Unbelievably I spotted a few of the thematic answers as I worked through the puzzle, but it was not until completion that I sat back and noticed the number of the puzzle! I then searched for the rest of the JUMBOS.
Nine definites found, as detailed below, including clues 7 and 47 combined to give JUMBO NUMBER – surely intended? Also considered 25A – AIR INTAKES are certainly on one type of JUMBO, and 4A MAHARAJAHS have an elephant connection. And then 46D – is there an elephant called JEFFREY? – no, I’m getting silly now – but I was disappointed not to find my own favourite elephant.
I have scanned the grid for anything hidden (expected BOEING to pop up somewhere) – but nothing I can see. Anyone else find anything?
So overall a fitting tribute to the “number of the Jumbo” and apart from the thematic elements it was a fine example of a Jumbo anyway! Well done the setter!
I am also on duty for Jumbo 748, which I believe could be blogged as well today, but I will stack it until Saturday (when I think the solution will appear) just to let Jumbo 747 hog the limelight for a while!!
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Across |
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1 |
ROGUE (G in ROUE) – the first of the JUMBO answers. |
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4 |
MAHARAJAHS (A JAR in SHAH AM all rev.) – the answer became apparent from the definition, but the wordplay took some time after that! Probably that bit trickier because everything is reversed. |
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14 |
LION-TAMER – nice cryptic definition but very easy to spot. |
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19 |
CHINCHERINCHEE (CHIN + ERIN in CH + CH + sEE) – this word always makes me think of Dick Van Dyke – well it’s almost chincherinchee!! |
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22 |
INANEST (i.e. IN A NEST) – clues where you have to read the word that is the answer in a different way are always popular with me. |
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25 |
AIR INTAKES (IN in AIR TAKES) – could be a JUMBO answer. |
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27 |
KISSOGRAM MAN (SMOG MASK I RAN*) – I always thought a kissogram was just a kissogram, but I suppose it is vitality important to distinguish the sex when ordering one!! |
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31 |
LOCALITY (A L in LO + CITY) |
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32 |
MASTODON (MA’S TO DON) – an extinct JUMBO answer. |
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35 |
ELEPHANT (P + H in creaturE + LEANT) – a JUMBO clue and a mighty fine & lit. |
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36 |
SMARTEST (MARS with the last letter moved to the front + TEST) |
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43 |
BLUE JAY (J in BLUE + A Y) – I was starting to think that a homophone indicator was missing here (for BLEW), but no, BLUE does indeed mean to squander – new to me. |
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45 |
ROMEO AND JULIET – a reference to R and J in the phonetic alphabet, and the feuding families in the Shakespeare play. |
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48 |
WIPER (sWIPER) |
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54 |
STRIP CLUB (TRIP + CL in SUB) – nice definition. |
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56 |
ASTROMETRY (STAR TO ME* + RY) – another nice & lit. |
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Down |
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2 |
GROWTH HORMONE (HORNET HOG WORM) – clever to extract the three creatures (and nothing over) for the anagram to achieve the & lit., although it’s a weird trio! |
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4 |
MAMMOTH (MAM + MOTH) – another extinct JUMBO answer. |
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7 |
JUMBO (J + UMBO) – the definitive JUMBO answer, and the setter pays homage to his editor for granting him the privilege of compiling Jumbo 747! |
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8 |
HORSE SENSE (H OR S + six compass points) – I am not a fan of more than one point to indicate a combination of NEWS – and we have six here! |
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11 |
PACHYDERM (ACHY + D in PERM) – another JUMBO answer. |
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20 |
NINOTCHKA (NOTCH in A KIN rev.) – easy for film buffs – Ninotchka ; all checking letters required for ignoramuses like me! |
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21 |
HOISTERS (cHOrISTERS) – a neat double subtraction clue. |
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24 |
BAN THE BOMB (BOo in ANTHEM all in B + B) – the wordplay was too tricky to spend time working out till after completion of the puzzle! |
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26 |
ALL IN A DAY’S WORK (i.e. ADA YALLSOP = ALL in A DAY’S WORK [op.]) – I thought I was going to struggle with this clue as I had never heard of |
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40 |
TRUMPETER (Trombones + RUM + PETER) – another JUMBO answer. |
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47 |
NUMBER (2 defs.) – combines with 7 for a JUMBO answer – i.e. 7, 47 = JUMBO NUMBER. |
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48 |
WHITE (WHIT + E) – a JUMBO answer – I spent some time trying to think of a name of a famous chess player – D’oh! |
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50 |
BABAR (BA + BAR) – the final JUMBO answer – dear old Babar! |
If you’re interested (and you see this), as I go through I can make up an HTML page with the numbers of the 2008 Jumbo crosswords – to add to your Memories/Indexes page
Andy from Oz
Andy from Oz