Jumbo 1433

I don’t have much to add to the blog – a normal Saturday Jumbo. I might quibble with the definition in 22D and had to check the solution to 31D. I would probably have to give the CoD to 50A for the construction of the clue.

ACROSS

1 Calculates total, coming round to disagreeing (2,4)
AT ODDS – ADDS = calculates total, around TO

5 Complex character is up for review by reference book (7)
OEDIPUS – O.E.D. = reference book, (IS UP)*

9 Rock tune, say, keeping daughter rocking (8)
UNSTEADY – (TUNE SAY)* around D = daughter

13 Who were the two in the green cornfield, Will? (One not a large donkey!) (2,3,1,5,3,3,4)
IT WAS A LOVER AND HIS LASS – not L ASS = large donkey. From Shakespeare.

14 Behind, race along, protected by this? (4,4)
SEAT BELT – SEAT = behind, BELT = race along

15 The speck of land to amaze the world (7)
ROCKALL – ROCK = amaze, ALL = the world

16 Almost get up to peer (6)
ARISTO – ARIS(e) = get up, TO

17 Cleans up with win here (10)
SWEEPS = cleans up, TAKE = win

20 At start of month, advice about offering from restaurant range (8,4)
MARITIME ALPS – MAR 1 = start of month, TIPS = advice, around MEAL = offering from restaurant

23 Heartless Scotsman playing, a seaside feature (4)
PIER – PI(p)ER = Scotsman playing

24 Greedyguts extremely glad about the chap waiting on us? (8)
GOURMAND – G(la)D around OUR MAN = chap waiting on us

26 Was a Provost in Cambridge giving orders? (8)
RANKINGS – RAN KINGS = was a Provost in Cambridge

29 Reason for acquittal? The cynical moving to secure it (12)
TECHNICALITY – (THE CYNICAL)* around IT

30 Old writer intended to be unbiased (4-6)
OPEN MINDED – O = old, PEN = writer, MINDED = intended

32 Imaginary benefits of luxury items? (5,5)
FANCY GOODS – FANCY = imaginary, GOODS = benefits

34 Counterpart of electric blue? (8,4)
SHOCKING PINK – cryptic definition

36 Uniform for boys’ clubs perhaps — observe back first (4,4)
ETON SUIT – ETON = NOTE = observe, reversed, SUIT = clubs, perhaps

38 Heraldic motto, one accepted by a king (8)
ARMORIAL – A, R = king, MORAL = motto, around I = one

39 With no hesitation rejected what’s a tiny bit elementary (4)
MUON – NO UM = no hesitation, reversed

41 Out of doors show resolute mien wavering (3,2,7)
SON ET LUMIERE – (RESOLUTE MIEN)*

43 A short Aussie bloke is caustic (10)
ASTRINGENT – A, STRIN(e) = Aussie, GENT = bloke

44 Mush! — but not moving (6)
STATIC – double definition

46 A run forward in wood left one shaken (7)
TIMBREL – TIMBRE = TIMBER = wood with the R moved forward, L = left

48 These days I sleep rough outside, under them? (8)
PLEIADES – (I SLEEP)* around A.D. = these days

50 Filling belt, not easy at first if expanded (5,7,3,6)
BACON LETTUCE AND TOMATO – B(e)LT is the abbreviation where the removes e is the first letter of easy

51 Some religious worries overwhelming rector finally (8)
BROTHERS – BOTHERS = worries, around (recto)R

52 Spiritual authority has no solid ground, we hear (4,3)
HOLY SEE – sounds like WHOLLY SEA = no solid ground

53 Goodness less than nothing for bloke (6)
GEEZER – GEE = goodness, ZER(o) = nothing

DOWN

2 Sudden pain not good for one stranded (5)
TWINE – TWIN(g)E = sudden pain. Stranded here means made of strands.

3 Sensible, where the fox goes to sleep? (4-2-5)
DOWN-TO-EARTH – double definition

4 Such an account makes one nervous? (8)
SUSPENSE – cryptic definition. As an accountant I know that suspense accounts hold items that no-one is sure what to do with, so they can make one nervous about the accuracy of the book-keeping!

5 Anything to protect wings of little nestling (5)
OWLET – OWT = anything, around L(ittl)E

6 Welshman recited poetry of all kinds (7)
DIVERSE – DI sounds like DAI = Welshman, VERSE = poetry

7 Separate, if not entirely firm (4,7)
PART COMPANY – PART = not entirely, COMPANY = firm

8 From clinic, volunteers get man sacked (5)
SANTA – SAN = clinic, T.A. = volunteers. Sacked here means with a sack.

9 Pad out raised armrest (9)
UPHOLSTER – UP = raised, HOLSTER = armrest = rest for arms

10 Russian band covers area (5)
SASHA – SASH = band, A = area

11 Old people receive a note to get check-up (11)
EXAMINATION – EX = old, NATION = people, around A MI = a note

12 Sat around to receive equipment, missing one item for office (7)
DESKTOP – DESOP = POSED = sat, reversed, around K(i)T = equipment

18 Fish: I help, turning and cutting a little piece (9)
WHITEBAIT – WHIT = a little piece, around TEBAI = I ABET = I help, reversed

19 A case, half the same fruit (7)
AVOCADO – A, VOCA(tive) = case, DO = the same

21 Broadcaster ignoring us spoke about forty-five minutes? (5,4)
RADIO FOUR – RADI(us) = spoke, OF = about, (h)OUR = forty-five minutes? Three-quarters of (the word) hour

22 Greek character buried in second tomb (8)
MONUMENT – MOMENT = second, around NU = Greek character. Are tomb and monument the same?

25 Put back in control over country (9)
REINSTATE – REIN = control, STATE = country

27 One naive politician that’s heard out hunting (9)
GREENHORN – GREEN = politician, HORN = that’s heard out hunting

28 Can opener call with advantage? (4-4)
RING-PULL – RING = call, PULL = advantage

31 Mystic theologian the rack tortured (7)
ECKHART – (THE RACK)*. Apparently Meister Eckhart (1260-1328) was a mystic theologian. Never heard of him I’m afraid, but the anagram and the checkers made it fairly obvious.

33 Join one group of workers up in state (11)
CONNECTICUT – CONNECT = join, I = one, CUT = T.U.C. = group of workers, reversed

34 Regular disorder in city slammer (11)
SYMMETRICAL – (CITY SLAMMER)*

35 Little dog beginning to examine stone, say, in fruit (11)
POMEGRANATE – POM = little dog, E(xamine), GRANATE sounds like GRANITE = stone. It does in this case.

37 Femme fatale sovereign arrests time after time (9)
TEMPTRESS – T = time, EMPRESS = sovereign, around T = time

40 Pound grand for penning one criminal without end (8)
LIFELONG – L = pound, I = one, FELON = criminal, G = grand

42 Be stopping spin expert, heading off for Number Ten in a year (7)
OCTOBER – (d)OCTOR = spin expert, around BE

43 Very attentive king, visiting too briefly (3,4)
ALL EARS – ALS(o) = too, around LEAR = king

45 Happy to ignore good books for short story (5)
CONTE = CONTE(nt) = happy

47 Equal contest that’s ready to ignite (5)
MATCH – triple definition

48 Minister to go quietly over brief at intervals (5)
PADRE – PAD = go quietly, alternate letters in bRiEf

49 Be worn out before swallowing possibly lethal quantity (5)
ERODE – ERE = before, around O.D. = possible lethal quantity