”, i.e. the first letter of “tale”) followed by RIMESTER (i.e. “mediocre poet” – RIME is an archaic spelling of RHYME).

25. Forbidding learner to hold article of bone (7)

Answer: STERNAL (i.e. ” of bone”, specifically the sternum). Solution is STERN (i.e. “forbidding”) and L (a recognised abbreviation of “learner”, e.g. on L-plates) wrapped around or “holding” A (i.e. “article”, being a word like a, an or the), like so: STERN-(A)-L.

26. Refused to pay fare, working with boss at Times? (11)

Answer: DISHONOURED (i.e. “refused to pay”). Solution is DISH (i.e. food or “fare”) followed by ON (i.e. “working”) and OUR ED (i.e. “boss at Times”, from the point of view of the setter, ED being a shortened form of “editor”).

28. Carrying on again after pressure, showing arrogance (11)

Answer: PRESUMPTION (i.e. “arrogance”). Solution is RESUMPTION (i.e. “carrying on again”) placed “after” P (a recognised abbreviation of “pressure”), like so: P-RESUMPTION.

30. Where fuel’s kept in US state around old sink (4,7)

Answer: COAL SCUTTLE (i.e. “where fuel’s kept”). Solution is CAL (i.e. “US state”, short for California) wrapped “around” O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) and followed by SCUTTLE (i.e. to “sink” a ship), like so: C(O)AL-SCUTTLE.

32. E.g. blogger rebuked about initially losing face in campaign (6,5)

Answer: POSTER CHILD (i.e. “face in campaign”). Solution is POSTER (i.e. “e.g. blogger”) followed by CHID (i.e. “rebuked”) once wrapped “about” L (i.e. “initially losing”, i.e. the first letter of “losing”), like so: POSTER-CHI(L)D.

34. Distance is maintained in hotels of a very bad nature (7)

Answer: HELLISH (i.e. “of a very bad nature”). Solution is ELL (i.e. “distance”, “a varying measure of length originally taken from the arm” (Chambers)) and IS placed in or “maintained in” H and H (i.e. “hotels” – H is “hotel” in the phonetic alphabet), like so: H-(ELL-IS)-H.

36. Green car bagged by this person in kind of trade (1-8)

Answer: E-COMMERCE (i.e. “kind of trade”). Solution is ECO (i.e. “green”) followed by MERC (i.e. “car” brand, short for Mercedes) once placed in or “bagged by” ME (i.e. “this person”, from the point of view of the setter), like so: ECO-M(MERC)E.

38. Pose by American location (5)

Answer: SITUS (i.e. “location”). Solution is SIT (i.e. “pose”) followed by US (i.e. “American”).

39. Crawling about before game of cards (2,3,5)

Answer: ON ALL FOURS (i.e. “crawling”). Solution is ON (i.e. regarding or “about”) followed by ALL FOURS (i.e. a “game of cards”).

41. Inherit income? Saving pounds, start to work (4,4,4)

Answer: COME INTO PLAY (i.e. “start to work”). Solution is COME INTO (i.e. “inherit”) followed by PAY (i.e. “income”) once wrapped around or “saving” L (a recognised abbreviation of “pounds” of weight, after the Latin libra), like so: COME-INTO-(P(L)AY).

45. Urge service on vacation, chopping wood (7)

Answer: BESEECH (i.e. “urge”). Solution is SE (i.e. “service on vacation”, i.e. the word “service” with all its middle letters removed) placed in or “chopping” BEECH (i.e. “wood”), like so: BE(SE)ECH.

46. Extra small advantage, bagging game when returning (7)

Answer: SURPLUS (i.e. “extra”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) and PLUS (i.e. “advantage”) all wrapped around or “bagging” RU (i.e. “game”, specifically Rugby Union) once reversed (indicated by “when returning”), like so: S-(UR)-PLUS.

47. Running track with area later being examined (2,5)

Answer: ON TRIAL (i.e. “being examined” in court). Solution is ON (i.e. “running”) followed by TRAIL (i.e. “track”) once the A (a recognised abbreviation of “area”) has been knocked back a notch or placed “later”, like so: ON-TR(A)IL => ON-TRI(A)L.

49. Good vocalist almost has trouble around violinist (9)

Answer: Stéphane GRAPPELLI (i.e. jazz “violinist” – no, me neither). Solution is G (a recognised abbreviation of “good”) followed by RAPPER (i.e. “vocalist”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “almost”), then ILL (i.e. “trouble”) once reversed (indicated by “around”), like so: G-RAPPE-LLI. The guy was French, so you know what that means…

50. Cult leader intoxicated media around strange site (4,9)

Answer: HIGH PRIESTESS (i.e. “cult leader”). Solution is HIGH (i.e. “intoxicated”) followed by PRESS (i.e. “media”) once wrapped “around” an anagram (indicated by “strange”) of SITE, like so: HIGH-PR(IEST)ESS.

52. Reportedly diaphanous coat is removed when people do this (5)

Answer: SHEAR (i.e. sheep’s “coat is removed when people do this”). “Reportedly” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of SHEER (i.e. “diaphanous”).

53. Boost the FBI in a case of underachievement (7)

Answer: AUGMENT (i.e. “boost”). Solution is G-MEN (slang for “the FBI”) once placed “in” A and UT (i.e. “case of underachievement”, i.e. the first and last letters of “underachievement”), like so: A-U(G-MEN)T.

54. Idiot without skill by northern Scottish town (9)

Answer: DUMBARTON (i.e. “Scottish town”). Solution is DUMBO (i.e. “idiot”) wrapped around or placed “without” ART (i.e. “skill”) and followed by N (a recognised abbreviation of “northern”), like so: DUMB(ART)O-N.

Down clues

1. Camp writer penning verse, jocular at intervals (7)

Answer: BIVOUAC (i.e. a makeshift “camp”). Solution is BIC (i.e. brand of pen or “writer”) wrapped around or “penning” V (a recognised abbreviation of “verse”) and OUA (i.e. “jocular at intervals”, i.e. every other letter of JOCULAR), like so: BI(V-OUA)C.

2. Spurs, at home, perhaps change defending pair (11)

Answer: INCITEMENTS (i.e. “spurs”). Solution is IN (i.e. “at home”) followed by CENTS (i.e. coinage or “change”) wrapped around or “defending” ITEM (i.e. “pair”), like so: IN-C(ITEM)ENTS.

3. Leader of military goes off mounting attack (5)

Answer: STORM (i.e. “attack”). Solution is M (i.e. “leader of military”, i.e. the first letter of “military”) and ROTS (i.e. “goes off”) all reversed (indicated by “mounting” – this being a down clue), like so: STOR-M.

4. Fairly elliptic poet left unfinished by schoolchildren (7)

Answer: OVIFORM (i.e. “fairly elliptic”). Solution is OVID (i.e. Roman “poet”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “left unfinished”) and the remainder followed by FORM (i.e. “schoolchildren”), like so: OVI-FORM.

5. Fabulous figure in German football team? (3)

Answer: ELF (i.e. “fabulous figure”, or thing found in fable). The remainder of the clue plays on ELF being “German” for eleven, the number of players in a “football team”.

6. Area of confinement for all to see, for dieters getting fat (9)

Answer: CELLULITE (i.e. “fat”). Solution is CELL (i.e. “area of confinement”) followed by U (i.e. the film certificate, Universal, classifying a film “for all to see”) and LITE (i.e. low in calories, i.e. “for dieters”).

7. Read on about a quiet speaker of Asian language (6)

Answer: PASHTO (i.e. “speaker of Asian language”, specifically “an official language of Afghanistan, also spoken in parts of Pakistan” (Chambers)). Solution is PTO (i.e. “read on”, short for Please Turn Over, informing readers a text continues over the page) wrapped “about” A and SH (i.e. “quiet”), like so: P(A-SH)TO. One nailed from the wordplay alone, if I’m honest.

8. About to attack course, eating dishes, asks for too little? (5,8,6)

Answer: UNDER STARTER’S ORDERS (i.e. “about to attack [race] course”). Solution is UNDER-ORDERS (i.e. “asks for too little”) wrapped around or “eating” STARTERS (i.e. “dishes”).

9. Prior is one hearing untruth, right? (7)

Answer: EARLIER (i.e. “prior”). Solution is EAR (i.e. “one hearing”) followed by LIE (i.e. “untruth”) and R (a recognised abbreviation of “right”).

10. Stylist and I cutting a lot of drink consumption (9)

Answer: COIFFEUSE (i.e. hair “stylist”). Solution is I placed in or “cutting” COFFEE (i.e. “drink”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “a lot of…”), and USE (i.e. “consumption”), like so: CO(I)FFE-USE.

11. Discerning folk go on scenic meanders round Thailand’s capital (11)

Answer: COGNOSCENTI (i.e. “discerning folk”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “meanders”) of GO ON SCENIC wrapped “round” T (i.e. “Thailand’s capital” letter), like so: COGNOSCEN(T)I.

12. One wading in water gets knocked over (5)

Answer: EGRET (i.e. a heron, or “one wading”). “In” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, while “knocked over” indicates the solution has been reversed, like so: WA(TER GE)TS.

16. Season with this very trendy feather on clothing (11,8)

Answer: VINAIGRETTE DRESSING (i.e. “season with this”). Solution is V (a recognised abbreviation of “very”) followed by IN (i.e. “trendy”), then AIGRETTE (i.e. “feather”, or egret’s plume – interesting usage so soon after 12d) and DRESSING (i.e. “clothing”). A very similar clue appeared in grid 1432, but that was nearly three years ago. Even a picky sod like me can’t grumble too much about that.

19. Heavy responsibility to save deposit up (7)

Answer: ONEROUS (i.e. “heavy”). Solution is ONUS (i.e. “responsibility”) wrapped around or “saving” ORE (i.e. “deposit”) once reversed (indicated by “up” – this being a down clue), like so: ON(ERO)US.

21. I agree to break barriers in poetry (9)

Answer: PALINODES (i.e. “poetry”, apparently ones that retract something expressed in a previous work. Must have happened a lot for it to warrant its own name in the dictionary. Never trust a poet, it seems). Solution is I and NOD (i.e. “agree”) both placed in or “breaking” PALES (i.e. “barriers” – a variant meaning of PALE is “anything that encloses or fences in” (Chambers)), like so: PAL(I-NOD)ES.

22. Maybe Judy’s losing heart, needing flipping raise! (4,2)

Answer: STEP UP (i.e. “raise”). Solution is PUPPET’S (i.e. “maybe Judy’s”, referring to Punch and Judy shows) with the middle letter removed (indicated by “losing heart”) and the remainder reversed (indicated by “flipping”).

23. Diced chard I twice cook, tossing out OK salad vegetable (9)

Answer: RADICCHIO (i.e. “salad vegetable”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “diced”) of CHARD, I and I (i.e. “I twice”), and COOK once the OK has been removed (indicated by “tossing out OK”).

24. Receiving award, move more than is sensible (3,4)

Answer: TOO MUCH (i.e. “more than is sensible”). Solution is OM (i.e. “award”, specifically the Order of Merit) placed in or “received” by TOUCH (i.e. evoke emotion or “move”), like so: TO(OM)UCH.

25. They use manoeuvres for what you get after retiring (7)

Answer: SHUTEYE (i.e. “what you get after retiring” or going to sleep). “Manoeuvres” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of THEY USE.

27. Traveller going north, full of energy and spirit (6)

Answer: DAEMON (i.e. “spirit”). Solution is NOMAD (i.e. “traveller”) reversed (indicated by “going north” – this being a down clue) and wrapped around or being “full of” E (a recognised abbreviation of “energy”), like so: DA(E)MON.

29. Idiot stopping shot, ball that’s top drawer (7)

Answer: Pablo PICASSO (i.e. “top drawer” – a matter of opinion). Solution is ASS (i.e. “idiot”) placed in or “stopping” PIC (i.e. photograph or “shot”) and O (i.e. “ball”, as in the shape of the letter O), like so: PIC-(ASS)-O.

31. No sooner keeping off drugs in post-rehabilitation condition (1,5,5)

Answer: A CLEAN SLATE (i.e. “post-rehabilitation condition”). Solution is AS LATE (i.e. “no sooner” – probably better read as “no sooner than/as late as”) wrapped around or “keeping” CLEAN (i.e. “off drugs”), like so: A(CLEAN)S-LATE.

33. Savvy, impoverished duke getting replaced by count (11)

Answer: INTELLIGENT (i.e. “savvy”). Solution is INDIGENT (i.e. “impoverished”) with the D (a recognised abbreviation of “duke”) swapped for or “replaced by” TELL (i.e. to “count” or effect in a meaningful way), like so: IN(D)IGENT => IN(TELL)IGENT.

35. Character flaw I’m going to tone down (3,6)

Answer: ILL TEMPER (i.e. “character flaw”). Solution is I’LL (i.e. “I’m going to” – a contraction of I WILL) followed by TEMPER (i.e. “to tone down”).

37. According to Spooner fool could get a second job (9)

Answer: MOONLIGHT (i.e. “get a second job”). Solution is a “Spoonerism” of LOON (i.e. “fool”) and MIGHT (i.e. “could”).

40. Tragic figure in work by essayist captivating hearts (7)

Answer: OPHELIA (i.e. “tragic figure” in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet). Solution is OP (i.e. “work”, short for “opus”) and ELIA (i.e. “essayist”, pseudonym of Charles Lamb. Again, me neither) all wrapped around or “captivating” H (a recognised abbreviation of “hearts” used in card games), like so: OP-(H)-ELIA. One for the culture vultures.

42. I heard you will get into mob, in criminal element (7)

Answer: NIOBIUM (i.e. chemical “element”). Solution is I and U, a homophone (indicated by “heard”) of “you”), both placed in an anagram (indicated by “criminal”) of MOB IN, like so: NIOB(I-U)M.

43. Old president still wrong, probed by Liberal (7)

Answer: Boris YELTSIN (i.e. “old president” of Russia). Solution is YET (i.e. “still”) and SIN (i.e. “wrong”) once wrapped around or “probed by” L (a recognised abbreviation of “Liberal”), like so: YE(L)T-SIN.

44. Boy knowing Irene superficially? (6)

Answer: ARCHIE (i.e. “boy’s” name). Solution is ARCH (i.e. shrewd or “knowing”) followed by IE (i.e. “Irene superficially”, i.e. the first and last letters of “Irene”).

45. Not Real’s coach admitting defensive blunder (5)

Answer: BOGUS (i.e. “not real”, ignoring the misleading capitalisation). Solution is BUS (i.e. “coach”) wrapped around or “admitting” OG (i.e. “defensive blunder”, or Own Goal), like so: B(OG)US.

48. Primarily operatic cast performing this? (5)

Answer: TOSCA (i.e. “this” within the context of the clue, specifically an opera by Giacomo Puccini). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “performing”) of O (i.e. “primarily operatic”, i.e. the first letter of “operatic”) and CAST.

51. I must leave music player in school (3)

Answer: POD (i.e. “school” of fish, usually whales). Solution is IPOD (i.e. “music player” – ask your parents, kids) with the I removed (indicated by “I must leave…”).

A relatively straightforward one this week. I often like the easier Jumbos but this one didn’t too much for me. The number of times I found words or the same kinds of wordplay being repeated later in the puzzle started to grate after a while. I appreciate the composition of a solution is often dictated by how the eventual clue scans, but I doubt this excuses three appearances by the Royal Engineers this week. Come on, there are dozens of ways you can get the letters RE.

Anyway, as ever 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 you jiggered then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to solutions to hundreds of the things.

Thanks again for the kind words and input. It’s always interesting to hear the thoughts of other solvers once they’ve set down their pens. Till next time, wrap up well and stay safe out there, kids.

LP

FBV (French-By-Volume): 5%

Across clues

1. Desire a name for this US passenger vehicle? (9)

Answer: STREETCAR (i.e. “US passenger vehicle”). The first part of the clue riffs on Tennessee Williams’ play A Streetcar Named Desire.

6. Two crooks accept fine, having share in major fire (13)

Answer: CONFLAGRATION (i.e. “major fire”). Solution is CON and LAG (i.e. “two crooks”, slang words thereof) wrapped around or “accepting” F (a recognised abbreviation of “fine”, used in grading pencils) and followed by RATION (i.e. “share”), like so: (CON-(F)-LAG)-RATION.

13. Originally only such types inhabited an old Italian town (5)

Answer: OSTIA (i.e. “old Italian town”). “Originally” indicates the solution comprises the initial letters of “Only”, “Such”, “Types”, “Inhabited” and “An”. Made. To. Fit.

14. Recall soldiers about to appear in film (11)

Answer: REMEMBRANCE (i.e. “recall”). Solution is RE (i.e. “soldiers”, specifically the Royal Engineers of the British Army) followed by C (i.e. “about”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “circa”) once “appearing in” MEMBRANE (i.e. “film”), like so: RE-MEMBRAN(C)E.

15. Expanse of water no container crosses easily to begin with (5)

Answer: OCEAN (i.e. “expanse of water”). Solution is O (i.e. “no” or nothing) and CAN (i.e. “container”) wrapped around or “crossing” E (i.e. “easily to begin with”, i.e. the first letter of “easily”), like so: O-C(E)AN.

16. Sadly it’s not a fine instrumental work (11)

Answer: SINFONIETTA (i.e. “instrumental work”). “Sadly” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of IT’S NOT A FINE.

17. Slimming down of care covering upper-class area (11)

Answer: ATTENUATION (i.e. “slimming down”). Solution is ATTENTION (i.e. “care”) wrapped around or “covering” U (a recognised abbreviation of the “upper class”) and A (ditto “area”), like so: ATTEN(U-A)TION.

18. Army corps loner crazy to enlist again (2-5)

Answer: RE-ENROL (i.e. “enlist again”). Solution is RE (i.e. “army corps” – our Royal Engineers again) followed by an anagram (indicated by “crazy”) of LONER.

20. Raging fury surrounding sons, I imbue with national character (7)

Answer: RUSSIFY (i.e. “imbue with national character”, specifically that of Russia). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “raging”) of FURY wrapped around or “surrounding” S and S (both a recognised abbreviation of “son”) and I, like so: RU(SS-I)FY.

21. House thus accommodating NCO briefly by island (7)

Answer: SCORPIO (i.e. “house” – signs of the zodiac are sometimes referred to as houses). Solution is SO (i.e. “thus”) wrapped around or “accommodating” CORP (i.e. “NCO” or non-commissioned officer, in this case a shortened form of corporal) and I (a recognised abbreviation of “island”), like so: S(CORP-I)O.

23. Be restless, employing briefs to protect workers, perhaps? (4,4,2,4,5)

Answer: HAVE ANTS IN ONE’S PANTS (i.e. “be restless”). The remainder of the clue plays on “briefs” being another word for PANTS, and “worker” ANTS. You get the idea.

27. Declaim regularly, being a priest (3)

Answer: ELI (i.e. a high “priest” of ancient Israel in the Book of Samuel, and a friend of crossword setters across the land). “Regularly” indicates the solution is derived from every other letter of DECLAIM.

28. Retired sick in flat, lacking colour (6)

Answer: PALLID (i.e. “lacking colour”). Solution is ILL (i.e. “sick”) reversed (indicated by “retired”) and placed “in” PAD (i.e. “flat” or apartment), like so: PA(LLI)D.

