Jumbo 1398 (August Bank Holiday Monday)

Author   sghansonPosted on Categories Jumbo Cryptic
I don’t recall any problems with this apart from a quibble with 16A. The checking letters confirm what the answer is but I am still unsure about the clue.


Across
1 GO THROUGH – GOTH = barbarian, ROUGH = uncivilised
6 TIME SIGNATURE – TIMES = by, I = one, G = good, NATURE = character
13 STILL – double definition
14 BOX GIRDER – BOXER = dog, around GIR = RIG = kit, reversed, and (unite)D
15 OVERSEE – O(d)E, around VERSE = poem
16 MONEY DOESN’T GROW ON TREES – cryptic definition, although I am not sure why “green” should indicate money unless it is a reference to US dollars = greenbacks?
18 TRUFFLES – (poiro)T, RUFFLES = messes up
20 MEMSAHIB – (SHAME IM)*, B = bishop
21 DEKKO – final letters of tO thinK tanK somE stupiD, reversed
23 REARED – READ = study, around R.E. = theological teachings
24 BRUTAL – BAL(e) = pack, around RUT = track
25 AMENDABLE – AMENABLE = receptive, around D = daughter
28 SPELLBOUND – SPELL = period, BOUND = in chains
29 KNOT – double definition – the first referring to the wading bird
30 KIPPERS – double definition
32 ARSENAL – ARENA = stadium, around (arrive)S, L(ate)
34 LOUT – L = left, OUT = unconscious
35 OPEN SECRET – (PRETENCE SO)*
38 ENTREATED – END = consequence, around TREE = some wood, itself around A and T(ramp)
39 PHAROS – P(unc)H, AROS(e) = came up. Pharos was the lighthouse at Alexandria, one of the 7 Wonders, hence “wonderful shiner”
40 OODLES – (n)OODLES = chinese food
43 ERNST – hidden in modERN STyle
45 ROPE-WALK – WORKPLA(c)E*
47 ROUSSEAU – (t)ROUSSEAU = bride’s package
49 MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA – (M MONROE CELEB SURE ACTING)*
52 TBILISI – initial letters in The Balkan Ideal Ljubljana In Slovenia Is
53 INTENTION – IN = arrived, TENTION sounds like TENSION = stress
54 ENNUI – I = current, (r)UNNE(r) = athlete, all reversed
55 PINKING SHEARS – PIN = something sharp, KINGS = college, HEARS = tries
56 GYPSY MOTH – (PYGMY SHOT)*

Down
1 GASOMETER – GAMETE = egg, around SO = very, R(oost)
2 TRIANGULATE – (GREAT AUNT LI(ly))*
3 RALLY – double definition
4 UNBROKEN – UN = a, foreign, BRO = relation, KEN = knowledge
5 HEXOSE – HOSE = stockings, around EX = old lover
6 THIRTEENTH – (HIT, THE RENT)*
7 MUD-WRESTLING – MUD = defamation, WREST = forcibly remove, LING = swimmer
8 STREWTH – STREW = spread, TH(is)
9 GROUND-BREAKING – double definition, the second mildly cryptic
10 AVERRED – AVE = prayer, R = king, RED = a shade
11 UNSPEAKALE – cryptic definition
12 EYES – (attractiv)E, YES = I agree
17 SOMERSET – SOME = outstanding, SET = place, around R = right
19 FREELANCE – EEL in FRANCE = fish in the Seine perhaps
22 GRUNTLED – GRUNT = sound from sty, LED = came first
25 ANTIPHON – NATION* around P(ublic) and H(angings)
26 DIPTEROUS – (SOUP TIRED)*
27 TOILET-TRAINING – TOILE = linen, T.T. = dry, RAINING = wet
28 SEA LEVEL – AL(l) = entirely, in SEEVEL = LEVEES = flood barriers, reversed
31 GUNPOWDER TEA – cryptic definition
33 SET IN MOTION – SET = group, IN = elected, MOTION = propsal
36 RALLENTANDO – (OLD NAN LATER)
37 BALLPOINTS – B = British, ALL POINTS = every quarter
41 SQUEAMISH – SQUAMISH = native American, around E = English
42 POWER NAP – POWER = might, NAP = PAN = god, reversed
44 TERMINI – TEN = number, around R.M = service and I(ndustry), I = one
46 PIGGISH – PISH = nonsense, around G(ula)G and I
48 BERING – BEING = essence, around R(ussia)
50 ENEMY – hidden reversed in gYM ENErgetically
51 ATOP – initial letters of Playing Out The Alamo reversed

6 comments on “Jumbo 1398 (August Bank Holiday Monday)”

  1. I think HEXOSE was my only DNK, although I couldn’t have told you what DEKKO meant before solving. Never did parse SOMERSET. And I came as close to never as possible to not parsing ENTREATED. LOI/COD AVERRED.
    I was so happy to get 16ac and all its checkers that I didn’t stop to wonder about the clue itself. I suppose I thought green=money (greenbacks, the long green), but how would that affect the clue? Leaves ARE green, regardless of the color of money. Nor, if money did grow on trees, would that entail the money being green. So I’m puzzled.
  2. Also confused about 16ac .. if it had said “Why notes aren’t green” I could have understood it. Just an aberration, perhaps
  3. As suggested, Chambers confirms green as slang for money, so 16ac works after a fashion. The trouble is, your mind keeps insisting “but leaves ARE green”. I think it was pretty close to my last in, trying to work up a phrase meaning “because it’s autumn, stupid” but it never emerged.
    A healthy 54 minute workout, otherwise, with a shout out for the &littish TOILET TRAINING
  4. This one kept me busy for 92:39, so a toughish offering. I had to look up MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA even with most of the crossers. I also smiled at TOILET TRAINING. I checked HEXOSE too. I did seem very likely, but I hadn’t heard of it before. I think THIRTEENTH was my LOI. Thanks setter and sgh.
    1. This title has always bothered me, since there doesn’t seem to be a right way of saying it: ‘X becomes Y’ would normally put the stress on the Y. I assume (I’ve never seen or read the play) that it means that Electra looks good in mourning; but that means stressing ‘becomes’, which sounds wrong.
  5. 33:14. 49ac constructed painstakingly from the fodder.
    I can’t see the problem with 16ac, in fact I think it’s rather good. ‘Green’ is slang for money: if it grew on trees, then leaves would be money. Leaves aren’t money, therefore…

    Edited at 2019-09-07 07:18 pm (UTC)

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