So here it is, my last Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword blog post. After 6 years, 360-odd Jumbos and literally a million words it’s time for this internet nobody to close their laptop and get on with other things. If you’ve stuck with me for the duration then thanks for reading. If you’ve left a comment along the way then thanks for your input and help. And if you’ve just found my blog today then hard cheese, old boy. There’s still the Time For The Times blog or Danword.

Will I ever resume these posts? Never say never – I’ve said before that these Jumbos are a hard habit to break – but for now I’m moving on.

Now the competition deadline has passed for this Jumbo 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 previous Jumbo has eluded you then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to loads of solutions.

As ever, stay safe out there, kids.

LP

The case for the prosecution

Across clues

1. Model T Ford covered by founder in water? (4,5)

Answer: SOFT DRINK (i.e. “water” – well, I guess it’s non-alcoholic). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “model”) of T FORD placed in or “covered by” SINK (i.e. to “founder”), like so: S(OFTDR)INK.

6. Republican argued missing leader gets discounted (7)

Answer: REBATED (i.e. “discounted”). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “Republican”) followed by DEBATED (i.e. “argued”) once its initial letter has been removed (indicated by “missing leader”), like so: R-EBATED.

10. Bread picked up in store (5)

Answer: CACHE (i.e. “store”). “Picked up” indicates the solution is a homophone of CASH (i.e. “bread”, both words for money).

13. Loudly exclaim one’s stopping delaying tactics becoming clear (13)

Answer: CRYSTALLISING (i.e. “becoming clear”). Solution is CRY (i.e. “loudly exclaim”) followed by I’S (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one’s”) once placed in or “stopping” STALLING (i.e. “delaying tactics”), like so: CRY-STALL(I’S)ING.

14. Caught with illegal drug religious text censured (9)

Answer: ENTRAPPED (i.e. “caught”). Solution is E (i.e. “illegal drug”, ecstasy) followed by NT (i.e. “religious text”, specifically the New Testament of The Bible) and RAPPED (i.e. “religious text”).

15. Philosopher’s inclination to overact (7)

Answer: Jeremy BENTHAM (i.e. “philosopher”). Solution is BENT (i.e. “inclination”) followed by HAM (i.e. “to overact”). Wordplay was fairly simple, but philosophers are ten-a-penny in Jumbo Cryptics.

16. Bohemian composer came across article probing sonata vacuously (7)

Answer: Bedřich SMETANA (i.e. “Bohemian composer”). Solution is MET (i.e. “came across”) and AN (i.e. “article”, being a word such as a, an or the) both placed in or “probing” SA (i.e. “sonata” vacuously, i.e. the word “sonata” with all its middle letters removed), like so: S(MET-AN)A. Again, the wordplay helped here as I’d never heard of the bloke. His tune The Moldau is pretty cool, though. Still, like philosophers, composers are heavily overrepresented in Jumbo Cryptics, so have an angry Beethoven.

17. Prompt to hold pack out, showing sweet treat (7)

Answer: CUPCAKE (i.e. “sweet treat”). Solution is CUE (i.e. to “prompt”) wrapped around or “holding” an anagram (indicated by “out”) of PACK, like so: CU(PCAK)E.

18. Danced encircling northern banker in a flustered state (12)

Answer: DISCONCERTED (i.e. “in a flustered state”). Solution is DISCOED (i.e. “danced”) wrapped around or “encircling” N (a recognised abbreviation of “northern”) and CERT (short for a certainty, i.e. “banker”), like so: DISCO(N-CERT)ED.

20. With eccentrics about, miss what soldiers might do (5,5)

Answer: CLOSE RANKS (i.e. “what soldiers might do”). Solution is CRANKS (i.e. “eccentrics”) wrapped “about” LOSE (i.e. “miss”), like so: C(LOSE)RANKS.

23. Josh getting Sunday lunch for one (5)

Answer: ROAST. Solution satisfies to rib or “josh”, and also “Sunday lunch for one” – other roasts are available.

24. Trees from group of countries with typical ground (9)

Answer: EUCALYPTI (i.e. “trees”). Solution is EU (i.e. “group of countries”, the European Union) followed by an anagram (indicated by “ground”) of TYPICAL, like so: EU-CALYPTI.

25. American stockholder managed joyful shout, losing heart (7)

Answer: RANCHER (i.e. “American stockholder”, referring to cattle). Solution is RAN (i.e. “managed”) followed by CHEER (i.e. “joyful shout”) once its middle letter has been removed (indicated by “losing heart”), like so: RAN-CHER.

26. Two different queens support a future emperor, perhaps (11)

Answer: CATERPILLAR (i.e. “a future emperor, perhaps”, referring to a variety of butterfly). Solution is CAT and ER (i.e. “two different queens”, being a female cat and Elizabeth Regina) followed by PILLAR (i.e. “support”).

28. Set places in a ballet they choreographed (3,3,5)

Answer: LAY THE TABLE (i.e. “set places”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “choreographed”) of A BALLET THEY.

30. Hoover, say, around current carpeting made heat-resistant (11)

Answer: FIREPROOFED (i.e. “made heat-resistant”). Solution is FED (i.e. J Edgar “Hoover, say”) wrapped “around” I (a recognised abbreviation of an electrical “current” used in physics) and REPROOF (i.e. a bollocking or “carpeting”), like so: F(I-REPROOF)ED.

32. Mostly brownish grey object, something physicists study (3,8)

Answer: TAU PARTICLE (i.e. “something physicists study” – not especially helpful. I guess this was one of those solutions that looked good in the grid until the setter realised they had to write a clue for it). Solution is TAUPE (i.e. “brownish grey”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “mostly”) and the remainder followed by ARTICLE (i.e. “object”), like so: TAUP-ARTICLE.

34. Following setter around, couple behave affectionately (7)

Answer: EMBRACE (i.e. “behave affectionately”). Solution is ME (i.e. “setter”, from the point of view of the setter) reversed (indicated by “around”) and “followed” by BRACE (i.e. “couple”), like so: EM-BRACE.

36. Scarlet collars new cat relinquished (9)

Answer: RENOUNCED (i.e. “relinquished”). Solution is RED (i.e. “scarlet”) wrapped around or “collaring” N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”) and OUNCE (i.e. “cat”, the snow leopard), like so: RE(N-OUNCE)D.

38. Location of insect briefly (5)

Answer: LOCUS (i.e. “location”). Solution is LOCUST (i.e. “insect”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “briefly”).

39. Possibly rags husband digging into peach fools (10)

Answer: DISHCLOTHS (i.e. “possibly rags”). Solution is H (a recognised abbreviation of “husband”) placed or “dug into” DISH (i.e. “peach”, both descriptive of a beautiful person) and CLOTS (i.e. “fools”), like so: DISH-CLOT(H)S.

41. It may ensure the natural resolution of complaints (6,6)

Answer: IMMUNE SYSTEM. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole, playing on “complaints” meaning illnesses.

45. One holding up travellers or army unit shortly concealing name (7)

Answer: BRIGAND (i.e. outlaw or “one holding up travellers”). Solution is BRIGADE (i.e. “army unit”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “shortly”) and the remainder wrapped around or “concealing” N (a recognised abbreviation of “name”), like so: BRIGA(N)D.

46. Mind Laurel hugging British model (4-3)

Answer: BABY-SIT (i.e. “[child]mind”). Solution is BAY (i.e. “laurel”, a variant name thereof) wrapped around or “hugging” B (a recognised abbreviation of “British”) and followed by SIT (i.e. to “model” for an artist), like so: BA(B)Y-SIT.

47. United absorbed by plan – it’s working for the match (7)

Answer: NUPTIAL (i.e. “the match”, referring to marriage). Solution is U (a recognised abbreviation of “united”) placed in or “absorbed by” an anagram (indicated by “working”) of PLAN IT’S, like so: N(U)PTIAL.

49. Obligatory change I urged – regret doing a U-turn (2,7)

Answer: DE RIGUEUR (i.e. “obligatory”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “change”) of I URGED followed by RUE (i.e. “I regret”) reversed (indicated by “doing a U-turn”), like so: DERIGU-EUR. DE RIGUEUR also aptly describes the use of French phrases in Times Jumbo crosswords. You know what that means.

50. Brewing ale with pub machine that’s 100% reliable (13)

Answer: UNIMPEACHABLE (i.e. “100% reliable”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “brewing”) of ALE and PUB MACHINE.

52. Vehicle component needing tungsten repair at last? (5)

Answer: WHEEL (i.e. “vehicle component”). Solution is W (chemical symbol of “tungsten”) followed by HEEL (i.e. something to “repair at last” – a variant meaning of “last” is a mould upon which shoes are mended. A setter cleverly used this when clueing up THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS in grid 1646 and the usage has appeared regularly ever since).

53. Money obtained from investing gets endowed the wrong way (4,3)

Answer: NEST EGG (i.e. “money obtained from investing”). “From” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, while “the wrong way” indicates the solution has been reversed, like so: INVESTIN(G GETS EN)DOWED. Nice bit of recycling there.

54. Following the compass thus makes pupils slip up? (9)

Answer: WESTWARDS. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole, noting that “slip up” is “pupils” in reverse, and that ‘to the west’ is often used as a reversal indicator in across clues.

Down clues

1. Place for patient teacher after criticism, taking time off (7)

Answer: SICKBED (i.e. “place for patient”). Solution is BED (i.e. “teacher”, specifically a Bachelor of Education) placed “after” STICK (i.e. “criticism”) once the T has been removed (indicated by “taking time off” – T being a recognised abbreviation of “time”), like so: SICK-BED.

2. Newspaper including dishonest celebrity’s promising beginning (6,5)

Answer: FLYING START (i.e. “promising beginning”). Solution is FT (i.e. “newspaper”, The Financial Times) wrapped around or “including” LYING (i.e. “dishonest”) and STAR (i.e. “celebrity”), like so: F(LYING-STAR)T.

3. Onset of decline, then Long Depression (5)

Answer: DITCH (i.e. a “depression” dug into the earth). Solution is D (i.e. “onset of decline”, i.e. the first letter of “decline”) followed by ITCH (i.e. to yearn for or “long”)

4. Religious institute’s initiator claims to undergo conversion (7)

Answer: ISLAMIC (i.e. “religious”). Solution is I (i.e. “institute’s initiator”, i.e. the first letter of “institute”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “to undergo conversation”) of CLAIMS, like so: I-SLAMIC.

5. I agreed to bring up a kind of fish (3)

Answer: KOI (i.e. “a kind of fish”). Solution is I and OK (i.e. “agreed”) all reversed (indicated by “to bring up” – this being a down clue), like so: KO-I.

6. Regularly erratic, and filled with energy, that woman’s going to be disruptive (5,4)

Answer: RAISE HELL (i.e. “be disruptive”). Solution is RAI (i.e. “regularly erratic”, i.e. every other letter of ERRATIC) followed by SHE’LL (i.e. “that woman’s going to”) once wrapped around or “filled with” E (a recognised abbreviation of “energy”), like so: RAI-S(E)HE’LL.

7. Poor person saving bears for one grand (6)

Answer: BEGGAR (i.e. “poor person”). Solution is BAR (i.e. except for or “saving”) wrapped around or “bearing” EG (i.e. “for one” or for example, after the Latin exempli gratia) and G (a recognised abbreviation of “grand”), like so: B(EG-G)AR.

8. It’s up to you now, as king hosting a dance might be told? (3,5,2,4,5)

Answer: THE BALL IS IN YOUR COURT (i.e. “it’s up to you now”). The solution also playfully satisfies the remainder of the clue, “as king hosting a dance might be told”, taking a BALL to be a “dance”.

9. Notices day film school’s leaderless (7)

Answer: DETECTS (i.e. “notices”). Solution is D (a recognised abbreviation of “day”) followed by ET (i.e. “film”, specifically ET – The Extra-Terrestrial) and SECT’S (i.e. “school’s”) once its first letter has been removed (indicated by “leaderless”), like so: D-ET-ECT’S.

10. Crooner’s outside club, catching some current bit of heavy metal (5-4)

Answer: CRAMP-IRON (i.e. “bit of heavy metal”, in this case a tool used for clamping two objects together). Solution is CR (i.e. “crooner’s outside”, i.e. the first and last letters of “crooner”) and IRON (i.e. a golf “club”) all wrapped around or “catching” AMP (i.e. “some [electrical] current”), like so: CR-(AMP)-IRON.

11. Disposed to stop Biblical killer, I see, and book’s obsessive antihero (7,4)

Answer: CAPTAIN AHAB (i.e. “book’s obsessive antihero”, specifically that of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick). Solution is APT (i.e. of a mind to or “disposed to”) placed in or “stopping” CAIN (i.e. “Biblical killer”). This is then followed by AHA (i.e. “I see”) and B (a recognised abbreviation of “book”), like so: C(APT)AIN-AHA-B.

It’s apt that CAPTAIN AHAB should make an appearance in my last Times Jumbo Cryptic crossword post. The number of times solutions get repeated in Times crosswords is something I’ve long been fascinated by, so much so that for a time I kept a record of them. Back in November 2023, little over a year ago, the swift repeated use of CAPTAIN AHAB elicited the following essay from me. My own “repeat”, if you will.

So, then: repeats. We do get quite a lot of them, don’t we? Around 10% each week, if the last six months are anything to go by. That’s quite high considering the millions of potential solutions that could make it into a Jumbo each year versus the 3,600-ish solutions that do. That’s just the way it is, I suppose. A 10% rate seems to be the norm, and no amount of bellyaching from an internet nonentity is going to change that.

This will therefore be my last week spent keeping track of repeats (don’t all cheer at once, please). As a parting shot, I thought I’d jot down some final thoughts on the matter.

Of the 6-8 repeats we get each week, the majority are, to be fair, reasonably inoffensive. Often these are mundane five or seven letter words that barely register as repeats, only coming to light once I’ve searched my various lists. Meanwhile, several other solutions appear so often in crosswords (not just Jumbos) that they are a cliché. You can almost smell the shame from any setter resorting to their use. (ORIGAMI is a prime example.) At least with these repeats one can have a little fun.

