Jumbo 852

Author   topicaltimPosted on Categories Jumbo Cryptic
The usual Jumbo rubric: as the solution is available alongside (or indeed before) the blog, comment is confined only to references that might remain obscure to overseas / inexperienced solvers even with the answer visible, or anything I thought notably good or deserving a question mark; other clues happily discussed by request, please comment if required.

Probably the trickiest – and best – Jumbo I’ve blogged since joing the roster. I think the consensus is that we’re having a run of good puzzles in this slot recently. Compliments to the setters responsible.

Across
10 ZINC – Z + INC(H); z clued as a variable rather than the more obvious “unknown” makes a smoother surface.
14 FREUDIAN SLIPS – (RE: U.D.I.) in FANS LIPS.
16 SNAIL PACED – NAIL “stops” = is in SPACED.
17 EATING APPLE – (PILEGETAPAN)*; a similar distinction cropped up in a recent daily puzzle.
18 AXELS – AXE + fLeSh; like the lutz and salchow, named after the person who invented it.
19 SOPHOCLEAN – P(iano) in SOHO + CLEAN; one of those cunning one-word definitions where the apostrophe turns out to be possessive rather than a contraction.
21 PORTIA – PORT + plIAnt. The conspirators feature frequently in Times puzzles, their wives less so.
23 ONSLAUGHT – buffoON’S LAUGHTer; one of my last in, which always indicates that the simple hidden word clue has nonetheless been effective.
26 LOGWOOD – LO + [W(ife) in GOOD]; my botanical blind spot meant I didn’t know this tree, but it was obvious fromn wordplay.
28 FIRST WORLD WAR – [FLIRT W(ith) A SWORD R(ex)]* and “originally used” is the anagrind.
31 DECLAIMED – DEC(k) + L(ine) + A1 + MED(iterranean).
37 BODEGAS – (SAGE + D.O.B)rev.
38 DATUM – TU (“you” in French) in DAM, and the dope is information rather than the sort you’d expect to be smuggled: cracking surface reading.
40 BAGATELLE – A GAT(eau) in BELLE (sneakily defined as “dish”).
42 ORACHE – OR + ACHE: as usual I didn’t know the plant, so the wordplay was clearly sufficient.
44 SABRE TOOTH – (A BR. E.T.) in SOOTH. It’s not the first time I’ve seen that film used thus, but to be fair, how would you slip Schindler’s List into a solution?
46 POUND – =”hit”, and pound coins replaced notes in the UK in 1983; cunning cryptic clue with a surface to match.
52 WIDOW WAIL – cryptic def. dependent on the double meaning of “weeds”, and a third plant whose existence I had to deduce from the wordplay.
53 ATTORNEY AT LAW – (WALT + A YEN + ROT + TA)rev = an office which would be, colloquially, a “brief” in English criminal law circles. Once more, a praiseworthy, TV based, surface.
 
Down
1 PUFF – double def, PUFF as in pastry cases, and being out of PUFF would cause panting; with so many definitions, which two to choose wasn’t instantly obvious.
2 OLEANDERS – OLE + ANDERS; at last, a plant I already knew.
3 OLD SINS CAST LONG SHADOWS – (SHOWSANDSOLDNOSTALGIC)* + S(erial).
7 MASSE – MASSE(D) and a smooth snooker-related surface.
9 EUGENE – “YOU” + GEN(esis) + (tak)E gives half of Eugene Onegin.
13 IT’S A LONG WAY TO TIPPERARY – being a rugby fan helps here; Munster made themselves top seeds for the Heineken Cup on Friday with a Man of the Match performance from Tipperary man Alan Quinlan.
20 LIBERAL – (BILL)* around ERA; and as the passing of this Reform Act saw the end of a Liberal government, it’s a straightforward clue with a brilliant surface.
22 BLACKLEG – B(owled) + LACK + LEG; that little “on” gives the LEG, and adds an extra layer of cricket to the clue.
27 ORMER – (F)ORMER; apparently what the Channel Islands call an abalone.
30 WEBSTER – WEB + STER(n); I studied Webster when I was young – it was not a cheerful experience.
34 HEDDA GABLER – HE + (G ADD)rev + ABLER; more cheerless drama.
41 LAURELLED – I spent ages thinking this must refer to a quotation from Thomas Hardy, until I realised that if Ollie was following, it must be because Stan led.
43 ALADDIN – A LAD + DIN; “light rubber” as a definition is another corker.
49 EMAIL – MAI (the French month following Avril) in fiELd.
51 SWAN – W(eight) in SAN(atorium); overseas solvers who are not devotees of the Royal Family may not be familiar with the ancient practice of swan-upping.

3 comments on “Jumbo 852”

  1. I should be grateful for an explanation of 56 ac: “Major row when broadcast registered digitally with press.”

    I see that the answer sounds like “key din” (= major row) and that it could mean rehsitered digitally but “press”……..?

    Thanks in advance,

    Regards,
    Adrian Cobb

      1. Is that all?! Don’t you find that you sometimes (in my case often) you look for something deep(er) that is never intended by the setter?!
        Many thanks and sorry for wasting your time!!
        Regards,
        Adrian

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