29. Weapons found in vessel carrying fruit (6)

Answer: SPEARS (i.e. “weapons”). Solution is SS (i.e. “vessel”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “steamship”) once wrapped around or “carrying” PEAR (i.e. “fruit”), like so: S(PEAR)S.

31. Showing opposition, boy enters further exam (9)

Answer: RESISTANT (i.e. “showing opposition”). Solution is STAN (i.e. “boy’s” name) placed in or “entering” RESIT (i.e. “further exam”), like so: RESI(STAN)T.

34. State’s stories connect with first of many French kings (9)

Answer: LOUISIANA (i.e. US “state”). Solution is ANA (i.e. “stories”, being “a collection of someone’s table talk or of gossip, literary anecdotes or possessions” (Chambers). Another pet word of setters) placed “with” or after LOUIS I (i.e. “first of many French kings”), like so: (LOUIS-I)-ANA.

35. Rich confection in City refuge (6)

Answer: ÉCLAIR (i.e. “rich confection”). Solution is EC (i.e. “City” of London’s postcode area, short for East Central. I’ve always considered this wordplay weak. Why aren’t other postcode areas used in this way? What marks EC for special treatment?) followed by LAIR (i.e. “refuge”).

36. Greet head of school with a plucked stringed instrument (6)

Answer: SALUTE (i.e. “greet”). Solution is S (i.e. “head of school”, i.e. the first letter of “school”) followed by A and LUTE (i.e. “plucked stringed instrument”).

39. Note about key supporter on course (3)

Answer: TEE (i.e. “supporter on [golf] course”). Solution is TE (i.e. musical “note” in sol-fa notation) wrapped “about” E (i.e. musical “key”), like so: T(E)E.

40. Get the point exactly, as woodworkers aim to do? (3,3,4,2,3,4)

Answer: HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD. Solution satisfies “get the point exactly” and “as woodworkers aim to do”.

42. Exposed star at golf, bested in performance? (7)

Answer: OUTSUNG (i.e. “bested in performance”). Solution is OUT (i.e. “exposed”) followed by SUN (i.e. “star”) and G (“golf” in the phonetic alphabet).

43. Fugitive from justice gets free at last, crossing headland (7)

Answer: ESCAPEE (i.e. “fugitive”). Solution is ESE (i.e. “justice gets free at last”, i.e. the last letters of “justice”, “gets” and “free”) wrapped around or “crossing” CAPE (i.e. “headland”), like so: ES(CAPE)E.

45. Muscle and energy shown by parish priest (7)

Answer: ERECTOR (i.e. “muscle”). Solution is E (a recognised abbreviation of “energy”) followed by RECTOR (i.e. “parish priest”).

47. Repetitious old German cavalryman backing Peron (11)

Answer: REITERATIVE (i.e. “repetitious”). Solution is REITER (i.e. “old German cavalryman” – no, me neither, but Chambers supports it) followed by EVITA (nickname of Eva “Peron”) once reversed (indicated by “backing”), like so: REITER-ATIVE.

49. Dispelling of doubt regarding life cover (11)

Answer: REASSURANCE (i.e. “dispelling of doubt”). Solution is RE (i.e. “regarding” – think email replies) followed by ASSURANCE (i.e. “life cover”).

51. It beats peas and beans and the like (5)

Answer: PULSE. Solution satisfies “it beats” (does a pulse beat, though? I would argue a pulse is the beat itself than the thing producing it) and “peas and beans and the like”.

52. Male traveller on water carrying a German from this point on (11)

Answer: HEREINAFTER (i.e. “from this point on”). Solution is HE (i.e. “male”) followed by RAFTER (i.e. “traveller on water”) once wrapped around or “carrying” EIN (i.e. “a German”, i.e. the German for “a”), like so: HE-R(EIN)AFTER.

53. Possibly active over stopping corruption (5)

Answer: VOICE (i.e. “possibly active”, referring to active voice in the dry and joyless world of grammar. An example of active voice would be “the boy kicked the ball”, while its passive voice equivalent would be “the ball was kicked by the boy”). Solution is O (a recognised abbreviation of “over” used in cricket) placed in or “stopping” VICE (i.e. “corruption”), like so: V(O)ICE.

54. Very long-lasting trees in map men distributed (13)

Answer: SEMIPERMANENT (i.e. “very long-lasting”). “Distributed” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of TREES IN MAP MEN.

55. Absolutely authority to go on fell (9)

Answer: DOWNRIGHT (i.e. “absolutely”). Solution is RIGHT (i.e. “authority”) placed “on” or after DOWN (i.e. “fell”), like so: DOWN-RIGHT.

Down clues

1. Support offspring catching plane at first, or seagoing vessel (11)

Answer: SPONSORSHIP (i.e. “support”). Solution is SONS (i.e. “offspring”) wrapped around or “catching” P (i.e. “plane at first”, i.e. the first letter of “plane”) and followed by OR, then SHIP (i.e. “seagoing vessel”), like so: S(P)ONS-OR-SHIP.

2. Train rifle finally on can in Parisian street (7)

Answer: RETINUE (i.e. a “train”). Solution is E (i.e. “rifle finally”, i.e. the last letter of “rifle”) and TIN (i.e. “can”) both placed “in” RUE (i.e. “Parisian street”), like so: R(E-TIN)UE.

3. In Homer a towering source of inspiration (5)

Answer: ERATO (i.e. “source of inspiration”, being one of the nine Muses of Greek mythology). “In” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: HOM(ER A TO)WERING.

4. Friendliness men face in heavily-populated area (10)

Answer: CORDIALITY (i.e. “friendliness”). Solution is OR (i.e. “men”, soldiers again, in this case the Other Ranks of the British Army) and DIAL (i.e. “face”) both placed “in” CITY (i.e. “heavily-populated area”), like so: C(OR-DIAL)ITY.

5. More distant army transport mentioned by reporter (7)

Answer: REMOTER (i.e. “more distant”). Solution is RE (i.e. “army”, again our Royal Engineers) followed by a homophone (indicated by “mentioned by reporter”) of MOTOR (i.e. “transport”), like so: RE-MOTER.

6. Sympathetic fellow ship’s officer digesting sacred choral work (13)

Answer: COMPASSIONATE (i.e. “sympathetic”). Solution is CO- (i.e. prefix denoting “fellow”) and MATE (i.e. “ship’s officer”) wrapped around or “digesting” PASSION (i.e. “sacred choral work” upon the suffering and death of Christ), like so: CO-M(PASSION)ATE.

7. Foolishly credulous about Republican defector’s story (9)

Answer: NARRATIVE (i.e. “story”). Solution is NAÏVE (i.e. “foolishly credulous”) wrapped “about” R (a recognised abbreviation of “Republican”) and RAT (i.e. “defector”), like so: NA(R-RAT)IVE.

8. Extended Great Hall’s entrance in outskirts of large city (7)

Answer: LENGTHY (i.e. “extended”). Solution is GT (a recognised abbreviation of “great”) and H (i.e. “hall’s entrance”, i.e. the first letter of “hall”) once placed “in” LE (i.e. “outskirts of large”, i.e. the first and last letters of “large”) and NY (i.e. “city”, this time New York), like so: LE-N(GT-H)Y.

9. She’s sneering, after trashing moderate environmentalism (12)

Answer: GREENISHNESS (i.e. “moderate environmentalism”). “After trashing” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of SHE’S SNEERING.

10. Atypical American city woman going north over America (9)

Answer: ANOMALOUS (i.e. “atypical”). Solution is LA (i.e. “American city”, Los Angeles) and MONA (i.e. “woman’s” name) all reversed (indicated by “going north” – this being a down clue – and followed by O (a recognised abbreviation of “over”, already covered) and US (i.e. “America”), like so: (ANOM-AL)-O-US.

11. Body of rebels once set up in London financial centre (5)

Answer: ICENI (i.e. “body of rebels once”, being Boudicca’s tribe that rebelled against the Romans). Solution is IN followed by ECI (i.e. “London financial centre”, being the EC postcode area again, this time followed by I, representing 1) all reversed (indicated by “set up” – again, this being a down clue) like so: ICE-NI.

12. Independent type, socially unacceptable, is not in, unfortunately (11)

Answer: NONUNIONIST (i.e. “independent type”). Solution is NON-U (i.e. “socially unacceptable”, at least to the upper classes – the abbreviation of which, covered earlier, is U) followed by an anagram (indicated by “unfortunately”) of IS NOT IN, like so: NON-U-NOINIST.

19. Ways to accommodate current European group’s transport managers (7)

Answer: ROADIES (i.e. “group’s transport managers”). Solution is ROADS (i.e. “ways”) wrapped around or “accommodating” I (a recognised abbreviation of an electrical “current” used in physics) and E (a recognised abbreviation of “European”), like so: ROAD(I-E)S.

22. Early animal domesticator brought up in unsullied surroundings (9)

Answer: PREMATURE (i.e. “early”). Solution is TAMER (i.e. “animal domesticator”) reversed (indicated by “brought up” – this being a down clue) and placed “in” PURE (i.e. “unsullied”), like so: P(REMAT)URE.

24. Book by family member inspiring very English dish (3-2-4)

Answer: VOL-AU-VENT (i.e. “dish”). Solution is VOL (i.e. “book”, short for “volume”) followed by AUNT (i.e. “family member”) once wrapped around or “inspiring” V (a recognised abbreviation of “very”) and E (ditto “English”), like so: VOL-AU(V-E)NT.

25. Charge one politician apiece (7)

Answer: IMPEACH (i.e. “charge”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) followed by MP (i.e. “politician” or Member of Parliament) and EACH (i.e. “apiece”).

26. Left in charge of old colonnade (7)

Answer: PORTICO (i.e. “colonnade”). Solution is PORT (i.e. “left” in shipspeak) followed by IC (a recognised abbreviation of “in charge”) and O (ditto “old”).

30. Pompous member gripped by rest of Latin translation (4-9)

Answer: SELF-IMPORTANT (i.e. “pompous”). Solution is MP (i.e. “member” of Parliament… again) placed in or “gripped by” an anagram (indicated by “translation”) of REST OF LATIN, like so: SELF-I(MP)ORTANT.

32. Cat requires quarters, going round some time after midnight (7)

Answer: SIAMESE (i.e. “cat”). Solution is S, E, S and E (i.e. all “quarters” of the compass, being abbreviations of south and east repeated) “going round” I AM (i.e. “some time after midnight”, being 1 in the morning – I being 1’s Roman numeral equivalent), like so: S(I-AM)ESE.

33. Mapmaker’s vehicle cameraman abandoned by quiet house (12)

Answer: CARTOGRAPHER (i.e. “mapmaker”). Solution is CAR (i.e. “vehicle”) followed by PHOTOGRAPHER (i.e. “cameraman”) once the P and HO have been removed (indicated by “abandoned by quiet house”, P being a recognised abbreviation of “piano” or quiet in musical lingo and HO being a recognised abbreviation of “house”), like so: CAR-TOGRAPHER.

34. Slip mixed up with Hogarth prints (11)

Answer: LITHOGRAPHS (i.e. “prints”). “Mixed up” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of SLIP and HOGARTH.

37. Support given to offending motorists (11)

Answer: ENDORSEMENT. Solution satisfies “support” and a punishment “given to offending motorists”, being points recorded against a driving licence.

38. Amphibious mammal, the sort we disturbed crossing river (5,5)

Answer: OTTER SHREW (i.e. “amphibious mammal”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “disturbed”) of THE SORT WE wrapped around or “crossing” R (a recognised abbreviation of “river”), like so: OTTE(R)SHREW.

40. Run home, initially having citadel south of river (9)

Answer: HOUSEKEEP (i.e. “run home”). Solution is H (i.e. “initially having”, i.e. the first letter of “having”) and KEEP (i.e. “citadel”) once placed after or “south of” – this being a down clue – OUSE (i.e. a “river”), like so: H-(OUSE)-KEEP.

41. Pinch 27’s key to coat with metal (9)

Answer: NICKELISE (i.e. “coat with metal”). Solution is NICK (i.e. “pinch”) followed by ELI’S (the solution to “27” across made possessive) and E (i.e. musical “key”).

43. African country’s anger over truncated celebration (7)

Answer: ERITREA (i.e. “African country”). Solution is IRE (i.e. “anger”) reversed (indicated by “over”) and followed by TREAT (i.e. “celebration” – not a connection I’d immediately make but my Bradford’s backs it up) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “truncated”), like so: ERI-TREA.

44. Lofty key journalist supporting old flame (7)

Answer: EXALTED (i.e. “lofty”). Solution is ALT (i.e. “key” on a computer keyboard) and ED (i.e. “journalist”, in this case a shortened form of “editor”) both placed after or “supporting” – this being a down clue – EX (i.e. “old flame”), like so: EX-(ALT-ED).

46. Getting browned off working on hide (7)

Answer: TANNING. Solution satisfies “getting browned off” and “working on hide”.

48. Pole, note, inspired by this writer’s religion (5)

Answer: ISLAM (i.e. “religion”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of south, one of the “poles”) and LA (i.e. another “note” of the sol-fa scale) both placed in or “inspired by” I’M (a contraction of I AM, i.e. “this writer’s” from the point of view of the setter), like so: I(S-LA)’M.

50. Wanderer’s tour finally finished (5)

Answer: ROVER (i.e. “wanderer”). Solution is R (i.e. “tour finally”, i.e. the last letter of “tour”) followed by OVER (i.e. “finished”).

A medium strength offering this week. A decent enough Jumbo, though one that perhaps leaned a little too heavily into anagrams and homophones. To be fair, this was more apparent when writing up this post than it was during the puzzle itself.

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 to hundreds of the things.

Thanks again for the kind words and input. It’s always interesting to hear the hot takes of other solvers when they set down their pens. Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

Across clues

1. Front part of animal in square hole, did you say? (7)

Answer: FOREPAW (i.e. “front part of animal”). “Did you say” indicates the solution comprises homophones of FOUR (i.e. a “square” number) and PORE (i.e. “hole”).

5. Poisonous plant is on description of computer (9)

Answer: DIGITALIS (i.e. “poisonous plant”). Solution is IS placed “on” or after DIGITAL (i.e. “description of computer”), like so: DIGITAL-IS.

10. Weary flyer (4)

Answer: FLAG. Solution satisfies “weary” – Chambers supports its use as a verb – and a “flyer”.

14. Laborious, as is sentiment, for example? (4-9)

Answer: TIME-CONSUMING (i.e. “laborious”). The remainder of the clue plays on how the solution cryptically satisfies “sentiment”, given that the word contains or has CONSUMED the word TIME, i.e. SEN(TIME)NT.

15. Dance a good way with expression of support (9)

Answer: FARANDOLE (i.e. “dance” – a new one on me). Solution is FAR (i.e. “a good way” away or into) followed by AND (i.e. “with”) and OLÉ (i.e. “expression of support” over in Spain).

16. Riotous antics from Australian savage (10)

Answer: SATURNALIA (i.e. “riotous antics”). “Savage” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of AUSTRALIAN.

17. Crawling bug silences cat that’s skittish (5,6)

Answer: SCALE INSECT (i.e. “crawling bug” – over to Chambers: “any insect of the homopterous family Coccidae, in which the sedentary female fixes on a plant and secretes a waxy shield”). “That’s skittish” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of SILENCES CAT.

18. Possibly West banks in US state (5)

Answer: MAINE (i.e. “US state”). Solution is MAE (i.e. “possibly West”, after the actress) wrapped around or “banking” “IN”, like so: MA(IN)E.

19. Island’s a bit windy, dock accessed via gates (5,5)

Answer: TIDAL BASIN (i.e. “dock accessed via gates”). “Windy” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of ISLAND’S A BIT.

21. Good day with copper in conversation? (3,3)

Answer: SEE YOU (i.e. “good day”, both valedictions). “In conversation” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of the chemical symbol of “copper”, Cu.

23. Setter for example is encapsulated by “drab, opinionated type” (9)

Answer: DOGMATIST (i.e. “opinionated type”). Solution is DOG (i.e. “setter for example”) followed by IS once placed in or “encapsulated by” MATT (i.e. “drab”), like so: DOG-MAT(IS)T.

25. Looking at money in gold boxes (5)

Answer: EYING (i.e. “looking at”). “Boxes” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: MON(EY IN G)OLD.

26. Interest rate initially intolerable coming off tracker – might one be in a jam? (7)

Answer: APRICOT (i.e. “might one be in a jam”). Solution is APR (i.e. “interest rate”, short for Annual Percentage Rate) followed by ICOT (i.e. “initially intolerable coming off tracker”, i.e. the first letters of “intolerable”, “coming”, “off” and “tracker”).

28. Play damn trash unfortunately, title withdrawn (4,3,3,3)

Answer: ARMS AND THE MAN (i.e. “play” by George Bernard Shaw). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “unfortunately”) of DAMN TRASH followed by NAME (i.e. “title”) once reversed (indicated by “withdrawn”), like so: ARMSANDTH-EMAN.

31. Dull in colour, worker surplus to requirements (9)

Answer: REDUNDANT (i.e. “surplus to requirements”). Solution is DUN (i.e. “dull”) placed “in” RED (i.e. “colour”) and followed by ANT (i.e. “worker”), like so: RE(DUN)D-ANT.

33. Two types of note heard where country music popular? (9)

Answer: TENNESSEE (i.e. “where country music [is] popular”). “Heard” indicates homophone. Solution comprises homophones of TENNER and C (i.e. “two types of note”, the former a banknote, the latter a musical note).

35. One of those working on oilfield, sycophantic fool? (7,6)

Answer: NODDING DONKEY, a type of oil pump or “one of those working on oilfield”. Solution is NODDING (i.e. “sycophantic”) and DONKEY (i.e. “fool”).

37. Native after small shroud? (7)

Answer: SMOTHER (i.e. “shroud”). Solution is MOTHER (i.e. “native” or originating) placed “after” S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”), like so: S-MOTHER.

38. Mount in foreign region, did you say? (5)

Answer: CLIMB (i.e. “mount”). “Did you say” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of CLIME (i.e. “foreign region”, poetically).

40. Become rotten, as chopped vegetables etc may have? (4,2,3)

Answer: GONE TO POT. Solution satisfies “become rotten” and “as chopped vegetables etc may have”.

42. Simple life president recalled after a second (6)

Answer: AMOEBA (i.e. “simple life”). Solution is ABE (i.e. “president”, Abraham Lincoln) reversed (indicated by “recalled”) and placed “after” A and MO (i.e. “second”, short for a moment), like so: (A-MO)-EBA.

44. Loot left for grinch (10)

Answer: SPOILSPORT (i.e. “grinch”). Solution is SPOILS (i.e. “loot”) followed by PORT (i.e. “left” in shipspeak).

46. Lion heading for nervous bird (5)

Answer: HERON (i.e. “bird”). Solution is HERO (i.e. “lion”) followed by N (i.e. “heading for nervous”, i.e. the first letter of “nervous”).

48. Order learned with protest (4,3,4)

Answer: DRAW THE LINE (i.e. “protest”). “Order” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of LEARNED WITH.

50. As are some soccer players, dropped, then paid (4-6)

Answer: LEFT-FOOTED (i.e. “as are some soccer players”). Solution is LEFT (i.e. “dropped”) followed by FOOTED (i.e. “paid”).

52. Iranian lost on tour of Australia, returned in some state (9)

Answer: ARIZONIAN (i.e. “in some state”, specifically Arizona). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “lost”) of IRANIAN wrapped around or “touring” OZ (i.e. “Australia”) once reversed (indicated by “returned”), like so: ARI(ZO)NIAN.