A smallish number of repeats, however, are rather suspicious. These are the faintly obscure ones, solutions that you might not expect setters to immediately reach for when starting out a grid, and so become all the more memorable when they get repeated. These solutions are like buses, seldom seen until two or three arrive in quick succession. CAPTAIN AHAB is one such suspicious solution, having also appeared barely a month ago in grid 1640. A five letter solution such as DATUM getting repeated? Fine. I can see how that can happen. A seven letter solution like CANASTA? A little less likely, but, sure, let’s give the setters the benefit of the doubt. What, then, are the chances of CAPTAIN AHAB being chosen again so soon? Somewhat narrower, don’t you think? Or how about a dirty great phrase such as THROW ONE’S HAT IN THE RING, which appeared in grids 1632 and 1638? As I’ve said before, this keeps happening in Times Jumbos and I’m curious as to why.

Over the years I’ve had a lot of fun on these pages ribbing setters for crutching on the office GridFill 4000 to get the job done. It’s a silly conspiracy theory of mine, granted, but one that’s not too far from the truth. We know that several setters use crossword solver tools to help fill their grids. The Times probably has one specifically tailored to its style guide. Maybe what is happening is a grid being approved for publication and any new solutions from it being added to the tool’s database for future use. Maybe what we are seeing is merely a new solution being added to the database and it being picked up shortly afterwards by another setter using the tool, thinking “ooh, I’ve not seen that one before, that’s a good one”. Maybe, but it still sounds a little far-fetched.

We’ll probably never know why the same solutions sometimes keep appearing in close succession. It might just be one of those things.

Still. It’s bloody annoying, though. Have a meme.

12. Tolerate forsaking right gift (5)

Answer: ENDUE (i.e. to “gift”). Solution is ENDURE (i.e. “tolerate”) with the R removed (indicated by “forsaking right” – R being a recognised abbreviation of “right”).

16. Nugatory horror film introduced by dance show pro (8,3,3,5)

Answer: STRICTLY FOR THE BIRDS (i.e. trivial or “nugatory”). Solution is THE BIRDS (i.e. Alfred Hitchcock’s “horror film”) placed after or “introduced by” STRICTLY (i.e. “dance show”, informal reference to BBC TV show Strictly Come Dancing) and FOR (i.e. “pro” or in favour of).

19. Some rock that’s unfashionable: member of The Police covering Queen (7)

Answer: OUTCROP (i.e. “some rock”). Solution is OUT (i.e. “that’s unfashionable”) followed by COP (i.e. “member of the police” – ignoring the misleading capitalisation) once wrapped around or “covering” R (i.e. “queen” – again ignoring the capitalisation, this is a recognised abbreviation of the Latin Regina), like so: OUT-C(R)OP. Nicely worked.

21. Enchanting lady in gold – goddess boarding ship (9)

Answer: SORCERESS (i.e. “enchanting lady”). Solution is OR (i.e. “gold” in heraldry) and CERES (i.e. Roman “goddess” of agriculture and fertility) all placed in or “boarding” SS (i.e. “ship”, in this case a recognised abbreviation of a steamship), like so: S(OR-CERES)S. Classics alert!

22. Jobs creation, maybe, by leader of tech program online? (6)

Answer: APPLET (i.e. “program online”). Solution is APPLE (i.e. Steve “Jobs creation, maybe” – there were others involved too) followed by T (i.e. “leader of tech”, i.e. the first letter of “tech”).

23. Paddy Power’s abandoned fee before competitors (4,5)

Answer: RICE FIELD (i.e. “paddy”). Solution is PRICE (i.e. “fee”) with the P removed (indicated by “power’s abandoned”, ignoring the misleading capitalisation) and the remainder followed by FIELD (i.e. “competitors”).

24. Good example of unfinished, long poem as I see it (7)

Answer: EPITOME (i.e. “good example”). Solution is EPIC (i.e. “long poem”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “unfinished”) and the remainder followed by TO ME (i.e. “as I see it”), like so: EPI-(TO-ME).

25. What bores behind Democrat were told again (7)

Answer: REHEARD (i.e. “were told again”). Solution is EH (i.e. “what”? Pardon?) placed in or “boring” REAR (i.e. “behind”) and followed by D (a recognised abbreviation of “Democrat”), like so: R(EH)EAR-D.

27. Scandinavian girl cycling around, using a bike (6)

Answer: RIDING (i.e. “using a bike”). Solution is INGRID (i.e. “Scandinavian girl’s” name) with its letters “cycling around”, like so: INGRID => NGRIDI => GRIDIN => RIDING.

29. Reason for using an abacus? Absolutely (7)

Answer: TOTALLY (i.e. “absolutely”). When written as TO TALLY the solution also satisfies “reason for using an abacus”.

31. Revolutionary dresses I slip inside empty package (11)

Answer: Maximilien ROBESPIERRE (i.e. French “revolutionary”). Solution is ROBES (i.e. “dresses”) followed by I and ERR (i.e. to “slip”) once placed “inside” PE (i.e. “empty package”, i.e. the word “package” with all its middle letters removed), like so: ROBES-P(I-ERR)E. Times setters sure seem to love the French Revolution lately, don’t they? Oh-la-la! Here we go again!

33. Old-fashioned consumers may be here (8,3)

Answer: COCKTAIL BAR. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole, taking “Old-fashioned” to be a cocktail, in this case one of whiskey, sugar and bitters, garnished with orange zest and a cocktail cherry. It’s one recognised by the International Bartenders Association, rather than something slung together down your local.

35. Divine figure, a convert held in both hands (9)

Answer: ARCHANGEL (i.e. “divine figure”). Solution is A followed by CHANGE (i.e. “convert”) once placed or “held in” R and L (i.e. “both hands”, respective abbreviations of “right” and “left”), like so: A-R(CHANGE)L.

37. Revealing our name periodically, in a regal capacity? (9)

Answer: UNMASKING (i.e. “revealing”). Solution is UNM (i.e. “our name periodically”, i.e. every other letter of OUR NAME) followed by AS KING (i.e. “in a regal capacity”).

40. How friend was once greeted, a blonde rogue (3,4)

Answer: OLD BEAN (i.e. “how friend was one greeted”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “rogue”) of A BLONDE.

42. Nonets written without piano, including a coda from brass (7)

Answer: ENNEADS (i.e. “nonets”, basically groups of nine). Solution is PENNED (i.e. “written”) with the P removed (indicated by “without piano”, P being a recognised abbreviation of “piano” used in musical lingo) and the remainder wrapped around or “including” A. This is then followed by S (i.e. “coda from brass”, i.e. the last letter of “brass”), like so: ENNE(A)D-S.

43. Place to see shoppers unlimitedly reuse hammer (7)

Answer: MALLEUS (i.e. “hammer”, in this case any of the small bones in the middle ear). Solution is MALL (i.e. “place to see shoppers”) followed by EUS (i.e. “unlimitedly reuse”, i.e. the word “reuse” with all its middle letters removed).

44. Heading for Orpington, Tube’s awfully slow (6)

Answer: OBTUSE (i.e. stupid or “slow”). Solution is O (i.e. initial letter or “header for Orpington”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “awfully”) of TUBE’S, like so: O-BTUSE.

45. Wet jacket of wholesome girl coming out climbing (5)

Answer: BEDEW (i.e. to “wet”). Solution is WE (i.e. “jacket of wholesome”, i.e. the first and last letters of “wholesome”) followed by DEB (i.e. “girl coming out”, short for debutante). The whole is then reversed (indicated by “climbing” – this being a down clue), like so: BED-EW.

48. Page with playwright’s derisive remark (5)

Answer: PSHAW (i.e. “derisive remark”). Solution is P (a recognised abbreviation of “page”) followed by George Bernard SHAW (i.e. “playwright”).

51. Sound of impact one caught during conflict (3)

Answer: POW. Solution satisfies “sound of impact” and “one caught during conflict”, a Prisoner of War.

A relatively straightforward Jumbo to tuck into on Boxing Day, though I did chew on IMPERSONATE and TAKE AIM for longer than I ought to have done. There were a few Times crossword clichés to suffer too, but for the most part this was a pleasant one to solve.

The competition deadline for this one passed a while ago, so here’s my completed grid along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them helpful. If a recent Jumbo has picked your pockets then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of the things.

Thanks again for your patience and kind words as I wrap up these last few Jumbo posts. One more after this. Till then, stay safe out there kids.

LP

The case for the prosecution

Across clues

1. It’s a festival – knock back one tot and lots of weed (5,4)

Answer: MARDI GRAS (i.e. “it’s a festival”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and DRAM (i.e. “tot” or small amount of strong drink) all reversed (indicated by “knock back”) and followed by GRASS (i.e. “weed”, both slang terms for marijuana) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “lots of”), like so: (MARD-I)-GRAS.

6. Aphorism from private detective probing Mrs Simpson after retirement (7)

Answer: EPIGRAM (i.e. “aphorism”). Solution is PI (i.e. “private detective”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “private investigator”) placed in or “probing” MARGE (i.e. “Mrs Simpson”, from the TV show The Simpsons) once reversed (indicated by “after retirement”), like so: E(PI)GRAM.

10. Leaders in Middle East celebrate centenary at holy city (5)

Answer: MECCA (i.e. “holy city”). “Leaders in” indicates the solution is derived from the initial letters of Middle East Celebrate Centenary At.

13. Guides that woman’s dad through southern Sierra (7)

Answer: SHERPAS (i.e. “guides”). Solution is HER PA (i.e. “that woman’s dad”) placed in or “through” S (a recognised abbreviation of “southern”) and S (“Sierra” in the phonetic alphabet), like so: S-(HER-PA)-S.

14. Traitor caught next to case of explosives – Times (7)

Answer: Robert CATESBY (i.e. “traitor” – who led the gunpowder plot of 1605). Solution is C (a recognised abbreviation of “caught” used in a number of ball games) followed by AT (i.e. “next to” – a bit flaky in my book, but whatever), then ES (i.e. “case of explosives”, i.e. the first and last letters of “explosives”) and BY (i.e. “times” – ignore the misleading capitalisation, this is referencing multiplication).

15. Depression is beginning to torment one filling in at work (7)

Answer: DENTIST (i.e. “one filling in at work”). Solution is DENT (i.e. “depression”) followed by IS, then T (i.e. “beginning [letter] to torment”).

16. Harvard, say, where the students like to take a punt? (9,10)

Answer: CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY (i.e. “Harvard, say”). The rest of the clue refers to Cambridge University’s famous boating crew, them wot duke it out with Oxford in the annual boat race.

17. Father packs uniform coat (3)

Answer: FUR (i.e. “coat”). Solution is FR (a recognised abbreviation of the title “Father”) wrapped around or “packing” U (“uniform” in the phonetic alphabet), like so: F(U)R.

18. Best remote US broadcaster (6)

Answer: OUTFOX (i.e. to “best” someone). Solution is OUT (i.e. “remote”) followed by FOX (i.e. “US broadcaster”).

20. Country run stops painful injury (6)

Answer: SPRAIN (i.e. “painful injury”). Solution is SPAIN (i.e. “country”) wrapped around or “stopped” by R (a recognised abbreviation of “run” used in some ball games), like so: SP(R)AIN.

21. Carried by some piece of luggage whatever happens? (2,3,4)

Answer: IN ANY CASE (i.e. “whatever happens”). Solution also playfully satisfies “carried by some piece of luggage”.

23. Soft Shoe Shuffle April, Leeds (10)

Answer: ESPADRILLE (i.e. “soft shoe”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “shuffle”) of APRIL LEEDS.

25. Cheer hospital nurse Rosemary after clearing out braying toff (6,5)

Answer: HOORAY HENRY (i.e. “braying toff”). Solution is HOORAY (i.e. “cheer”) followed by H (a recognised abbreviation of “hospital”), then EN (i.e. “nurse”, specifically an Enrolled Nurse) and RY (i.e. “Rosemary after clearing out”, i.e. the word “Rosemary” with all its middle letters removed).

29. Picture that is used as cover for magazine (5)

Answer: IMAGE (i.e. “picture”). Solution is IE (i.e. “that is”, i.e. “i.e.”, short for the Latin id est) wrapped around or “used as cover for” MAG (short for “magazine”), like so: I(MAG)E.

30. Hide ecstasy inside gadget from the east after daughter did (8)

Answer: DECEIVED (i.e. “did”). Solution is E (alternative name for the drug “ecstasy”) placed “inside” DEVICE (i.e. “gadget”) once reversed (indicated by “from the east” – this being an across clue). This is all then placed “after” D (a recognised abbreviation of “daughter”), like so: D-(EC(E)IVED).

31. Timeless lawsuit involving tabloid paper in the capital (8)

Answer: ASUNCION (i.e. “capital” city of Paraguay). Solution is ACTION (i.e. “lawsuit”) with the T removed (indicated by “timeless” – T being a recognised abbreviation of “time”) and the remainder wrapped around or “involving” SUN (i.e. British “tabloid paper”), like so: A(SUN)CION.

34. Paradoxical burger? (4,4)

Answer: FAST FOOD (i.e. “burger”). “Paradoxical” plays on how fast food isn’t exactly suitable for someone who is fasting.

36. Mr Klein dropping in, rejected soda for something stronger (8)

Answer: CALVADOS (i.e. a fruit brandy, which is “something stronger” than a soda). Solution is CALVIN (i.e. “Mr Klein”, referring to the fashion designer) with the IN removed (indicated by “dropping in”) and the remainder followed by SODA reversed or “rejected”, like so: CALV-ADOS.

37. Way into pastry dish that’s frozen (5)

Answer: PISTE (i.e. “that’s frozen”). Solution is ST (i.e. “way”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of a “street”) placed “into” PIE (i.e. “pastry dish”), like so: PI(ST)E.

39. Tight deadline of English writer (6,5)

Answer: DANIEL DEFOE (i.e. “writer”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “tight”, another word for drunk) of DEADLINE OF followed by E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”), like so: DANIELDEFO-E. Nicely done.

