Jumbo 1308

Author   sghansonPosted on Categories Jumbo Cryptic
Apologies for the slight delay on this one.

Nothing contentious, but some nicely worked clues in my opinion, in particular 8D and 53A.

Across
1 LEWES – L(arge), EWES = sheep
4 ACCOMPLICE – ACCOMPLI(sh) = manage, C.E. = church
9 PHYSIC – P(oorl)Y, SIC(k) = ill, around H(ospital)
14 GREAT APES – GRAPES = fruit, around EAT = tuck in
15 CONSERVATOIRE – OVERREACTIONS*
16 MOLDOVA – MOLD sounds like MOULD = fungus, OVA = eggs
17 FORMATTER – FOR = to deal with, MATTER = stuff
18 UNFED – UN(i)F(i)ED = made one, with i = eye removed twice
19 CRADLE SNATCHER – double definition, the second mildly cryptic
22 HIS NIBS – double definition, the second mildly cryptic
25 ELEVEN PLUS – ELEVEN = team, PLUS = bonus
27 INSOUCIANTLY – (NOISY LUNATIC)*
30 OGLES – (go)OGLES = looks up, with go = energy removed
31 IN THE AIR – ON THE AIR = to start broadcasting, with O = over, replaced by I = one. About is the definition
32 JURASSIC – JUIC(e) = current, around R(iver) and ASS = animal
35 EURYDICE – EU(ropean), RY = railway, DICE = gamble
36 BETA TEST – B.S.T. = summer-time, around E(s)TATE = car
37 LARVA – LAVA = hot stream, around R(ight)
39 ESCAPE CLAUSE – ESCAPEE = fugitive, around CLAUS = Santa
41 APPRENTICE – APP = one on phone, RENT = let, ICE = freeze
43 NOVELLA – NOEL = Christmas, around V(ery), followed by alternate letters in LoAf
45 CALLED TO THE BAR – CALL = cry, (TO BED HEART)*
48 TAROT – TART = sharp, around O = nothing
49 MELODRAMA – MELOD(y) = tune, RAM = sheep, A(nswer)
51 INCISES – sounds like INN = pub and SIZES = measures
53 UNITED NATIONS – cryptic definition where country club is a club of countries rather than a club in the country
54 INCOMMODE – INCOME = what I live on, around MOD(est)
55 BOLEYN – (BY NOEL)*
56 PRESIDENCY – (DENY PRICES)*
57 TOKEN – TOKE = puff, N(ew)
 
Down
1 LEGUME – EMU = bird, GEL = set, all reversed
2 WHEELER-DEALER – double definition, the second mildly cryptic
3 SET TO – SETT = paving stone, O = roundabout
4 APPEASE – APPEA(r)S = seems, with R = king removed, E(dward)
5 COSI FAN TUTTE – (TACITUS OFTEN)*
6 MACERATE – LACERATE = cut, with M = thousand replacing L = fifty
7 LINDA – hidden in appareL IN DAinty
8 CHESTERTON – CHEST = trunk, (m)ERTON = Oxford college. G.K. CHESTERTON wrote the Father Brown books, so Brown was his
10 HOT TUBS – HUBS = centres, around O.T.T. = extravagant
11 SKINFLINT – SKIN = fell, F(orce), LINT = dressing
12 CREED – (s)CREED = concrete floor
13 OVER THE COUNTER – OVERT = apparent, H.E. = Governor, COUNTER = parry
20 DRESSED UP – double definition
21 HANNIBAL – HAN(d) = give, NIB = writer, A, L(ine)
23 SKYSCRAPER – SKYE = island, around SCRAP = fight, (wa)R
24 JEROME KERN – JERK = yank, around O = nothing and ME, alternate letters in jEeRiNg
26 PRINCE CHARMING – PR = publicity, IN, C.E, and CH = churches, ARMING = preparing
28 AT A GLANCE – A, TAG = label, LANCE = pierce
29 REVERSAL – (SEVERAL, R(uns))*
33 SURGICAL SHOCK – SURGICAL = a sort of spirit, S(mall), HOCK = wine
34 PERPETRATION – PER = a, PET = loved one, (o)RATION = speech
38 CALCULATOR – (CALL, ACTOR, U(sing))*
40 COVER GIRL – COVER = report on, GIRL = her
42 RELAPSED – DESPA(i)R = hopelessness, around LE = the (in) French, all reversed
44 LOTTERY – POTTERY = Stoke factory, with the initial letter changed
46 TWITCHY – TW(o) = couple, ITCHY = unable to keep still
47 ASTERN – ASTER = daisy, (chai)N
48 THUMB – double definition
50 DROSS – D(aughter), ROSS = Scottish thane
52 COMET -COME = turn up, T(ime)

5 comments on “Jumbo 1308”

  1. B*ggered this one up with an ill judged COSE FAN TUTTI and that well known continental game, EURODICE. Took me 1:41:20, so a bit of a slog. Nothing particularly unknown, I just can’t spell! SKYSCRAPER was my LOI and took for ever to see. Liked United Nations. Thanks setter and SG.
  2. A couple of DNKs–BETA TEST, ELEVEN PLUS, SCREED (in the required sense), SURGICAL SHOCK (LOI). I was puzzled by the ‘some say’ of MOLDOVA, since everyone says it the same, just as with e.g. labor/labour. I put in TUTTI at 5d, at some point was wise enough to check the anagrist. COD to 42d.
    1. I would pronounce it something like molld-va, emphasis on the Mol. So, I believe, would a Molld-van.. so not terribly close to the setter’s suggestion, not that dodgy homophones ever bother me. In fact I like them, if only for the howls of outrage they sometimes provoke (not meaning you Kevin!)
      1. I imagine I’d say it the same (I tend to pronounce ANOVA as ANova instead of the normal aNOva, but); but what I meant was that MOLD sounds like MOULD but is simply spelled differently, just as labor/labour, so the appeal to homophony struck me as misplaced. (And of course I never howl in outrage at dodgy homophones; I may mutter inarticulately under my breath, but no howling.)
  3. Not all that difficult,this,even the unknowns were clear from wordplay and checkersLOI EURYDICE,COD WHEELER DEALER.
    ONG’ARA,
    KENYA.

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