Jumbo 911 – the abridged (botched) analysis

Author   fathippy2Posted on Categories Jumbo Cryptic
Sorry about the scantness of this – I opened my file this morning and pasted it into the site, only to realise that I hadnt saved the write up at the end, but literally after about the first few acrosses. I had to hastily re-write most of the clues again this morning, hence the lack of links and commentary. Things to learn over time!
Another fairly straightforward jumbo, about 45 mins in total at a uniform place. I am increasingly concerned that the jumbos show none of the flair or stand-out clues of many week day puzzles. Perhaps it is harder with the bigger grid, or that the gems get lost with many more clues to dilute things?

Across
1 BOLLARD – LL=lines inside BOARD being the decision makers. I will never see this answer again without paying homage to the two word blinder at Cheltenham 2010!
5 ACHATES – AC(bill)-HATES(despises) for the faithful companion to Aeneas in the Aeneid
9 COMPACT – not exactly sure of the wordplay here but I guess little is the def and COM-PACT(agreement)
13 COUNTERSIGN – where the notice near shop till might be a “counter-sign”
14 AMARANTHINE – take the CAT off the CATAMARAN before THINE
15 EIDER – RE=on, turned around/catching IDE=fish
16 OBADIAH – O(ld) B(ishop) A DIAH (sounds like DIRE)
17 EXONERATE – EX (former partner) ONE (a certain) RATE (charge)
18 SHOW A CLEAN PAIR OF HEELS – double definition, one a weak cryptic
23 HABANERA – HER=woman’s seen around A BAN=bar then A for the dance
25 FRAPPE – F=loud, followed by RAPPE(r) for the early finishing performer
27 SOLICIT – (colitis)* – definition is SEEK
30 RHEAS – birds who sound like REARS=breeds
32 TORPEDO – dRoPpEd inside TO-DO = trouble
33 TRATTORIA – TART backwards then (A RIOT)* for this chestnut of an eatery
35 SHATTERED – AT TE(rm) inside SHRED=a bit
36 TURNOUT – double definition – the verbal expulsion, and the noun attendance or gate
37 POOCH – C=about inside POOH=bear
39 PODSNAP – POD=school SNAP=photo, Dickensian in the noun sense of a character therein.
40 EYRIES – SE1 being the main postcode in Southwark and RYE the sussex town, all backwards
41 SORBONNE – SORE=urgent injecting BONN=former capital of West Germany.
44 TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS – double definition
48 AUTHORIAL – def=writer’s H(umble) O(rigins) inside A U(niversity) TRIAL
50 ADAMANT – def=firm, This time the apostrophe is for “is” meaning “made by” DA back then AM(erican) ANT=worker
53 OSAGE – O!=appeal to as in OI! or OH! then SAGE
54 MOLESTATION – the amusing concept of a MOLE-STATION being GCHQ or MI5 building!
55 HAIR-RAISING – sounds like HARE-RAISING
56 LISETTE – IS inside LETTE(r) for the not so commonly named female
57 GIRONDE – (ignored)*
58 SCORNER – S=son then CORNER = difficult situation

Down
1 BICKER – C(ar) inside BIKER
2 LOURDES – OUR D(ay) inside LES = the in French, for the town (note the French works for the definition even though it is not in it)
3 AFTERNOON – (for tan one)* – the afternon probably equating to “several hours”
4 DARIO – RADIO with three letters=60%=more than half reversed
5 AMICABLE – AM I ABLE= do I have power around C(onservative) for sweet
6 HINDI – (S)HINDI(G)
7 TEA SHOP – (has poet)*
8 STAGE DIRECTION – A cryptic definition pushing you perhaps towards sports or line up of bands at a gig ?
9 CLAMOROUS – CL(ass) AMOROUS
10 METRE – definition – yard is smaller than this. MET=police force then (LANCASHI)RE
11 ANIMATED CARTOON – (a romantic end to a)* – this would have been a brilliantly concise clue with a great surface had the answer been a real film and not an odd phrase. I can understand ANIMATED FILM but surely a CARTOON is animated by definition, and so this is doubling up ??
12 THESEUS – THESES around U(NSUNG)
19 AERATOR – AREA reversed on TOR=hill
20 AIR LETTER – (later write)* less the w(ife)
21 HILL TOP – HOP=short journey around ILL T(HE) for summit
22 SHORES UP – USER=consumer reversed inside SHOP.
24 BEER AND SKITTLES – fairly obvious cryptic def
26 PROPRIETY – PRO=for (SINNE)R inside PIETY
28 TRASHIER – TRIER storing ASH=wood.
29 BRIDGE BUILDING – double definition
31 SATINET – SET=placed around (CO)AT IN=fashionable
34 ANTIOCH – ANTI=hostile individual O(ver) CH(urch)
39 PREDICATE – need to “lift and separate” STATE HEAD for STATE the definition, and HEAD=PATE around CIDER reversed
42 BARDOLINO – BAR IN O(xford) around (OLD)* for the lesser known italian wine
43 THIAMINE – I AM for I’m with THIN around then E gives you the water-soluble vitamin B1!
44 TRAMMEL – TRAM then ME L(ength).
45 LEARNER – REEL=spin reversed around A RN=royal navy=service
46 SHAVIAN – definition is Dramatist’s = of SHAW. S(NOBBIS)H then AVIAN= about the birds
47 BEGGAR – very nice surface here for a semidemi&lit. BEAR outside GG=goods
49 ONSET – not sure why – any ideas
51 ASHEN – A SHE=female (FA)N
52 TIRES – sounds like TYRES…groan

6 comments on “Jumbo 911 – the abridged (botched) analysis”

  1. I tend to find the jumbos a bit of a drag, and it would not surprise me if the setters did too.
    I don’t think animated cartoon is that unusual a phrase. In the online OED it is only the third meaning of the word, after the preparatory drawing and the what-you-get-in-newspapers, and the phrase “animated cartoon” is what is then defined..
    1. It would be interesting to know what the setters (and the editor) really do think about jumbos. In some ways I liked it better when they were a bank holiday treat rather than appearing every Saturday.
  2. A superfast (for me) 41 minutes, which no doubt reflects the humdrumminess of the clues. But then I’ve always been struck by the paucity of comments on the jumbos, which suggests that they generally have fewer noteworthy or problematic clues.
    I don’t see any problem with ANIMATED CARTOON; and (9ac) a compact is a little case containing makeup.
  3. A fairly average 21:07 for me. Unlike you and the other commenters so far, I found this puzzle entirely acceptable, with a lot of the clues having excellent surface readings. I’m amazed that people object to this sort of thing. For me this was plain food extremely well cooked, which is just the sort of meal I like. I like caviare occasionally, but not all the time.
  4. Object? Moi? Not at all; indeed, I look forward to the jumbos. But when a comparative slowpoke like me can solve in 60% of his normal time, this does suggest (not, alas, a sudden access of skill, but) a lack of hard nuts to crack, at the very least. As with 908 (and I bet they were done by the same setter), I felt, not the exhilaration of having set a personal best, but rather a letdown.
  5. I only got round to this today. I didn’t time it and I don’t try to be quick on jumbos but I never really paused so it must have been easy.
    I agree that the jumbos don’t usually come up to the quality standard/challenge of the daily puzzles but this is hardly surprising and not something I mind at all. I think of them as a gentle but extended stroll, very enjoyable when you’ve got the time and inclination. I solved this one with a couple of glasses of wine on a two hour flight, followed by a nap. Perfection.

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