Jumbo 1393

Pretty standard Jumbo with no problematic or contentious clues in my opinion. Probably 2 Down would be my favourite for the long anagram.

Across
1 CONSPIRES – CON = against, SPIRES = high church features
6 LAIRS – (awfu)L, AIRS = appearances
9 HACKLES – SHACKLE = fastening, with the first letter moved to the end as instructed
13 PAPER – PA(u)PER = poor person
14 SNAFFLE – SALE = retail promotion, with NAFF = tasteless, replacing A = article. “A bit” is the definition
15 CONUNDRUM – COD(e) = secret writing, around NUN = religious woman, RUM = strange
16 SOLAR PANELS – SO = thus, LAR(k) = fun, PANELS = groups of experts
17 THEORETICAL – T(eaching), HERETICAL = unorthodox around O = nothing
18 ATOPIC – ATOP = at the highest level, IC = in charge
19 SPINSTER – RETS = gets soaked, NIPS = hurries, all reversed
21 RAISIN – R.A. = artist, IS IN = hasn’t gone out
25 PUBLICAN – (re)PUBLICAN = American politician
26 LEADING ARTICLE – the leading AN of Andrew and THE of Thelma are grammatical articles
28 ERNST – STERN = severe, with ST = saint = good person, moved to the end
29 FRENCH – FR(i)EN(d) = pal, CH = check
30 MONSTRANCE – MONS = battle site, TRANCE = dazed state
33 TOPGALLANT – TOP = POT = vessel, reversed, GALLANT = splendid
35 EXCEPT – EXCE(l) = do very well, P = quiet, T = time
36 AXIOM – A, X = sign of love, I.O.M. = (Isle of) Man
38 CARDINAL NUMBER – CARDINAL = prelate, NUMBER = less responsive
40 SOUTHERN – SON = boy, around (l)UTHER = reformer
42 BELT UP – double definition
43 SIT TIGHT – S(illy), IT = Italian, TIGHT = drunk
44 ERRAND – E.R. = queen, RAN = managed = D = duke
47 THATCHERITE – THATCH = something hairy, ERE = before, around IT
50 ELABORATELY – (EAT OR A BELLY)*
52 TERMAGANT – TERM = call, ANT = worker, around A and G = good
53 INTENSE – IN = N.I. = part of UK, reversed, TENSE = future, possibly
54 I-BEAM – I = the writer, BEAM = look happy
55 DEPOSIT – (TOP SIDE)*
56 RIGEL – hidden reversed in notabLE GIRl
57 LAYPERSON – PLAYERS*, ON = cricket side
 
Down
1 CAPES – double definition
2 NAPOLEON BONAPARTE – (A PLAN TO OPEN ONE BAR)*
3 PORTRAITIST – (SPIRIT TO ART)*
4 RESEAL – REAL = authentic, around ES = art = are, in French
5 SHAKE-UPS – SUPS = drinks, around HAKE = fish
6 LIFE SENTENCE – LIE = story, around F = female, SENTENCE = a few words
7 INEPTITUDE – (I NEED IT PUT)*
8 SOCLE – CLOSE*. I needed to look this one up to confirm
9 HONORARIA – (OH NO)*, (singe)R, ARIA = song
10 CONSTRICTOR – CON = prisoner, STRICT = not loose, O.R. = soldiers
11 LYRIC – CYRIL*
12 SIMPLE – double definition
18 APPRENTICE – APPR(oval) = assent, ENTICE = attract
20 RANSOMED – RANSOME = Arthur, the writer, D = died
22 INCONSIDERATENESS – (INTERCESSIONS DEAN)*
23 LAWFUL – L = learner, AWFUL = terrible
24 DETERMINED – DETER = put off, MINED = bored
27 PENNINES – PENS = writers, around NINE = a number
31 SITCOM – SIT = rest, CO = company, M(ajor)
32 EXPERIMENTAL – EXPER(t) = boffin, I = one, MENTAL = insane
34 ARISTOCRATS – ARIS(e) = come to light, TOCRATS = STAR COT = brilliant little resting place, reversed
36 ALTERNATIVE – a colonial control freak may try to ALTER NATIVE behaviour
37 SMATTERING – (lesson)S, MATTERING = being significant
39 APPLE TART – A PART = a role, around PL = place, and E.T. = out of this world
41 SHRAPNEL – double definition, the second referring to SHRAPNEL being loose change and bobs as pre-decimal UK coins (shillings)
45 STATED – hidden in geophagiST ATE Dirt
46 LOVELY – LO = see, V = very, ELY = small city
48 ATRIP – A TRIP = a journey
49 INTER – IN, TER(m) = period
51 YEMEN – YEN = longing, around ME = your crossword setter

5 comments on “Jumbo 1393”

  1. I’d forgotten NAFF, and biffed SNAFFLE as my LOI. DNK ATRIP; in fact I had to look it up again just now. Other than that, nothing remarkable, so far as I can recollect, anyway.
  2. I found this very straightforward .. I seldom bother to finish Jumbos in one session but riffled straight through this one. Just a couple of nhos .. atopic and atrip
  3. I had to look up SOCLE and TOPGALLANT, otherwise I worked through it in 63:32. Thanks setter and SGH.
  4. Indeed, a straightforward solve in 45 minutes, with ATRIP the only weirdo that couldn’t really be anything else. I liked the long anagram for NAPOLEON, even if I did try the BUONAPARTE spelling to start with.
  5. 50:28 with 10 minutes on my last 6, which were… NHO MONSTANCE, ATRIP, SOCLE or TOP GALLANT and failed to parse ARISTOCRATS, my LOI. I liked LEADING ARTICLE best.

Comments are closed.