41. Downy cloth Family Circle tableware item (6,4)

Answer: NAPKIN RING (i.e. “tableware item”). Solution is NAP (i.e. “downy cloth”) followed by KIN (i.e. “family”) and RING (i.e. “circle”).

43. Phantom at ill-omened gathering a Mexican favourite (9)

Answer: TOMATILLO (i.e. “Mexican favourite”, a kind of small sour green tomato). “Gathering” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: PHAN(TOM AT ILL-O)MENED.

45. Plant-based cure containing skin of rhubarb (6)

Answer: HERBAL (i.e. “plant-based”). Solution is HEAL (i.e. “cure”) wrapped around or “containing” RB (i.e. “skin of rhubarb”, i.e. the first and last letters of “rhubarb”), like so: HE(RB)AL.

47. He’s booked to appear before Judges (6)

Answer: JOSHUA. Clue refers to the Old Testament of The Bible, where the Book of Joshua appears before the Book of Judges. One for the God-squadders.

49. Endlessly generous people (3)

Answer: KIN (i.e. “people”). Solution is KIND (i.e. “generous”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “endlessly”).

50. LibDems cover? (5-5,9)

Answer: THIRD-PARTY INSURANCE. Clue plays on the Liberal Democrats being the third-largest political party at the moment, and “cover” being another word for INSURANCE. You get the idea.

52. Rough Trade firm backs design movement (3,4)

Answer: ART DECO (i.e. “design movement”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “rough”) of TRADE followed by CO (i.e. “firm”, short for “company”), like so: ARTDE-CO.

53. Pancake fed the Spanish painter (7)

Answer: Giovanni BELLINI (i.e. Italian “painter” of old). Solution is BLINI (i.e. “pancake”) wrapped around or “fed” EL (i.e. “the Spanish”, i.e. the Spanish for “the”), like so: B(EL)LINI.

54. Pragmatic person starts to rank every category of celebs (7)

Answer: REALIST (i.e. “pragmatic person”). Solution is RE (i.e. “starts to rank every”, i.e. the first letters of “rank” and “every”) followed by A-LIST (i.e. “category of celebs”).

55. Deserve credit (5)

Answer: MERIT. Solution satisfies “deserve” and “credit”.

56. Chernobyl at last due for new reactor component (4,3)

Answer: FUEL ROD (i.e. “reactor component”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “new”) of L (i.e. “Chernobyl at last”, i.e. the last letter of “Chernobyl”) and DUE FOR.

57. 27 couple adopting dearest mongrel recently (9)

Answer: YESTERDAY (i.e. “recently”). Solution is Y and Y (i.e. “27 couple” – the solution to 27d being YANKEE, which is Y in the phonetic alphabet) all wrapped around or “adopting” an anagram (indicated by “mongrel”) of DEAREST, like so: Y-(ESTERDA)-Y.

Down clues

1. Old barrel organ, microphone covering unserviceable on crate (5,3)

Answer: MUSIC BOX (i.e. “old barrel organ”). Solution is MIC (short for “microphone”) wrapped around or “covering” US (a recognised abbreviation of “unserviceable”) and followed by BOX (i.e. “crate”), like so: M(US)IC-BOX.

2. Discharge ambassador into the booze (5)

Answer: RHEUM (i.e. snotty “discharge”). Solution is HE (i.e. “ambassador”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of His Excellency, if you go in for all that bowing and scraping) placed “into” RUM (i.e. “booze”), like so: R(HE)UM.

3. Do I pair individual parts? (11)

Answer: IMPERSONATE (i.e. “do”). Solution is I and MATE (i.e. “pair”) all wrapped around or “parted” by PERSON (i.e. “individual”), like so: I-M(PERSON)ATE.

4. Maybe Reading team screening YouTube finally live (6)

Answer: RESIDE (i.e. “live”). Solution is R (i.e. “maybe reading” – ignore the misleading capitalisation, this is one of the Three Rs: reading, riting, and rithmetic) and SIDE (i.e. “team”) all wrapped around or “screening” E (i.e. “YouTube finally”, i.e. the last letter of “YouTube”), like so: R-(E)-SIDE.

5. Dark force that might run an undercover Sting? (6,6)

Answer: SECRET POLICE (i.e. “that might run an undercover Sting” – nice capitalisation of Sting there, being the lead vocalist of The Police. I like to think it was something the setter felt they had to De-Do-Do-Do-De-Da-Da-Da. You’re welcome). Solution is SECRET (i.e. “dark”) followed by POLICE (i.e. “force”).

6. Land reportedly more rocky beneath earth’s surface (7)

Answer: ESTONIA (i.e. “land” or country). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “reportedly”) of STONIER (i.e. “more rocky”) placed after or “beneath” – this being a down clue – E (i.e. “earth’s surface” or first letter), like so: E-STONIA.

7. Blissfully happy Viennese haven’t worked – stifling hot (2,7,6)

Answer: IN SEVENTH HEAVEN (i.e. “blissfully happy”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “worked”) of VIENNESE HAVEN’T wrapped around or “stifling” H (a recognised abbreviation of “hot” used on water taps), like so: INSEVENT(H)HEAVEN.

8. I boo sorry, awful northern singer (3,7)

Answer: ROY ORBISON (i.e. “singer”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “awful”) of I BOO SORRY followed by N (a recognised abbreviation of “northern”), like so: ROYORBISO-N.

9. Fortified island, fortified wine (7)

Answer: MADEIRA. Solution satisfies “fortified island”, as in it has couple of forts on it – São Tiago and São José, for example – and also a variety of “fortified wine”.

10. WWII general sat on snake, which made us laugh (5,6)

Answer: MONTY PYTHON (i.e. comedy outfit “which made us laugh”. Never heard of them. (Looks to camera)). Solution is MONTY (i.e. nickname of “WWII general” Bernard Montgomery) followed by PYTHON (i.e. “snake”).

11. Links hosting one European newspaper head (9)

Answer: CHIEFTAIN (i.e. “head”). Solution is CHAIN (i.e. “links”) wrapped around or “hosting” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), E (a recognised abbreviation of “European”) and FT (i.e. “newspaper”, the Financial Times), like so: CH(I-E-FT)AIN.

12. Goddess beginning to get seen in A&E (7)

Answer: ASTARTE (i.e. Mesopotamian “goddess” of love, sex, war and hunting – quite the good-time girl, then). Solution is START (i.e. “beginning”) placed “in” A&E, like so: A(START)E. Not Ancient Greek, perhaps, but I’m still slapping a demerit on it.

19. Florentines succeeded under trade union scrutiny (7)

Answer: TUSCANS (i.e. “Florentines”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “succeeded”) placed “under” – this being a down clue – TU (ditto “trade union”) and SCAN (i.e. “scrutiny”), like so: (TU-SCAN)-S.

22. City poet, following change of heart, cross (8)

Answer: BRADFORD (i.e. “city”). Solution is BARD (i.e. “poet”) with the middle letters swapped (indicated by “following change of heart”) and followed by FORD (i.e. to “cross” a river), like so: BRAD-FORD.

24. Actor trained to breathe lazily (9,6)

Answer: ELIZABETH TAYLOR (i.e. “actor”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “trained”) of TO BREATHE LAZILY.

26. Ninja, modish, led by pair of donkeys? (8)

Answer: ASSASSIN (i.e. “ninja”). Solution is IN (i.e. popular or “modish”) placed after or “led by” ASS and ASS (i.e. “pair of donkeys”), like so: (ASS-ASS)-IN. An easy get after the basically the reverse of this appeared only a few weeks ago in grid 1703.

27. National bet (6)

Answer: YANKEE. Solution satisfies “national”, slang for someone from the US, and “bet”, apparently “a multiple bet on four horses in four races, consisting of six doubles, four trebles and one accumulator” (Chambers). I’m glad none of that made sense to me.

28. No time for quarrel with male journalist outside, somewhat offended (6)

Answer: MIFFED (i.e. “somewhat offended”). Solution is TIFF (i.e. “quarrel”) with the T removed (indicated by “no time for” – T being a recognised abbreviation of “time”) and the remainder placed in or having “outside” of it M (a recognised abbreviation of “male”) and ED (i.e. “journalist”, short for editor), like so: M-(IFF)-ED.

32. Matching dishes perhaps left here, we’re told (2,5)

Answer: IN SYNCH (i.e. “matching”). “We’re told” indicates homophone, in this case of IN SINK (i.e. “dishes perhaps left here”).

33. Pliable state of Pat & Lydia, a bit tipsy (12)

Answer: ADAPTABILITY (i.e. “pliable state”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “tipsy”) of PAT, LYDIA and A BIT.

35. Express no longer on this quick route (5,6)

Answer: FLEET STREET (i.e. “Express no longer on this”, having moved away in the late 1980s. I wonder how few outside the newspaper industry knew or cared). Solution is FLEET (i.e. “quick”) and STREET (i.e. “route”).

37. Room willing for charades? (7,4)

Answer: PARLOUR GAME (i.e. “charades”). Solution is PARLOUR (i.e. “room”) followed by GAME (i.e. “willing”).

38. Pleasant housing over road that’s within budget (10)

Answer: AFFORDABLE (i.e. “within budget”). Solution is AFFABLE (i.e. “pleasant”) wrapped around or “housing” O (a recognised abbreviation of “over” used in cricket) and RD (a recognised abbreviation of “road”), like so: AFF(O-RD)ABLE.

40. Knight blocking list I’m on upset political sponsor (9)

Answer: NOMINATOR (i.e. “political sponsor”). Solution is N (a recognised abbreviation of “knight” used in chess) placed in or “blocking” ROTA (i.e. “list”) and I’M ON once they’ve all been reversed (indicated by “upset” – this being a down clue), like so: NO-M’I-(N)-ATOR.

42. Record second effort platinum-selling album (8)

Answer: TAPESTRY (i.e. 1971 “platinum-selling album” by Carole King). Solution is TAPE (i.e. to “record”) followed by S (a recognised abbreviation of “second”) and TRY (i.e. “effort”).

43. Rifleman’s told this way to get to Edinburgh? (4,3)

Answer: TAKE AIM (i.e. “rifleman’s told this”). When written as TAKE A1(M) the solution also playfully satisfies a “way to get to Edinburgh”.

44. Youth absent touring India made redundant (4,3)

Answer: LAID OFF (i.e. “made redundant”). Solution is LAD (i.e. “youth”) and OFF (i.e. “absent”) all wrapped around or “touring” I (“India” in the phonetic alphabet), like so: LA(I)D-OFF.

46. Living as a pensioner, given a minor internal adjustment, heard again (7)

Answer: RETRIED (i.e. “heard again” in court). Solution is RETIRED (i.e. “living as a pensioner”) with the middle letters swapped (indicated by “given a minor internal adjustment”).

48. Underworld head, very large flag (6)

Answer: OSIRIS (i.e. Ancient Egyptian “underworld head”). Solution is OS (i.e. “very large”, short for outsize) followed by IRIS (i.e. “flag”, a variant meaning we’ve seen a few times in Jumbos).

51. Nymph – primarily aquatic – featured in North American papers (5)

Answer: NAIAD (i.e. “nymph” of Greek mythology). Solution is A (i.e. “primarily aquatic”, i.e. the first letter of “aquatic”) placed or “featured in” NA (short for “North American”) and ID (i.e. identity “papers”), like so: NA-I(A)D. Yup. Nymphs are definitely a running theme in Jumbos at the moment. As Homer once famously wrote: “I’ve not seen this many nymphs since I was last kicked out of the communal baths”. I think it was Homer, anyway.

A medium strength Jumbo that didn’t outstay its welcome, and, better still, hardly ever strayed into those Times Crossword clichés that get me all het up. In all, this was a pleasant way to see in the Christmas season.

As the competition deadline has long passed for this one you can find my completed grid below along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them useful. If a recent Jumbo has trampled your daisies then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of the things.

Thanks again for your patience and kind words as I wrap up these last few Times Jumbo Cryptic posts. Just two more after this. Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

The case for the prosecution

Across clues

1. Artist is in shock with valuation (9)

Answer: APPRAISAL (i.e. “valuation”). Solution is RA (i.e. “artist”, specifically a Royal Academician”) and IS both placed “in” APPAL (i.e. “shock”), like so: APP(RA-IS)AL.

6. Plant thyme with March sun about (13)

Answer: CHRYSANTHEMUM (i.e. “plant”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “about”) of THYME and MARCH SUN.

13. Stout is left in sink (5)

Answer: BURLY (i.e. “stout”). Solution is L (a recognised abbreviation of “left”) placed “in” SINK (i.e. to “bury”), like so: BUR(L)Y.

14. Oblong area for games with mat (9)

Answer: RECTANGLE (i.e. “oblong”). Solution is REC (i.e. “area for games”, short for recreational) followed by TANGLE (i.e. “mat” of hair).

15. Bow you once nearly hit when reversing (7)

Answer: CURTSEY (i.e. to “bow”). Solution is YE (i.e. “you once”, i.e. ye olde “you”) and STRUCK (i.e. “hit”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “nearly”). The whole is then “reversed”, like so: CURTS-EY.

16. Things ruin sodden salads – this could be one of them (8,6,8)

Answer: THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole and is also an anagram (indicated by “this could be”) of THINGS RUIN SODDEN SALADS. Last week I dipped into the archives to copy-and-paste a rant of mine when RIGOLETTO was repeated for the umpteenth time. This solution hasn’t appeared for a few years to be fair, last appearing in grid 1509, but back then it was being repeated a lot. The clue back then was “relish standardising nosh cooked with dulse”, and I guess I just kind of snapped…

Answer: THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING (i.e. “relish” – and one so popular with Times setters it has appeared four times since I started doing these Jumbo posts. Either that or it’s the same setter each time and they’re utterly besotted with the stuff. Like, open any cupboard or drawer in their house and you’ll find nothing but jars and jars of Thousand Island dressing. Wardrobe: ditto. Box room: chock-a-block with it. Turn on the taps: Thousand Island dressing oozes out. Flush the toilet: Thousand Island dressing. Good grief, there are even jars of it stuffed into the cistern. These Times setters really, really love their Thousand Island dressing! I prefer hummus, personally). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “cooked”) of STANDARDISING NOSH and DULSE.

