Jumbo 1161 – August 1st 2015

Author   fathippy2Posted on Categories Jumbo Cryptic
Solid, middle of the road offering. Small spatterings of unknown terms, or convoluted cluing, but in the main clear and well signed constructions.
Across
1 QUARTERMASTER – QUARTER=fourth, (rate ms)*
8 TOPPING UP – either I’ve missed the clever bit or this is a bit loose for me. mix of very similar concepts across surface and meaning, TOPPING=excellent, UP=happy
13 AKELA – (d)ALEK, A, all reversed
14 EMBROIDERER – (I order)* inside EMBER
15 LEMUR – sounds like LIMA
16 TENDERING – (dinner get)*
17 OBEY – OBE=gong, (da)Y
18 CORDELIA – COR=my, DELI=shop, A
20 ISSUER – IS SUER = someone who sues = litigious type
21 CONGESTION CHARGE – (enters coach going)*
24 EUPHRATES – EH=what, around UP=higher, RATES=prices
26 FANTAIL – FAIL=no success, around ANT=insect
27 PIPIT – PIP=piece of apple, IT
29 HEALTH RESORT – HEALTH=toast, RESORT=regularly go (??)- not sure I get that now, but didnt query it when I did it, so maybe its a slow Sunday today!
31 PINA COLADA – PIN=secure, A COLA=soft drink, (denie)D, A
33 TRENCH FOOT – TREN(d)=general direction, briefly, FOOT=infantry, around CH=check
35 ELECTRIC HARE – ELECT=choose, RICHAR(d)=one of three kings, not 100%, E=english
38 IN ONE – ten can be written 10, or I, NONE
39 RIBCAGE – RAGE=passion, around 1 BC
40 STEAMSHIP – STEAMS=lightly cooks, HIP=joint
42 BUTTONHOLE STITCH – BUTTONHOLES=detains, TITCH=dwarf
44 STUPOR – STUP = PUTS back = replaces, OR=soldiers
47 LILONGWE – LIE=story, around W(ar) after LONG=for ages
49 FANG – FAN=cooler, (receivin)G
50 LATERALLY – if someone was LATER an ALLY, they may be currently an opponent!
52 ONION – ON=lit, repeatedly around I=current
53 RECRIMINATE – REC=park, RIMIN(i)=Italian town, ATE=worried
54 NARCO – RAN=managed, reversed, CO=business
55 NIGHTWEAR – cryptic def
56 GALLOWS HUMOUR – both a cryptic tongue in cheek clue and an &lit, along the same lines (GALLOWS=what makes one die, HUMOUR=laughing, def=whole clue)

Down
1 QUARTZITE – ART=skill, Z=unknown, in QUITE=sort of
2 AVERNUS – VERN(e)=writer, in AUS=australia
3 TRADE SECRET – TRADES=winds, TERCE=prayer period, reversed
4 RE-EDIT – REED=clarinet part, IT=appeal
5 AMBIGUOUS – BIG=major, U=university, inside A MOUS(e)
6 THOROUGHFARE – (fourth gear oh)*
7 REDRESSING – DRESS=clothing, in REIN=check, (needin)G
8 TARO – TARO(t)=pack, shortly. Didnt know the food, but couldnt be much else
9 PERSONNEL CARRIER – (planners error ice)*
10 IDLED – I’D LED = I had been CEO
11 GAMBLER – G=good, AMBLER=thriller writer
12 PERMANENT WAVE – (we prevent a man)*
19 VITAMIN C – (a N victim)*
22 HIPPO – hidden in (battles)HIP PO(temkin)
23 A TURN FOR THE WORSE – reverse engineered – “WE OTHERS” could be clued by “A turn for the worse”
25 PLACEBO – PLEB=insulting term, O=old, around AC=bill
28 PHARAOH – sounds like FAIR O
29 HOT AIR BALLOON – HOT-AIR = meaningless promises, BALLOON=to be taken up
30 SNOWBALL – double def
32 SLEEPING PILL – cryptic def
34 CREDO – CO=firm, around RED=socialist
36 COMPTE RENDU – COMPUTER END= PC to finish, with U=sort of boat, dropping to the bottom.
37 NAUSEATING – AN=article, reversed, US EATING=food in America
40 SICILIANO – SIC=so, I, NAIL=fix, reversed, O=round
41 PARTYGOER – (got prayer)*
43 TELLING – double def
45 PALERMO – PAL=china, (more)*
46 UTTERS – (n)UTTERS
48 NONET – TEN (a larger one), ON=performing, all reversed
51 ACER – ACE=one, R=rook

5 comments on “Jumbo 1161 – August 1st 2015”

  1. Sir,
    Thank you for the blog.
    Resort has “to go or be habitually” as one definition in Chambers.
    Au contraire, computer end is not in my (12th) Ch. Presumably it’s in the 13th? It’s not a phrase I’d ever heard of.
    1. When I am checking I like to use the substitution test, that is to create a reasonable sentence where the exact clue content (tense, person etc) can be replaced perfectly with the required answer. This can sometimes involve taking more than one word from the clue with the additions of “to”, “being a”, “perhaps” etc etc,but that chunk of text needs to slip seamlessly in. Whilst I could kind of see the resort/regularly go connection in idea, I couldnt do that here. That said, after typing all that in, this is definitely a gap in my knowledge rather than anything else, as I can imagine the sentence “I resort to the bookies” as being correct, perhaps slightly archaically.

      As for the second one, I am afraid that was a bit of shorthand! Rather than write COMPUTER=PC, END=finish, I bunged them together to save time!! (Or perhaps to make the move of the U extra visual – that seems more justifiable). I don’t for a minute suggest it is a phrase. That said, its possible your comment referred to COMPTE RENDU !!?

      1. I agree the substitution test should be taken and passed; I thought it did in this case although I’d agree with your “archaic” comment.
        Re the second one, I just have to admit to being a complete dummy and not even seeing the movement of the U(-boat)! Too much rosé or something! So, yes, my comment referred to computer end rather than compte rendu!
        Thank you, sir.
  2. Took me forever, as usual with Jumbi, with 8ac being my LOI, where I settled for the two definitions (rather Bertie Woosterish) ‘topping’ and ‘up’. But I gather when going to my dictionary that there are top-up policies in insurance and in stocks where more is paid out than might have been anticipated; or something. I had one of those irritating occasions where the checkers suggest something unworkable but I can’t get it out of my mind: at 42ac, with B_T_O_H_L_,
    I came up with ‘betrothals’, and like Gresham’s Law, the bad solution drove out the good for the longest time.
  3. Knew only the scout meaning of that word but dalek was helpful in solving it.Though there were uncommon words like compte rendu,the cluing was fair.(ONG’ARA,NAIROBI)

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