Definitely my hardest jumbo in a long while. Struggled a lot in the NE corner, mainly with clues in and around 6A. I am always in two minds when there is unknown (to me) vocabulary as to whether it is acceptably obscure or not. Some puzzles can take a while purely on obscurity of both the definition and the word play, but since the word play here was clear in the end, this one goes down on the right side of the line.
Across | |
1 | AMETHYSTS – (system tha.)* |
6 | COMA BERENICES – COMB around A=area, ERE=before, NICE=pleasant, S=southern. The whole was unknown to me and required checking on google to locate. |
13 | FLEET – FLEE=run, T(ransport) |
14 | COMING ROUND – C(ard) O(f) M(asseur) IN GROUND = buried? |
15 | TIARA – R=river, AIT=island, all reversed, then A |
16 | READY TO WEAR – READ=study, TOW=do drawing, inside YEAR=class. Whole is “of standard size” |
17 | ENDOTHERMIC – END=finish off, OTHER=different, MIC(e)=vermin mostly. |
18 | TABITHA – T.A.=territorial army=volunteers, around (clothe) A BIT H = rather hot. |
20 | SADDLER – SADDER = lower, around L =length |
21 | HEADS UP – HEAD = teacher, SUP = drink |
23 | ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE – (some recruits perhaps)* – nice surface on this with the misleading “air force” |
27 | ERR – (pet)ER R(abbit) |
28 | DALLAS – ALL=everyone, inside DAS(h) |
29 | MATINS – (m isnt a)* |
31 | RADICALLY – (diary)* outside of CALL=name |
34 | REDRESSED – RED=cherry, DESSER(t)=sweet, nearly, reversed |
35 | NEM CON – NEON around MC |
36 | ANSWER – A “N,S,W,E”=set of directions, R=right |
39 | BOO – BOO(k) |
40 | IT AINT NECESSARILY SO – double def |
42 | INSECTS – IN=accepted by, SECTS. slightly odd/clumsy definition for both the whole and for SECTS ?? |
43 | SYNONYM – cryptic definition, becomes fairly clear from checkers |
45 | NAME TAG – reversal of GATE-MAN |
47 | PORTMANTEAU – MAN=fellow, TEA=leaves, U=university, all after PORT=left |
49 | UNDERACTION – T=tense, CARED=worried, reversed inside UNION |
51 | NAPOO – NA=sodium, POO(l) |
52 | THINK IT OVER – THIN=fine, KIT=clothing, OVER=surplus |
53 | BLESS – B=bishop, LESS=not so much |
54 | HELTER SKELTER – ((c)LERKS LETTER HE )* |
55 | CASTRATED – RATED = assessed, next to CAST = shed |
Down | |
1 | AT FIRST HAND – A RIFT reversed, H=husband, inside STAND=base |
2 | EWE LAMB – B=british, MALE=chap, WE, all reversed |
3 | HOTLY – H(old) O(ne) T(hat) L(oves) Y(ou) |
4 | SOCIOPATHY – (i to a psycho)* – &lit |
5 | SIMMERS – S=small, IMMERS(e) |
6 | CONTRADICTION – CON=prisoner, C=about, inside TRADITION |
7 | MARVELLER – Andrew MARVELL, meets ER |
8 | BOULDER – sounds like BOLDER |
9 | RIDE TO HOUNDS – (horn used do it)* |
10 | NOTRE DAME – OT=old testament, RED=cardinal, inside NAME |
11 | CLAIM – C(ontro)L, AIM=direct |
12 | SEARCH PARTY – ARCH=bow, PART=area, inside SE, (propert)Y |
19 | TO SCALE – TOSCA=opera, L(oos)E |
22 | STEAL AWAY – EA=each, LAW=statute, inside STAY |
24 | MELODIOUS – MEL(t), ODIOUS |
25 | RWANDAN – RAN=managed, outside WAND=staff |
26 | SERIOUS – I inside SEROUS |
30 | SEMICONDUCTOR – (comic turn does)* |
32 | CONFIRM – a con firm might be a dishonest business. |
33 | ASSASSINATES – ASS=idiot, (is sent as a)* |
34 | RABBIT PUNCH – BAR=stop (lifting), BITCH = dog, around PUN = funny |
37 | REORGANISED – (order as in eg)* |
38 | WARNER BROS – WARN=advise, EROS=figure in piccadilly, around RB |
40 | INCOMMODE – INCOME=returns, around MOD |
41 | NANTUCKET – NAN=grandma, TUCK=food, E(ven) T(his) |
43 | STERILE – not sure on this one – RILE for anger, but lost on the STE bit |
44 | MEDEVAC – ME=middle eastern, ED reversed, VAC=holiday |
46 | TRIDENT – (s)TRIDENT |
48 | REPEL – EPE(e) inside R and L |
50 | CABER – CB’er around A |
I enjoyed this, and I don’t mind the occasional obscure word, regarding them as a shortcoming in me rather than the setter. However irritated to be told I had one wrong. Perusing the solution, it claims I wrote “seatch party.” Presumably I must have done, but I couldn’t see it at the time. Needless to say the paper copy is fine
I agree that the clue for 43dn looks incomplete, although I don’t remember noticing it at the time.
I should have been helped at napoo by the fact that I’m singing Goodbyeee among other things to the British Consul-General in a couple of weeks and that ditty contains the unforgettable (you would have thought) line: ‘Bonsoir, old thing, cheer-i-o, chin, chin, Na-poo, too-dle-oo, Goodbye-ee’, but no.
Finished with contradiction and saddler – rather than any toughie – after finally cracking the stellar clue.
Edited at 2014-04-29 04:26 pm (UTC)