18. What shows resistance Her Majesty encountered in Scotland’s over (8)

Answer: OHMMETER (i.e. “what shows [electrical] resistance”). Solution is HM (a recognised abbreviation of “Her Majesty”) and MET (i.e. “encountered”) both placed “in” O’ER (i.e. “Scotland’s over”), like so: O’(HM-MET)ER.

20. Home outside of Tredegar entered by rough trespasser (8)

Answer: INTRUDER (i.e. “trespasser”). Solution is IN (i.e. at “home”) and TR (i.e. “outside of Tredegar”, i.e. the first and last letters of “Tredegar”) all wrapped around or “entered by” RUDE (i.e. “rough”), like so: IN-T(RUDE)R.

21. Like chicken pasty? (5)

Answer: ASHEN (i.e. pallid or “pasty”). When written as AS HEN the solution also satisfies “like chicken”).

23. Seconds not yet composed for final stage (6)

Answer: SUNSET (i.e. “final stage”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “seconds”) followed by UNSET (i.e. “not yet composed”).

24. Bostonian patriot ditching English tea vocally for his reply (6)

Answer: REVERT (i.e. “reply” – that’s a flat nope from me. There’s no overlap between the two words, or at least that I can see. There may be some historical context that the setter is referring to, but I’m not reading up on the whole US war of independence to find it. I’m giving up these posts so I can free up some spare time, remember – I’m not falling down any more rabbit holes). Solution is Paul REVERE (i.e. “Bostonian patriot” at the time) with the last E removed (indicated by “ditching English” – E being a recognised abbreviation of “English”) and the remainder followed by T (i.e. “tea vocally”), like so: REVER-T.

25. US outlet charges rent (9)

Answer: BOOKSTORE (i.e. “US outlet”). Solution is BOOKS (i.e. “charges” – think “book ‘em, Danno” from Hawaii 50) followed by TORE (i.e. ripped or “rent”).

28. Partisan evaluated involving European judges (10)

Answer: PREJUDICED (i.e. “partisan”). Solution is PRICED (i.e. “evaluated”) wrapped around or “involving” E (a recognised abbreviation of “European”) and JUD (ditto “judges”, in this case the Book of Judges in The Bible), like so: PR(E-JUD)ICED.

29. Oxygen present in mostly unpolluted stream (4)

Answer: POUR (i.e. “stream”). Solution is O (chemical symbol of “oxygen”) placed or “present in” PURE (i.e. “unpolluted”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “mostly”), like so: P(O)UR.

30. Outstanding passage from theremin entertains (7)

Answer: EMINENT (i.e. “outstanding”). “Passage from” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: THER(EMIN ENT)ERTAINS.

32. Plaintive note on current account (7)

Answer: ELEGIAC (i.e. “plaintive”). Solution is E (i.e. musical “note”) followed by LEG (i.e. “on” side in cricket), then I (a recognised abbreviation of an electrical “current” used in physics) and AC (a recognised abbreviation of “account”).

34. Float purchase blocked by Oscar (4)

Answer: BUOY (i.e. “float”). Solution is BUY (i.e. “purchase”) wrapped around or “blocked by” O (“Oscar” in the phonetic alphabet), like so: BU(O)Y.

35. Weak leader of national board is pitiful (10)

Answer: LAMENTABLE (i.e. “pitiful”). Solution is LAME (i.e. “weak”) followed by N (i.e. “leader of national”, i.e. the first letter of “national”) and TABLE (i.e. “board”).

38. Increase the risk cracking the peanut (2,3,4)

Answer: UP THE ANTE (i.e. “increase the risk”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “cracking”) if THE PEANUT.

39. American nonsense is fair game (6)

Answer: HOOPLA. Solution satisfies “American nonsense” and a “fair game”.

40. Brave men, men consuming eggs (6)

Answer: HEROES (i.e. “brave men”). Solution is HES (i.e. “men”, plural of he – yeah, I thought it was clunky too) wrapped around or “consuming” ROE (i.e. fish “eggs”), like so: HE(ROE)S.

43. Insect that’s metamorphosed one minute since (5)

Answer: IMAGO (i.e. “insect that’s metamorphosed” – an made-to-fit solution I knew, weirdly). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) followed by M (a recognised abbreviation of “minute”) and AGO (i.e. “since”).

45. Naughtily suggest including one’s husband (8)

Answer: IMPISHLY (i.e. “naughtily”). Solution is IMPLY (i.e. “suggest”) wrapped around or “including” I’S (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one” made possessive) and H (a recognised abbreviation of “husband”), like so: IMP(I’S-H)LY.

47. Cuts parts off fish with its middle crooked (8)

Answer: LOPSIDED (i.e. “crooked”). Solution is LOPS (i.e. “cuts parts off”) followed by IDE (a variety of “fish” useful to crossword compilers) and D (i.e. “its middle”, i.e. the middle letter of IDE).

49. What may somehow result from racism petition division? (8,14)

Answer: POSITIVE DISCRIMINATION. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole, being discrimination in favour of those previously discriminated against, but is also an anagram (indicated by “what may somehow result from”) of RACISM PETITION DIVISION. Nicely worked.

52. Army group also included in proposed idea (7)

Answer: PLATOON (i.e. “army group”). Solution is TOO (i.e. “also”) placed or “included in” PLAN (i.e. “proposed idea”), like so: PLA(TOO)N.

53. Victor, chap in pain in alpine fall (9)

Answer: AVALANCHE (i.e. “alpine fall”). Solution is V (“Victor” in the phonetic alphabet) and ALAN (i.e. “chap’s” name) both placed “in” ACHE (i.e. “pain”), like so: A(V-ALAN)CHE.

54. Flat by centre of quad in Italian city (5)

Answer: PADUA (i.e. “Italian city”). Solution is PAD (i.e. “flat” or apartment) followed by UA (i.e. “centre [letters] of quad”). Made. To. Fit.

55. Bad hotels ignored entertainment in Venetian setting (3,10)

Answer: THE GONDOLIERS (i.e. “entertainment in Venetian setting”, being a comic opera by Gilbert & Sullivan – you know what? I wrote that last bit assuming it was true, knowing how often G&S appear in Jumbo Cryptics. Imagine my lack of surprise upon discovering I was right). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “bad”) of HOTELS IGNORED.

56. Popular song of the recent past (9)

Answer: YESTERDAY. Solution satisfies “popular song” by The Beatles and “of the recent past”. You can also imagine my lack of surprise to find this repeated not only in the very next Jumbo but in exactly the same place too. Never change, The Times.

Down clues

1. Keen to get on circuit with promises of money (9)

Answer: AMBITIOUS (i.e. “keen”). Solution is AMBIT (i.e. “circuit”) followed by IOUS (i.e. “promises of money”).

2. Presentation for each class with master introducing Newton (11)

Answer: PERFORMANCE (i.e. “presentation”). Solution is PER (i.e. “for each”) followed by FORM (i.e. school “class”) and ACE (i.e. “master”) once wrapped around or “introducing” N (a recognised abbreviation of “Newton”, a measurement of force in physics), like so: PER-FORM-A(N)CE.

3. Fool around near pit (5)

Answer: ABYSS (i.e. “pit”). Solution is ASS (i.e. “fool”) wrapped “around” BY (i.e. “near”), like so: A(BY)SS.

4. Guest called in endlessly demanding (8)

Answer: STRANGER (i.e. “guest”). Solution is RANG (i.e. “called”) placed “in” STERN (i.e. “demanding”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “endlessly”), like so: ST(RANG)ER.

5. Need a moment talking about newborn’s nourishment? (6)

Answer: LACTIC (i.e. “about newborn’s nourishment”). Solution comprises homophones (indicated by “talking”) of LACK (i.e. “need”) and TICK (i.e. “a moment”), like so: LAC-TIC.

6. Hero of Conan Doyle’s ill-fated craft (10)

Answer: CHALLENGER. Solution satisfies “hero of Conan Doyle”, referring to Professor George Challenger, a character in a number of sci fi stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle such as The Lost World, and also “ill-fated craft”, referring to the space shuttle that exploded shortly after launch in 1986.

7. Note sections of family into baroque restoration (12)

Answer: REGENERATION (i.e. “baroque restoration”). Solution is RE (i.e. musical “note” of the sol-fa scale) followed by GENERATION (i.e. “sections of family”).

8. Relative’s place accommodating papa and daughter (7)

Answer: STEPDAD (i.e. “relative”). Solution is STEAD (i.e. “place”) wrapped around or “accommodating” P (“papa” in the phonetic alphabet) and D (a recognised abbreviation of “daughter”), like so: STE(P-D)AD.

9. Like some subs round place were destroyed (7-7)

Answer: NUCLEAR POWERED (i.e. “like some subs”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “destroyed”) of ROUND PLACE WERE.

10. Hot and really intense spicy sauce, African originally (7)

Answer: HARISSA. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole, meanwhile “originally” also indicates the solution comprises the initial letters of “Hot And Really Intense Spicy Sauce, African”. Nicely worked.

11. Unsocial person Martin hopes to get thrown out (11)

Answer: MISANTHROPE (i.e. “unsocial person”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “to get thrown out”) of MARTIN HOPES.

12. Salad dressing, month old (4)

Answer: MAYO (i.e. “salad dressing”). Solution is MAY (i.e. “month”) followed by O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”).

17. Confuse second of judges new on bench (8)

Answer: UNSETTLE (i.e. “confuse”). Solution is U (i.e. “second [letter] of judges”) followed by N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”) and SETTLE (i.e. a long high-backed “bench”).

19. One managing river dock on limitless river (9)

Answer: EXECUTIVE (i.e. “one managing”). Solution is EXE (i.e. “river” of England) followed by CUT (i.e. to “dock”) and IVE (i.e. “limitless river”, i.e. the word “river” with its first and last letters removed).

22. Mirror put back together again without any silvering initially (8)

Answer: RESEMBLE (i.e. “mirror”). Solution is REASSEMBLE (i.e. “put back together again”) with the AS removed (indicated by “without any silvering initially”, i.e. the first letters of “silvering” and “initially”).

25. Person lingering in large building, one holding fifty (8)

Answer: BARNACLE (i.e. “person lingering”). Solution is BARN (i.e. “large building”) followed by ACE (i.e. playing card with a value of “one”) once wrapped around or “holding” L (i.e. “[Roman numeral] fifty”), like so: BARN-AC(L)E.

26. Speed of pigs eating paper at first seems surprising (9)

Answer: SWIFTNESS (i.e. “speed”). Solution is SWINE (i.e. “pigs”) wrapped around or “eating” FT (i.e. “[news]paper”, The Financial Times) and followed by S and S (i.e. “at first seems surprising”, i.e. the first letter of “seems” and “surprising”), like so: SWI(FT)NE-S-S.

27. Atmospherically managed broadcast about health (3-11)

Answer: AIR-CONDITIONED (i.e. “atmospherically managed”). Solution is AIR (i.e. to “broadcast”) followed by CONDITIONED (i.e. “about health” – makes so-so gesture).

28. Musical piece duo plays with peril (8)

Answer: PRELUDIO (i.e. “musical piece”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “plays”) of DUO and PERIL. Musical lingo is a big ol’ Times Jumbo Cryptic trope, so have an angry Beethoven.

31. Fashionable individual’s a weak person, strangely atheistic (12)

Answer: SOPHISTICATE (i.e. “fashionable individual”). Solution is SOP (i.e. “weak person”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “strangely”) of ATHEISTIC, like so: SOP-HISTICATE.

33. Make projections of additional ring in section of earth’s crust (11)

Answer: EXTRAPOLATE (i.e. “make projections”). Solution is EXTRA (i.e. “additional”) followed by O (i.e. “ring”, as in the letter’s shape) once first placed “in” PLATE (i.e. “section of earth’s crust”), like so: EXTRA-P(O)LATE.

36. Secondary route tended to be liberal (5-6)

Answer: BROAD-MINDED (i.e. “liberal”). Solution is B-ROAD (i.e. “secondary route”) followed by MINDED (i.e. “tended”).

37. Global seminar is among the very best (5-5)

Answer: WORLD-CLASS (i.e. “among the very best”). Solution is WORLD (i.e. “global”) followed by CLASS (i.e. “seminar”).

41. Sitting in sun on the end of my outside garden (9)

Answer: SEDENTARY (i.e. “sitting”). Solution is STAR (i.e. “sun”) and Y (i.e. “end [letter] of my”) all wrapped around or placed “outside” of EDEN (i.e. Biblical “garden”), like so: S(EDEN)TAR-Y.

42. Righteousness over words in play in high school (8)

Answer: HOLINESS (i.e. “righteousness”). Solution is O (a recognised abbreviation of “over” used in cricket) and LINES (i.e. “words in play”) all placed “in” HS (a recognised abbreviation of “high school”), like so: H(O-LINES)S.

44. River creature seen on Wimbledon common? (7)

Answer: ORINOCO (i.e. “river”). Solution also satisfies “creature seen on Wimbledon common”, referring to a character from the 1970s kids TV show The Wombles.

46. Quietly reverse trouble and win through (7)

Answer: PREVAIL (i.e. “win through”). Solution is P (i.e. “quietly”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “piano” used in musical lingo) followed by REV (I’m guessing this is a recognised abbreviation of “reverse”, but Chambers doesn’t support it) and AIL (i.e. “trouble”).

48. This part of Atlantic is about described by bay (6)

Answer: BISCAY (i.e. “this part of Atlantic”, the Bay of Biscay). Solution is IS and C (i.e. “about”, i.e. a recognised abbreviation of “circa”) both placed in or “described by” – yeah, another that’s a bit too wishy-washy for me… anyway, “described by” BAY, like so: B(IS-C)AY.