53. A posh creation rewritten as an original expression (2,4,1,6)

Answer: TO COIN A PHRASE (i.e. “as an original expression”). “Rewritten” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of A POSH CREATION.

54. American jerk (4)

Answer: YANK. Solution satisfies “American” and “jerk”.

55. Cutting item first removed from entire satirical magazine (4,5)

Answer: HOLE PUNCH (i.e. “cutting item”). Solution is WHOLE (i.e. “entire”) with the first letter removed (indicated by “first removed”) and the remainder followed by PUNCH (i.e. famed “satirical magazine”).

56. Spouse and little kids reportedly in underwear (1-6)

Answer: Y-FRONTS (i.e. “underwear”). “Reportedly” indicates homophone. Solution comprises homophones of WIFE (i.e. “spouse”) and RUNTS (i.e. “little kids”, as in the runts of the litter).

Down clues

1. Cheese in hamper, we hear? (4)

Answer: FETA (i.e. “cheese”). “We hear” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of FETTER (i.e. to “hamper”).

2. Violent con mellowing (9)

Answer: RAMPAGING (i.e. “violent”). Solution is RAMP (i.e. to “con” someone, albeit deep into the definitions) followed by AGING (i.e. “mellowing”).

3. Russian work of art on show? (8,2,2,10)

Answer: PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION (i.e. “Russian work” by Modest Mussorgsky). Solution also satisfies “art on show”.

4. One political side has head that’s screwed on (7)

Answer: WINGNUT (i.e. “that’s screwed on”). Solution is WING (i.e. “one political side”) followed by NUT (slang for a “head”).

5. Evidence of bigamy mumbo jumbo? (6,5)

Answer: DOUBLE DUTCH (i.e. “mumbo jumbo”). Solution also playfully satisfies “evidence of bigamy”, DUTCH being Cockney rhyming slang for a wife, possibly after the Duchess of Fife, according to Chambers.

6. Monochrome artwork is article obscured by screen (9)

Answer: GRISAILLE (i.e. “monochrome artwork” – another new one on me). Solution is IS and A (i.e. “article”, being a word like a, an or the) both placed in or “obscured by” GRILLE (i.e. “screen”), like so: GR(IS-A)ILLE.

7. Leader in Augustus wearing clothes – these? (5)

Answer: TOGAS (i.e. “these”, within the context of the clue, i.e. the kind of “clothes” “Augustus” would wear). Solution is TOGS (i.e. “clothes”) wrapped around or “wearing” A (i.e. “leader in Augustus”, i.e. the first letter of “Augustus”), like so: TOG(A)S.

8. Make an effort, as umpire will on dismissal? (4,1,6)

Answer: LIFT A FINGER. Solution satisfies “make an effort” and “as umpire will on dismissal” in cricket.

9. Ice hardened, sphere enclosed (6)

Answer: SORBET (i.e. “ice”). Solution is SET (i.e. “hardened”) wrapped around or “enclosing” ORB (i.e. “sphere”), like so: S(ORB)ET.

11. Places to go, see, more or less (7)

Answer: LOOSELY (i.e. “more or less”). Solution is LOOS (i.e. “places to go”, “go” being slang for visiting the toilet) followed by ELY (i.e. diocese or “see” in East Anglia).

12. Winner in the end, champ hugged by haggard relative (5-4)

Answer: GREAT-AUNT (i.e. “relative”). Solution is R (i.e. “winner in the end”, i.e. the last letter of “winner”) and EAT (i.e. to “champ”) both placed in or “hugged by” GAUNT (i.e. “haggard”), like so: G(R-EAT)AUNT.

13. Promptly ignored, as bullet passing through brain? (2,3,3,3,3,3,5)

Answer: IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER. Solution satisfies “promptly ignored” and, er – playfully, “as bullet passing through brain”.

18. Third note planned includes first two in diagram (7)

Answer: MEDIANT (i.e. “third note” of a scale). Solution is MEANT (i.e. “planned”) wrapped around or “including” DI (i.e. “first two [letters] in diagram”), like so: ME(DI)ANT.

20. All going one way, leading another way (7)

Answer: ALIGNED (i.e. “all going one way”). “Another way” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of “leading”.

22. Top location of Welsh castle (8)

Answer: CARDIGAN. Solution satisfies a garment or “top” and “location of Welsh castle”.

24. Business in ashes, refinery vacated (8)

Answer: INDUSTRY (i.e. “business”). Solution is IN followed by DUST (i.e. “ashes”) and RY (i.e. “refinery vacated”, i.e. the word “refinery” with all its middle letters removed).

27. Attempt joke (5)

Answer: CRACK. Solution satisfies an “attempt” and a “joke”.

29. Appearing in gloom, unromantic peak in Scotland (5)

Answer: MUNRO (i.e. “peak in Scotland”). “Appearing in” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: GLOO(M UNRO)MANTIC.

30. Outfit exposing much flesh, knight say with blood on one (7)

Answer: MANKINI (i.e. “outfit exposing much flesh”). Solution is MAN (i.e. “knight say”, chess pieces are sometimes referred to as “men”) followed by KIN (i.e. family or “blood”) and I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”). Jagshemash, friends!

32. Unknown number defended by God test one’s patience (3,2,2)

Answer: TRY IT ON (i.e. “test one’s patience”). Solution is Y (i.e. “unknown number” – setters love referring to X, Y or Z in solutions as unknowns) placed in or “defended by” TRITON (i.e. Greek “God” of the sea), like so: TR(Y)ITON.

34. Outstanding save with one leg on a line (11)

Answer: EXCEPTIONAL (i.e. “outstanding”). Solution is EXCEPT (i.e. “save” for) followed by I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), then ON (i.e. “leg” side in cricket), then A and L (a recognised abbreviation of “line”).

36. Genuinely irritated if I had to go without nicotine, initially (2,4,5)

Answer: IN GOOD FAITH (i.e. “genuinely”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “irritated”) of IF I HAD TO GO wrapped around or placed “without” N (i.e. “nicotine, initially”, i.e. the first letter of “nicotine”), like so: I(N)GOODFAITH.

37. Relax with bear on a picnic! (5,4)

Answer: STAND EASY (i.e. “relax”). Solution is STAND (i.e. to “bear”) followed by EASY (i.e. a “picnic”, slang thereof).

39. First of Catholics welcomed by two boys from St Peter’s Church say (9)

Answer: BASILICAN (i.e. of a basilica, or “from St Peter’s Church say”, referring to St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican). Solution is C (i.e. “first of Catholics”, i.e. the first letter of “Catholics”) placed in or “welcomed by” BASIL and IAN (i.e. “two boys’” names), like so: BASIL-I(C)AN.

41. China in place, or plastic (9)

Answer: PORCELAIN (i.e. “china”). “Plastic” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of IN PLACE OR.

43. Speech embraced by a British naval commander? (7)

Answer: ORATION (i.e. “speech”). The rest of the clue plays on how the solution is also found in famed “British naval commander” H(ORATIO N)ELSON.

45. Industrialist ultimately uncertain about an American jeweller (7)

Answer: Charles Lewis TIFFANY (i.e. “American jeweller”). Solution is T (i.e. “industrialist ultimately”, i.e. the last letter of “industrialist”) followed by IFFY (i.e. “uncertain”) once wrapped “about” AN, like so: T-IFF(AN)Y.

47. Tasty light rolls I wrap up later (6)

Answer: DELISH (i.e. “tasty”, slang for delicious). 100% guess here, so watch out. Chambers supports DELISH, and I can get DEL (i.e. “light rolls”, i.e. an LED or Light Emitting Diode reversed) followed by I, but after that I’ve got nothing. If anyone swings by with the solution/explanation to this one then I’ll update the post.

[EDIT: Thanks to Sue in the comments for adding more to this one. One definition of “wrap up” is “to stop talking (often as imperative)” (Chambers), so you could set SH from that to complete the solution. “Later” seems a redundant word, but perhaps this is no biggie. Cheers, Sue! – LP]

49. Passage from gates to public bar (5)

Answer: ESTOP (i.e. to “bar”, an archaic word). “Passage from” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: GAT(ES TO P)UBLIC.

51. Information in every direction (4)

Answer: NEWS (i.e. “information”). The rest of the clue plays on how the word comprises all the points of the compass, North, East, West and South.

A relatively straightforward one this week. Suits me fine, though it did feel a little one-track at times with lots of single letters being added or removed from stuff.

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 solutions to hundreds of the things. (250 of them if I’m not mistaken. Good grief, that’s a lot of Saturdays…)

Thanks again for the kind words and input. It’s always interesting to hear the thoughts of other solvers once they’ve set down their pens. Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

FBV (French-By-Volume): 3.3%

Across clues

1. Hunt finally to wander, heading off for big cat (7)

Answer: TIGRESS (i.e. “big cat”). Solution is T (i.e. “hunt finally”, i.e. the last letter of “hunt”) followed by DIGRESS (i.e. “to wander”) once its first letter has been removed (indicated by “heading off”), like so: T-IGRESS.

5. Children, note, cornered by a sudden attack – scorpion? (8)

Answer: ARACHNID (i.e. “scorpion”). Solution is CH (a recognised abbreviation of “children”) and N (ditto “note”) both placed in or “cornered by” A and RAID (i.e. “sudden attack”), like so: A-RA(CH-N)ID.

9. Bringer of news almost entirely surrounded by crowd (6)

Answer: HERALD (i.e. “bringer of news”). Solution is ALL (i.e. “entirely”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “almost”) and the remainder placed in or “surrounded by” HERD (i.e. “crowd”), like so: HER(AL)D.

13. Inflation measure covered (in another case) in afterpiece (6,5,5)

Answer: RETAIL PRICE INDEX (i.e. “inflation measure”). The remainder of the clue plays on how the initials of the solution, RPI, can be found “in AFTE(RPI)ECE”.

14. Preparing to drive, say, carrying large old politician (6)

Answer: Clement ATTLEE (i.e. “old politician”). Solution is AT TEE (i.e. “preparing to drive” in golf) wrapped around or “carrying” L (a recognised abbreviation of “large”), like so: AT-T(L)EE.

16. Pay for poet to give up first popular piece (8)

Answer: STANDARD (i.e. “popular piece”). Solution is STAND (i.e. “pay for”) followed by BARD (i.e. “poet”) once its initial letter has been removed (indicated by “to give up first”), like so: STAND-ARD.

17. New Zealander winning originally cracking K2 (4)

Answer: KIWI (i.e. “New Zealander”, informally). Solution is W (i.e. “winning originally”, i.e. the first letter of “winning”) placed in or “cracking” K and II (i.e. “2” expressed as Roman numerals), like so: K-I(W)I.

18. Men keeping fine automobile back to get vehicle accessories (4,5)

Answer: ROOF RACKS (i.e. “vehicle accessories”). Solution is ROOKS (i.e. chess pieces, sometimes referred to as “men”) wrapped around or “keeping” F (a recognised abbreviation of “fine” used in pencil grades) and CAR (i.e. “automobile”) once this latter has been reversed (indicated by “back”), like so: ROO(F-RAC)KS.

20. Body of water – repeatedly it swirls around, repeatedly (8)

Answer: Lake TITICACA (i.e. “body of water”). Solution is IT and IT (i.e. “repeatedly it”) reversed (indicated by “swirls”) and followed by CA and CA (i.e. “around, repeatedly” – CA being a recognised abbreviation of “circa”), like so: (TI-TI)-CA-CA.

21. Young woman in European country, subordinate worker on schooners etc (11)

Answer: GLASSBLOWER (i.e. “worker on schooners etc” – a schooner can be a large beer glass or a large sherry glass). Solution is LASS (i.e. “young woman”) placed “in” GB (i.e. “European country”, specifically Great Britain) and followed by LOWER (i.e. “subordinate”), like so: G(LASS)B-LOWER.

24. Converted girl has to accept a new life eternal here? Not quite (7-2)

Answer: SHANGRI-LA, “any remote or imaginary paradise” (Chambers). In James Hilton’s novel Lost Horizon, which coined the place, inhabitants enjoyed increased longevity, but “not quite” “life eternal”. Solution is an anagram (indicated by “converted”) of GIRL HAS wrapped around or “accepting” A and N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”), like so: SH(A-N)GRILA.

25. Old man leading revolution, briefly, catching a city dweller (8)

Answer: PARISIAN (i.e. “city dweller”). Solution is PA (i.e. “old man” or father) followed by RISING (i.e. “revolution”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “briefly”) and the remainder wrapped around or “catching” A, like so: PA-RISI(A)N.

26. Reiki initially involved in life energy (4)

Answer: BRIO (i.e. “energy”). Solution is R (i.e. “reiki initially”, i.e. the first letter of “reiki” – a form of Japanese massage, if you were wondering) placed “in” BIO (i.e. a prefix denoting “life”), like so: B(R)IO.

29. Honest admen corrupted at the very least (3,4,4)

Answer: AND THEN SOME (i.e. “at the very least”). “Corrupted” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of HONEST ADMEN.

31. Indicating rationale for joint deficiencies? (8,3)

Answer: POINTING OUT (i.e. “indicating”). When written as POINT IN GOUT the solution satisfies the rather bizarre “rationale for joint deficiencies”.

33. Earlier, rebuke elf, one with a compulsion to stay home? (11)

Answer: AGORAPHOBIA (i.e. “compulsion to stay home”). Solution is AGO (i.e. “earlier”) followed by RAP (i.e. “rebuke”), then HOB (i.e. “elf” – a variant meaning of HOB is “a supernatural creature or fairy, such as Robin Goodfellow (folklore)” (Chambers)), then I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and A.

36. One foresees careering into cavalry (11)

Answer: CLAIRVOYANT (i.e. “one foresees”). “Careering” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of INTO CAVALRY.

38. Watches emergency exits, always on the edge (4)

Answer: EYES (i.e. “watches”). “Always on the edge” indicates the solution is formed from the first and last letters of EMERGENCY EXITS.

39. Large animal knocked over tree, stifling agonised groan (8)

Answer: KANGAROO (i.e. “large animal”). Solution is OAK (i.e. “tree”) reversed (indicated by “knocked over”) and wrapped around or “stifling” an anagram (indicated by “agonised”) of GROAN, like so: KA(NGARO)O.

41. Show host adopting nothing regal, in a ridiculing style (9)

Answer: MOCKINGLY (i.e. “in a ridiculing style”). Solution is MC (i.e. “show host”, or Master of Ceremonies) wrapped around or “adopting” O (i.e. “nothing”) and followed by KINGLY (i.e. “regal”), like so: M(O)C-KINGLY.

44. Creative function wrong from the outset? (8,3)

Answer: ORIGINAL SIN (i.e. “wrong from the outset”, or “innate depravity and corruption believed to be transmitted to Adam’s descendants because of his sin” (Chambers). The concept apparently came about in the 3rd century and is ascribed to Saint Augustine. So a man-made construct, then. What’s that? “Like all religion”? You might say that. I couldn’t possibly comment). Solution is ORIGINAL (i.e. “creative”) followed by SIN (i.e. “function”, being a shortened form of the trigonometrical function, sine).

45. Unhappy about US shop-owner turning over tree (8)

Answer: SYCAMORE (i.e. “tree”). Solution is SORE (i.e. “unhappy”) wrapped “about” Rowland Hussey MACY (i.e. “US shop-owner”) once reversed (indicated by “turning over”), like so: S(YCAM)ORE.

48. Ballet favourite heading for Rome and America, going round Hong Kong (9)

Answer: PETRUSHKA (i.e. “ballet” by Igor Stravinsky). Solution is PET (i.e. “favourite”) followed by R (i.e. “heading for Rome”, i.e. the first letter of “home”), then USA (i.e. “America”) once wrapped “round” HK (short for “Hong Kong”), like so: PET-R-US(HK)A. By some sizeable coincidence I was scribbling away in The Times Cryptic Crossword Book 22, which I bought last night while waiting for a friend, where the same solution cropped up in grid #3. The clue on that occasion was: “Princess’s annoyance – about time to hasten King’s ballet”.

49. Declined to dismiss match official no longer in top condition? (4)

Answer: USED (i.e. “no longer in top condition”). Solution is REFUSED (i.e. “declined”) with the REF removed (indicated by “to dismiss match official” or referee).

50. Start of summer – immediately autumn and sign of winter? (8)

Answer: SNOWFALL (i.e. “sign of winter”). Solution is S (i.e. “start [letter] of summer”) followed by NOW (i.e. “immediately”) and FALL (i.e. “autumn”).

52. Copper kitchen utensil (6)

Answer: PEELER. Solution satisfies an old slang name for “copper” or policeman, and “kitchen utensil”.

53. Explorer going to platform with unknown flower (11,5)

Answer: LIVINGSTONE DAISY (i.e. rather colourful “flowers”). Solution is David LIVINGSTONE (i.e. “explorer”) followed by DAIS (i.e. “platform”) and Y (i.e. “unknown” – setters love referring to X, Y or Z in their solutions as unknowns).

54. One’s opening call is coming up (6)

Answer: RISING (i.e. “coming up”). Solution is I’S (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one” made possessive) placed in or “opening” RING (i.e. to “call”), like so: R(I’S)ING.

55. Biased individuals helped to lose source of aggression (3-5)

Answer: ONE-SIDED (i.e. “biased”). Solution is ONES (i.e. “individuals”) followed by AIDED (i.e. “helped”) once the first letter has been removed (indicated by “to lose source”), like so: ONES-IDED.

56. Space probe, very old, having a long time in planetary tour finally (7)

Answer: VOYAGER (i.e. “space probe”, launched by NASA in 1977). Solution is V (a recognised abbreviation of “very”), followed by O (ditto “old”), then AGE (i.e. “long time”) once placed “in” between Y and R (i.e. “planetary tour finally”, i.e. the last letters of “planetary” and “tour”), like so: V-O-(Y-(AGE)-R).

Down clues

1. Bird in this way mobbing rook, gaining height (6)

Answer: THRUSH (i.e. “bird”). Solution is THUS (i.e. “in this way”) wrapped around or “mobbing” R (a recognised abbreviation of “rook” used in chess) and followed by H (a recognised abbreviation of “height”), like so: TH(R)US-H.

2. Meal in France no longer excluding last cake (6)

Answer: GATEAU (i.e. “cake”). Solution is TEA (i.e. “meal”) placed “in” GAUL (i.e. “France no longer”, i.e. a former name for France) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “excluding last”), like so: GA(TEA)U.

3. Divine goal to eliminate a burst – of this? (4-5)

Answer: EVIL-DOING. The solution satisfies the clue as a whole, but is also an anagram (indicated by “burst”) of DIVINE GOAL once the A has been removed or “eliminated”.

4. Oversight, Shostakovich’s first in previous works (11)

Answer: SUPERVISION (i.e. “oversight”). Solution is S (i.e. “Shostakovich’s first” letter) followed by an anagram (indicated by “works”) of IN PREVIOUS, like so: S-UPERVISION.

5. Keen to dodge losing love (4)

Answer: AVID (i.e. “keen”). Solution is AVOID (i.e. “dodge”) once the O has been removed (indicated by “losing love” – “love” being a zero score in tennis).

6. Song title that could generate recipe mania? (8,3)

Answer: AMERICAN PIE (i.e. “song title”). “That could generate” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of RECIPE MANIA.

