Jumbo 953

Author   sghansonPosted on Categories Jumbo Cryptic

Nothing particularly special in this, a steady solve. I don’t have a time recorded, but probably around 30 minutes.

A couple of solutions (25A, 2D) took a bit of working out for the wordplay, but the solutions were clear.

Across
1 SACRED COW – SOW = spread, around ACRE = area, DC = Washington
6 HYPERCRITICAL – (CHIRPILY TRACE)*
13 OVERT – OVER = through a period, T(ime)
14 MACCABEES – MACES = spiked clubs, around CA = about, BE = live
15 CHUNNEL – CHE = revolutionary, L(ine, around UN = one, from countryside/rural speak, N(ew)
16 A BEAR OF VERY LITTLE BRAIN – double definition, referring to Winnie the Pooh
18 ERRANTRY – (m)ERRY = cheerful, arount RANT = storm
20 Deliberately omitted – please ask if unsure
21 Deliberately omitted – please ask if unsure
23 ROLL IN – ROLLIN(g) = rich
24 BEREFT – BERET = cap, around F(ees)
25 BRUTALISM – TAL(l) = incredible, IS = lives, all in BRUM = Birmingham
28 FLESHINESS – F(urniture), LES = French article, around SHINES = stands out
29 FOUR – O = nothing, being in FUR = kept warm
30 CURRENT – CUR = nasty person, RENT = violently broke up
32 NAIROBI – AIR = manner, in NOB = toff, I = one
34 BOHR – alternate letters in BrOtHeR
35 LOVEY-DOVEY – (VOLVO EYED)* around Y(en)
38 SUPERSEDE – SUEDE = kid, around PER = for each, S(on)
39 LAUREL – (ALLURE)*. In Botany bay and laurel are related shrubs
40 POSSUM – PO’S = petty officer’s, SUM = problem
43 U BOLT – BO(nd) in ULT = month before
45 STANDARD – double definition
47 BAREFOOT – A REF = a whistleblower, in BOOT = kick
49 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE – cryptic definition
52 AMERICA -(AIM, RACE)*
53 ATHEISTIC – AT = engaged in, HEIST = robbery, I = one, C(aught)
54 Deliberately omitted – please ask if unsure
55 BEYOND THE PALE – double definition, the second slightly cryptic
56 LAYPERSON – LAYERS = coats, ON = being worn, around P = quiet
Down
1 SLOGANEER – SEER = perceptive person, around LOG = record, AN = article
2 CREME BRULEE – (CRUMBLE, EE, RE)*, where the EE is the middle of chEEse
3 ENTER – (r)ENTER = tenant
4 CAMPFIRE – IF PM = assuming Prime Minister, reversed in CARE = ward
5 WICKER – WICKE(d) = evil, (headmaste)R
6 HEAVY WATER – HEATER = geyser, around V(olume) WAY*
7 PREDILECTION – PREDICTION = forecast, around L(atitud)E
8 ROSETTA – SET = placed, in ROTA = list
9 ROCKET LAUNCHER – ROKET LUNCHER = midday salad eater, around A
10 TRUE RIB – RUER = someone who regrets, in TIB = BIT = piece, reversed
11 CANNIBALISE – CAN = tin, NIB = end of pen, (v)ALISE = case
12 LILY – LI(ke)LY = probably
17 GEOMETRY – G(lob)E, O = circle, MET = touched, RY = railway = lines
19 Deliberately omitted – please ask if unsure
22 FEASIBLE – F(ollowing), EASE = carefree state, around I B(owled) L(eft)
25 BORROWER – cryptic definition, as a borrower would prefer low interest rates
26 AERODROME – A(eri)E, ROD = perch, ROME = capital
27 ANTIPERSPIRANT – ASPIRANT = hopeful person, around PINTER*
28 Deliberately omitted – please ask if unsure
31 PHILADELPHIA – (APPALED)*, with HI = greeting inserted twice
33 IMPROPRIETY – I’M PROPRIETOR = I am a businessman, with OR = men, replaced by Y = unknown
36 VISCOUNTESS – VISCOUS = syrupy, around N(o)TES
37 QUARANTINE – RAN = smuggled, in ANTIQUE*
41 MOTHE-EATEN – MOTHE(r) = parent, A, TEN = number of commandments
42 GARLICKY – GAR = fish, L(eft), ICKY = unpleasant.
44 TUITION – (in)TUITION = instinctive knowledge
46 AGITATE – IT = object, in AGATE = stone
48 MENTAL – METAL = material for wiring, around (neuro)N
50 Deliberately omitted – please ask if unsure
51 DAUB – A(nswer) in DUB = title

9 comments on “Jumbo 953”

  1. Just under 40 minutes for me. I immediately thought U-BOAT for 43ac. Then I looked at the wordplay, worked it out, thought “I’ve never heard of a U-BOLT but that’s clearly the answer”, and wrote in U-BOAT.
    Sigh.
  2. 28:24 for me. Looking back over the clues there doesn’t seem to be anything particularly difficult, so I’m not sure why I wasn’t a little faster.

    BTW, belated congratulations on your 2nd place in this year’s Championship, Simon. I’d have said “hello” and congratulated you at the time, but I simply can’t remember what you look like. (I’m afraid you’re not the only one – see this blog entry.) I’ve come 2nd to John Sykes, so I know the feeling!

    1. Thank you, Tony.

      I did hang around for a short while after the Final, but it seemed to be a case of “winner takes all”, and the article in the paper the next day was in much the same vein. Nevertheless, I intend to try again next year.

      I thought this Saturday’s Jumbo, whilst not difficult, had a couple of very clever definitions and I look forward to seeing the blog entry covering it.

  3. Furniture principally stands out in French article, being well upholstered (10)

    So, “being well upholstered” = FLESHINESS ?

    I do not understand this. FLESHINESS is a noun…

    1. Ageed, but the noun can mean fatter than average, and one can describe an overweight (or voluptuous) individual as being “well upholstered”, particularly in a cryptic crossword.
      1. I fully understand the “voluptuous”/”well upholstered” connection, particularly in a crossword clue where oblique definitions are favoured. But I still do not understand the clue.

        You say “but the noun can mean fatter than average” but clearly “fleshiness” can never mean “fatter than average”.

        Certainly if you HAVE “fleshiness” you might BE DESCRIBED AS “being well upholstered”.

        Likewise if you HAVE “intelligence” you might BE DESCRIBED AS “being clever”.

        But INTELLIGENCE cannot, in my opinion, be indicated by the phrase “being clever” in the definition part of a cryptic clue.

        Is this just a dud clue – or am I missing something?

        1. I’m afraid I don’t have a problem with it. I guess I am thinking of FLESHINESS as the state of being well upholstered, which has been shortened in the cryptic clue. The word being can also be a noun, which confuses the position even further.

          Using your example of intelligence, could “BRIGHTNESS” be clued as “being alert”. I would say yes, but I think you may disagree.

        2. I think I *have* been missing something. Frinstance..

          “I prefer fleshiness in my tango partner.”

          “I prefer being well upholstered in my tango partner.”

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