Jumbo 1338 – Times for The Times

I hope this is all correct – we have just moved house and this was completed in a bit of a rush.

I don’t have any issues with any of the clues. 47A is a new word, but given the checking letters and the anagram fodder not too difficult to solve. The reference in the first part of 33D may be unfamiliar to some.

Across
1 TIMETABLE – TIM = fellow, ET = film, ABLE = with capacity
6 STEADFASTNESS – S(outhern), TED = man, around A, FASTNESS = stronghold
13 ULTRA – U = upper class, LT = officer, R.A. = gunners
14 IMPINGEMENT – I’M = the writer’s, PIN = identification, GET = obtain, around MEN = people
15 TROOP – TROP = PORT = left, reversed, around O(ld)
16 TOBOGGANIST – (GOT BOASTING)*
17 PHILOSOPHER – PHIL = boy, OR around SOPH(i)E = girl
18 EMERALD – (th)EM, (h)ERALD = proclaim
20 ROMANCE – R.E. = army corps, around O = ring, MAN = fellow and C(aught)
21 ORINOCO – OR = yellow, IN = popular, O(ld), C.O. = commander
23 HIT THE GROUND RUNNING – double definition, the second mildly cryptic
27 TUI – TU = you (French), I(ndia)
28 PAMPER – PAM = MAP, PER = traveller, each reversed
29 STOOGE – hidden in seemS TOO GEntle
31 SPARINGLY – SLY = cunning, around PARING = cutting back
34 STONE-COAL – STONE COL(d) = freezing, around A
35 SAPPER – SAP = PAS = step, reversed, PER = a
36 STANCE – (in)STANCE = case
39 NOR – NOR(m) = standard
40 BET ONES BOTTOM DOLLAR – cryptic definition where most inferior = BOTTOM
42 SANDBAR – SAND = polish, BAR = lawyers
43 ADHERED – A, D,D = daughters, around HERE = in this place
45 LETTISH – LETS = permits, around TI = note, H(enry)
47 ARTIODACTYL – (DILATORY ACT)*. The reference to Tamworth is to the breed of pig
49 ALL-AMERICAN – ALLAN = chap, around A M(arried) and ERIC = man
51 RABBI – R.I. = state, around A and B,B = bishops
52 HISPANICIST – (THIS IS)* around PANIC = alarm
53 NETTA – AT TEN = two hours before midnight, reversed
54 WEATHER-BEATEN – WEATHER sounds like WHETHER = if, BEATEN = defeated
55 RACEHORSE – RACE = people, H(ard), OR, S.E. = Home Counties

Down
1 TRUSTEESHIP – TRIP = journey, around U.S. = American, TEES = river and H(aving)
2 MUTABLE – MU = Greek character, TABLE = board
3 TWANG – TANG(o) = dance, around W(est)
4 BRIGANDAGE – BRIG = vessel, AND = with, AGE = long period
5 EMPTIER – E(uropean), M.P. = politician, TIER = row
6 SANCTIMONIOUS – SAN = hospital, C(oncealing), TIMON = Athenian, IOUS = evidence of debts
7 EYE-OPENER – double definition, the second mildly cryptic
8 DEESIDE – DEE = girl, S(teaming), IDE = fish
9 ASTRONOMICAL – double definition
10 TATTOOING – TATTING = knotted lace, around O,O = two circles
11 EPOCH – EH = what, around POC = COP = police officer, reversed
12 SUPERIORITY – (YOUR PRIEST)*, around I
19 ACHIEVE – hidden in bACH I EVEntually
22 OCTAGONAL – (A LONG COAT)*
24 TAMBOURIN – TURIN = Piedmont city, around AMBO = pulpit
25 ORTOLAN – ORTON = British dramatist, around L.A. = US city
26 NASCENT – N(icely), AS = when, CENT = a little cash
30 EXPROPRIATION – EX = former, PROP = rugby player, (AT IN RIO)*
32 INTROIT – INTO = enthusiastic about, around R(ome), IT(alian)
33 FOSTER-FATHER – FOSTER = TV Doctor (in a BBC series in the last couple of years for any overseas readers unfamiliar with it), FAT = stout, HER = woman
34 SONG SPARROW – SONG = track, SPAR, ROW = scraps
37 EARTHENWARE – EAR = attention, the = at that time, WARE = Herts town
38 EMBLEMATIC – (CLIMB, E(nglish), TEAM)*
40 BABOONISH – BISH = mistake, around A BOON = a blessing
41 SCHOLIAST – (LOST CASH), around I(sland)
43 ARTISTE – A, R(ight), TIE = bind, around ST = good person
44 DALLIER – DR = RD = way, reversed, around ALLIE(s) = friends
46 INCITER – IN = trendy, CITE = quote, R(esistance)
48 TIBIA – TIBA = A BIT = slightly, reversed, around (corg)I
50 RANCH – (b)RANCH = local office

7 comments on “Jumbo 1338”

At least when I printed a copy, 34d read, in full, “possibly, over a couple of scraps for bird”; fortunately, the checkers were enough. A number of DNKs, aside from the opening word(s) of 34d: Patrick Moore, TUI, STONE-COAL, Cresta Run, of course ARTIODACTYL, but none of them were problems. Also DNK TV’s Dr. Foster, but of course I knew the one who went to Gloucester. LOI PHILOSOPHER, COD maybe to 11d.

Having taken a holiday from the jumbo cryptic for a while, this was my first one back. A steady solve with no undue problems – though evidently you don’t need to be an overseas solver, to have not heard of the doctor in 33dn!

Enjoyable, not too hard and completed eventually without resorting to use of aids although I didn’t actually know ARTIODACTYL and like others I have never heard of STONE-COAL.

I couldn’t fully parse 49ac as in my book the chap’s name is spelt ALAN.

I happened to know the somewhat obscure TV doctor at 33dn but ‘TV’ was unnecessary here as there is a famous nursery-rhyme character called Doctor Foster (went to Gloucester all in a shower of rain) who is standard crossword fare.

It would have been good to finish this without a mispring, but heigh ho. My doctor was the Gloucester one, or rather not-Gloucester one, as he never went there again. Good to have Patrick Moore, the astronomically vast denizen of The Sky at Night, referenced. Perhaps, for the benefit of those who knew him not, it’s just as well he wasn’t used to clue xylophonist.
I’m pleased I now know pigs are ARTIODACTYLS: I will introduce it into conversation at every opportunity.

I found this less challenging than a lot of Jumbos, coming in under the hour at 58:37. Hadn’t heard of TUI, but the wordplay was generous. STONE COAL rang a very faint bell, and I remembered Suranne Jones as Dr Foster as well as one half of the detective pair Scott and Bailey. Having just looked her up, I find that she was also Karen MacDonald in Corrie, although I missed those episodes, along with a lot of others after Elsie Tanner left the program! ARTIODACTYL on the other hand needed a generous helping of Google for confirmation. Thanks setter and sgh.

Generously unproblematic, except for ARTIODACTYL which caused me to cheat. That is an anagram of a recondite word methinks, and though normally an honest fellow I was pushed over the edge there, your honour.

An enjoyable solve indeed, for which thanks setter, and sghanson for the explanations.

FOI the hidden 19d. There were some UK-centric stuff l did not know, eg FOSTER (TV doc) and in ‘Albert Square’ which must surely be cockney hence ‘erald. The surface of 34d also troubled me though l had SPARROW (was torn between ‘song’ and ‘sand’. COD 52a.
Ong’ara,
Kenya.

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