7. After oats? It’s encouraging for horse (7-4)

Answer: HUNTING-CROP (i.e. “it’s encouraging for horse” – I bet the horse begs to differ). Solution is HUNTING (i.e. seeking or “after”) followed by CROP (i.e. “oats”).

8. Cricket body with lots of pages about English courses for summer? (3,6)

Answer: ICE CREAMS (i.e. “courses for summer”). Solution is ICC (i.e. “cricket body”, specifically the International Cricket Council) and REAMS (i.e. “lots of pages”) all wrapped “about” E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”), like so: IC(E)C-REAMS.

10. Quietly heading away, stifling anger completely (8)

Answer: ENTIRELY (i.e. “completely”). Solution is GENTLY (i.e. “quietly”) once the first letter has been removed (indicated by “heading away”) and the remainder wrapped around or “stifling” IRE (i.e. “anger”), like so: ENT(IRE)LY.

11. Novel repairs etc on historic house placed under a notice (1,9,6)

Answer: A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (i.e. “novel” by Anthony Burgess). Solution is WORK (i.e. “repairs etc”) and ORANGE (i.e. Dutch “historic house”, royally speaking) both placed after or “under” – this being a down clue – A and CLOCK (i.e. to “notice”), like so: (A-CLOCK)-WORK-ORANGE.

12. Doctor, not so important, ignoring student, one treating wounds (7)

Answer: DRESSER (i.e. “one treating wounds”). Solution is DR (a recognised abbreviation of “doctor”) followed by LESSER (i.e. “not so important”) once the L has been removed (indicated by “ignoring student” – L being a recognised abbreviation of learner), like so: DR-ESSER.

15. Permanent way guarded by prisoner and soldier (8)

Answer: CONSTANT (i.e. “permanent”). Solution is ST (i.e. “way”, or a recognised abbreviation of a street) placed in or “guarded by” CON (i.e. “prisoner”) and ANT (i.e. “soldier”), like so: CON-(ST)-ANT.

19. Chap leading a search in cave (8)

Answer: CATACOMB (i.e. “cave”). Solution is CAT (slang for a “chap”) followed by A, then COMB (i.e. to “search”).

22. Exploit key item of dressing used in A&E (8)

Answer: ESCAPADE (i.e. “exploit”). Solution is ESC (i.e. “key” on a computer keyboard) followed by PAD (i.e. “item of dressing”) once placed “in” “A&E”, like so: ESC-A(PAD)E.

23. Youngster in care to steal from record company: anxiety for costume designer (8,8)

Answer: WARDROBE MISTRESS (i.e. “costume designer”). Solution is WARD (i.e. “youngster in care”) followed by ROB (i.e. “to steal”), then EMI (i.e. “record company”, Electric & Musical Industries) and STRESS (i.e. “anxiety”).

27. Is harder to get rid of than unfashionable corset (8)

Answer: OUTSTAYS (i.e. “is harder to get rid of”). Solution is OUT (i.e. “unfashionable”) followed by STAYS (i.e. “corset”).

28. Cancel Unionist veto about Democrat (4)

Answer: UNDO (i.e. “cancel”). Solution is U (a recognised abbreviation of “Unionist”) and NO (i.e. “veto”) once wrapped “about” D (a recognised abbreviation of “Democrat”), like so: U-N(D)O.

30. Husband getting over a Times spoof (4)

Answer: HOAX (i.e. “spoof”). Solution is H (a recognised abbreviation of “husband”) followed by O (ditto “over”, used in cricket), then A and X (i.e. “times” – ignore the misleading capitalisation, we’re after the multiplication symbol here).

32. Seeing one, Schuman’s gone to pieces (8)

Answer: INASMUCH (i.e. considering or “seeing”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “gone to pieces”) of I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and SCHUMAN.

34. That chap – cold and hot within a period of 24 hours, suffering localised pain (8)

Answer: HEADACHY (i.e. “suffering localised pain”). Solution is HE (i.e. “that chap”) followed by C and H (i.e. recognised abbreviations of “cold and hot” respectively, as sometimes seen on water taps) once placed “within” A and DAY (i.e. “period of 24 hours”), like so: HE-(A-DA(C-H)Y).

35. Elevated activity using gold in extravagant creations (11)

Answer: AERONAUTICS (i.e. “elevated activity”). Solution is AU (chemical symbol of “gold”) once placed “in” an anagram (indicated by “extravagant”) of CREATIONS, like so: AERON(AU)TICS.

36. Tetchy Liberal offered encouragement in a seated position (11)

Answer: CROSSLEGGED (i.e. “in a seated position”). Solution is CROSS (i.e. “tetchy”) followed by L (a recognised abbreviation of “Liberal”) and EGGED (i.e. “offered encouragement”).

37. Composer very supportive of harmonica playing, putting in extra note (11)

Answer: Sergei RACHMANINOV (i.e. “composer”). Solution is V (a recognised abbreviation of “very”) placed after or beneath (indicated by “supportive of” – this being a down clue) an anagram (indicated by “playing”) of HARMONICA once wrapped around N (a recognised abbreviation of “note”), like so: RACHMA(N)INO-V.

40. Development promoted for one terminus? (9)

Answer: GESTATION (i.e. “development”). Solution is EG (i.e. “for one”, or for example) reversed (indicated by “promoted” or raised – this being a down clue) and followed by STATION (i.e. “terminus”), like so: GE-STATION.

42. Indian river: I twice run off around delta – twice (9)

Answer: IRRAWADDY (i.e. “Indian river”). Solution is I followed by R and R (i.e. “twice run” – R being a recognised abbreviation of “run” used in a number of ball games), then AWAY (i.e. “off”) once wrapped “around” D and D (i.e. “delta – twice” – “delta” being D in the phonetic alphabet), like so: I-RR-AWA(DD)Y.

43. Expect first diagram to be curtailed (6,2)

Answer: FIGURE ON (i.e. “expect”). Solution is FIGURE ONE (i.e. “first diagram”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “to be curtailed”).

44. Apparently practicable to take The Times? (2,5)

Answer: ON PAPER (i.e. “apparently”). Solution is ON (i.e. “practicable”) followed by PAPER (a newspaper, “The Times”).

46. Painful sensation when carrying six flags (6)

Answer: PAVING (i.e. “flags”). Solution is PANG (i.e. “painful sensation”) wrapped around or “carrying” VI (i.e. “six” in Roman numerals), like so: PA(VI)NG.

47. One trifling in soft bed (6)

Answer: PLAYER (i.e. “one trifling” – to trifle is “to play, toy, amuse oneself” (Chambers)). Solution is P (i.e. “soft”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “piano” used in musical lingo) followed by LAYER (i.e. “bed”).

51. Boss curtailed analysis (4)

Answer: STUD (i.e. “boss”). Solution is STUDY (i.e. “analysis”) once the last letter has been removed (indicated by “curtailed”).

A medium strength offering this week, which is probably just as well after last week’s stinker. 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 foxed you then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, were you’ll find links to hundreds of the things.

Thanks again for the kind words and input. It’s always interesting to hear the thoughts of other solvers once the dust settles. Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

FBV (French-By-Volume): 5%

Across clues

1. Great country ready at last stages event (8,5)

Answer: HIGHLAND GAMES (i.e. “event”). Solution is HIGH (i.e. “great”, e.g. high office) followed by LAND (i.e. “country”), then GAME (i.e. “ready”, as in I’m game) and S (i.e. “at last stages”, i.e. the last letter of “stages”).

8. Just one Roman poet absorbing pressure (9)

Answer: IMPARTIAL (i.e. “just”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and MARTIAL (i.e. “Roman poet”) once wrapped around or “absorbing” P (a recognised abbreviation of “pressure”), like so: I-M(P)ARTIAL.

13. Introduction to Aida expanded in accompaniment (5)

Answer: ALONG (i.e. “in accompaniment”). Solution is A (i.e. “introduction to Aida“, i.e. the first letter of “Aida”) followed by LONG (i.e. “expanded” or far-extended).

14. Heroic drunkard not so wild about love and blunt refusal? (3,1,7)

Answer: TAM O’ SHANTER (i.e. Robert Burns’ “heroic drunkard”). Solution is TAMER (i.e. “not so wild”) wrapped “about” O (i.e. “love”, a zero score in tennis) and SHAN’T (i.e. “blunt refusal”, a contraction of shall not), like so: TAM(O-SHAN’T)ER. In the previous two occasions this solution has appeared in Jumbos it has been listed as (3,8) and (3-1-7). Is it any wonder solvers get frustrated with O’ solutions?

15. Make fuss when avoiding a Greek island (5)

Answer: CRETE (i.e. “Greek island”). Solution is CREATE (i.e. slang for “make fuss”) with the A removed (indicated by “avoiding a”).

16. Woolly bear changing to me: right! (5,4)

Answer: TIGER MOTH (i.e. “woolly bear”, it’s hairy caterpillar form). “Changing” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of TO ME RIGHT.

17. Kiln tested in pair’s absence (4)

Answer: OVEN (i.e. “kiln”). Solution is PROVEN (i.e. “tested”) with the PR removed (indicated by “in pair’s absence” – PR being a recognised abbreviation of “pair”).

18. Send some French dressing (8)

Answer: DESPATCH (i.e. “send”). Solution is DES (i.e. “some French”, i.e. the French for “some”) followed by PATCH (i.e. “dressing”).

20. Varnish from sweetheart: old sweetheart in retirement (6)

Answer: ENAMEL (i.e. “varnish”). Solution is E (i.e. “sweetheart”, i.e. the middle letter of “sweet”) followed by LEMAN (i.e. “old sweetheart”, an archaic term for a lover) once reversed (indicated by “in retirement”), like so: E-NAMEL.

21. Saddle high and yet slipping for potential killer (6,10)

Answer: DEADLY NIGHTSHADE (i.e. “potential killer”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “slipping”) of SADDLE HIGH AND YET.

24. At first those recruits helped and worked hard (9)

Answer: TRAVAILED (i.e. “worked hard”). Solution is T and R (i.e. “at first those recruits”, i.e. the first letters of “those” and “recruits”) followed by AVAILED (i.e. “helped”).

26. Similar drinks put together with classy French wine (7)

Answer: CHATEAU (i.e. “French wine”). Solution is CHA and TEA (i.e. “similar drinks”, the former being slang for the latter) followed by U (i.e. “classy”, supposedly a recognised abbreviation of the upper classes).

27. Like this young woman from East African port (5)

Answer: LAGOS (i.e. “African port”). Solution is SO (i.e. “like this”) and GAL (i.e. “young girl”) all reversed (indicated by “from east”, ignoring the misleading capitalisation and this being an across clue), like so: LAG-OS.

29. Taking cautious approach, apply constant force to bull neutered in Crosby? (6,6)

Answer: BOXING CLEVER (i.e. “taking cautious approach”). Solution is C (a recognised abbreviation of “constant”) and LEVER (i.e. to “force”) “applied…to” or placed after OX (i.e. “bull neutered”) once this has been placed “in” BING “Crosby”, like so: B(OX)ING-(C-LEVER).

31. Up close and personal truth about drug of winner (4,2,4)

Answer: FACE TO FACE (i.e. “up close and personal”). Solution is FACT (i.e. “truth”) wrapped “about” E (i.e. “drug”, slang for ecstasy) and followed by OF, then ACE (i.e. “winner”), like so: FAC(E)T-OF-ACE.

33. Ford’s meeting with British colonialist said to be turning point (10)

Answer: CROSSROADS (i.e. “turning point”). Solution is CROSS (i.e. to “ford”) followed by a homophone (indicated by “said”) of Cecil RHODES (i.e. “British colonialist”), like so: CROSS-ROADS.

35. Charming women’s group granted cracking location in London (6,6)

Answer: COVENT GARDEN (i.e. “location in London”). Solution is COVEN (i.e. “charming women’s group”, referring to a gathering of witches) followed by an anagram (indicated by “cracking”) of GRANTED, like so: COVEN-TGARDEN.

38. In sober company Thomas Stearns Eliot initially confused (2,3)

Answer: AT SEA (i.e. “confused”). Solution is TSE (i.e. “Thomas Stearns Eliot initially”, i.e. the first letters of “Thomas”, “Stearns” and “Eliot”) placed “in” AA (i.e. “sober company”, being Alcoholics Anonymous), like so: A(TSE)A.

39. A staff with stone inlaid for Bartholomew? (7)

Answer: APOSTLE (i.e. Saint “Bartholomew”). Solution is A followed by POLE (i.e. “staff”) once “inlaid” with ST (a recognised abbreviation of “stone”), like so: A-PO(ST)LE.

40. Caution cleaner in vessel carrying ecstasy (9)

Answer: CHARINESS (i.e. “caution”). Solution is CHAR (i.e. a “cleaner”) followed by IN and SS (i.e. “vessel”, being a recognised abbreviation of a steamship) once they are wrapped around or “carrying” E (slang for “ecstasy”, covered earlier), like so: CHAR-IN-(E)-SS.

42. Writer, barbarian coming in to duel crazily with Harry (6,5,5)

Answer: ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE (i.e. “writer”). Solution is CONAN (i.e. Robert E Howard’s “barbarian”) placed or “coming in” an anagram (indicated by “crazily”) of TO DUEL and HARRY.

44. Zoom lens? (6)

Answer: WEBCAM. Clue plays on “Zoom” being a video conferencing platform. You get the idea.

47. Climate measure: one representing sun in autumn? (8)

Answer: RAINFALL (i.e. “climate measure”). Solution is RA (i.e. “one representing sun” in Ancient Egypt) followed by IN and FALL (i.e. “autumn”).

49. Close to piano bar in whisky town (4)

Answer: OBAN (i.e. Scottish “whisky town”). Solution is O (i.e. “close to piano”, i.e. the last letter of “piano”) followed by BAN (i.e. to “bar”).

50. Communist power avoided by extremely smart mountaineer (9)

Answer: STALINIST (i.e. “communist”). Solution is ST (i.e. “extremely smart”, i.e. the first and last letters of “smart”) and ALPINIST (i.e. “mountaineer”) once the P has been removed (indicated by “power avoided by…” – P being a recognised abbreviation of “power”), like so: ST-ALINIST.

52. Soak leaving biscuits for Cremonese craftsman (5)

Answer: AMATI (i.e. “Cremonese craftsman” – (cough) – made to fit – (cough)). Solution is AMARETTI (i.e. almond “biscuits”) with the RET (i.e. to “soak”) removed or “leaving”.

53. Cutting down on waste, mince is no-go for cooking (11)

Answer: ECONOMISING (i.e. “cutting down on waste”). “For cooking” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of MINCE IS NO-GO.

54. Henry with a dark film genre shortly generates capital (5)

Answer: HANOI (i.e. “capital” of Vietnam). Solution is H (a recognised abbreviation of “Henry”, a unit of electrical inductivity) followed by A and NOIR (i.e. “dark film genre”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “shortly”), like so: H-A-NOI.

55. Joining programme in French, large team coming into decline (9)

Answer: ENROLMENT (i.e. “joining programme”). Solution is EN (i.e. “in French”, i.e. the French for “in”) followed by L (a recognised abbreviation of “large”) and MEN (i.e. “team” – you know, I could have sworn we had women’s sports these days. Shows what I know) once both placed “into” ROT (i.e. “decline”), like so: EN-RO(L-MEN)T.

56. Not demanding numbers for an audience? (4,9)

Answer: EASY LISTENING. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole, being musical “numbers” of a more gentle persuasion. It also comprises EASY (i.e. “not demanding”) and LISTENING (i.e. “for an audience”, in a hand-wavy don’t-look-too-closely kind of way).

Down clues

1. Sincerely believed explosive material about creative works (9)

Answer: HEARTFELT (i.e. “sincerely believed”). Solution is HE (i.e. “explosive”, specifically High Explosive) and FELT (i.e. “material”) wrapped “about” ART (i.e. “creative works”), like so: HE-(ART)-FELT.

2. Country girl in state (7)

Answer: GEORGIA. A triple-header this one, satisfying “country”, a “girl’s” name and a US “state”.

3. Enigma resolved with elder’s magical skill (11)

Answer: LEGERDEMAIN (i.e. “magical skill” or sleight of hand). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “resolved”) of ENIGMA and ELDER. Disappointing to see the same solution repeated a week later, and the third time in under a year. Come on, setters, step away from your GridFill 4000™s once in a while. Algorithmic word selection serves to narrow choice. Do you think an algorithm is going to select a word like XYLEM in the early stages of a grid fill? Of course not. You’re more likely to see XYLEM on the edges of a grid as the algorithm gets further away from its start point (or from whichever seed words and phrases the setter places in the grid at the beginning). An algorithm is always going to favour words with high proportions of popular letters to help increase its potential pool of intersecting words, which is why we keep seeing the same solutions crop up again and again (see ERNST, ELFIN and RAITA, previous bugbears of mine).

4. People’s knight fighting to oust Camelot’s leader (6)

Answer: NATION (i.e. “people”). Solution is N (a recognised abbreviation of “knight” used in chess) followed by ACTION (i.e. “fighting”) once the C has been removed (indicated by “to oust Camelot’s leader”, i.e. the first letter of “Camelot”), like so: N-ATION.

5. Glue’s thought to secure one that protects pugilist (9)

Answer: GUMSHIELD (i.e. “one that protects pugilist”). Solution is GUM’S (i.e. “glue’s”) followed by HELD (i.e. “thought”) once wrapped around or “securing” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), like so: GUM’S-H(I)ELD.

6. Professional negligence news boss managed badly (12)

Answer: MISCONDUCTED (i.e. “managed badly”). Solution is MISCONDUCT (i.e. “professional negligence”) followed by ED (i.e. “news boss”, short for editor).

7. Get out fast packaging cold ready-cooked chicken? (7-3)

Answer: SCAREDY-CAT (i.e. “chicken” or coward). Solution is SCAT (i.e. “get out fast”) wrapped around or “packaging” C (a recognised abbreviation of “cold” sometimes used on taps) and an anagram (indicated by “cooked”) of READY, like so: S(C-AREDY)CAT.

8. First nine letters here sent north and one abroad? (4)

Answer: IOTA (i.e. “one [letter] abroad”, specifically the ninth letter of the Greek alphabet). Solution is A TO I (i.e. “first nine letters”) reversed (indicated by “sent north” – this being a down clue), like so: I-OT-A.

9. Choice cut doorman criminally takes outside hostelry (11,5)

Answer: PORTERHOUSE STEAK (i.e. “choice cut” of meat). Solution is PORTER (i.e. “doorman”) and an anagram (indicated by “criminally”) of TAKES wrapped around or placed “outside” of HOUSE (i.e. “hostelry”), like so: PORTER-(HOUSE)-STEAK.

10. Duke leaves MP to state main points again (5)

Answer: RECAP (i.e. “state main points again”). Solution is RED CAP (i.e. “MP”, in this case a Military Policeman) with the D (a recognised abbreviation of “duke”) removed or “leaving”.

11. Laziness in monarch Spanish aunt supports (7)

Answer: INERTIA (i.e. “laziness”). Solution is IN followed by ER (i.e. “monarch”, specifically Elizabeth Regina) and TIA (i.e. “Spanish aunt”, i.e. the Spanish for “aunt”).

12. Right to hold authentic beer mug in small 4 (13)

Answer: LIECHTENSTEIN (i.e. a “small 4” – the answer to 4d being NATION). Solution is LIEN (i.e. a legal “right”) wrapped around or “holding” ECHT (i.e. “authentic”, from the German) and followed by STEIN (i.e. “beer mug”), like so: LI(ECHT)EN-STEIN.

