Jumbo 1368

Author   sghansonPosted on Categories Jumbo Cryptic
Nothing contentious here although parts of 2D may have caused issues for overseas solvers. No clue stands out as a particular favourite, but if I had to choose one it would probably be 36A or 43A

Across
1 MALINGERED – MALIGNER = person traducing with N and G swapped, ED = editor
6 HOT CROSS BUNS – HOT = stolen, CROSS = to thwart, BUS around N = any number. I know they were for the Easter bank holiday, but now the seem to appear in the shops soon after Christmas!
14 SOLOIST – SO = very much, LOST = at sea, around I
15 REPLICA – REP = agent, LI = fifty-one, CA = thereabouts
16 CHANCEL – CHANCE = risk, L(ocation)
17 LAIN – L.A. = US city, IN = at home
18 BROWSE – sounds like BROWS = summits
20 CERULEAN – CLEAN = pure, around EUR = URE = river, reversed
24 CROWN PROSECUTION SERVICE – (OWNER OCCUPIERS COVER ISNT)*
25 DAWDLES – DALES = valleys, around W(in)D
26 ENTWINES – ENT*, WINES = drinks
27 EVER SO – E(ngland), OVERS*
29 SEMICONDUCTORS – SEMI = house, CONDUCTORS = guides
31 LIBRETTI – hidden reversed in twITTER BILingually
34 CANOODLE – CAN (p)OODLE = is dog able
36 WINDOW SHOPPING – WINDOWS = bays, HOPING = wishing, around P = parking
39 EXCITE – EXIT = gateway, around C = caught, E(nsign)
41 JEWS HARP – JEW = believer, SHARP = keen
43 UPRIGHT – double definition, the second mildly cryptic referring to different versions of piano
46 LAW OF DIMINISHING RETURNS – LOAF*, around W = wife, DIMINISHING = sinking, RETURNS = is recalled
47 ROOTLESS – ROOTLES = digs, around S(taying)
48 SHYEST – hidden in marSHY ESTuary
49 PIAF – PI = Greek character, A, F = fine
53 AVIGNON – AVION = plane, in French, around G(erma)N
54 OMINOUS – (rome)O, MINUS = without, around O = love
56 REALGAR – REAL = concrete, GAR = RAG = roof tile, reversed. I was not aware of that definition of RAG
57 PRESS RELEASE – PRESS = petition, RELEASE = drop
58 WATERBORNE – (TEA BROWNER)*
 
Down
1 MISPLACED – M = mike, IS PLACED = has qualified for a medal
2 LOLLIPOP WOMAN – LOLLIPOP = Kojak’s favourite, W(estern), OMAN = state. The first part is easy for those of a certain age, but possibly not for younger solvers, and the whole may be unfamiliar to overseas solvers. A lollipop woman looks after children crossing a road outside a school with a round sign on the top of a pole (the lollipop) as a warning to traffic to stop
3 NAIF – NIF = FIN(n) = N European, reversed around A = area
4 ENTERPRISINGLY – ENTER SINGLY = arrive alone, around (ap)R(il)
5 ERR – alternate letters in bEaReR
7 OBIT – O = old, BIT = coin
8 CHAPERONED – CHAD = African republic, around PERON = deposed president and (thre)E
9 ON COURSE – double definition
10 SLAVE-DRIVER – SAVED = rescued, around L = learner, RIVER = runner
11 UNCANNIER – (d)UNCAN = unfortunate king, NIER = REIN = control, reversed
12 SOLD – S = spades, OLD = of considerable age
13 UPPERCUT – UPPER = stimulant, CUT = nicked
19 WASHED-UP – double definition
21 EN BLOC – ENOC = CONE = bollard, reversed around BL(okes)
22 STAIR-ROD – S = son, TROD = walked, around AIR = strain
23 REVOKING – REVO = OVER = left, reversed, KING = ruler
28 WITHOUT RESERVE – WITHOUT = not using, RESERVE = book
29 SECRETLY – SECRETARY = office worker with L = left replacing A R(un)
30 TRIASSIC – (AT CRISIS)*
32 TRIGGER FINGER – T(exas), RIGGER = oil worker, FINER = better, around (appearin)G
33 TWOPENNY – (PONY WENT)*
35 OUT OF BOUNDS – OUT OF BONDS = without ties, around U = uniform
37 PARITY – PARTY = litigant, around I
38 SET IN STONE – double definition
40 COWARDICE – COWARD = dramatist, I = one, initial letters in C(alled) E(rnest)
42 ADHESION – HAD*, ESION = NOISE = racket, reversed
44 TASK FORCE – TASK FOR C.E. = civil engineer’s job
45 VIOLENCE – (IN LOVE)*, C.E. = church
50 WASP – double definition, the second referring to the acronym for White Anglo-Saxon Protestants
51 MISS – double definition
52 IAMB – I AM = the writer’s, B = book
55 SKA – (ala)SKA = US state

7 comments on “Jumbo 1368”

  1. I’m glad I’m not the only one who didn’t know RAG. Unusually, that was, I think, the only DNK in the puzzle, although LOLLIPOP WOMAN (which I remembered as LADY) took a while to come to mind. I biffed 46ac from the enumeration; it then took a long time to parse. One of the worst surfaces I’ve ever seen. 24ac deserves a COD in the anagram division, at least. An IAMB is not a line of verse, it’s a foot; a line of a Shakespeare play generally has 5 of them.
  2. For those interested to see the worst surface Kevin has ever seen, the clue is: “Economic tenet is recalled after wife stops kneaded loaf sinking (3,2,11,7)” .. I agree the scene is not easy to picture!
    1. Perhaps I was unfair to the setter. He may have had Ecclesiastes in mind: “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.” The wife, thinking of the law, may have changed her mind.
  3. From the ticks on my copy, I see I enjoyed this a lot and it took me a little longer than usual at just about an hour. Count me another who didn’t know RAG = roof tile. I originally had CLEANED UP for 19D, which fits the clue… but not the checkers when I solved the across clues. I liked SOLOIST, EVER SO and WINDOW SHOPPING but COD to LOLLIPOP WOMAN.
  4. US solvers (and spellers) of today’s Jumbo may need to look out for a bear-trap of an unchecked letter in one clue. Two answers are possible depending on which side of the Pond you favour. There’s no telling at the moment whether the adjudicator will allow alternatives.

    Edited at 2019-03-09 02:00 pm (UTC)

  5. I had no idea on that meaning of RAG either. I took 1:26:54 over this one, so not the easiest of puzzles from my perspective. The economic tenet took a long time to appear. Liked SEMICONDUCTORS and LOLLIPOP WOMAN. Thanks setter and sgh.
  6. ….than IAMB Gunga Din. Took me two sessions to see this off. COD WINDOW-SHOPPING.

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