50. Fruit perhaps preserved primarily in beer (5)

Answer: APPLE (i.e. “fruit”). Solution is P and P (i.e. “perhaps preserved primarily”, i.e. the first letters of “perhaps” and “preserved”) both placed “in” ALE (i.e. “beer”), like so: A(P-P)LE.

51. See son with drug (4)

Answer: SPOT (i.e. “see”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “son”) followed by POT (i.e. “drug”, slang for marijuana).

One of those general knowledge Jumbos that is groaning with places, people, the classics and all the kind of stuff that’s fine for the Olav Bjortomts out there but offers thin gruel for the rest of us mere mortals. Still, at least it wasn’t grid 1710, eh? (If you know, you know.)

The competition deadline for this one passed a while ago, so 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 for hundreds of the things.

Thanks again for your patience and kind words as I wrap up these last few Jumbo posts. Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

The case for the prosecution

Across clues

1. Moving against him, the writer succeeded in competition honouring Poseidon (8,5)

Answer: ISTHMIAN GAMES (i.e. Ancient Greek “competition honouring Poseidon” that was held the second and fourth years of an Olympiad). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “moving”) of AGAINST HIM followed by ME (i.e. “the writer” from the point of view of the setter) and S (a recognised abbreviation of “succeeded”), like so: ISTHMIANGA-ME-S. An early statement of intent from this week’s setter. Duly recognised.

8. Negotiator in attempt to gamble? Small point (2-7)

Answer: GO-BETWEEN (i.e. “negotiator”). Solution is GO (i.e. “attempt” or try) followed by BET (i.e. “to gamble”), then WEE (i.e. “small”) and N (i.e. “point” of the compass, short for North).

13. Cast of Brief Encounter (5)

Answer: FLING. Solution satisfies “cast” or throw, and a “brief encounter” or affair.

14. Talk to an eccentric old goat periodically in city (11)

Answer: CHATTANOOGA (i.e. “city” in Tennessee, USA). Solution is CHAT (i.e. “talk”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “eccentric”) of TO AN, then O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) and GA (i.e. “goat periodically”, i.e. every other letter of GOAT), like so: CHAT-TANO-O-GA.

15. Goldfinger having sport among spooks from the East (5)

Answer: AURIC (i.e. Bond villain “Goldfinger’s” first name). Solution is RU (i.e. “sport”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of Rugby Union) placed “among” CIA (i.e. “spooks”, slang for spies, in this case the Central Intelligence Agency of the US) and the whole then reversed (indicated by “from the East” – this being an across clue), like so: A(UR)IC.

16. Fit pair to be worn by Latvian hunchback (9)

Answer: RIGOLETTO (i.e. titular “hunchback” of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera). Solution is RIG (i.e. to “fit”) followed by OO (i.e. “pair”, in this case referencing a pair of zero-score innings in a cricket test match) once wrapped around or being “worn by” LETT (i.e. a “Latvian”), like so: RIG-O(LETT)O. Rather than write a fresh rant about this, I might as well copy and paste what I said back in grid 1682 only a few months ago.

Okay, this is exactly what I mean when I say I’m bored of Times setters’ general refusal to accommodate more modern culture in their grids. Do you want to know how often RIGOLETTO has been an answer in Jumbo Cryptics? Try grid 1651, back at the start of the year. Or grid 1516. Or grid 1500. “Oh, come on, Mr Poll”, I hear you saying. “That’s only four times over three years.” (Now five times over three-and-a-half years.) Okay, how about LA DONNA È MOBILE, an aria from said opera? Grid 1591 and grid 1564 before it, in case you were wondering. Look, I get it. It’s a famous opera. You’ve got hard-ons for this stuff. I don’t. I prefer to get my rocks off in other, far cooler ways. Have a music demerit. Beethoven is very, very disappointed in you.

17. Nymph consorting with Zeus evoked memory (4)

Answer: ECHO. Solution satisfies “nymph consorting with Zeus” – as said last time, Greek mythology would have you believe everybody in existence has had it off with Zeus, it’s hardly badge of honour – and also “evoked memory”. Like Dickens, the nymphs of Greek mythology appear to be a theme among Times setters at the moment. Such a shame they’re as boring as every other cliché Times setters fall into.

18. Name that is embracing artistic work? (8)

Answer: CALLIOPE. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole, being the muse of epic poetry in Greek mythology, but also comprises CALL (i.e. “name”) followed by IE (i.e. “that is”, i.e. “i.e.”, short for the Latin id est) once wrapped around or “embracing” OP (i.e. “artistic work”, in this case a recognised abbreviation of “opus”), like so: CALL-I(OP)E. More Greek mythology nonsense. How dull.

20. Built with steeply angled sides, A&E accommodates female sheep (1-5)

Answer: A-FRAME (i.e. a construction “built with steeply angled sides”). Solution is A and E wrapped around or “accommodating” F (a recognised abbreviation of “female”) and RAM (i.e. male “sheep”), like so: A-(F-RAM)-E.

21. Troublemaker co-partner at Vogue sacked (5,11)

Answer: AGENT PROVOCATUER (i.e. “troublemaker”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “sacked”) of CO-PARTNER AT VOGUE.

24. Game’s instruction given to those who’d dump illegally? (3-3-3)

Answer: TIP-AND-RUN (i.e. “game” – over to Chambers: “an informal kind of cricket in which the batsmen must run if they hit the ball”). Written without hyphens the solution also satisfies “instruction given to those who’d dump illegally”.

26. Modernist initially stranded in bog pushed back (1,1,5)

Answer: T S ELIOT (i.e. “modernist” poet). Solution is S (i.e. “initially stranded”, i.e. the first letter of “stranded”) placed “in” TOILET (i.e. “bog”, slang thereof) once reversed (indicated by “pushed back”), like so: T(S)ELIOT. Last week we had his play MURDER IN THE CATHEDRAL. Another theme developing, perhaps?

27. Tribesperson expresses disapproval with India (5)

Answer: TUTSI (i.e. “tribesperson”). Solution is TUTS (i.e. “expresses disapproval”) followed by I (“India” in the phonetic alphabet).

29. Semite near Moroccan location brought round by hospital in city (5,7)

Answer: SANTA BARBARA (i.e. “city” in California, USA). Solution is ARAB (i.e. “Semite”) and RABAT (i.e. “Moroccan location”, specifically its capital city) all reversed (indicated by “brought round”) and placed after or “by” SAN (i.e. “hospital”, short for sanatorium), like so: SAN-(TABAR-BARA).

31. One such as Caiaphas: when drunk he is right to keep quiet (4,6)

Answer: HIGH PRIEST (i.e. “one such as Caiaphas”. Ah yes, the first person that springs to mind when I see the words “high priest”. Well, it would if I knew any high priests to begin with. Not exactly the kind of information one needs to retain in this increasingly secular age). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “when drunk”) of HE IS RIGHT wrapped around or “keeping” P (i.e. “quiet”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “piano” in musical lingo), like so: HIGH(P)RIEST.

33. Maybe Van Gogh’s content with chronicle being scandalous? (10)

Answer: INCENDIARY (i.e. “scandalous”). Solution is INCEN (i.e. “maybe Van Gogh’s content”, i.e. VINCENT with the start and end letters removed) followed by DIARY (i.e. “chronicle”).

35. Carriage reserved for small charge? (12)

Answer: PERAMBULATOR, or pram. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole, with “small charge” being a playful reference to a baby.

38. At first they were all nervy – finally showing pluck (5)

Answer: TWANG (i.e. “pluck”). Solution is TWAN (i.e. “at first they were all nervy”, i.e. the first letters of “they”, “were”, “all” and “nervy”) followed by G (i.e. “finally showing”, i.e. the last letter of “showing”).

39. Pasta strings, however many? Thousands! (7)

Answer: NOODLES (i.e. “pasta strings”). Solution is N (i.e. “however many”, specifically a variable in mathematics denoting any number) followed by OODLES (i.e. “thousands”).

40. Man’s woman returned chart (9)

Answer: HISTOGRAM (i.e. “chart”). Solution is HIS (i.e. “man’s”) followed by MARGOT (i.e. “woman’s” name) once the latter has been reversed (indicated by “returned”), like so: HIS-TOGRAM.

42. Conservative turncoat in terribly miserable old political group (7,9)

Answer: LIBERAL DEMOCRATS (i.e. “political group” or party). Solution is C (a recognised abbreviation of “Conservative”) and RAT (i.e. traitor or “turncoat”) both placed “in” an anagram (indicated by “terribly”) of MISERABLE OLD, like so: LIBERALDEMO(C-RAT)S.

44. Image of body shown in court, endlessly deficient (2,4)

Answer: CT SCAN (i.e. “image of body”). Solution is CT (a recognised abbreviation of “court”) followed by SCANT (i.e. “deficient”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “endlessly”).

47. Prickly plant in a container like this (8)

Answer: ACANTHUS (i.e. “prickly plant”). Solution is A followed by CAN (i.e. “container”) and THUS (i.e. “like this”).

49. Addict taken in because reoffending (4)

Answer: USER (i.e. drug “addict”). “Taken in” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: BECA(USE R)EOFFENDING.

50. Dramatic works from poetaster to be rewritten (9)

Answer: OPERETTAS (i.e. “dramatic works”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “to be rewritten”) of POETASTER.

52. Current hopelessness unending in White House (5)

Answer: IGLOO (i.e. “white house”, ignoring the misleading capitalisation). Solution is I (a recognised abbreviation of an electrical “current” used in physics) followed by GLOOM (i.e. “hopelessness” once its last letter has been removed), indicated by “unending”), like so: I-GLOO.

53. Forward striking idiot with supporters having invaded (4,2,5)

Answer: BOLD AS BRASS (i.e. “forward”). Solution is BOLD (i.e. “striking”) and ASS (i.e. “idiot”) all wrapped around or being “invaded” by BRAS (i.e. “supporters”), like so: BOLD-AS(BRAS)S.

54. Port bow turned on changeable current (5)

Answer: ACCRA (i.e. “port”, capital city of Ghana). Solution is ARC (i.e. curve or “bow”) reversed (indicated by “turned”) and placed “on” or after AC (i.e. “changeable current”, short for Alternating Current), like so: AC-CRA.

55. Having knowledge about lake, fish with line in Scottish valley (4,5)

Answer: GLEN GARRY (i.e. “Scottish valley” of Perth and Kinross). Solution is GEN (i.e. “knowledge”) wrapped “about” L (a recognised abbreviation of “lake”). This is then followed by GAR (i.e. a variety of “fish”) and RY (i.e. “line”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “railway”), like so: G(L)EN-GAR-RY.

56. Conservationists in state bound to be heard (8,5)

Answer: NATIONAL TRUST (i.e. “conservationists”). Solution is NATIONAL (i.e. one “in state”) followed by a homophone (indicated by “to be heard”) of TRUSSED (i.e. “bound”).

Down clues

1. Headless maggot snaffled by young canary (9)

Answer: INFORMANT (i.e. “canary” or grass). Solution is WORM (i.e. “maggot”, both descriptive of a contemptible person) with its first letter removed (indicated by “headless”) and the remainder placed “in” INFANT (i.e. “young”), like so: INF(ORM)ANT.

2. Catching rook, Pooh’s feline friend makes start (7)

Answer: TRIGGER (i.e. “start”). Solution is TIGGER (i.e. Winnie The “Pooh’s” feline friend, from the books of AA Milne) wrapped around or “catching” R (a recognised abbreviation of “rook” used in chess), like so: T(R)IGGER.

3. With which condition one doesn’t normally feel great? (11)

Answer: MEGALOMANIA. Not entirely sure what the setter is getting at here, as the main definition of the solution according to Chambers is “the delusion that one is great or powerful” which suggests to me the exact opposite. A variant definition of “(loosely) a lust for power” is a better fit, but I’m still not convinced.

4. Author having four sisters in family occupying rural cottage (6)

Answer: Louisa ALCOTT (i.e. “author having four sisters in family”, a reference to her loosely autobiographical novel Little Women). “Occupying” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: RUR(AL COTT)AGE.

5. Lovely keyboard instrument in county once (9)

Answer: GLAMORGAN (i.e. Welsh “county once”, abolished in 1974). Solution is GLAM (i.e. “lovely”) followed by ORGAN (i.e. “keyboard instrument”).

6. Bloom reserving different name for female who knows best (6,6)

Answer: MOTHER NATURE (i.e. “female who knows best”). Solution is MATURE (i.e. to “bloom”) wrapped around or “reserving” OTHER (i.e. “different”) and N (a recognised abbreviation of “name”), like so: M(OTHER-N)ATURE.

7. Grass skirts with jumper in an estuary (10)

Answer: SANDHOPPER (i.e. “jumper in an estuary”). Solution is SHOPPER (i.e. “grass” or informant) wrapped around or “skirting” AND (i.e. “with”), like so: S(AND)HOPPER.

8. Good hill climbing finds poet’s cave (4)

Answer: GROT (i.e. “cave” – “poet’s” seems superfluous). Solution is G (a recognised abbreviation of “good”) followed by TOR (i.e. “hill”) once reversed (indicated by “climbing” – this being a down clue), like so: G-ROT.

9. Attend a match on sparsely settled land, or prevaricate? (4,5,3,4)

Answer: BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH (i.e. “prevaricate”). Solution is BE AT (i.e. “attend”) followed by A, then BOUT (i.e. “match”) and THE BUSH (i.e. “sparsely settled land”, e.g. in Australia).

10. Follower crossing Republican’s path (5)

Answer: TRAIL (i.e. “path”). Solution is TAIL (i.e. “follower”) wrapped around or “crossing” R (a recognised abbreviation of “Republican”), like so: T(R)AIL.

11. Nobleman with award for organ piece? (7)

Answer: EARLOBE (i.e. “organ piece”, or part of the ear). Solution is EARL (i.e. “nobleman”) followed by OBE (i.e. “award”, the Order of the British Empire).

12. Cold war aftermath? Tough to secure outright victory on retreating! (7,6)

Answer: NUCLEAR WINTER (i.e. “cold war aftermath”). Solution is NUT (i.e. “tough” taken as a noun, being a criminal or aggressive person) wrapped around or “securing” CLEAR WIN (i.e. “outright victory”). This is then followed by RE (i.e. “on” or regarding – think email replies) once reversed (indicated by “retreating”), like so: NU(CLEAR-WIN)T-ER.