19. Deliver large carpet around one (8)

Answer: LIBERATE (i.e. “deliver”). Solution is L (a recognised abbreviation of “large”) and BERATE (i.e. to “carpet” someone) wrapped “around” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), like so: L-(I)-BERATE.

22. Portuguese saint swallowing fifty-five shots (5)

Answer: SALVO (i.e. “shots”). Solution is SÃO (i.e. “Portuguese saint”, i.e. the Portuguese for “saint”) wrapped around or “swallowing” LV (i.e. “fifty-five” expressed in Roman numerals), like so: SÃ(LV)O.

23. Voters’ group not yet in, real cool, relaxed, on making entry (9,7)

Answer: ELECTORAL COLLEGE (i.e. “voters’ group”). Solution is ELECT (i.e. “not yet in” office) followed by an anagram (indicated by “relaxed”) of REAL COOL once wrapped around or being “entered” by LEG (i.e. “on” side in cricket), like so: ELECT-ORALCOL(LEG)E.

25. In a practical sense, team hardly careless (7)

Answer: ANXIOUS (i.e. “hardly careless”). Solution is A and NOUS (i.e. “practical sense”) wrapped around or having “in” XI (i.e. “team”, or eleven in Roman numerals), like so: A-N(XI)OUS.

28. Matriarch perhaps on river, well-respected person (7)

Answer: GRANDEE (i.e. “well-respected person”). Solution is GRAN (i.e. “matriarch”) followed by DEE (i.e. Scottish “river”).

29. Writer crowned after graduate, with two Cs, getting a degree (13)

Answer: BACCALAUREATE (i.e. “degree”). Solution is LAUREATE (i.e. “writer crowned”, the latter playing on being crowned with a laurel) placed “after” BA (i.e. “graduate”, specifically a Bachelor of Arts), CC (i.e. “two Cs”) and A, like so: (BA-CC-A)-LAUREATE.

30. In Row D? (3-2-3)

Answer: END-TO-END. Solution satisfies “in row” and, cryptically, “D”, being the last letter or the END TO the word “END”. Nicely done.

32. In company with relatives leaving a prosperous region (4,8)

Answer: HOME COUNTIES (i.e. “prosperous region” of England). Solution is HOME (i.e. “in”, or at home) followed by CO (short for “company”) and AUNTIES (i.e. “relatives”) once the A has been removed (indicated by “leaving a”), like so: HOME-CO-UNTIES.

34. Mayhem: United supporters up for it? (5)

Answer: SNAFU (i.e. “mayhem”). Solution is U (a recognised abbreviation of “United”) and FANS (i.e. “supporters”) all reversed (indicated by “up” – this being a down clue), like so: SNAF-U.

36. Traditional hymn not Garbo’s likely choice? (5,4,2)

Answer: ABIDE WITH ME (i.e. “traditional hymn”). The remainder of the clue plays on the opposite of a famous line ascribed to Greta “Garbo”, being “I want to be alone”.

37. Way old New York dealer briefly becomes hard up (5-5)

Answer: STONY-BROKE (i.e. “hard up”). Solution is ST (i.e. “way”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “street”) followed by O (ditto “old”) and NY (ditto ditto “New York”), then BROKER (i.e. “dealer”) once the last letter has been removed (indicated by “briefly”), like so: ST-O-NY-BROKE.

40. Heavenly Satie composition? Little room to accommodate it (9)

Answer: CELESTIAL (i.e. “heavenly”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “composition”) of SATIE placed in or “accommodated” by CELL (i.e. “little room”), like so: CEL(LESTIA)L.

41. Song George Harrison wrote, part obsession (9)

Answer: SOMETHING (i.e. Beatles “song George Harrison wrote”, appearing on the Abbey Road album). Solution is SOME (i.e. “part”) and THING (i.e. “obsession”, as in having a thing for something).

43. Into which one may disappear – on high Himalayan slopes? (4,3)

Answer: THIN AIR. Solution satisfies “into which one may disappear” and something found “on high Himalayan slopes”.

45. Red from Italy greeting worker in Channel Islands (7)

Answer: CHIANTI (i.e. “red from Italy”). Solution is HI (i.e. “greeting”) and ANT (i.e. “worker”) both placed “in” CI (short for the “Channel Islands”), like so: C(HI-ANT)I.

46. Criminal bands imprisoning English banker (6)

Answer: GANGES (i.e. “banker” or river, as in how they have riverbanks). Solution is GANGS (i.e. “criminal bands”) wrapped around or “imprisoning” E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”), like so: GANG(E)S.

48. Force over channel is gathering (5)

Answer: FRILL (i.e. a “gathering” or ruffle). Solution is F (a recognised abbreviation of “force”) followed by RILL (i.e. “channel” or stream).

51. Vampire maybe seizing type of blood vessel (4)

Answer: BOAT (i.e. “vessel”). Solution is BAT (i.e. “vampire maybe”) wrapped around or “seizing” O (i.e. “type of blood”), like so: B(O)AT.

Run to the hills, people! The French Elder Gods will be most displeased this week, the setter having the temerity to entirely neglect their duties in shoehorning at least one French reference into this week’s Jumbo. Mon dieu!

Mock Francophobic silliness aside, as if you need telling, this week’s Jumbo was a stinker. I suspect this setter’s previous Jumbo was one I accused of being artificially difficult through being overly filled with lazy made-to-fit trash, so it’s good to see a marked reduction this time around. The quality of construction in the clues was also mostly excellent, though there were a few areas where setter and solver weren’t on the same page. It’s just a shame it was such a 52d to complete. It’s weird as I do love misdirection, the more convoluted clues, and clues that have me camped out in my dictionaries, but this started to outstay its welcome by the end. Be careful of what you wish for, I guess.

Anyway, you can find my completed grid below along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them helpful, though it might be worth checking back in case more info comes to light in the comments. Meanwhile, if a recent Jumbo has you pulling your hair out 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 the kind words and input. It’s always interesting to hear the thoughts of solvers once the dust has settled. Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

[With thanks to Sue and Chris in the comments for fixing 48d.]

Across clues

1. Very young private in film hugging married soldier (11)

Answer: INFANTRYMAN (i.e. “soldier”). Solution is INFANT (i.e. “very young”) followed by RYAN (i.e. “private in film”, referring to the 1998 movie Saving Private Ryan) once wrapped around or “hugging” M (a recognised abbreviation of “married”), like so: INFANT-RY(M)AN.

7. A number to be received by Granma? (2,4,5)

Answer: GO DOWN MOSES (i.e. “a number” or song). Solution is GO DOWN (i.e. “be received”, say, by an audience) followed by “Granma” MOSES, an American folk artist. Although pretty much every reference I’ve seen describes her as “Grandma”, not “Granma”. Could be a typo; could be the setter dicking around.

13. Old bits of logbook laid out oddly (5)

Answer: OBOLI (i.e. “old bits” – over to Chambers: “in ancient Greece, the sixth part of a drachma in weight or in money”). “Oddly” indicates the solution is found in every other letter of LOGBOOK LAID. I guess “out” is there just to make the clue scan. The wordplay was mercifully obvious but, let’s be honest, this was a made-to-fit solution any day of the week.

14. One guilty of slowing down after initially leading in competition (7)

Answer: CULPRIT (i.e. “one guilty”). Solution is RIT (i.e. “slowing down”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of ritardando in musical lingo) placed “after” L (i.e. “initially leading”, i.e. the first letter of “leading”) once this has been placed “in” CUP (i.e. “competition”), like so: (CU(L)P)-RIT.

15. One is going to a kid experiencing discomfort (3,2,4)

Answer: ILL AT EASE (i.e. “experiencing discomfort”). Solution is I’LL (i.e. “one is going to”, specifically a contraction of I WILL) followed by A, then TEASE (i.e. to “kid”).

16. Accompanying racing driver, holding maximum speed in relentless pursuit (5,4)

Answer: WITCH HUNT (i.e. “relentless pursuit”). Solution is WITH (i.e. “accompanying”) and James HUNT (i.e. “racing driver” and 1976 F1 champion) all wrapped around or “holding” C (i.e. “maximum speed”, specifically a constant in physics representing the speed of light, the C in Einstein’s famous equation E=mc²), like so: WIT(C)H-HUNT.

17. Pacifying English gangster’s girl, one so uninitiated (10)

Answer: EMOLLIENCE (i.e. “pacifying”). Solution is E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”) followed by MOLL (i.e. “gangster’s girl”), then I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and HENCE (i.e. “so”) once its first letter has been removed (indicated by “uninitiated”), like so: E-MOLL-I-ENCE.

20. Wound, not quite septic, that finally is to return again (2-5)

Answer: RE-ELECT (i.e. “to return again” – think returning officers in elections). Solution is REELED (i.e. to have spun or “wound”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “not quite”) and the remainder followed by C and T (i.e. “septic, that finally”, i.e. the last letters of “septic” and “that”), like so: REELE-CT.

22. Set of possible caravanserai pictures brought back (7)

Answer: TRANNIE (i.e. “set”, or transistor radio). I’m not 100% sure on this one, but I’ve got INN (i.e. “caravanserai”, an old inn in some Eastern countries) and ART (i.e. “pictures”) all reversed (indicated by “brought back”). That gives me TRA-NNI. I guess the E comes from “possible” somehow. Maybe a “finally” indicator was lost in the edit?

[EDIT: Thanks to Sue in the comments for suggesting INN is more likely to have been E INN in the solution, given caravanserai were inns in some Eastern countries. That should then give you the missing E. Cheers, Sue! – LP]

24. Resort after a time has spread to west and east (7)

Answer: MARGATE (i.e. “resort” or coastal town in Kent). Solution is A and T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”) placed in or having “to west and east” of it MARGE (i.e. “spread” or margarine), like so: MARG(A-T)E.

25. On a motorway it can be hard to bear (8)

Answer: SHOULDER. Solution satisfies “on a motorway it can be hard” and “to bear”.

26. Maybe be prone to risk neck, somehow, with hesitation (5,2,4,3)

Answer: SKATE ON THIN ICE (i.e. “maybe be prone to risk”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “somehow”) of NECK and HESITATION.

28. Ancient writer’s revolutionary main work (5)

Answer: AESOP (i.e. “ancient writer”). Solution is SEA (i.e. “main” – one definition is the high sea) and OP (i.e. “work”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “opus”) each reversed (indicated by “revolutionary”), like so: AES-OP.

29. Not needing to diet, presumably, one consumes a sort of dip? (6)

Answer: TAHINI (i.e. “sort of dip”, specifically “an oily paste made of crushed sesame seeds” (Chambers)). Solution is THIN (i.e. “not needing to diet, presumably”) and I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) all wrapped around or “consuming” A, like so: T(A)HIN-I. Did you pencil in SKINNY to begin with? Me too.

30. A U category changed to appeal to immature adult? (3,4,3)

Answer: ACT YOUR AGE (i.e. “appeal to immature adult”). “Changed” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of A U CATEGORY.

33. Note left in hotel on an American battlefield (10)

Answer: AUSTERLITZ (i.e. a “battlefield” of the Napoleonic wars). Solution is TE (i.e. musical “note” of the sol-fa scale) followed by L (a recognised abbreviation of “left”) once placed “in” RITZ (a “hotel” chain). This is all then placed “on” or after A US (i.e. “an American”), like so: (A-US)-(TE-R(L)ITZ). Chalk one to my Bradford’s here. I’d reached the “I really can’t be arsed” point.

35. Soap possibly put outside because full of cracks? (6)

Answer: JOCOSE (i.e. “full or cracks” or jokes). Solution is JOE (i.e. “Soap possibly”, referring to Joe Soap, rhyming slang for a dope) placed “outside” of COS (an informal shortened form of “because”), like so: JO(COS)E.

37. One running paper chases hit and disabled (5)

Answer: LAMED (i.e. “disabled”). Solution is ED (i.e. “one running paper”, short for editor) placed after or “chasing” LAM (i.e. to “hit”), like so: LAM-ED.

39. Offence at Rugby which Dr Arnold was there to stop (5,2,3,4)

Answer: KNOCK ON THE HEAD (i.e. “stop”). Solution is KNOCK ON (i.e. “offence at rugby”, ignoring the misleading capitalisation) followed by THE HEAD (i.e. “Dr [Thomas] Arnold”, who was a reforming headmaster of Rugby School in the 1800s). Nicely worked.

41. Buy drinks all round for Americans? Suffers in the morning! (5,3)

Answer: STAND SAM (i.e. “buy drinks all round for Americans” – none of my formal dictionaries back this up, which is disappointing, but it does get a mention in my Cassell’s Dictionary of Slang). Solution is STANDS (i.e. ensures or “suffers”) followed by AM (i.e. “in the morning”).

44. One adding to musical score maybe, unlike one appearing at Glastonbury? (7)

Answer: NOTATOR (i.e. “one adding to musical score maybe”). When written as NOT A TOR the solution also playfully satisfies “unlike one appearing at Glastonbury” – St Michael’s Tower that sits atop Glastonbury Tor often gets photographed against blood moons, super moons etc.

45. Eliminate any reason to make a face when speaking (4,3)

Answer: WIPE OUT (i.e. “eliminate”). Solution comprises homophones (indicated by “when speaking”) of WHY (i.e. “any reason” when asked as a question) and POUT (i.e. “make a face”).

46. Matter that’s collected from a female science graduate, as it were (7)

Answer: ABSCESS (i.e. pus or “matter that’s collected”). The remainder of the clue plays on a jokey “female” form of a BSc or Bachelor of Science (i.e. “science graduate”) by sticking an -ESS on the end, like so: A-BSCESS.

47. Grand entertainer to direct on-line thriller? (5,5)

Answer: GHOST TRAIN (i.e. “on-line thriller”, referring to the track said attraction runs along). Solution is G (a recognised abbreviation of “grand”) followed by HOST (i.e. “entertainer”) and TRAIN (i.e. “to direct”).

49. Female longing to return in vain in suit to EastEnders? (9)

Answer: COCKNEYFY (i.e. to “suit to EastEnders” – stick a gold chain and sheepskin coat on it, that kind of thing). Solution is F (a recognised abbreviation of “female”) and YEN (i.e. “longing”) all reversed (indicated by “to return”) and placed “in” COCKY (i.e. “vain”), like so: COCK(NEY-F)Y. I’ll admit to a feeling of mild horror when I found this was an actual word. It’s as if at some point in time cockneyfying was all the rage, sufficient to see it recognised in dictionaries. Gorblimey, that’s chilling.

53. Article given in love that behold’s removed from wraps? (9)

Answer: VALENTINE. The solution satisfies the waffly clue as a whole, given one would “unwrap” a valentines present or card or some such. Or so I’m told, anyway. I’ve never really understood the point of it all. Meanwhile, it also comprises A (i.e. “article”, being a word like a, an or the), LENT (i.e. “given”) and IN all placed in or “wrapped” by LOVE once the LO (i.e. “behold”) has been “removed”, like so: V(A-LENT-IN)E. Nicely done. Took a while to twig.

54. Shed on field is to go first (4,3)

Answer: LEAD OFF (i.e. “go first”). Solution is DOFF (i.e. to “shed”) placed “on” or after LEA (a meadow or “field”), like so: LEA-DOFF.

55. Pirate copy ultimately you can’t play at school! (8)

Answer: HOOKY (i.e. truancy or something “you can’t play at school”). Solution is HOOK (i.e. “pirate” captain, Peter Pan’s adversary) followed by Y (i.e. “copy ultimately”, i.e. the last letter of “copy”).

56. Deception in the book-keeping department maybe picked up by auditors (11)

Answer: LEGERDEMAIN (i.e. “deception”). Solution comprises homophones (indicated by “picked up by auditors”) of LEDGER DOMAIN (i.e. “book-keeping department”).

57. After winding up down there, rueful in the extreme? (6,5)

Answer: NETHER WORLD. The solution satisfies the clue as a whole, being another way to describe hell, but is also formed through an anagram (indicated by “winding up”) of DOWN THERE and RL (i.e. “rueful in the extreme”, i.e. the first and last letters of “rueful”).

Down clues

1. Implication one can go ahead and press for casting location? (9)

Answer: IRONWORKS (i.e. “casting location”). When written as IRON WORKS the solution also satisfies “implication one can go ahead and press” clothes.

2. Thus draw a bit perhaps on good authority… (4,3,6,5)

Answer: FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH. Solution satisfies “thus draw a bit perhaps” – a bit being an item of riding gear – and “on good authority”.

3. …as this comes reportedly indeed (5)

Answer: NEIGH (i.e. “as this comes”, following on from the previous solution, being the noise a horse makes). “Reportedly” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of NAY (i.e. “indeed”).

4. Park game, one people entering races find engaging (11)

Answer: RECRUITMENT (i.e. the act of “engaging” personnel). Solution is REC (i.e. “park” or recreation area) followed by RU (i.e. “game”, specifically Rugby Union), then I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), then MEN (i.e. “people” – well, 48% of them anyway) once placed in or “entering” TT (i.e. motorbike “races” held on the Isle of Man), like so: REC-RU-I-T(MEN)T.

5. A title one translated at the end of William Tell? (8)

Answer: MILITATE (i.e. to “tell” against – ignore the misleading capitalisation). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “translated”) of A TITLE and I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”, again again again) all placed after or “at the end of” M (i.e. “end [letter] of William” – a bit of recycling there), like so: M-ILITATE.

6. Trying bottle on shelf with iodine: no good (5-7)

Answer: NERVE-RACKING (i.e. an ordeal or “trying”). Solution is NERVE (i.e. “bottle”) followed by RACK (i.e. “shelf”), then I (chemical symbol of “iodine”), then N (a recognised abbreviation of “no”) and G (ditto “good”).

7. Persuade couple over the phone to make do, finally (3,5,2)

Answer: GET ROUND TO (i.e. “do, finally”). Solution is GET ROUND (i.e. “persuade”) followed by a homophone (indicated by “over the phone”) of TWO (i.e. “couple”).

8. “Physician heal thyself!” we might thus infer is the instruction (5)

Answer: DRILL (i.e. “instruction”, as in a military drill). When written as DR ILL the solution playfully satisfies “’Physician heal thyself!’ we might thus infer”, DR being a recognised abbreviation of a doctor or “physician”.

9. Comic about to change male fantasy character (6,5)

Answer: WALTER MITTY (i.e. “fantasy character” from James Thurber’s short story The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty, in which the titular character imagines himself in a variety of heroic scenarios). Solution is WITTY (i.e. “comic”) wrapped “about” ALTER (i.e. “to change”) and M (a recognised abbreviation of “male”), like so: W(ALTER-M)ITTY.

10. Faced fine for burying fish bones (9)

Answer: METACARPI (i.e. “bones” found between the wrist and fingers). Solution is MET (i.e. “faced”) and AI (i.e. “fine”, excellent or A1 written with the 1 replaced by its Roman numeral equivalent) once wrapped around or “burying” CARP (i.e. “fish”), like so: MET-A(CARP)I.

11. Special effects seen after consuming a port! (4)

Answer: SFAX (i.e. “port” of Tunisia). Solution is SFX (short for “special effects”) wrapped around or “consuming” A, like so: SF(A)X. The wordplay was mercifully obvious but consider for a moment how many words also fit the letters “S-A-“. You know, actual real everyday words. Ugh. Come off it, setter.

