Boxing Day Times Jumbo 1125

Author   daveperryPosted on Categories Jumbo Cryptic
Solving time: 1:40:36 – spread over a couple of sessions

I found it quite easy to get going with this one. An enjoyable puzzle with no quibbles from me. Some very good clues amongst this lot, like 18a, 8d, 21d & 24d, the latter being my personal favourite. Plus a few write-ins to get you started like 13a, 32a & 6d.

cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (–)*, and removals like this

1 Sydney + TOPPER
5 A(WK)WARD
9 A + GEL + ON + somethinG
13 PIE + IN THE SKY
14 COUNTERPANE = “COUNTER PAIN”
15 HINDU – hidden
16 BR(stomachachE + KK)IE
17 LIMit + E(L)IGHT
18 CABBAGE (leaves) + WHITE(BUTTER)FLY
23 EELGRASS = (floweR + AGELESS)*
25 E + MER(G)E
27 CURRENT – dd
30 OPTIC – rev hidden
32 READING – dd
33 SHOWCASED = (COW)* + AS all in SHED
35 ILL-OMENED = (LINE + MODEL)*
36 GLAD EYE = GEnt about LAD(E)Y
37 EMAIL = A in LIME rev
38 TAG + A + LOG
40 informatioN + ARROW
41 CA(MELEE)R – Not a word I knew, but deduced it from the wordplay
44 HERE TODAY GONE TOMORROW – dd
48 RESERVOIR = (RIVER ROSE)*
50 TEENAGE = NAG + racE all after TEE (one of eighteen)
53 wHINGE
54 SHORT + CHANGE
55 SPIFFLICATE = (A CLIFF) in MALICE – Another word I didn’t know, but it seemed the most likely arrangement of the letters.
56 AD + M(IRE)R
57 HOOD + pLUM
58 N + E(meetinG)LECT
Down
1 S(A + PP)H + O
2 OCEANIC = (COCAINE)*
3 PIN NUMBER – dd
4 REHAB = HE in BAR all rev
5 ANSWERED = (AS NEW)* + RED
6 KAYAK – cd, a palindrome
7 ANCIENT = ANT about (NICE)*
8 DOUBLE-BREASTED = DOUBLE-BED about RE(A)ST
9 AU + TOM + A + TICk
10 ENROL = N in LORE rev
11 ORANGE FREE STATE – cd
12 GRE(A + TaiL)Y
19 ALSO-RAN = ARAN (woollen) about LSO (London Symphony Orchestra, London players)
20 HUM + DINGER
21 E + ARACHnE – parsed this one post-solve. I had to dredge the mythological ARACHNE up from my memory. She was a talented weaver who Athena transformed into a spider, hence ‘arachnid’.
22 HE(DON)IST
24 LITTLE GIRLS ROOM = (GRIM TOILET ROLLS)* – An elegant anagram and my COD
26 RIG + MA + ROLE
28 TIDDLE(R)S – Tiddles was a famously fat cat who lived at Paddington Station in the 1970s and early 80s
29 PARDON MY FRENCH = P + (MAN HENRY FORD)* about Cursing
31 CAME + LOT
34 OREGANO = ONAGER rev after O
39 GODMOTHER = D in MOG rev + OTHER
42 EARTHLING = EAR-THING (obsession with the Listener) about soLutions
43 ROSARIUM = RIO + SARUM with the I moved. Another one I had to parse later as I didn’t know SARUM as an old word for Salisbury
44 HARd + IS + SA (sex appeal = it, an old chestnut)
45 ON THE GO – hidden
46 WAN(NAB)E
47 DESsERT
49 ROT + OR
51 EASE + L
52 ELFIN = NILE rev about Fuchsias

5 comments on “Boxing Day Times Jumbo 1125”

  1. Yes, not a difficult one. My Mum likes to use the word SPIFFLICATE and Arachne is a Guardian setter (also a Times one too, I think), so two of the tougher words in the puzzle were already familiar to me. We had Old Sarum in the daily cryptic in October – I didn’t know it then and I’m surprised it stuck around in my memory for 3 months. I’d thought that Tiddles was just a generic cat’s name, so thanks for the correct explanation. Didn’t know HARISSA or EELGRASS.
    1. Um, Tiddles is a generic cat’s name; I assume Dave was just providing an example of same. There have been many such, including this one and this one, both of which predate the Paddington one. The word derives from the ancient dialect verb to tiddle, ie to pet or pamper. (and not from tiddly/tiddler, derived from tiddy = very small_
    1. Eeek, no sorry. That was supposed to be mine, but I got my dates confused and missed it. By the time I realised it was already about 2 weeks late. I should probably post one, if only for the sake of completeness. I shall endeavour to do so. Apologies.

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