19. Medic with a touring car in Caribbean island (8)

Answer: DOMINICA (i.e. “Caribbean island”). Solution is DOC (i.e. “medic”, short for doctor) and A wrapped around or “touring” MINI (i.e. make of “car”), like so: DO(MINI)C-A.

22. Pioneering MP Nancy – minister powerless! (5)

Answer: ASTOR (i.e. “pioneering MP Nancy”, she was the first female Member of Parliament. Her middle name was “Witcher,” which is pretty metal in my book). Solution is PASTOR (i.e. church “minister”) with the P removed (indicated by “powerless” – P being a recognised abbreviation of “power”).

23. Enigmatic librarian! Run to me! Hippasus’ discovery revealed? (10,6)

Answer: IRRATIONAL NUMBER (i.e. “Hippasus’ discovery”, being a number that cannot be expressed as a fraction with integer numerator and denominators). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “enigmatic”) of LIBRARIAN RUN TO ME. Ah, the setter’s semi-on for the Ancient Greeks resumes. Duly noted.

25. What should get one well? Old man receives a card (7)

Answer: PANACEA (i.e. “what should get one well”, a cure-all). Solution is PA (i.e. “old man”, both informal references to one’s father) wrapped around or “receiving” AN ACE (i.e. “a [playing] card”), like so: P(AN-ACE)A.

28. Social networker using rather cute, brief epithet, say (7)

Answer: TWEETER (i.e. “social networker”. I’ve still no idea if this holds now that Twitter has been renamed X). Solution is TWEE (i.e. “rather cute”) followed by TERM (i.e. “epithet”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “brief”), like so: TWEE-TER.

29. Sign refurbished with lilac tint becomes brilliant (13)

Answer: SCINTILLATING (i.e. “brilliant”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “refurbished”) of SIGN and LILAC TINT.

30. Secured loan without interest outside bank (8)

Answer: BORROWED (i.e. “secured loan”). Solution is BORED (i.e. “without interest”) wrapped around or placed “outside” of ROW (i.e. “bank”), like so: BOR(ROW)WED. Nicely done.

32. Shopper in Cardiff perhaps eating fresh brie for snack (5,7)

Answer: WELSH RAREBIT (i.e. “snack”). Solution is WELSH RAT (i.e. “shopper in Cardiff perhaps” – other Welsh cities are available) wrapped around or “eating” an anagram (indicated by “fresh”) of BRIE, like so: WELSH-RA(REBI)T. Hmm. Let’s just take a quick look back through the down clues. We’ve had RAT, SHOPPER, INFORMANT, “grass” and “canary”. Something on your mind, setter?

34. On the drink heading to North Country (5)

Answer: NIGER (i.e. “country” in West Africa). Solution is RE (i.e. “on” or regarding – think email replies) and GIN (i.e. alcoholic “drink”) all reversed (indicated by “heading to north” – this being a down clue), like so: NIG-ER.

36. Be in right gear, good enough to enter lot – centre includes parking (4,3,4)

Answer: LOOK THE PART (i.e. “be in right gear”). Solution is OK (i.e. “good enough”) placed in or “entering” LOT. This is then followed by HEART (i.e. “centre”) once wrapped around or “including” P (a recognised abbreviation of “parking” used on maps and signage), like so: LO(OK)T-HE(P)ART.

37. Evidence no longer in circulation wasted on tabloids (10)

Answer: BLOODSTAIN (i.e. “evidence no longer in circulation” – nicely disguised). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “wasted”) of ON TABLOIDS.

40. Dish with Castro regularly causing tricky problem (3,6)

Answer: HOT POTATO (i.e. “tricky problem”). Solution is HOTPOT (i.e. “dish”) followed by ATO (i.e. “Castro regularly”, i.e. every other letter of CASTRO).

41. Boring people make this missile after bomb (9)

Answer: MINESHAFT (i.e. “boring people make this”). Solution is SHAFT (i.e. “missile”) placed “after” MINE (i.e. “bomb”), like so: MINE-SHAFT.

43. Unwell when engaged by Scottish bank, touch type? (7)

Answer: BRAILLE (i.e. “touch type” – again, nicely disguised). Solution is ILL (i.e. “unwell”) placed in or “engaged by” BRAE (i.e. “Scottish [word for a] bank”), like so: BRA(ILL)E.

45. Close the gap almost filled with eastern plant extract (7)

Answer: CATECHU (i.e. “plant extract” apparently rich in tannin). Solution is CATCH UP (i.e. “close the gap”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “almost”) and the remainder wrapped around or “filled with” E (a recognised abbreviation of “eastern”), like so: CAT(E)CH-U. Made. To. Fit.

46. Hostess to an extent in short dress (6)

Answer: GEISHA (i.e. “hostess”). Solution is ISH (i.e. “to an extent”) placed “in” GEAR (i.e. attire or “dress”) once the last letter has been removed (indicated by “short”), like so: GE(ISH)A.

48. Band in hotel criminal society guards (5)

Answer: THONG (i.e. “band” of some material). Solution is H (“hotel” in the phonetic alphabet) placed “in” TONG (i.e. “criminal society”), like so: T(H)ONG.

51. Amuse very much in Hebridean island – no small island (4)

Answer: SLAY (i.e. “amuse very much”). Solution is ISLAY (i.e. “Hebridean island”) with the I removed (indicated by “no small island” – I being a recognised abbreviation of “island”).

Another decent enough Jumbo, though one that felt a little too much like a Who’s-Who at times (as you’ll see through my bellyaching across several clues). And, of course, this being The Times, most of the people in question weren’t exactly on the tip of one’s tongue. Meh.

The competition deadline for this one has long since passed, so you can find my completed grid below along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them useful. If a recent Jumbo has your number then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of the things.

Thanks again for your patience and kind words as I see out these last few Jumbos. Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

The case for the prosecution

Across clues

1. Lose it down a gutter, its front blocking gondola (4,1,6)

Answer: BLOW A GASKET (i.e. “lose it”). Solution is LOW (i.e. “down”), A and G (i.e. “gutter, it’s front”, i.e. the first letter of “gutter”) all placed in or “blocking” BASKET (i.e. “gondola”, which can refer to the basket underneath a hot air balloon), like so: B(LOW-A-G)ASKET.

7. Recollection of bread, as fed to natives in wonderful bower? (5,6)

Answer: PABLO CASALS (i.e. celebrated Spanish cellist, or “wonderful bower”). Solution is BAP (i.e. “bread”) reversed (indicated by “recollection of…”) and followed by AS once placed in or “fed to” LOCALS (i.e. “natives”), like so: PAB-LOC(AS)ALS. Wonderful he may be, but this is another illustration of why I’m done with Times Jumbo Cryptics. I just can’t be arsed with crap like this any more.

13. Second lecture on my seabird (9)

Answer: CORMORANT (i.e. “seabird”). Solution is MO (i.e. “second”, short for a moment) and RANT (i.e. “lecture”) all placed “on” or after COR (i.e. “my”, both exclamations), like so: COR-(MO-RANT).

14. Worship is embraced by one with benefit (7)

Answer: IDOLISE (i.e. “worship”). Solution is IS placed in or “embraced by” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and DOLE (i.e. “benefit”), like so: I-DOL(IS)E.

15. A little titbit, as tempter? (5)

Answer: TASTE. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole, but “a little” also indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: TITBI(T AS TE)MPTER.

16. Vaudeville star, one celebrating? (6)

Answer: Sir Henry LAUDER (i.e. early 20th century “Vaudeville star” – Christ on a bike, setter. Pablo Casals wasn’t enough for you, I take it? Or perhaps you had tickets to see Lauder in his pomp? Either way, I’m so utterly bored of it now). Solution also satisfies “one celebrating”.

17. Drink in picnic containers, carbonated? (8)

Answer: CHAMPERS (i.e. “drink”). Basically the setter is combining C (the chemical symbol of “carbon”) and HAMPERS (i.e. “picnic containers”). The parsing doesn’t really work for me, but I guess having the clue scan was more important.

18. Reverend often slipping tongue in kisser (7)

Answer: William Archibald SPOONER. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole. Cryptic crossword fans will be very familiar with Spoonerisms, being words or phrases where the principal letters or sounds are swapped, so there’s no need to for Who’s Who this time. Still, three long-dead blokes in the space of eight clues. For goodness sake…

20. Savage lurch, reminder at death in Canterbury tale? (6,2,3,9)

Answer: MURDER IN THE CATHEDRAL (i.e. “Canterbury tale”, specifically a dramatic work by T S Eliot about the assassination of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “savage”) of LURCH REMINDER AT DEATH.

23. Heartless relative having dropped in, everybody hiding away (7)

Answer: CALLOUS (i.e. “heartless”). Solution is COUSIN (i.e. “relative”) with the IN removed (indicated by “having dropped in”) and the remainder wrapped around or “hiding” ALL (i.e. “everybody”), like so: C(ALL)OUS.

24. Turn fan backwards and ventilate after evacuation (7)

Answer: REVOLVE (i.e. “turn”). Solution is LOVER (i.e. “fan”) reversed (indicated by “backwards”) and followed by VE (i.e. “ventilate after evacuation”, i.e. the word “ventilate” with all its middle letters removed), like so: REVOL-VE.

26. Old type size in collection that’s back in the news (7)

Answer: TOPICAL (i.e. “in the news”). Solution is PICA (i.e. “type size”, specifically “an old type size, approximately, and synonymously for, 12-point, giving about 6 lines to the inch” (Chambers)) placed “in” LOT (i.e. “collection”) once reversed (indicated by “that’s back”), like so: TO(PICA)L.

28. Odd pink or blue? (4)

Answer: RARE. A triple-header, I believe, with the solution satisfying “odd”, “pink” (as in meat) and “blue” (as in a blue moon).

29. Mathematical computation, hard stuff (8)

Answer: CALCULUS. Solution satisfies “mathematical computation” and “hard stuff” being a painful build-up of calcium that clings to the teeth. Also covers the formation of kidney stones, if you prefer.

32. Drug, one was in possession of the police (9)

Answer: METHADONE (i.e. “drug”). When written as MET HAD ONE the solution also satisfies “one was in possession of the police”.

35. Man, male regenerating gradually (9)

Answer: PIECEMEAL (i.e. “gradually”). Solution is PIECE (i.e. “man”, both references to chess pieces) followed by an anagram (indicated by “regenerating”) of MALE, like so: PIECE-MEAL.

36. Binds sample embroidery (8)

Answer: TAPESTRY (i.e. “embroidery”). Solution is TAPES (i.e. “binds”) followed by TRY (i.e. to “sample”).

37. Commercials broadcast for bladed tool (4)

Answer: ADZE (i.e. “bladed tool”). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “broadcast”) of ADS (i.e. “commercials”).

39. Uncommunicative about one being faced by rogue element (7)

Answer: CADMIUM (i.e. chemical “element”). Solution is MUM (i.e. “uncommunicative”, as in keeping mum) wrapped “about” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”). This is all then placed after or “being faced by” CAD (i.e. “rogue”), like so: CAD-(M(I)UM).

41. Female and pop party (7)

Answer: SHEBANG (i.e. “party”). Solution is SHE (i.e. “female”) followed by BANG (i.e. “pop”).

44. Small change in old cartoon strip? (7)

Answer: PEANUTS. Solution satisfies “small change” and an “old cartoon strip” by Charles Schulz.

45. Writer inspired by the dream is talking about why our arguments are equally sound? (5,5,5,5)

Answer: GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE (i.e. “why our arguments are equally sound”). Solution is INK (i.e. “writer”) placed in or “inspired by” an anagram (indicated by “about”) of THE DREAM IS TALKING, like so: GREATMINDSTH(INK)ALIKE.

49. Shudder with terror entering contest (7)

Answer: VIBRATE (i.e. “shudder”). Solution is BRAT (i.e. “terror”, both referring to little shits ill-behaved children) placed in or “entering” VIE (i.e. to “contest”), like so: VI(BRAT)E.

50. Hit hard, broke (8)

Answer: STRAPPED. Solution satisfies “hit hard” and “broke”, as in strapped for cash.

51. Get down from oak originally in tree-lined avenue (6)

Answer: GROOVE (i.e. “get down”, in a Disco Stu kind of way. Does anyone still watch The Simpsons?) Solution is O (i.e. “oak originally”, i.e. the first letter of “oak”) placed “in” GROVE (i.e. “tree-lined avenue”), like so: GR(O)OVE.

53. Water thrown back, so wet behind the ears (5)

Answer: NAÏVE (i.e. “wet behind the ears”). Solution is EVIAN (i.e. brand of “water”) reversed or “thrown back”.

54. Blot that was registered by yours truly on audio? (7)

Answer: EYESORE (i.e. “blot”). “On audio” indicates the solution comprises homophones of I SAW (i.e. “that was registered by yours truly”).

55. Breed with refined deportment, reportedly? (9)

Answer: PROPAGATE (i.e. “breed”). “Reportedly” indicates another homophone, this time for PROPER GAIT (i.e. “with refined deportment”). Nicely worked.

56. When Westminster quietens, that keeps the wet lot on edge (5,6)

Answer: SILLY SEASON (i.e. “when Westminster quietens” and the press are left scrabbling for any old story to print). Solution is YON (i.e. “that”) wrapped around or “keeping” SEAS (i.e. “the wet lot” – a strange description, but then, within the context of the clue, moderate Conservatives are sometimes referred to as wets). The whole is then placed “on” or after SILL (i.e. “edge”, e.g. a windowsill), like so: SILL-Y(SEAS)ON.

57. Ho hum, pedestrian score checker (5-6)

Answer: SIGHT-READER (i.e. “score checker”, musically speaking. Over to Chambers: “someone who can read … music at first sight of the notes”). Solution is SIGH (i.e. “ho hum”) followed by TREADER (i.e. descriptive of a “pedestrian”).