12. Horse-drawn vehicle, often small and light (4)

Answer: SLED (i.e. “horse-drawn vehicle, often”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) followed by LED (i.e. “light”, specifically a Light Emitting Diode).

18. Battered car (Golf) multistorey may track and film (7,7,4)

Answer: MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR (i.e. “track and film” by The Beatles). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “battered”) of CAR, G (“Golf” in the phonetic alphabet) and MULITSTOREY MAY. Nicely worked.

19. Vicar – the first lady – meeting resistance: split follows (8)

Answer: REVEREND (i.e. “vicar”). Solution is EVE (i.e. “the first lady” in The Bible) placed after or “meeting” R (a recognised abbreviation of electrical “resistance”) and “followed” by REND (i.e. “split”), like so: (R-EVE)-REND.

21. Edge, if not round … is this maybe? (7)

Answer: ELLIPSE. The solution fits the clue as a whole, but also comprises LIP (i.e. “edge”) with ELSE (i.e. “if not”) wrapped “round” it, like so: EL(LIP)SE. Another nicely worked clue that took a while to twig.

23. Schoolboy class of 2021 for example? A cut above? (4,4)

Answer: ETON CROP (i.e. “a cut above”, referring to a haircut). The clue also satisfies “schoolboy class of 2021 for example”, though I can’t see why the setter picked out a specific year. Seems an unnecessary attempt to throw the solver.

27. Doctor Who after hour interrupts musical programme (4,4)

Answer: CHAT SHOW (i.e. “programme”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “doctor”) of WHO – ignoring the misleading formatting – placed “after” H (a recognised abbreviation of “hour”) once placed in or “interrupting” CATS (i.e. Andrew Lloyd Webber “musical”), like so: C(H)ATS-HOW.

28. Those from one state sorry to say when leaving another (8)

Answer: ALASKANS (i.e. “those from one [US] state”). Solution is ALAS (i.e. “sorry to say”) followed by KANSAS (i.e. “another” US state) once the AS has been removed (indicated by “when leaving”, AS being another word for “when”), like so: ALAS-KANS.

31. Completed course in satellite communications (7)

Answer: UPLINKS (i.e. “satellite communications”). Solution is UP (i.e. “completed” or over) followed by LINKS (i.e. golf “course”).

32. Drinks dispenser is found at an oasis as one’s leaving, sadly (4,8)

Answer: SODA FOUNTAIN (i.e. “drinks dispenser”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “sadly”) of IS FOUND AT AN OASIS once the AS I’S has been removed (indicated by “as [Roman numeral] one’s leaving”).

34. Note the employing of an informer somewhere south of Glasgow (11)

Answer: LANARKSHIRE (i.e. “somewhere south of Glasgow”, along with most places if we’re splitting hairs). Solution is LA (i.e. musical “note” in the sol-fa scale) followed by NARK’S HIRE (i.e. “the employing of an informer”).

36. One on settlement admits transport bases cut (8,3)

Answer: ENTRANCE FEE (i.e. “one on settlement admits”). Solution is ENTRANCE (i.e. to elate or “transport”) followed by FEES (i.e. “bases” – Chambers has this for a base fee: “qualified fee, a freehold estate of inheritance to which a qualification is annexed”, or, in English, an interest in property that is recognised so long as a condition continues to be met) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “cut”).

[EDIT: Chris in the comments has a better take on “bases cut”, being the word FEET with the last letter removed. Cheers, Chris! – LP]

38. Blue bloke like a scarlet woman? (10)

Answer: CHAPFALLEN (i.e. “blue”. Can also be spelled CHOPFALLEN, meaning to leave one open-mouthed or dejected). Solution is CHAP (i.e. “bloke”) followed by FALLEN (i.e. “like a scarlet woman” or descriptive of a prostitute).

40. Nick three fragments to make famous figure in 4 (9)

Answer: Herbert KITCHENER, he of the “Your Country Needs You” posters of the First World War (referenced in “famous figure in 4”, the solution to 4 down being RECRUITMENT). “Fragments” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of NICK THREE.

42. One’s recalled painful swelling you had, on the verge of tears? (5-4)

Answer: MISTY-EYED (i.e. “on the verge of tears”). Solution is I’M (i.e. “one’s” – a contraction of “one is” or I AM) reversed (indicated by “recalled”) followed by STYE (a “painful swelling” of the eye) and YE’D (i.e. a contraction of “you had” – a ye olde indicator like “once” would have been nice here), like so: M’I-STYE-YE’D.

43. Project frustrated carrot producer may finally get? (5,3)

Answer: STICK OUT (i.e. to “project”). The remainder of the clue plays on the phrase “carrot and stick” being forms of encouragement and punishment. The inference here is that the carrot has had no effect, so it’s time to get the STICK OUT.

48. Mark of separation, after shrinking, that remains (5)

Answer: THETA. 100% guess here, so watch out. I’m going for this being a symbol or “mark” that is used for a wide variety of purposes. Chambers offers this is a “mark of condemnation” or death, which I suppose you could equate to “mark of separation” if you really squint your eyes. You could also weakly argue that the letters of THETA, after the E has been removed, the word having been “shrunk”, gets you the letters of “that”. I’m not really buying it, though, as such indicators are used to trim end letters from a word, not those in the middle. If someone swings by with a better solution then I’ll update the post.

[EDIT: Scratch that, the solution is TREMA, “a diaresis, two dots placed as a mark of separate pronunciation over a vowel letter” (Chambers). My Oxford comes up dry on this one, which is a rarity. “After shrinking” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: THA(T REMA)INS. Thanks to Chris and Sue in the comments for coming to the rescue! – LP]

50. Be capable of being heard in any conditions (5)

Answer: NOHOW (i.e. “in any conditions” – my Chambers and Oxford would disagree, stating the exact opposite of this, being “a negative” or “under no circumstances”. Hard to see what the setter had in mind here. Maybe everything good in their world is “bad”, “sick” or (especially up north) “hellish”). “Being heard” indicates the solution is a homophone of KNOW HOW (i.e. “be capable of”).

51. No good being upset (4)

Answer: EVIL (i.e. “no good”). Solution is LIVE (i.e. “being”) reversed (indicated by “upset” – this being a down clue).

52. Singular record becoming big hit (4)

Answer: SLOG (i.e. “big hit”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “singular”) followed by LOG (i.e. “record”).

A relatively straightforward Jumbo offering steady progression and a healthy smattering of inventive and well-written clues. A good un then, though I fear we must pray LE MORTE D’ARTHUR is sufficient to appease the French Elder Gods for another week. If the sky suddenly turns tricolore and deafens us all with La Marseillaise then it’s been nice knowing you.

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.

Thanks again for the kind words and input. It’s always interesting to hear the thoughts of other solvers once they have set down their pens. Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

Across clues

1. Condemned one put in dock without resistance (8)

Answer: ACCURSED (i.e. “condemned”). Solution is ACCUSED (i.e. “one put in dock”) wrapped around or placed “without” R (a recognised abbreviation of electrical “resistance”), like so: ACCU(R)SED.

5. Good to move slowly in punt (6)

Answer: GAMBLE (i.e. “punt”). Solution is G (a recognised abbreviation of “good”) followed by AMBLE (i.e. “to move slowly”).

9. Strange items like lugs in the centre of Texas (7)

Answer: EXOTICA (i.e. “strange items”). Solution is OTIC (i.e. “like lugs”, or relating to the ears) placed “in” EXA (i.e. “the centre [letters] of Texas”), like so: EX(OTIC)A.

14. Working with excellent chaps in court custody (11)

Answer: CONFINEMENT (i.e. “custody”). Solution is ON (i.e. operational or “working”) followed by FINE (i.e. “excellent”) and MEN (i.e. “chaps”) all placed “in” CT (a recognised abbreviation of “court”), like so: C(ON-FINE-MEN)T.

15. Glutton, possibly, eating horse as a source of excess energy? (11)

Answer: SUPERHEATER (i.e. “a source of excess energy”). Solution is SUPER EATER (i.e. “glutton, possibly”) wrapped around or “eating” H (i.e. “horse”, both slang terms for heroin), like so: SUPER-(H)-EATER.

16. Pressure press to be clear (5)

Answer: PURGE (i.e. “clear”). Solution is P (a recognised abbreviation of “pressure”) followed by URGE (i.e. “press”).

17. Wavering – or lot more disrupted (7)

Answer: TREMOLO (i.e. “wavering”). “Disrupted” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of LOT MORE.

18. Doctor repeatedly runs round altering triages (9)

Answer: REGISTRAR (i.e. “doctor” – Chambers has this: “a hospital doctor in one of the intermediate grades (medical or surgical registrar)”). Solution is R and R (i.e. “repeatedly runs” – R being a recognised abbreviation of “run” used in a number of ball games) wrapped “round” an anagram (indicated by “altering”) of TRIAGES, like so: R(EGISTRA)R. Nicely worked.

19. Dismissive exclamation about mostly tasteless pepper (7)

Answer: POBLANO (i.e. a Mexican “pepper” – Chambers doesn’t want to know, but my Oxford lists it). Solution is POO (i.e. “dismissive exclamation” – again, Chambers doesn’t want to know but Oxford likes it) wrapped “about” BLAND (i.e. “tasteless”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “mostly”), like so: PO(BLAN)O.

20. Immediately passed headland, not favouring the port? (5-10)

Answer: RIGHT-HANDEDNESS (i.e. “not favouring the port”, being left in shipspeak). Solution is RIGHT (i.e. “immediately”, as in right now) followed by HANDED (i.e. “passed”) and NESS (i.e. “headland”).

22. What’s brilliant about nurse in brown? Presence (10)

Answer: ATTENDANCE (i.e. “presence”). Solution is ACE (i.e. “brilliant”) wrapped “about” TEND (i.e. to “nurse”) once it has first been placed “in” TAN (i.e. “brown”), like so: A(T(TEND)AN)CE.

23. Down by the French Mediterranean city (6)

Answer: NAPLES (i.e. “Mediterranean city”). Solution is NAP (i.e. fur or “down”) followed by LES (i.e. “the French”, i.e. the French for “the”, collectively).

25. Chap wanting five to win (4)

Answer: GAIN (i.e. “win”). Solution is GAVIN (i.e. “chap’s” name) with the V removed (indicated by “wanting five” – V being five expressed as a Roman numeral).

28. Continue to swell and enlarge injured head in medical care (7,7)

Answer: SURGEON GENERAL (i.e. “head in medical care”). Solution is SURGE ON (i.e. “continue to swell”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “injured”) of ENLARGE.

30. Grain surrounds old Northwest Territories river city in Canada (8)

Answer: MONTREAL (i.e. “city in Canada”). Solution is MEAL (i.e. ground “grain”) wrapped around or “surrounding” O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”), NT (ditto “Northwest Territories” of Canada) and R (ditto ditto “river”), like so: M(O-NT-R)EAL.

32. A censer (empty) is in untidy room, here in church? (8)

Answer: SACRISTY (i.e. “room, here in church”, specifically “a room in a church where the sacred utensils, vestments, etc, are kept” (Chambers)). Solution is A, CR (i.e. “censer (empty)” i.e. the word “censer” with all its middle letters removed) and IS all placed “in” STY (i.e. “untidy room”), like so: S(A-CR-IS)TY.

34. Seeing in advance wealth having a significant effect (7-7)

Answer: FORTUNE-TELLING (i.e. “seeing in advance”). Solution is FORTUNE (i.e. “wealth”) followed by TELLING (i.e. “having a significant effect”).

37. Unruly child getting right inside club (4)

Answer: BRAT (i.e. “unruly child”). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “right”) placed “inside” BAT (i.e. “club”), like so: B(R)AT.

38. Found key in carrying case (6)

Answer: CREATE (i.e. to “found”). Solution is E (i.e. musical “key”) placed “in” CRATE (i.e. “carrying case”), like so: CR(E)ATE.

39. Henry finished with skill in vehicle (10)

Answer: HOVERCRAFT (i.e. “vehicle”). Solution is H (a recognised abbreviation of “Henry”, a unit of electrical inductance) followed by OVER (i.e. “finished”) and CRAFT (i.e. “skill”).

43. Very fat, must finally be looking embarrassed with bad posture (5-10)

Answer: ROUND-SHOULDERED (i.e. “with bad posture”). Solution is ROUND (i.e. “very fat”) followed by SHOULD (i.e. “must”), then E (i.e. “finally be”, i.e. the last letter of “be”) and RED (i.e. “looking embarrassed”).

45. Master from Portsea misses going back (7)

Answer: MAESTRO (i.e. “master”). “From” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, while “going back” indicates the solution has been reversed, like so: P(ORTSEA M)ISSES.

47. Rock festival activity with hits and mescal going around (4,5)

Answer: SLAM DANCE (i.e. “rock festival activity with hits” – I’ve never seen the attraction, personally). “Going around” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of AND MESCAL.

49. One no longer working on island (7)

Answer: RETIREE (i.e. “one no longer working”). Solution is RE (i.e. “on” or regarding – think email replies) followed by TIREE (i.e. an “island” of Scotland).

51. Note car approaching motorway (5)

Answer: MINIM (i.e. musical “note”). Solution is MINI (i.e. make of “car”) followed by M (a recognised abbreviation of “motorway”).

52. Hard task round table to plan moves (11)

Answer: CHOREOGRAPH (i.e. “to plan moves”). Solution is CHORE (i.e. “hard task”) followed by O (i.e. “round”) and GRAPH (i.e. “table” – my Bradford’s likes it, but I don’t. They’re both ways of illustrating data, sure, but I’d want some degree of interchangeability between the two).

53. One maybe into The Big Bang Theory sitcom’s logo, strangely (11)

Answer: COSMOLOGIST (i.e. “one maybe into the Big Bang theory”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “strangely”) of SITCOM’S LOGO. Another clue I rather liked.

54. Enzyme test succeeded in leg (7)

Answer: TRYPSIN (i.e. pancreatic “enzyme”). Solution is TRY (i.e. “test”) followed by S (a recognised abbreviation of “succeeded”) once placed “in” PIN (slang for a “leg”), like so: TRY-P(S)IN. One nailed solely from the wordplay, unsurprisingly.

55. Always I lay vacantly in a strange way (6)

Answer: EERILY (i.e. “in a strange way”). Solution is E’ER (poetic form of ever or “always”) followed by I and LY (i.e. “lay vacantly”, i.e. the word “lay” with its middle letter removed).

56. Time your girl cut short Charlie’s bullying (8)

Answer: TYRANNIC (i.e. “bullying” as an adjective rather than a verb). Solution is T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”) followed by YR (ditto “your”), then ANNIE (i.e. “girl’s” name) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “cut short”), then C (“Charlie” in the phonetic alphabet), like so: T-YR-ANNI-C.

Down clues

1. Drink with a large policeman before work (7)

Answer: ALCOPOP (i.e. “drink”). Solution is A followed by L (a recognised abbreviation of “large”), then COP (i.e. “policeman”) and OP (i.e. “work”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “opus”).

2. Trick teacher outside to tease writer for school mag? (11)

Answer: CONTRIBUTOR (i.e. “writer for school mag” – I appreciate the setter is trying to make this work within the context of the clue, but I reckon qualifying this as a “school mag” was a little unfair. Usually when a clue narrows on a specific example purely for style, solvers would expect a word like “perhaps” to indicate we’re looking for something covering not only that example but others like it too. Not doing so unfairly sets an expectation that we’re looking for a word covering that specific example. Others may point to the riddly question mark, but I don’t think this satisfactorily covers it. Anyway, world keeps spinning…) Solution is CON (i.e. “trick”) followed by TUTOR (i.e. “teacher”) once wrapped around or placed “outside” of RIB (i.e. “to tease”), like so: CON-T(RIB)UTOR.

3. Cause trouble in lift? I can, unfortunately (5,4)

Answer: RAISE CAIN (i.e. “cause trouble”). Solution is RAISE (i.e. “lift”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “unfortunately”) of I CAN.

4. Like certain motors chosen by traveller gent freshly in charge (15)

Answer: ELECTROMAGNETIC (i.e. “like certain motors”). Solution is ELECT (i.e. “chosen”) followed by ROMA (i.e. “traveller”), then an anagram (indicated by “freshly”) of GENT, then IC (a recognised abbreviation of “in charge”), like so: ELECT-ROMA-GNET-IC.

6. But health ought … ought to give one this (8)

Answer: ALTHOUGH (i.e. “but”). “Ought to give one this” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: HE(ALTH OUGH)T.

7. Card game, drink and celebration – a historic event (6,3,5)

Answer: BOSTON TEA PARTY (i.e. “a historic event”, a protest in 1773 in which American colonists dumped hundreds of chests of tea into Boston harbour). Solution is BOSTON (i.e. a “card game” similar to whist, apparently) followed by TEA (i.e. “drink”) and PARTY (i.e. “celebration”).

8. Fit to be sent abroad, former partner moved easily (10)

Answer: EXPORTABLE (i.e. “fit to be sent abroad”). Solution is EX (i.e. “former partner”) followed by PORTABLE (i.e. “moved easily”).

9. Often-married king at heart old and very angry (7)

Answer: ENRAGED (i.e. “very angry”). Solution is HENRY (i.e. “often-married king”, specifically Henry VIII) with its first and last letters removed (indicated by “at heart”) and the remainder followed by AGED (i.e. “old”), like so: ENR-AGED.

10. Begins a series of golf championships (5)

Answer: OPENS. Solution satisfies “begins” and “a series of golf championships”.

11. Junior US medic, the reverse of kind English, harming both sides (11)

Answer: INTERNECINE (i.e. “harming both sides”, loosely speaking). Solution is INTERN (i.e. “junior US medic”) followed by NICE (i.e. “kind”) once “reversed”, then E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”), like so: INTERN-ECIN-E.

12. Broadcast Brief Encounter and remove parts of picture? (8)

Answer: AIRBRUSH (i.e. “remove parts of picture”). Solution is AIR (i.e. “broadcast”) followed by BRUSH (i.e. “brief encounter” – ignore the misleading formatting).

13. Fair time in charge (4)

Answer: FETE (i.e. a “fair”). Solution is T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”) placed “in” FEE (i.e. “charge”), like so: FE(T)E.

20. Illegal scheme often seen in court? (6)

Answer: RACKET. Solution satisfies “illegal scheme” and “often seen in [tennis] court” – can be spelled RACKET or RACQUET.

21. Use a spade on the whole garden – almost not using hands? (7)

Answer: DIGITAL (i.e. “not using hands?”, riffing on how digits can refer to toes as well as fingers. Unless the setter has fingers in an entirely different place to the rest of us. The mind boggles). Solution is DIG IT ALL (i.e. “use a spade on the whole garden”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “almost”).

[EDIT: Belated thanks to Michael El in the comments for suggesting “not using hands” could refer to a digital clock. This feels like a much better fit. Thanks, Michael! – LP]

22. Help a relative in street (6)

Answer: ASSIST (i.e. “help”). Solution is A followed by SIS (i.e. “relative”, short for sister) once placed “in” ST (a recognised abbreviation of “street”), like so: A-S(SIS)T.

24. Cause of forgetting brief time at school commemoration (5-4,6)

Answer: SHORT-TERM MEMORY (i.e. “cause of forgetting”). Solution is SHORT (i.e. “brief”) followed by TERM (i.e. “time at school”) and MEMORY (i.e. “commemoration”).

