Jumbo 1408 – Times for The Times

Mostly straightforward but I do have an issue with the definition in 31A – more detail below. Hopefully someone can provide more support. I don’t have any particular favourite among the other clues.

Across
1 COSTA RICA – COST = charge, A(f)RICA = continent
6 STEWPOT – TOP = leading, WETS = Tory moderates, all reversed
10 DUCAT – DUCT = tube, around A = area
13 TENUOUS – TENS = decades, around U = university, (n)O(t) and U = university again
14 INERTIA – TER(r)AIN* around I = one
15 ROLLMOP – ROLL sounds like ROLE = part, MOP = cleaner
16 WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN – double definition, the second mildly cryptic
17 ADO – alternate letters in bAnDbOx
18 LOCALE – LOCAL = watering hole, (gazell)E
20 TELEDU – T.U. = trade union, around E = European and LED = prompted. I have come across this word on crosswords before
21 ARTHURIAN – (TURN A HAIR)*
23 MORATORIUM – MUM = old lady, around ORATORI(o) = choral work
25 REED BUNTING – RED = colourful, BUNTING = flags, around E = eastern
29 INTRO – INTO = knowledgeable about, around R(achmaninoff)
30 TRANSACT – T.T. = races, around RANSAC(k) = rifle
31 CLAYMORE – C(ontractor), LAY = put down, MORE = additional. I have a problem with the definition here as I can’t find anything suggesting a claymore as a pipe. A pipe bomb for the anti-personnel mine definition of claymore also does not seem reasonable as I believe a claymore mine sends a shrapnel-filled bomb into the air to then explode. I can’t find any other word to fit the wordplay in the clue and checking letters
34 SHREWISH – SH = quiet, WISH = desire, around R.E. = soldiers
36 SPILLAGE – (expose)S, PILLAGE = depredation
37 OCTET – O = old, CT = Connecticut, ET = film
39 HANDICAPPER – HANDY sounds like HANDY = practical, CAPPER sounds like KAPPA = Greek character
41 RITORNELLO – (TRIO OR)* around NELL = girl
43 FOSTERAGE – FO(r), STAGE = part of theatre, around E.R. = leading lady
45 HAUNCH – HUNCH = suspicion, around A
47 TWINGE – TWIN = Remus, perhaps, GE = E.G. = for example, reversed
49 LEI – LEI(sure) = rest
50 HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD – double definition
52 NINEPIN – NINE sounds like NEIN = no in German, PIN = device for identifying
53 EPICARP – EARP = Wyatt, around PIC = film
54 AVIATOR – A(scend), VIA = by way of, TOR = rocky peak
55 STEAL – S = second, TEAL = duck
56 MASONRY – MARY = woman, around SON = close relative
57 INTEGRATE – IN = current, TEG = sheep, RATE = charge

Down
1 COTSWOLD – COTS = sleeping places, W(elcomed), OLD = elderly
2 SINGE – SINE = function, around G(rub)
3 AMONTILLADO – A, MON = day, TILL = up to the time of , A DO = a party
4 ISSUED – ISSUE = children, D = duke
5 ARITHMETICAL – (THE ART I CLAIM)*
6 STEEPLE – STEP = action, LE = the in French, around E = English
7 EXTRACURRICULAR – EXTRA = additional, CIRCULAR* around UR = old city
8 PEACEMAKER – PACEMAKER = heart stimulator, around E = European
9 TURNOUT – double definition
10 DELINQUENCY – (CINDY, LEN)* around QUE = that in Paris
11 CAMPANILI – CAM = river, PAN = vessel, IL = the in Italian, I = one
12 TYPHOON – TYCOON = magnate with C = key removed and replaced by P = quiet and H = hotel
19 CROFTER – CR = creditor, OFTER = with greater frequency
22 CONTESSA – CO = firm, NA = AN reversed, around TESS = Hardy character
24 MISAPPREHENSION – MI’S = intelligence agency’s, APPREHENSION = arrest
26 BILBERRY – (BRIBE, L(o)R(r)Y)*
27 GHETTO – GET TO = arrive at, around H = horse
28 KITSCH – KIT’S = Christopher’s, CH = church
32 ORTOLAN – ORTON = British dramatist, around L.A. = US city
33 FAIT ACCOMPLI – FAT = stout, around I = one, ACCOMPLI(ce) = crony
35 WHITECHAPEL – (THE PLACE W(h)I(c)H)*
37 OVERWEENING – OVER = about, WING = projecting part of house, around E,E and N = quarters
38 SPEECHLESS – double definition
40 NESCIENCE – (NICE SCENE)*
42 GENDARME – GEN = information, DAME = titled woman, around R = runs
43 FILINGS – FLINGS = chucks, around I = one
44 ANTONYM – ANTONY = roman general, M(en)
46 UNITARY – UNI = college, TRY = test, around A(cclaimed)
48 STUART – START = set about, around U = uniform
51 EXTRA – EX(i)T = doorway, R.A = Burlington House

6 comments on “Jumbo 1408”

I raced through this and after 27 minutes had only 2 left… and I had to use aids to get the Asian badger at 20A to finish. I assumed CLAYMORE must be a type of pipe as well as a weapon at 31A, but checking now I’ve come to the same conclusion as our blogger. How odd. I liked EXTRA.

31ac just an error, I think. Claymore not a pipe ..
Teledu new to me, (or at least, unfamiliar!)

My lack of knowledge of the definition of a CLAYMORE came in useful here. I also had to look up the TELEDU, but otherwise found this a relatively easy puzzle. 50:25. Thanks setter and sgh

Another on the quick side, at just under 36 minutes. I put in TELEDU convinced that I’d caught a glimpse of one, I think on one of the Seychelle islands, but if so it was a long way from home and evidently a good swimmer. Sometimes being wrong is handy.
But not if you’re after a CLAYMORE: I can only assume the clay pipe somehow merged its way into the clue.

For what it’s worth, this week’s took over twice as long: not sure if that’s an encouragement to any who haven’t tried it yet.

Resolved to do the Jumbi more regularly, then dnffed so spectacularly on the last couple that I stayed lurking a little longer …

Still no actual finish to report – 🙁 – but I had a similar experience to others of sailing through this one for the most part. After a while, though, I conceded defeat and turned to the aids to hunt out the TELEDU from his hiding place in TE-E-U, the girl in RITORNELLO (brain hung itself the obviously wrong RITORDELLO) and, for some inexplicable reason, FOSTERAGE, where I just had a blind spot. Oh, and I have managed to go for a few years now in crosswording unaware that the RA is at Burlington House.

I trusted the setter that CLAYMORE was a pipe, as it sounded like one. Making a similar observation to z8b8d8k’s about being wrong, sometimes being a trusting ignorant can be handy!

Thanks to the setter and sghanson.

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