JUMBO 1303

Author   sghansonPosted on Categories Jumbo Cryptic
I don’t recall much on this one – just had to check the meaning of the solution at 36A to see how the clue worked as a whole.


Across
1 DUCHESS – initial letters of D(oncaster) U(nited), CHESS = game
5 ARBUTUS – AUS(tralia), around R(ook) and BUT = only
9 AUSTRIA – A = an, U.S. = American, TRIA(l) = problem
13 CLOSE SEASON – CLOSE = near, SEA = ocean, SON = lad
14 PAPERWEIGHT – sounds like PAY PER WEIGHT = remunerate by tonnage
15 OCTET – OCT(ober) = month, E(lio)T
16 LENIENT – LENIN = Russian leader, around E(astern), T(ime)
17 RHEUMATIC – (I RUE MATCH)*
18 PLAY ONES STRONGEST CARD – (DOPE ON STRANGE CRYSTALS)*
23 EAU DE VIE – EAU = imported water, DEVI(l) = bad spirit, around E(uropean)
25 XANADU – X = by (multiplication), AN = a, AD = commercial, U(niversity)
27 TWADDLE – T(ango), W(ith), ADDLE = become confused
30 OP ART – O = circle, PART = segment
32 ACERBIC – ACER = maple, B.C. = British Columbia around I = one
33 TOW-HEADED – TOW = pull, HE = man, DEAD*
35 INTERLEAF – (AFTER LINE)*
36 AUREOLE – A, U(niform), ROLE = part, around (imag)E. An aureole can be the halo in a religious painting for example
37 FREER – FR = father, EER = always
38 CREDITS – C(inematographe)R, EDITS = makes changes
40 UNDEAD – UNDE(r) = anaesthetised, A, D(aughter)
41 STRESSED – DESSERTS = sweets, reversed
44 TO THE BEST OF ONES BELIEF – TOT = add, HEBES = shrubs, (FEEL FINE BOOST)*
48 EUCALYPTI – (TYPICAL EU)*
50 RAMPART – RAMP = promote, ART = creative works
53 IDAHO – I, DAH = HAD = enjoyed, reversed, O = round
54 INTERNECINE – INTERNE = work-experience trainee, CINE = film
55 TOASTMASTER – TOAST = breakfast food, MASTER = expert
56 ENDLESS – double definition – the first cryptically comparing the words CARL and CAR
57 GISELLE – GIVE = provide, with SELL = market replacing the initial letter of Verdi
58 EYEBROW – sounds like ‘IGHBROW = HIGHBROW = intellectual

Down
1 DOCTOR – DOOR = opening, around CT = court
2 CROP TOP – CROP = quinoa, perhaps, TOP = favourite
3 EVENTUATE – EVEN = though, TUAT = TAUT = tense, reversed, (gam)E
4 SWELL – S(on), WELL = bore(as in borehole)
5 ABSENTEE – A, BEE = worker, perhaps, around SENT = posted
6 BINGE – BING(o) = game, E(nglish)
7 TIPSTER – TIP = dump, STER(n) = uncompromising
8 SUPERANNUATION – (A PENSION U TURN A)
9 AGREEMENT – A, GREET = welcome, around MEN = fellows
10 STEAM – SAM = boy, around TE = note
11 RIGHT-HANDEDNESS – RIGHT = OK, HANDED = given, NESS(ie) = monster
12 ANTACID – hidden reversed in saiD I CATNApped
19 OXIDASE – (O(ld) SEX AID)*
20 STARBOARD – STAR = brilliant, BOARD = group of directors
21 TEA LEAF – TEA = Earl Grey, perhaps, LEAF = page
22 DEMONIAC – DEMO = protest, NIAC = CAIN = murderer, reversed
24 UNAUTHENTICATED – UN, (ACTED)*, around AU = gold, THEN, and TI = titanium
26 ASCERTAIN – A SIN = an offence, around CERT = horse sure to win, and (r)A(ces)
28 ELDORADO – (OLD ADORE)*
29 SELF-SUSTAINING – SING = confess, around ELF = fairy and SUSTAIN = bear
31 TURBINE – TUB = old boat, around R(uns), IN E(ast)
34 WRESTLE – W(hisky), REST = relaxation, L(if)E
39 SLEEPLESS – SLEEP = PEELS = removes clothing, reversed, LESS = not so much
42 ELIMINATE – ELITE = cream, around MINA = bird
43 ESCAPADE – ESCAPE = skip, around AD = poster
44 TIE LINE – (ELINT)*, around I.E. = that is
45 FORCEPS – FOR = meant to be used with, CEPS = mushrooms
46 FLATTER – double definition
47 BORROW – B(ook), OR, ROW = file
49 LARGE – alternate letters in cLeAr ReGrEt
51 METAL – M(otorway), ETAL = LATE = behind schedule, reversed
52 TITHE – THE = article, around I.T. = information technology

8 comments on “JUMBO 1303”

  2. Lots of time spent on 2d and 13ac, which had to cross each other besides. Two terms I didn’t know, although I certainly should have twigged to 13 once I had SEASON. My LOI, though, was 19d. I was so determined not to be caught again by sex=(Latin) 6, that I wrote in OVI and waited for inspiration for the _A_E. The cows came home and I was still waiting; it was only when I started typing in my submission, resigned to a DNF, that I saw the light. Am I missing something, or is 36ac without a definition?
      1. I suppose that works (as an &lit?), if, as I think, an aureole is a solid disc behind the saint’s head whereas a halo is a ring–a distinction I may have simply made up.
  3. Got there in the end, but it took 1:46:24. I can’t remember much else about it either. I think SUPERANNUATION may have been my LOI. Thanks setter and sgh.
  4. Count me as another who didn’t remember much about this. I do remember being a bit disappointed that although Giselle, with music by Adolphe Adam is often performed, it is not also an obscure work of Giuseppe Verdi.
  5. I meant to say in my original posting that I thought that ‘at first’ was superfluous, unless the setter was trying to mislead us into thinking that the order of the components (here ACER, B-I-C) was the reverse; and I wouldn’t want to think that of our setter.

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