Down clues

1. Fastener joins deer and baby animal up (6)

Answer: BUCKLE (i.e. “fastener”). Solution is ELK (i.e. “deer”) and CUB (i.e. “baby animal”) all reversed (indicated by “up” – this being a down clue), like so: BUC-KLE.

2. Mournful and true, I’d a dismal book (3,6,6)

Answer: OUR MUTUAL FRIEND (i.e. “book” by Charles Dickens. Another one. Yup. Definitely a theme among Times setters at the moment). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “dismal”) of MOURNFUL TRUE I’D A.

3. Repairs on inverted cross very near (2,4,4)

Answer: AT ONE’S DOOR (i.e. “very near”). Solution is ATONES (i.e. “repairs”) followed by ROOD (i.e. Christ’s “cross”) once the latter has been reversed (indicated by “inverted” – this being a down clue), like so: ATONES-DOOR.

4. A modus operandi abroad (4)

Answer: AWAY (i.e. “abroad”). Solution is A and WAY (i.e. “modus operadi” or method of working).

5. Imperial chief, leader of nation in comfort with uniform on (9)

Answer: Lord Herbert KITCHENER (i.e. “imperial chief” and sporter of the best moustache of World War I. His “Your Country Needs You” poster is one of the most iconic images of the war). Solution is N (i.e. “leader of nation”, i.e. the first letter of “nation”) placed “in” CHEER (i.e. to “comfort”) and the whole then placed “on” or after KIT (i.e. “uniform”), like so: KIT-(CHE(N)ER). He’s somewhat better known than the randoms occupying the start of the puzzle, so I’ll spare another demerit.

6. Success as island blocks top hotel (7)

Answer: TRIUMPH (i.e. “success”). Solution is I (a recognised abbreviation of “island”) placed in or “blocking” TRUMP (i.e. to “top”) and followed by H (“hotel” in the phonetic alphabet), like so: TR(I)UMP-H.

7. Southern French clan dancing at end of show (9)

Answer: PROVENCAL (i.e. “southern French”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “dancing”) of CLAN placed “at end of” PROVE (i.e. to demonstrate or “show”), like so: PROVE-NCAL.

8. English composer a joy (5)

Answer: Arthur BLISS (i.e. “English composer”). Solution also satisfies “a joy”. A simple enough clue, but, still, what I said about Kitchener just now? Scratch it. Enough of this Who’s Who rubbish already.

9. Slack lovers finally woke up, but were late for work, probably? (9)

Answer: OVERSLEPT (i.e. “late for work, probably”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “slack”) of LOVERS followed by EPT (i.e. “finally woke up but”, i.e. the last letters of “woke”, “up” and “but”), like so: OVERSL-EPT.

10. Another opportunity to see article on pay reforms (6,6)

Answer: ACTION REPLAY (i.e. “another opportunity to see”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “reforms”) of ARTICLE ON PAY.

11. Store outfit in North London (7)

Answer: ARSENAL. Solution satisfies a military “store” and an “outfit in North London”, referring to the football team.

12. Range of phonetic letters? (6)

Answer: SIERRA (i.e. “range”). The remainder of the clue plays on how SIERRA features in the “phonetic” alphabet, representing S.

19. Pretty up on amenable gelding, equestrian initially – in this? (8)

Answer: DRESSAGE. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole, but is also DRESS (i.e. “pretty up”) followed by AGE (i.e. “amenable gelding equestrian initially”, i.e. the first letters of “amenable”, “gelding” and “equestrian”).

21. Thus title written upside down underneath the bottle (7)

Answer: THERMOS (i.e. “bottle”). Solution is SO (i.e. “thus”) and MR (i.e. “title”, short for mister) collectively written “upside down” – this being a down clue – and placed “underneath” (again, down clue) THE, like so: THE-(RM-OS).

22. In the dark unable to solve crosswords? (8)

Answer: CLUELESS. Solution satisfies “in the dark” and, playfully, “unable to solve crosswords”.

23. Heat-resistant tiles on spacecraft, vehicle like a rocket (8)

Answer: CARAPACE (i.e. “heat-resistant tiles on spacecraft”). Solution is CAR (i.e. “vehicle”) followed by APACE (i.e. “like a rocket”).

25. So long time for hotel employee (5)

Answer: VALET (i.e. “hotel employee”). Solution is VALE (i.e. “so long”, from the Latin) followed by T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”).

27. Obscure winger to arrive in theatre of impossible dreams (5-6-4)

Answer: CLOUD-CUCKOO-LAND (i.e. “theatre of impossible dreams”). Solution is CLOUD (i.e. to “obscure”) followed by CUCKOO (i.e. bird or “winger”) and LAND (i.e. “to arrive”).

30. Jumbos bit incomplete, defeat admitted (7)

Answer: COLOSSI (i.e. “jumbos”). Solution is COIN (i.e. “bit”, one definition of which being a coin) with its last letter removed (indicated by “incomplete”) and the remainder wrapped around or “admitting” LOSS (i.e. “defeat”), like so: CO(LOSS)I.

31. Pigment more likely to leak, might you say? (5)

Answer: SEPIA (i.e. “pigment”). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “might you say”) of SEEPIER (i.e. “more likely to leak”).

33. Change point for old gate (8)

Answer: TURNPIKE (i.e. “old gate”). Solution is TURN (i.e. “change”) followed by PIKE (i.e. a sharp “point” or spiked staff).

34. Red label, yet I will appear troubled by design (12)

Answer: DELIBERATELY (i.e. “by design”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “troubled”) of RED LABEL YET I.

38. Bespoke orders I’m told are covering area (6-4)

Answer: TAILOR-MADE (i.e. “bespoke”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “orders”) of I’M TOLD ARE wrapped around or “covering” A (a recognised abbreviation of “area”), like so: T(A)ILORMADE.

40. Childish communication intercepted by supremo? There’s evidence! (9)

Answer: MOTHERESE (i.e. “childish communication”). “Intercepted by” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: SUPRE(MO THERE’S E)VIDENCE.

42. Colour that is used up before blue, warmer? (9)

Answer: EIDERDOWN (i.e. “warmer”). Solution is RED (i.e. “colour”) and IE (i.e. “that is”, i.e. “i.e.”, short for the Latin id est) all reversed (indicated by “used up” – this being a down clue) and followed by DOWN (i.e. sad or “blue”), like so: (EI-DER)-DOWN.

43. Land unpleasant job, being lab rat (6,3)

Answer: GUINEA PIG (i.e. “lab rat”). Solution is GUINEA (i.e. West African country or “land”) followed by PIG (i.e. “unpleasant job”).

45. French food borne by female messenger (7)

Answer: GABRIEL (i.e. angelic “messenger” if The Bible is to be believed). Solution is BRIE (i.e. “French food”) placed in or “borne by” GAL (i.e. “female”), like so: GA(BRIE)L.

46. Half-naked, as Alf naked? (7)

Answer: TOPLESS (i.e. “half-naked”). The remainder of the clue plays on how “Alf” is “half” without its initial letter, or, to put it cryptically, TOPLESS. You get the idea.

47. Chance to host first of three contests (6)

Answer: EVENTS (i.e. “contests”). Solution is EVENS (i.e. “chance”) wrapped around or “hosting” T (i.e. “first [letter] of three”), like so: EVEN(T)S.

48. Fireball more disastrous, full of energy and temperature (6)

Answer: METEOR (i.e. “fireball”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “disastrous”) of MORE wrapped around or “full of” E (a recognised abbreviation of “energy”) and T (ditto “temperature”), like so: M(E-T)EOR.

50. Small muscles, those found on end of nose (5)

Answer: SPECS (i.e. “those found on end of nose”, short for spectacles). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) followed by PECS (i.e. “muscles”, short for pectorals).

52. Rookie shooter (4)

Answer: COLT. Solution satisfies “rookie” or young inexperienced player in sports, and also “shooter”, being a type of revolver.

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

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

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

LP

The case for the prosecution

Across clues

1. Fighter with height and strength (5)

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

4. Sauce is excellent (7)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

17. Greatly enlarges barrel wood suppliers stock (7)

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

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

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

21. Still a desire for unsuitable food (4)

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

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

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

25. No wife to advise aged headmaster (6)

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

26. Race is run through small wood (6)

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

28. Condemnation for resetting in tropics (12)

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

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

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

33. Old investment vehicle? (5,5)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Down clues

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

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

2. Count on time for hard work (5)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

11. Bombardment, singular punishment for sinners (9)

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

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

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

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

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

20. Greetings unfortunately upset a woman (7)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

32. NATO is acting strangely hostile (12)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

45. Necklace to die for? (6)

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

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

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

49. Please study this nymph (5)

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

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

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

As the competition deadline for this one passed ages ago, here is my completed grid along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them helpful. If a recent Jumbo has shivered your timbers then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of the things.

Thanks again for your patience and input, and especially for the kind words as I call time on these Jumbo Cryptic posts. It’s nice to know I’ve helped and entertained. I hope I haven’t put too many noses out of joint. 😀 Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

The case for the prosecution

Across clues

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

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

6. Persian cleaner’s emergency transport (7)

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

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

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

13. BA staff interchanged good correspondence (7)

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

14. 1 in 55 obstructing animal rescue (7)

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

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

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

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

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

17. Scoundrel getting pass for green assistant (6)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

27. Bone sample from hospital useful (5)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

34. Register hair in pickled fillet (7)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Down clues

1. Chicago station record framed by Mark (5)

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

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

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

3. Revolting skinned birds before large feline (9)

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

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

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

5. Infinity cryptically written as NES (11)

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

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

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

7. Freak hollow swallows street in Naples (7)

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

8. Greenish coin bearing six horses? (11)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

21. Language really applied to African country (6)

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

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

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

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

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

26. Note travellers climbing without principles (6)

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

28. Different females carrying a bundle (5)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

37. He composed king exiting edgy comedy (5)

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

38. Better bandaging is made up (10)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

49. Lass biting Chuck in comprehensive (6)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Anyway, enough admin. On with the solution. The competition deadline for this one expired an ice age ago, so here is my completed grid along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them helpful. If a recentish Jumbo has given you gyp then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of the things.

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

LP

The case for the prosecution

Across clues

1. Male with inclination to engage in securing deliveries? (4,7)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

23. Annoyance after losing last old currency (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

38. Auctions go astray, affecting contacts (10)

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

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

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

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

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

43. Surprise without opening wine (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

53. Failure nearer, after yielding lead (5)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Down clues

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. Prosecute comedian over conclusion to joke (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

8. Criminal to engage in swordplay (5)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

12. Electricity row ensnaring one party representative (11)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

33. Cancels credit offered in regular payments (6)

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

34. China cabal disrupted a historic festivity (11)

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

36. Most of latest styles arranged insipidly (11)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

52. Hot and largely scented Indian festival (4)

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

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

Now the competition deadline has long passed you can find my completed grid below along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them helpful. If a recent Jumbo has given you the slip then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of the things. 351 of them, if I’m not mistaken.

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

LP

The case for the prosecution

Across clues

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

21. Short extra box? (4)

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

24. Tenor ultimately associated with estrangement (5)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

43. House acceptable for a literary pirate (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

53. Feeble wife quietly dislodged by cat (5)

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

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

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

55. Thin and emaciated male bore (6)

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

Down clues

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

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

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

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

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

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

5. Fellow encountered in rural pharmacy (5)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

12. Heavyweight holding almost all remaining cards (5)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

29. Characters in Borneo lithographing stone implement (7)

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

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

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

33. Noblewoman representing vet’s cousins (11)

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

34. Constrict great aunts travelling across lake (11)

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

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

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

36. Fellow given appointment working for advertisers (11)

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

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

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

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

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

42. Birds farm animals observed crossing barrier (8)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A reasonably straightforward Jumbo that triggered one too many Times crossword clichés for my liking, so we’re now down to 4 Jumbos to go.

Now that the competition deadline has passed you can find my completed grid below along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them helpful. If a recent Jumbo has left you flummoxed then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of the things.

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

LP

The case for the prosecution

Across clues

1. Delight at confined bears (9)

Answer: CAPTIVATE (i.e. “delight”). Solution is CAPTIVE (i.e. “confined”) wrapped around or “bearing” AT, like so: CAPTIV(AT)E.

6. Wood shaving redder initially? (5)

Answer: OSIER (i.e. “wood”, specifically a willow). Solution is ROSIER (i.e. “redder”) with the first letter or “initial” “shaved” off.

9. Nocturnal grazers try and cut back (7)

Answer: WOMBATS (i.e. “nocturnal grazers”). Solution is STAB (i.e. an attempt or “try”) and MOW (i.e. “cut”) all reversed (indicated by “back”), like so: WOM-BATS.

13. Note that lifts the spirits? (5)

Answer: TONIC. Solution satisfies a musical “note” and also something “that lifts the spirits”.

14. Whole business report written by that woman (7)

Answer: SHEBANG (i.e. “whole business”). Solution is BANG (i.e. “report” or backfire) placed “by” or after SHE (i.e. “that woman”), like so: SHE-BANG.

15. Match catching alight at last – fire! (9)

Answer: STIMULATE (i.e. “fire” up). Solution is SIMULATE (i.e. copy or “match”) wrapped around or “catching” T (i.e. “alight at last”, i.e. the last letter of “alight”), like so: S(T)IMULATE.

16. Scary job of Mohawk maker? (4-7)

Answer: HAIR-RAISING. Solution satisfies “scary” and, playfully, “job of Mohawk maker”.

17. Bit of lemon served with duck meat, novel! (6,5)

Answer: OLIVER TWIST (i.e. “novel” by Charles Dickens). Solution is TWIST (i.e. “bit of lemon”) placed after or “with” O (i.e. “duck” – a zero score in cricket) followed by LIVER (i.e. “meat”), like so: (O-LIVER)-TWIST. As I’ve said before I do like Dickens but the near universal adherence of Times setters including classic novels in Jumbos and only classic novels bores me now. Demerit time.