26. Runs after flying alder moth – true story ending tragically (2,5,7)

Answer: LE MORTE D’ARTHUR (i.e. “story ending tragically” by Sir Thomas Malory, a weighty account of King Arthur’s legend). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “runs”, already covered) placed “after” an anagram (indicated by “flying”) of ALDER MOTH TRUE, like so: LEMORTEDARTHU-R. The book may well have been written in Myddel Englyshe but, come on, given the subject matter and the French title, how could I resist a cheeky meme?

27. Line in battle running away (6)

Answer: FLIGHT (i.e. “running away”). Solution is L (a recognised abbreviation of “line”) placed “in” FIGHT (i.e. “battle”), like so: F(L)IGHT.

29. Issued leaders in English mainly involving The Times’ editor (7)

Answer: EMITTED (i.e. “issued”). Solution is EMITT (i.e. “leaders [or first letters] in English Mainly Involving The Times”) followed by ED (short for “editor”).

31. Go right round North London town that is becoming nought? (6)

Answer: ENFOLD (i.e. “go right round”). Solution is ENFIELD (i.e. “North London town”) with the IE (i.e. “that is”, i.e. “i.e.”, after the Latin id est) swapped for or “becoming” O (i.e. “nought”), like so: ENF(IE)LD => ENF(O)LD.

33. Always keep son out of circus lass’s story going round (11)

Answer: CIRCULATORY (i.e. “going round”). “Always keep son out of” indicates the solution can be derived by taking all the Ss – S being a recognised abbreviation of “son” – out of CIRCUS LASS’S STORY.

35. Disregard pronounced inner tension (11)

Answer: INATTENTION (i.e. a “disregard”). “Pronounced” indicates the solution is (an unusually direct) homophone of INNER TENSION.

36. Restore evejar tune for broadcasting (10)

Answer: REJUVENATE (i.e. “restore”). “For broadcasting” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of EVEJAR TUNE.

40. Drink a large quantity stored in passage at the end (5,4)

Answer: CREAM SODA (i.e. “drink”). Solution is REAMS (i.e. “large quantity” of paper) “stored in” CODA (i.e. musical “passage at the end”), like so: C(REAMS)ODA.

41. Film editor’s technique annoyed hack (8)

Answer: CROSSCUT (i.e. “film editor’s technique”). Solution is CROSS (i.e. “annoyed”) followed by CUT (i.e. “hack”).

42. Professional person exploited without key official record (8)

Answer: PROTOCOL (i.e. “official record”, rather deep in the definitions). Solution is PRO (short for “professional”) followed by TOOL (i.e. “person exploited”) once wrapped around or placed “without” C (another musical “key”), like so: PRO-TO(C)OL.

44. Piece from worker, good one (7)

Answer: HANDGUN (i.e. “piece”, slang thereof). Solution is HAND (i.e. “worker”) followed by G (a recognised abbreviation of “good”) and UN (slang form of “one”, as in a good un).

46. Gradually going through old sitcom being remade? (7)

Answer: OSMOTIC (i.e. “gradually going through”). Solution is O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “being remade”) of SITCOM, like so: O-SMOTIC.

48. Liquid remains unused for three long days finally (5)

Answer: DREGS (i.e. “liquid remains”). “Finally” indicates the solution is derived from the last letters of “unuseD foR threE lonG dayS“.

50. Perhaps spots rook on tree (4)

Answer: RASH (i.e. “perhaps spots”). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “rook” used in chess) followed by ASH (i.e. “tree”).

A medium-strength Jumbo this week. Well, for the most part it was relatively straightforward, but there were a handful of spicy clues in there to up the difficulty a smidge. A pretty good un, all told.

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 flipped you the bird then you might find succour in my Just For Fun page, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of the things.

Thanks again for the input and kind words. It’s always interesting to hear the thoughts of other solvers once they’ve set down their pens. Till next time, stay safe and wrap up well out there, kids.

LP

FBV (French-By-Volume): 4.8%

Across clues

1. Shape of playing area a complication (9)

Answer: RECTANGLE (i.e. “shape”). Solution is REC (i.e. “playing area”, short for a recreation ground) followed by TANGLE (i.e. “a complication”).

6. Recovered and exchanged shots (7)

Answer: RALLIED. Solution satisfies “recovered” and “exchanged shots” in a game of tennis.

10. One whistling loudly back, drowning one military bandsman? (5)

Answer: FIFER (i.e. “military bandsman”). Solution is REF (i.e. “one whistling”, short for a referee) and F (i.e. “loudly”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “fortissimo” used in musical lingo) all reversed (indicated by “back”) and wrapped around or “drowning” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), like so: F-(I)-FER.

13. Lead pipe fitted on the right (7)

Answer: CONDUCT (i.e. “lead” an orchestra). Solution is DUCT (i.e. “pipe”) placed “on” or after CON (i.e. “the right”, being a recognised abbreviation of the Conservative party), like so: CON-DUCT.

14. Feeling light-headed in the saddle? Get along! (5-2)

Answer: GIDDY-UP (i.e. “get along”). Solution is GIDDY (i.e. “feeling light-headed”) followed by UP (i.e. on horseback or “in the saddle”).

15. Provisional home – limited period one is in occupation (7)

Answer: INTERIM (i.e. “provisional”). Solution is IN (i.e. “home”) followed by TERM (i.e. “limited period”) once wrapped around or “occupied” by I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”, again), like so: IN-TER(I)M.

16. Break the ice and lead off first dance, drunk (5,3,4,7)

Answer: START THE BALL ROLLING (i.e. “break the ice”). Solution is START THE BALL (i.e. “lead off first dance”) followed by ROLLING (i.e. “drunk”).

17. Barbarian ending chase early (3)

Answer: HUN (i.e. “barbarian”). Solution is HUNT (i.e. “chase”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “ending…early”).

18. Skips exercise, sitting in carriages (6)

Answer: CAPERS (i.e. “skips”). Solution is PE (i.e. “exercise”, or Physical Education) placed “in” CARS (i.e. “carriages”), like so: CA(PE)RS.

20. The German war machine makes an explosive return with grand incursion (6)

Answer: ENIGMA (i.e. “the German war machine”). Solution is A MINE (i.e. “an explosive”) reversed (indicated by “return”) and wrapped around (indicated by “with…incursion”) of G (a recognised abbreviation of “grand”), like so: ENI(G)M-A.

21. Created row, eating last of chocolate cake (9)

Answer: MADELEINE (i.e. “cake”). Solution is MADE (i.e. “created”) and LINE (i.e. “row”) once wrapped around or “eating” E (i.e. “last [letter] of chocolate”), like so: MADE-L(E)INE. A very similar clue appeared only a few weeks ago, making this a much easier get. The curse of the GridFill 4000™ strikes again…

23. Pudding was observed to follow (7,3)

Answer: SPOTTED DOG (i.e. “pudding”, more commonly known as spotted dick). Solution is SPOTTED (i.e. “observed”) followed by DOG (i.e. “to follow”).

25. Fancy Mrs Gandhi touring a new royal estate (11)

Answer: SANDRINGHAM (i.e. a “royal estate”). “Fancy” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram (indicated by “fancy”) of MRS GANDHI wrapped around or “touring” A and N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”), like so: S(A-N)DRINGHAM.

29. Asked, was against leaving work (5)

Answer: POSED (i.e. “asked” a question). Solution is OPPOSED (i.e. “was against”) with the OP removed (indicated by “leaving work” – OP being a recognised abbreviation of “opus”).

30. Ruthless leader reversing corruption among detectives (8)

Answer: DICTATOR (i.e. “ruthless leader”). Solution is ROT AT CID (i.e. “corruption among detectives” – CID being the Criminal Investigation Department of the police) all “reversed”. Nicely worked.

31. Gibbon perhaps eating bit of melon with frenzy for amount of juice (8)

Answer: AMPERAGE (i.e. “amount of juice”, slang for electricity). Solution is APE (i.e. “gibbon perhaps” – other flavours of ape are available) wrapped around or “eating” M (i.e. “bit of melon”, specifically its first letter) and followed by RAGE (i.e. “frenzy”), like so: A(M)PE-RAGE.

34. Relevant software round web pages (8)

Answer: APPOSITE (i.e. “relevant”). Solution is APP (i.e. “software”) followed by O (i.e. “round”) and SITE (i.e. “web pages”).

36. Side unfortunate after hard battle (8)

Answer: EDGEHILL (i.e. a “battle” of the first English Civil War). Solution is EDGE (i.e. “side”) followed by ILL (i.e. “unfortunate”) once placed “after” H (a recognised abbreviation of “hard”), like so: EDGE-((H)-ILL).

37. Keats’s pot boy, son in bar for cricketers (5)

Answer: BASIL (i.e. “Keats’s pot boy”, apparently from his poem Isabella, or the Pot of Basil. No, me neither). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “son”) placed “in” BAIL (i.e. “bar for cricketers”, sitting atop the stumps), like so: BA(S)IL.

39. No profit on so-called fish? Not often (3,3,5)

Answer: NOW AND AGAIN (i.e. “not often”). Solution is NO followed by GAIN (i.e. “profit”) once first placed “on” or after WANDA (i.e. “so-called fish”, after the 1988 comedy movie A Fish Called Wanda), like so: NO-(WANDA)-GAIN.

41. “Chicken heart” maybe a “foul” reprimand (6,4)

Answer: YELLOW CARD (i.e. “a ‘foul’ reprimand” in a number of sports). Solution is YELLOW (i.e. cowardly or “chicken”) followed by CARD (i.e. “heart maybe” – other playing card suits are available).

43. Given back, restore centre of room perhaps (9)

Answer: FIREPLACE (i.e. “centre of room perhaps”). Solution is IF (i.e. assuming or “given”) reversed (indicated by “back”) and followed by REPLACE (i.e. “restore”), like so: FI-REPLACE.

45. Stump I replace, partly removed? (6)

Answer: UMPIRE. Solution satisfies “stump I replace”, playfully – a cricket umpire may do this from time to time – but “partly removed” also indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: ST(UMP-I-RE)PLACE.

47. Put down in writing refusal of the French flag (6)

Answer: PENNON (i.e. “flag”). Solution is PEN (i.e. “put down in writing”) followed by NON (i.e. “refusal of the French”, i.e. the French for “no”).

49. Bill’s companion’s surprised expression (3)

Answer: COO. Solution satisfies “bill’s companion” – a reference to the phrase to ‘bill and coo’: “(of lovers) to kiss and talk intimately together” (Chambers) – and a “surprised expression”.

50. Shocking remark broadcast presents provocation (12,7)

Answer: CONVERSATION STOPPER (i.e. “shocking remark”). “Broadcast” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of PRESENTS PROVOCATION. Another nicely worked clue.

52. Having longer limbs, man recruited to enter race – no saint (7)

Answer: LEGGIER (i.e. “having longer limbs”). Solution is GI (i.e. “man recruited” in the US army) placed in or “entering” ST LEGER (i.e. a famous horse “race”) once the ST has been removed (indicated by “no saint” – ST being a recognised abbreviation of “saint”), like so: LEG(GI)ER.

53. Windier, becoming braver as time advances (7)

Answer: GUTSIER (i.e. “braver”). Solution is GUSTIER (i.e. “windier”) with the T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”) moved a notch (indicated by “advances”), like so: GUS(T)IER => GU(T)SIER.

54. One snooker shot secures quiet stalemate (7)

Answer: IMPASSE (i.e. “stalemate”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one” again) followed by MASSE (i.e. “snooker shot”, a curve shot) once wrapped around or “securing” P (i.e. “quiet”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “piano” in musical lingo), like so: I-M(P)ASSE.

55. Small spray of flowers, a number out of season (5)

Answer: SPRIG (i.e. “small spray of flowers”). Solution is SPRING (i.e. “season”) with the N removed (indicated by “a number out of…” – in mathematics, N is used to denote any number).

56. Record relating to part of the digestive system (7)

Answer: ENTERON (i.e. “part of the digestive system”, the alimentary canal). Solution is ENTER (i.e. to “record” information) followed by ON (i.e. “relating to”). One remembered from a previous Jumbo, if I’m honest.

57. After exercise they dread becoming dry (9)

Answer: DEHYDRATE (i.e. to “dry”). “After exercise” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of THEY DREAD.

Down clues

1. Holder going on back in fight to cause devastation (8)

Answer: RUCKSACK (i.e. “holder going on back”). Solution is RUCK (i.e. “fight”) followed by SACK (i.e. “to cause devastation”).

2. Against finally joining a line dance (5)

Answer: CONGA (i.e. “line dance”). Solution is CON (i.e. “against”, as in pros and cons) followed by G (i.e. “finally joining”, i.e. the last letter of “joining”), then A.

3. Meaning of X once maintaining drug is “cut” (11)

Answer: ADULTERATED (i.e. “cut” with a foreign substance). Solution is ADULT RATED (i.e. “meaning of X once”, referring to firm certification) wrapped around or “maintaining” E (a slang name for the “drug” ecstasy), like so: ADULT-(E)-RATED.

4. Been given tea? You’ve been tricked! (6)

Answer: GOTCHA (i.e. “you’ve been tricked!”). Solution is GOT (i.e. “been given”) followed by CHA (slang for “tea”).

5. Encourages saying of grace, leaving one working breakfast in America? (4,8)

Answer: EGGS BENEDICT (i.e. “breakfast in America”, being “a slice of ham and a poached egg placed on a slice of toast and covered with hollandaise sauce” (Chambers) – I’ll pass, thanks). Solution is EGGS (i.e. “encourages”) followed by BENEDICTION (i.e. “saying of grace”) once the I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”, again) and ON (i.e. operational or “working”) at the end have been removed (indicated by “leaving”).

6. Left flyer advancing the progress of the nascent car industry? (3,4)

Answer: RED FLAG. In the early days of motoring, cars had to travel behind someone carrying a red flag to warn others of its approach. Clue also plays on those politically on the “left” being referred to as REDs and FLAGs being things that are flown. You get the idea.

7. Greatly value hypermarket in small car park (3,5,5,2)

Answer: LAY GREAT STORE BY (i.e. “greatly value”). Solution is GREAT STORE (i.e. a large store or “hypermarket”) placed “in” LAYBY (i.e. “small car park”). I suspect this will be edited before it gets reprinted in the annual Jumbo Cryptic book. Having “greatly” in the clue and GREAT in the solution isn’t… er… great.

8. Naughty child with mild illness heard spitting (10)

Answer: IMPALEMENT (i.e. “spitting”). Solution is IMP (i.e. “naughty child”) followed by a homophone (indicated by “heard”) of AILMENT (i.e. “mild illness”), like so: IMP-ALEMENT.

9. Made an idol facing in two directions (7)

Answer: DEIFIED (i.e. “made an idol”). The remainder of the clue plays on the solution being a palindrome.

10. Work such as Watteau’s seen surprisingly in teenage flat (4,7)

Answer: FÊTE GALANTE (i.e. “work such as Watteau’s”, eighteenth-century dreamlike paintings of aristos in lush settings). “Surprisingly” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of TEENAGE FLAT. Okay, everyone relax. The French Elder Gods have been satisfied for another week. Good work, setter.

11. We hear out of place jokes at hotel straightaway (9)

Answer: FORTHWITH (i.e. “straightaway”). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “we hear”) of FOURTH (i.e. “out of place”, referring to placings in a race) followed by WIT (i.e. “jokes”) and H (“hotel” in the phonetic alphabet), like so: FORTH-WIT-H.

12. Tale of chivalry from Catholic church (7)

Answer: ROMANCE (i.e. “tale of chivalry”). Solution is ROMAN (i.e. “Catholic”) followed by CE (i.e. “church”, specifically the Church of England).

19. Interjects “Something to smoke and drink?” (5,2)

Answer: PIPES UP (i.e. “interjects”). Solution is PIPE (i.e. “something to smoke”) followed by SUP (i.e. to “drink”).

22. Surgeon accepts death, thanks to bad blood (8)

Answer: VENDETTA (i.e. “bad blood”). Solution is VET (i.e. “surgeon”) wrapped around or “accepting” END (i.e. “death”) and followed by TA (i.e. “thanks”), like so: V(END)ET-TA.

24. Heresy hunter once resorted to ordaining right squit (5,10)

Answer: GRAND INQUISITOR (i.e. “heresy hunter once”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “resorted”) of ORDAINING, R (a recognised abbreviation of “right”) and SQUIT. Hmm, I wasn’t expecting that…

26. Quietly persist with mule, born wild (6,2)

Answer: RUMBLE ON (i.e. “quietly persist”). “Wild” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of MULE BORN.

27. Every few days, head apparently turning around submissively here (6)

Answer: MEEKLY (i.e. “submissively”). Solution is WEEKLY (i.e. “every few days”) with the W “turned around” 180 degrees to make an M, like so: (W)EEKLY => (M)EEKLY.

28. Artist interrupting what Turner does? That’s a wrench (6)

Answer: SPRAIN (i.e. “wrench”). Solution is RA (i.e. “artist”, specifically a Royal Academician) placed in or “interrupting” SPIN (i.e. “what turner does” – ignore the misleading capitalisation), like so: SP(RA)IN.

32. Too controlled, one not earning any prizes (4-3)

Answer: ALSO-RAN (i.e. “one not earning any prizes”). Solution is ALSO (i.e. “too”) followed by RAN (i.e. “controlled”, say, an organisation).

33. Column fought across river in the shade (6-3,3)

Answer: PILLAR-BOX RED (i.e. colour or “shade”). Solution is PILLAR (i.e. “column”) followed by BOXED (i.e. “fought”) once wrapped around or placed “across” R (a recognised abbreviation of “river”), like so: PILLAR-BOX(R)ED.

35. Roughly dismissed to prepare for holiday? (4,7)

Answer: SENT PACKING (i.e. “roughly dismissed”). Clue also plays on how one PACKS for “holidays”. You get the idea.

37. Clapboard he fitted to small home? (8,3)

Answer: BACHELOR PAD (i.e. “small home”). “Fitted” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of CLAPBOARD HE.

38. Unimportant person having to shed pounds to qualify for bout? (10)

Answer: MAKEWEIGHT (i.e. “unimportant person”). When written as MAKE WEIGHT the solution also satisfies “to shed pounds to qualify for bout”.

40. Aggressor is angry over ass losing area (9)

Answer: WARMONGER (i.e. “aggressor”). Solution is WARM (i.e. “is angry”) followed by ONAGER (i.e. “ass” or donkey) once the A has been removed (indicated by “losing area” – A being a recognised abbreviation of “area”), like so: WARM-ONGER.

42. Recalls to prison, do you say? Relent! (8)

Answer: UNFREEZE (i.e. “relent”). “Do you say” indicates homophone. The solution is a playful homophone of UNFREES (i.e. “recalls to prison”). The riddly question mark is a tacit admission this is a word you’re not likely to find in a dictionary, at least in verb form.

43. Concentration, not universal, on the French decks (7)

Answer: FO’C’SLES (i.e. “decks”, a contracted form of FORECASTLE, a small raised deck at the front of some ships). Solution is FOCUS (i.e. “concentration”) with the U removed (indicated by “not universal” – U being a recognised abbreviation of “universal” used in film certification) and the remainder followed by LES (i.e. “the French”, i.e. the French for “the”, collectively), like so: FOCS-LES.

44. Course of Arabic for starters that’s got off the ground? (7)

Answer: AINTREE (i.e. race “course”). Solution is A (i.e. “Arabic for starters”, i.e. the first letter of “Arabic”) followed by IN TREE (suggestive of having “got off the ground”).

