Welcome to my first blog. If you’re partial to a snack, this should be right up your street. We’ve got Satay Pot Noodles, hot-dogs, tapas and marshmallows.
This was the first time I’d actually sat down and attempted to solve the Jumbo in a single sitting, against the clock. So, I was a little nervous that I would be able to post a time that wasn’t too embarrassing. Especially after sghanson’s debut a couple of weeks ago and his rather daunting ‘less than thirty minutes’ with which he was ‘pleased’. I’m over the moon if I can finish a daily puzzle in this sort of time, let alone a jumbo! But then, he is a regular in the national finals, so I guess he’s entitled to make such comments.
Anyway, exactly an hour and a half later I had it completed, and I too was pleased. I had made one mistake at 44, however, which I noticed while putting the blog together, but I put that down to the pressure of the clock.
There was nothing too taxing. A handful of unknown and unfamiliar words that could all be deduced from the wordplay – CATENARY, FEVERFEW, HOLY SONNETS, GREENGAGE SUMMER and the infinitely dubious ARIDEST. Also, inculcating was unfamiliar, but it turned out to be a simple insertion indicator.
I’ve broken down about half the clues here, but if there’s anything else that needs further explanation, let me know.
cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (–)*, and removals like this
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 9 | ONWARDS – SO about DRAWN all rev |
| 15 | GREEN(GAG)E – Greengage Summer is a novel by Rumer Godden, but the film starring Kenneth More and Susannah York is better known. I hadn’t heard of it, so it was my last in but one. The novelist is, of course, Graham Greene. |
| 16 | SAN + CHOP + ANZA( |
| 21 | A(GOUT)I – A rabbit-like rodent from Latin America |
| 26 | PADDINGTON + BEAR – The character from the Michael Bond books, named after the station at which he was found. |
| 35 | HI(A)TUS – Arrive in America being ‘HIT US’ |
| 36 | TRISTRAM SHANDY – ARTS rev in TRIMS + HANDY. A novel by Laurence Sterne. This was new to me last time it appeared back in April, but I remembered it this time. |
| 40 | F + EVER FEW – A medicinal plant. New to me, but easily deduced. |
| 43 | CONTRARY – The second reference to Mary, Mary in as many days. |
| 44 | AUTHOR( |
| 47 | HOLY SONNETS – SON in (HONESTLY)* – A collection of 19 poems by John Donne |
| 50 | CINQUE PORTS – (INSPECTOR)* about QU – Although Rye was not technically one of the Cinque Ports, it was one of the two ancient towns that supported them, and as such formed part of the confederation. |
| 52 | CURTAIN UP – CURT + A + I + PUN rev |
| 53 | A (RIDES) T – Is this seriously a word?! Are we sure the compiler hasn’t just invented a superlative here? |
| 54 | It’s INN + IT, innit? |
| 56 | TIE-IN – IE (that’s) in TIN (canned) |
| 57 | TURN NASTY – TASTY about URN + N( |
| Down | |
| 3 | MARS + H(M)ALLOW |
| 4 | T(R)OUPE( |
| 5 | CA(T( |
| 7 | PRO-P(A + G)ANDA |
| 8 | SIGMA – A MIS( |
| 9 | OVER-D(R)AFT |
| 11 | ( |
| 18 | SACRAMENT + O – A state capital (of California) – sneaky! |
| 20 | DENDRITE – (I’D RENTED)* – Part of a neuron that conducts impulses towards cells. |
| 23 | BUTTON – BUT + (NOT)* – A Closer being something that closes, of course. |
| 27 | FOR + EN + SIC – The opponents are a bridge reference, East & North |
| 32 | MISDIRECTION – DIRECT replaces the second S (the heart) of MISSION |
| 34 | HOT-DOG STAND – A reference to Noel Coward’s ‘Mad Dogs and Englishmen‘ + STAND = resist |
| 39 | A + PEN + NINES (as in ‘dressed up to the nines’) |
| 45 | CH + A + CHA – More commonly known as the Cha-cha-cha to those of us who watch Strictly Come Dancing (or Dancing with the Stars for those across the pond) |
| 51 | SAT + AY |
John in USA