18. Type of delivery to Alps proving slippery! (6)

Answer: POSTAL (i.e. “type of delivery”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “proving slippery”) of TO ALPS.

19. Reddish brown, something cheesy? (8)

Answer: CHESTNUT. Solution satisfies “reddish brown” and “something cheesy”, in this case a stale joke or cliché, as in the phrase “that old chestnut”.

21. A pop song thus sung (6)

Answer: ARIOSO. The solution satisfies the clue as a whole, being “in the melodious manner of an aria, or between an aria and recitative” (Chambers), but also comprises A followed by RIO (i.e. “pop song” by Duran Duran) and SO (i.e. “thus”). While it’s nice to see something from the hit parade within living memory, musical lingo appears in Jumbos nearly every damned week and, like classic novels, it’s really boring now. Have an angry Beethoven.

25. Ecclesiastical figure (8)

Answer: CARDINAL. Solution satisfies the clue as whole, but also refers to numbers or “figures”.

26. Sharp, raising arm almost immediately? (5,2,3,4)

Answer: QUICK ON THE DRAW. Solution satisfies “sharp” or prompt in response, and also playfully “raising arm almost immediately”, taking “arm” to be a gun.

28. Bodily cavity, pulmonary organ almost filled by yours truly (5)

Answer: LUMEN (i.e. “bodily cavity” – a new one on me). Solution is LUNG (i.e. “pulmonary organ”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “almost”) and the remainder wrapped around or “filled by” ME (i.e. “yours truly” from the point of view of the setter), like so: LU(ME)N.

29. Filled snack: bit into double servings of it (6)

Answer: SAMOSA (i.e. “filled snack”). Solution is MO (i.e. “bit” or short period of time) placed “into” SA and SA (i.e. “double servings of it” – SA being a recognised abbreviation of “sex appeal” I’ve only ever seen used in cryptic crosswords; “it” meanwhile is another way of describing sex appeal), like so: SA-(MO)-SA.

30. Strong wire for rebuilding in Berlin, say? (10)

Answer: SONGWRITER (i.e. Irving “Berlin, say” – other songwriters are available). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “for rebuilding”) of STRONG WIRE.

33. A band of colour? (4,6)

Answer: DEEP PURPLE. Solution satisfies “a band” and also a “colour”. When this solution appeared last May the clue was “Band of rock found in sea? Elaborate!” I also couldn’t resist dropping in a YouTube video back then, so here’s another:

35. Kid given detention by lecturer, monster! (6)

Answer: DRAGON (i.e. “monster”). Solution is RAG (i.e. to “kid” or ridicule) placed in or “detained by” DON (i.e. “lecturer”), like so: D(RAG)ON.

36. Plug broken by Greek character, little pest (5)

Answer: APHID (i.e. “little pest”). Solution is AD (i.e. “plug”, short for advertisement) wrapped around or “broken by” PHI (i.e. “Greek character”, specifically the twenty-first letter of the Greek alphabet), like so: A(PHI)D.

38. Die, or come back from the dead? (4,2,3,5)

Answer: GIVE UP THE GHOST, i.e. “die”. I guess the solution also playfully satisfies “come back from the dead”, maybe with “come back from” tenuously meaning GIVE UP but I’m not really feeling it.

40. A run embraced by numbers of New Yorkers on – this? (8)

Answer: MARATHON. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole, but also comprises A and R (a recognised abbreviation of “run” used in a number of ball games) both placed in or “embraced by” MATH (i.e. “numbers of New Yorkers”, as in how Americans refer to mathematics as “math”) and followed by ON, like so: M(A-R)ATH-ON. Nicely worked.

42. An obligation unfulfilled with ten accommodated in extra building (6)

Answer: ANNEXE (i.e. “extra building”). Solution is AN followed by NEED (i.e. “obligation”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “unfulfilled”) and the remainder wrapped around or “accommodating” X (i.e. “ten” expressed as a Roman numeral), like so: AN-NE(X)E.

43. Smash art, until split (4,4)

Answer: TURN TAIL (i.e. “split” or run away). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “smash”) of ART UNTIL.

44. Chicken wraps back in Kansas for dessert! (6)

Answer: MOUSSE (i.e. “dessert”). Solution is MOUSE (i.e. “chicken”, both descriptive of a timid or scared person) “wrapped” around S (i.e. “back in Kansas”, i.e. the last letter of “Kansas”), like so: MOUS(S)E.

47. Opera about English ship, and German aria (6,5)

Answer: NESSUN DORMA (i.e. “aria” from Giacomo Puccini’s opera Turandot – footie fans of a certain age will remember its use in TV coverage of the 1990 FIFA World Cup held in Italy). Solution is NORMA (i.e. “opera” by Vincenzo Bellini) wrapped “about” E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”), SS (i.e. “ship”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of a steamship) and UND (i.e. “and German”, i.e. the German for “and”), like so: N(E-SS-UND)ORMA. Crikey, which demerit to apply here? We’ve got a foreign language (though the Times is hardly alone in using UND in this way), we’ve got arias, we’ve got operas. It’s like this clue was trying to fill the Times crossword cliché bingo card all on its own!

50. Add revenue fraudulently, accepting zero made an effort (11)

Answer: ENDEAVOURED (i.e. “made an effort”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “fraudulently”) of ADD REVENUE wrapped around or “accepting” O (i.e. “zero”), like so: ENDEAV(O)URED.

52. Cold gas, natural (9)

Answer: HEARTLESS (i.e. “cold”). Solution is HE (i.e. “gas”, in this case the chemical symbol of helium) followed by ARTLESS (i.e. “natural”).

53. Naked folk I observed on holiday in African capital (7)

Answer: TRIPOLI (i.e. “African capital”, specifically that of Libya). Solution is OL (i.e. “naked folk”, i.e. the word “folk” with its first and last letters removed) and I both placed “on” or after TRIP (i.e. “holiday”), like so: TRIP-(OL-I).

54. Lover, one captured by pen in poetry? (5)

Answer: SWAIN (i.e. “lover”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) placed in or “captured by” SWAN (i.e. “pen in poetry”, a “pen” is a female swan – the “in poetry” part seems unnecessary to me), like so: SWA(I)N.

55. Turner fan joins faction (4,3)

Answer: WING NUT (i.e. a “turner”). Solution is NUT (i.e. “fan” or enthusiast) placed after or “joining” WING (i.e. “faction”).

56. Short selection from shorter selection (5)

Answer: TERSE (i.e. “short” or impatient). “Selection from” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: SHOR(TER SE)LECTION.

57. Wasps for example near meal, thousand on carpet (5,4)

Answer: RUGBY TEAM (i.e. “Wasps for example”). Solution is BY (i.e. “near”), TEA (i.e. “meal”) and M (a “thousand” as a Roman numeral) all placed “on” or after RUG (i.e. “carpet”), like so: RUG-(BY-TEA-M).

Down clues

1. Hear song (5)

Answer: CATCH. Solution satisfies “hear” and “song” – over to Chambers again: “a round for three or more voices, often deriving comic effect from the interweaving of the words”.

2. Windfall, change in the air? (7,4,6)

Answer: PENNIES FROM HEAVEN (i.e. “windfall”). The remainder of the clue plays on PENNIES being loose “change”. You get the idea.

3. Form relationships primarily visiting old people from South America? (11)

Answer: INCARNATION (i.e. “form”). Solution is R (i.e. “relationships primarily”, i.e. the first letter of “relationships”) placed in or “visiting” INCA NATION (i.e. descriptive of “old people from South America”), like so: INCA-(R)-NATION.

4. Let oneself down while climbing, say, fib about underlying muscles (6)

Answer: ABSEIL (i.e. “let oneself down while climbing, say”). Solution is LIE (i.e. “fib”) reversed (indicated by “about”) and placed “under” – this being a down clue – ABS (i.e. “muscles”, abdominals), like so: ABS-EIL.

5. Immeasurably vacuous, he gets ridiculed for observation (8)

Answer: EYESIGHT (i.e. “observation”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “ridiculed”) of IY (i.e. “immeasurably vacuous”, i.e. the word “immeasurably” with all its middle letters removed) and HE GETS.

6. Drink nothing and stretch before game (6,6)

Answer: ORANGE SQUASH (i.e. “drink”). Solution is O (i.e. “nothing”) followed by RANGE (i.e. “stretch”) and SQUASH (i.e. a ball “game”).

7. Doing well at a decent prison? (2,4,4)

Answer: IN GOOD NICK. Solution satisfies “doing well” and “at a decent prison” – NICK being a slang word for a prison.

8. Teacher shown up, good day for wise guy (5)

Answer: RISHI (i.e. “wise guy” or sage, from the Sanskrit). Solution is SIR (i.e. “teacher”) reversed or “shown up” – this being a down clue – followed by HI (i.e. “good day”, both greetings), like so: RIS-HI.

9. Fish a bit wet, I suspect, hard to slice through (9)

Answer: WHITEBAIT (i.e. “fish”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “suspect”) of A BIT WET I all wrapped around or “sliced through” by H (a recognised abbreviation of “hard” used in grading pencils), like so: W(H)ITEBAIT.

10. Form of enumeration, one going up (11)

Answer: MOUNTAINEER (i.e. “one going up”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “form of”) of ENUMERATION.

11. Raised in Detroit, a marvellous family of violinists (5)

Answer: AMATI (i.e. “family of violinists”). “In” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, while “raised” indicates the solution has been reversed – this being a down clue – like so: DETRO(IT A MA)RVELLOUS. The wordplay was reasonably obvious but this still warrants a Who’s Who demerit.

12. Cold and wet, shelter found in home on farm (6)

Answer: SLEETY (i.e. “cold and wet”). Solution is LEE (i.e. “shelter”) placed “in” STY (i.e. pig’s “home on farm”), like so: S(LEE)TY.

18. Something consumed in pub, Humpty Dumpty likely to fall off wall? (7,3)

Answer: PICKLED EGG (i.e. “something consumed in pub”, though quite why is anyone’s guess when you’ve got crisps, dry roasted peanuts, pork scratchings – literally anything else. I mean literally. Even beermats are more appetising. Yuck). The remainder of the clue plays on how a drunk or PICKLED “Humpty Dumpty”, an EGG in the nursery rhyme, is quite “likely to fall off wall”. You get the idea.

20. Full, but approximate (8)

Answer: THOROUGH (i.e. “full”). Solution is THO (i.e. “but” informally) followed by ROUGH (i.e. “approximate”).

22. Barely touch on graze (7,3,7)

Answer: SCRATCH THE SURFACE. Solution satisfies “barely touch” and to “graze” or abrade.

23. King is monarch having succeeded a German emperor (6)

Answer: KAISER (i.e. “German emperor”). Solution is K (a recognised abbreviation of “king” used in chess) followed by IS and ER (i.e. “monarch”, specifically Elizabeth Regina) once these latter two have first been placed after or “succeeding” A, like so: K-A-(IS-ER).

24. Some cutting-edge steps taken? (5,5)

Answer: SWORD DANCE. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole, taking a SWORD to be a “cutting-edge” and “steps” to be a DANCE.

27. Scottish novelist whose beastly home visited by girlfriend (8)

Answer: Tobias SMOLLETT (i.e. “Scottish novelist”). Solution is SETT (i.e. “beastly home”, in this case that of a badger) wrapped around or “visited by” MOLL (i.e. “girlfriend”), like so: S(MOLL)ETT. Come on, you know Tobias Smollett, don’t you? No? He wrote The Adventures of Roderick Ransom. Still no? Well how about The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle instead? Hmm. Okay, what about The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom, oh forget it have a demerit.

31. Warm when placed, say, upside down (6)

Answer: GENIAL (i.e. “warm”). Solution is LAIN (i.e. “placed”) and EG (i.e. “say” or for example, after the Latin exempli gratia) all reversed (indicated by “upside down” – this being a down clue), like so: GE-NIAL.

32. Finish and go too far? (5,3,4)

Answer: CROSS THE LINE. Solution satisfies “finish” and “go too far”.

34. In a stew, put beans out in freezer? (5,6)

Answer: PAUSE BUTTON (i.e. video or music “freezer” – nicely disguised). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “in a stew”) of PUT BEANS OUT.

36. A song you all murdered – likewise! (11)

Answer: ANALOGOUSLY (i.e. “likewise”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “murdered”) of A SONG YOU ALL.

37. Later the beam will be split by axe, finally (10)

Answer: THEREAFTER (i.e. “later”). Solution is THE and RAFTER (i.e. “beam”) wrapped around or “split by” E (i.e. “axe, finally”, i.e. the last letter of “axe”), like so: THE-R(E)AFTER.

39. Runs and boundary I observed in cricket match, most stylish (9)

Answer: TRENDIEST (i.e. “most stylish”). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “runs” already covered earlier), END (i.e. “boundary”) and I placed “in” TEST (i.e. “cricket match”), like so: T(R-END-I)EST.

41. Pig bothering a bird, owl (4,4)

Answer: WILD BOAR (i.e. “pig”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “bothering”) of A BIRD OWL.

45. Nevertheless, a hostel has opened today (6)

Answer: ANYHOW (i.e. “nevertheless”). Solution is A followed by YH (i.e. “hostel”, I guess this is a recognised abbreviation of a Youth Hostel, but Chambers doesn’t carry it) once first placed in or “opening” NOW (i.e. “today”), like so: A-N(YH)OW.

46. Wide rivet passed through muzzle (6)

Answer: GAPING (i.e. “wide”). Solution is PIN (i.e. “rivet”) placed in or “passed through” GAG (i.e. “muzzle”), like so: GA(PIN)G.

48. Turn around a country (5)

Answer: SPAIN (i.e. “country”). Solution is SPIN (i.e. “turn”) wrapped “around” A, like so: SP(A)IN.

49. One having stopped others, here’s another test (5)

Answer: RESIT (i.e. “another test”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) placed in or “stopping” REST (i.e. “others”), like so: RES(I)T.

51. Material obtained via excavation, brought up (5)

Answer: DENIM (i.e. “material”). Solution is MINED (i.e. “obtained by excavation”) reversed or “brought up” – this being a down clue.