46. Prophesy extremely slight, receiving answer of the oracle (7)

Answer: PYTHIAN (i.e. “of the oracle”. Over to Chambers: “of Delphi, the oracle there, the priestess, or the games held nearby”). Solution is PY (i.e. “prophesy extremely”, i.e. the word “prophesy” with all its middle letters removed) followed by THIN (i.e. “slight”) once wrapped around or “receiving” A (a recognised abbreviation of “answer”, as in Q&A), like so: PY-THI(A)N.

48. Plum character parking son with German husband (6)

Answer: PSMITH (i.e. “Plum character”, or a character in a number of novels by P.G. Wodehouse. The author’s nickname, meanwhile, was “Plum”). Solution is P (a recognised abbreviation of “parking” used on signage) followed by S (a recognised abbreviation of “son”), then MIT (i.e. “with German”, i.e. the German for “with”) and H (a recognised abbreviation of “husband”).

51. Cop ashamed to arrest Ottoman officer (5)

Answer: PASHA (i.e. “Ottoman officer”). “To arrest” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: CO(P ASHA)MED. One nailed solely from the wordplay.

A medium strength Jumbo this week, and a pretty decent one to chip away at during a working weekend. There were perhaps one too many made-to-fit solutions – consider some of the stuff in the top-left corner of the grid – but the quality of the clueing mostly made up for this.

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 you jiggered then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to solutions to hundreds of the things.

Thanks again for the kind words and input. It’s always interesting to hear the thoughts of other solvers once they’ve set down their pens. Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

FBV (French-By-Volume): 3.3%
(5% if you count NONPAREIL)

Across clues

1. Some hippopotamuses provoke mirth (5)

Answer: AMUSE (i.e. “provoke mirth”). “Some” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: HIPPOPOT(AMUSE)S.

4. Briefly support a SE Asian fish product (7)

Answer: BACALAO (i.e. “fish product”, in this case salted cod). Solution is BACK (i.e. “support”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “briefly”) and the remainder followed by A and LAO (i.e. “SE Asian”, a native of Laos), like so: BAC-A-LAO. My Chambers didn’t want to know, but my Oxford lists it. I was tempted to cough “made-to-fit” for this one, but then I remembered Louis Prima’s Zooma Zooma, in which the dish gets a mention.

8. Robs stoned mariners (9)

Answer: HIGHJACKS (i.e. “robs”). Solution is HIGH (i.e. “stoned”) followed by JACKS (slang for sailors or “mariners”).

13. Jobless socialist worker possibly hoarding unlimited funds (9)

Answer: REDUNDANT (i.e. “jobless”). Solution is RED (i.e. “socialist”) and ANT (i.e. “worker possibly” – other flavours of ant are available) all wrapped around or “hoarding” UND (i.e. “unlimited funds”, i.e. the word “funds” with its first and last letters removed), like so: RED-(UND)-ANT.

14. Managed Habitat order book (6,7)

Answer: NATURE RESERVE (i.e. “managed habitat” – ignore the misleading capitalisation). Solution is NATURE (i.e. “order” or disposition) followed by RESERVE (i.e. to “book”).

15. Lacking self-discipline, Australia’s opener picked up more nuts (7)

Answer: ACRASIA (i.e. “lacking self-discipline” – a new one on me, but fair enough). Solution is A (i.e. “Australia’s opener”, i.e. the first letter of “Australia”) followed by a homophone (indicated by “picked up”) of CRAZIER (i.e. “more nuts”), like so: A-CRASIA.

16. A way to stop crackpot, a bit of a pig (7)

Answer: LARDOON (i.e. “a bit of a pig”, being a chunk of bacon used for larding. Can be spelled with O or double-O). Solution is A and RD (i.e. “way”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of a road) both placed in or “stopping” LOON (i.e. “crackpot”), like so: L(A-RD)OON.

17. “Ah well”, she sighs, missing sons and house (5-2)

Answer: HEIGH-HO (i.e. “ah well”). Solution is SHE SIGHS with each S removed (indicated by “missing sons” – S being a recognised abbreviation of “son”) and the remainder followed by HO (a recognised abbreviation of “house”), like so: (HE-IGH)-HO.

18. A medal that’s for those with room for improvement? (8,10)

Answer: INTERIOR DECORATION. Clue plays on home “improvements”, and medals being DECORATIONS that recognise and reward outstanding service. INTERIOR possibly also plays on how medals are domestically awarded. You get the idea.

21. Excellent case of rioja brought back for a song (4)

Answer: ARIA (i.e. operatic “song”). Solution is AI (i.e. “excellent”, or A1 with the 1 replaced with its Roman numeral equivalent) and RA (i.e. “case of rioja”, i.e. the first and last letters of “rioja”) all reversed (indicated by “brought back”), like so: AR-IA. Nicely worked.

23. Three-legged race (9)

Answer: TRIATHLON. Clue plays on how triathlons cover three sporting disciplines, usually swimming, cycling and running. Each could be said to be a “leg” of the race. Simple, but again nicely worked.

25. Start to burn coal, ditching oil at last (6)

Answer: IGNITE (i.e. “start to burn”). Solution is LIGNITE (a kind of brown “coal”) with the L removed (indicated by “ditching oil at last”, i.e. the last letter of “oil”). I’m confident that with some cutting-edge cruciverbalism, backed by significant government funding, cryptic crossword setters will soon develop a clue for IGNITE that doesn’t rely on LIGNITE or vice versa. Until then, we can only hope, solvers. We can only hope.

26. Dutch painter apparently covering room with new gloss (6)

Answer: VENEER (i.e. “gloss”). Solution is Johannes VERMEER (i.e. “Dutch painter”) with the RM (a recognised abbreviation of “room”) replaced or “covered” over with N (ditto “new”), like so: VE(RM)EER => VE(N)EER. It was rather good of The Times’ features editor to put Vermeer on the cover of the Saturday Review supplement. Very helpful!

28. Ballet expert to choose girl to dance (12)

Answer: CHOREOLOGIST (i.e. “ballet expert”). “To dance” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of TO CHOOSE GIRL.

30. Breaking law, can lose benefits (10)

Answer: ALLOWANCES (i.e. “benefits”). “Breaking” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of LAW CAN LOSE.

33. Insult full of emotion causes estrangement (10)

Answer: DISAFFECTS (i.e. “causes estrangement”). Solution is DISS (i.e. “insult”) wrapped around or being “full of” AFFECT (i.e. “emotion” – in its noun form AFFECT can be “the emotion that lies behind action (psychology)” (Chambers)), like so: DIS(AFFECT)S.

34. Orchid spray spilled all over the place (5,7)

Answer: LADY’S SLIPPER (i.e. a variety of “orchid”). “All over the place” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of SPRAY SPILLED.

37. Introverts love being in railway society (6)

Answer: LONERS (i.e. “introverts”). Solution is O (i.e. “love”, a zero score in tennis) placed “in” LNER (i.e. “railway”, in this case the London North Eastern Railway) and followed by S (a recognised abbreviation of “society”), like so: L(O)NER-S.

39. Commander-in-Chief with programming language for drone producer (6)

Answer: CICADA (i.e. an insect or “drone producer”, presumably based on the noise they collectively make. You do get drone insects, but “drone producer” would suggest a queen of sorts). Solution is CIC (a recognised abbreviation of “Commander-In-Chief”) followed by ADA (i.e. “programming language” named after computing pioneer Ada Lovelace – this nerd approves).

40. Babies annoy anti-social type (9)

Answer: LITTERBUG (i.e. “anti-social type”). Solution is LITTER (i.e. “babies”) followed by BUG (i.e. “annoy”).

42. Eggs on northern star (4)

Answer: NOVA (i.e. “star”). Solution is OVA (i.e. “eggs”) placed “on” or after N (a recognised abbreviation of “northern”), like so: N-OVA.

43. Frenchmen and I dissent furiously about a removal of rights (18)

Answer: DISENFRANCHISEMENT (i.e. “removal of rights”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “furiously”) of FRENCHMEN and I DISSENT wrapped “about” A, like so: DISENFR(A)NCHISEMENT. As regular readers will know, the lengths to which Times setters go to squeeze the French into their puzzles is a frequent source of amusement to me. The language, the places, the people, the word ‘French’ itself: so long as at least one reference gets into the Jumbo then the Elder Gods can be appeased for another week and life can go on as normal. Oh, hang on, sorry, that’s the plot to The Cabin In The Woods. Anyway, it’s all just so obvious, almost as if it’s page 1 of The Times’ style guide. I mean, I like the French too – we nicked large chunks of the language after all – but, jeez, setters, get a room.

46. English composer ultimately made poor case for piece (7)

Answer: HOLSTER (i.e. “case for piece”, piece being slang for a gun). Solution is Gustav HOLST (i.e. “English composer”) followed by E and R (i.e. “ultimately made poor”, i.e. the last letters of “made” and “poor”).

47. Political enforcer saying this inflicts cuts (7)

Answer: WHIPSAW (i.e. “this inflicts cuts”). Solution is WHIP (i.e. “political enforcer”) followed by SAW (i.e. a phrase or “saying”).

48. President of India introduced to foolish boy (7)

Answer: James MADISON (i.e. former “president” of the US). Solution is I (“India” in the phonetic alphabet) placed in or “introduced to” MAD (i.e. “foolish”) and SON (i.e. “boy”), like so: MAD-(I)-SON.

50. Camel tottered, moving treasure hunter’s gear (5,8)

Answer: METAL DETECTOR (i.e. “treasure hunter’s gear”). “Moving” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of CAMEL TOTTERED.

51. Matchless version of rap online (9)

Answer: NONPAREIL (i.e. “matchless”). “Version of” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of RAP ONLINE.

52. Stem of asparagus with excellent herb (9)

Answer: SPEARMINT (i.e. “herb”). Solution is SPEAR (i.e. “stem of asparagus”) followed by MINT (i.e. “excellent”, e.g. in mint condition).

53. Theatre is sued after shrinking further publication (7)

Answer: REISSUE (i.e. “further publication”). “After shrinking” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, derived by stripping away the ends of THEAT(RE IS SUE)D.

54. Going west, overdrawn nation finally loses credit (5)

Answer: KUDOS (i.e. “credit”). Solution is OD (a recognised abbreviation of “overdrawn”) and UK (i.e. “nation”, specifically the United Kingdom) all reversed (indicated by “going west” – this being a down clue) and followed by S (i.e. “finally loses”, i.e. the last letter of “loses”), like so: (KU-DO)-S.

Down clues

1. Perhaps Berber in Barnet area is a silly jerk (4-7)

Answer: AFRO-ASIATIC (i.e. “perhaps Berber”, being “a member of one of the Muslim peoples of N Africa” (Chambers)). Solution is AFRO (i.e. “barnet” – ignore the misleading capitalisation, this is slang for hair) followed by A (a recognised abbreviation of “area”), then an anagram (indicated by “silly”) of IS A, then TIC (i.e. “jerk” or involuntary movement), like so: AFRO-A-SIA-TIC.

2. Lower parts unclothed (5)

Answer: UNDER (i.e. “lower”). Solution is SUNDERS (i.e. splits or “parts”) with the first and last letters removed (indicated by “unclothed”).

3. Serious, outspoken book about retired president, winner of Nobel Prize (6,10)

Answer: ERNEST RUTHERFORD (i.e. “winner of Nobel Prize” for chemistry in 1908). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “outspoken”) of EARNEST (i.e. “serious”) followed by RUTH (i.e. a “book” of The Bible), then RE (i.e. “about” – think email replies) reversed (indicated by “retired”), then Gerald FORD (i.e. another former “president” of the US), like so: ERNEST-RUTH-ER-FORD. One chipped away at through the wordplay.

4. Cheer for female act in show of boldness (7)

Answer: BRAVADO (i.e. “show of boldness”). Solution is BRAVA (i.e. “cheer for female”, or bravo as said to a woman; as an aside, apparently one would say “bravi” if cheering a number of people. Hm. Every day’s a school day!) followed by DO (i.e. to “act”).

5. Content of seed bed beguiled after years (9)

Answer: COTYLEDON (i.e. “content of seed”). Solution is COT (i.e. “bed”) followed by LED ON (i.e. “beguiled”) once placed “after” Y (a recognised abbreviation of “years”), like so: COT-Y-(LED-ON). One nailed from the wordplay, surprise, surprise.

6. Peculiar lens adjusted for astronomical event (5,7)

Answer: LUNAR ECLIPSE (i.e. “astronomical event”). “Adjusted” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of PECULIAR LENS.

[EDIT: Thanks to Chris and Sue in the comments for repairing this one. I’d accidentally written SOLAR instead of LUNAR. It was getting late, m’lud. Cheers all! – LP]

7. Trip going around bucket, causing flood (10)

Answer: OUTPOURING (i.e. “flood”). Solution is OUTING (i.e. “trip”) wrapped “around” POUR (i.e. “bucket” down with rain), like so: OUT(POUR)ING.

8. About to stalk female bird (5)

Answer: HERON (i.e. “bird”). Solution is ON (i.e. “about” or regarding) placed after or forming a “stalk” to – this being a down clue – HER (i.e. “female”), like so: HER-ON.

9. Early years of Liberal doctor raised by mobster (8)

Answer: GIRLHOOD (i.e. “early years”). Solution is L (a recognised abbreviation of “Liberal”) and RIG (i.e. to “doctor”) all reversed (indicated by “raised” – this being a down clue) and followed by HOOD (i.e. “mobster”), like so: (GIR-L)-HOOD.

10. In France, I go with priest (6)

Answer: JESUIT (i.e. “priest”). When written as JE SUIT the solution also satisfies “in France, I go with”, being the French for “I follow”.

[EDIT: Thanks to Dooj in the comments for tidying this one up. A better fit for the clue would be JE, being the French for “I”, followed by SUIT (i.e. to complement or “go with”). Cheers, Dooj! – LP]

11. Spooner’s deer track in Clydesdale? (9)

Answer: CARTHORSE (i.e. “Clydesdale”, a breed thereof). Solution is a “Spoonerism” of HART (i.e. male “deer”) and COURSE (i.e. “track”).

12. Old creature is half-cut and goes unsteadily into the Bull (11)

Answer: STEGOSAURUS (i.e. “old creature”). Solution is IS “half-cut”, specifically removing the first half, followed by an anagram (indicated by “unsteadily”) of GOES once placed “into” TAURUS (i.e. “the Bull” in the signs of the zodiac), like so: S-T(EGOS)AURUS.

19. Then woman leaves, and seamen, heading off in cutters (7)

Answer: TAILORS (i.e. “cutters”). Solution is THEN with the HEN removed (indicated by “woman leaves”) and the remainder followed by SAILORS (i.e. “seamen”) once its first letter has been removed (indicated by “heading off”), like so: T-AILORS.

20. Quite small person, completely unknown (7)

Answer: TOTALLY (i.e. “quite”). Solution is TOT (i.e. young child or “small person”) followed by ALL (i.e. “completely”) and Y (i.e. “unknown” – setters love referring to X, Y or Z in solutions as unknowns).

22. No charge imposed on duke by stern regulatory system (8,8)

Answer: NEGATIVE FEEDBACK (i.e. “regulatory system” – over to Chambers: “the return of part of an output signal back to the input, as a way of increasing the quality of amplified sound”). Solution is NEGATIVE (i.e. “no”) followed by FEE (i.e. “charge imposed”), then D (a recognised abbreviation of “duke”) and BACK (the “stern” of a ship).

24. Laughing out loud, went ahead and sprawled (6)

Answer: LOLLED (i.e. “sprawled”). Solution is LOL (i.e. “laughing out loud” in textspeak) followed by LED (i.e. “went ahead”).

27. Stays gracious and formal (6)

Answer: CORSET (i.e. “stays” – a variant meaning of “stays” in noun form is a corset stiffened with bone or strips of metal). Solution is COR (i.e. “gracious”, both exclamations) followed by SET (i.e. stiff or “formal”). Nicely worked.

29. Guests’ whimsies on a regular basis, leading to tumble? (3,4)

Answer: GET WISE (i.e. “tumble” – deep into the definitions is this: “to comprehend (often with to; informal)” (Chambers). Can’t say I’ve ever heard the phrase). “On a regular basis” indicates the solution is derived by taking every other letter of GUESTS’ WHIMSIES.

31. Competent guy embracing dad (7)

Answer: CAPABLE (i.e. “competent”). Solution is CABLE (i.e. rope or “cable”) wrapped around or “embracing” PA (i.e. “dad”), like so: CA(PA)BLE.

32. Moving home, oddly sneers at one old inn (12)

Answer: CARAVANSERAI (i.e. “old inn”). Solution is CARAVAN (i.e. “moving home”) followed by SERA (i.e. “oddly sneers at”, i.e. every other letter of SNEERS AT), then I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”). One I remembered from a previous Jumbo, if I’m honest.

33. Haydn almost battered poet (5,6)

Answer: DYLAN THOMAS (i.e. “poet”). “Battered” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of HAYDN ALMOST.

35. Heard sardonic arguments in corners of square (5,6)

Answer: RIGHT ANGLES (i.e. “corners of square”). “Heard” indicates homophone. Solution comprises homophones of WRY (i.e. “sardonic”) and TANGLES (i.e. “arguments”).

36. Doctor first heals relative (4-6)

Answer: HALF-SISTER (i.e. “relative”). “Doctor” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of FIRST HEALS.

38. Writing note over letter without any resistance (9)

Answer: NOVELETTE (i.e. “writing”). Solution is N (a recognised abbreviation of “note”) followed by OVER LETTER once the Rs have been removed (indicated by “without any resistance” – R being a recognised abbreviation of “resistance” used in physics), like so: N-(OVE-LETTE).

40. Netting wound over top of shrubs as protection against aphids? (9)

Answer: LACEWINGS (i.e. “protection against aphids” – they love sucking the juice out of the little critters). Solution is LACE (i.e. “netting”) followed by WING (i.e. to “wound”) and S (i.e. “top of shrubs”, i.e. the first letter of “shrubs”).

41. PM of Middle Eastern country supporting Democrat (8)

Answer: Benjamin DISRAELI (i.e. former “PM” or Prime Minister of the United Kingdom). Solution is ISRAELI (i.e. “of Middle Eastern country”, Israel) placed after or “supporting” – this being a down clue – D (a recognised abbreviation of “Democrat”), like so: D-ISRAELI. For IGNITE/LIGNITE, read also ISRAELI/DISRAELI.

44. Massive blokes invading one’s space “discontentedly” (7)

Answer: IMMENSE (i.e. “massive”). Solution is MEN (i.e. “blokes”) placed in or “invading” I’M (a contraction of I AM or “one’s”) and SE (i.e. “space ‘discontentedly’”, i.e. playfully speaking, the word “space” with all its middle letters removed), like so: I’M-(MEN)-SE.

45. Less original story swallowed by senior (6)

Answer: STALER (i.e. “less original”). Solution is TALE (i.e. “story”) placed in or “swallowed by” SR (a recognised abbreviation of “senior”), like so: S(TALE)R.

47. Cultivated grass with passion (5)

Answer: WHEAT (i.e. “cultivated grass”). Solution is W (a recognised abbreviation of “with”) followed by HEAT (i.e. “passion”).

49. Time to break young horse (5)

Answer: STEED (i.e. “horse”). Solution is T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”) placed in or “breaking” SEED (i.e. “young”), like so: S(T)EED.