Hello again. I thought this Jumbo was harder than average, with four or five nhos, a couple of clues I thought unfair, and a number where pinning down the definition was rather difficult. What did you think?
Please, do feel free to ask questions or comment as required.
I use the standard TfTT conventions like underlining the definition, CD for cryptic definition, DD for a double one, *(anargam) and so forth. NHO = “not heard of” and in case of need the Glossary is always handy
| Across | |
| 1 | Fixed source of light in church before onset of darkness (7) |
| CLAMPED – LAMP (source of light) in CE (church) + D(arkness) | |
| 5 | Cajoled at home, not showing one’s face? Little good in that (9) |
| INVEIGLED – IN (at home) + G(ood) in VEILED, not showing one’s face | |
| 10 | Impish maiden removed from demonstration? (4) |
| ARCH – (m)ARCH, a demonstration of sorts | |
| 14 | Bounders to hop around, going to and fro repeatedly (13) |
| BOUSTROPHEDON – *(BOUNDERS TO HOP). My first nho. Fortunately the checking letters allow little room for manoeuvre. “Designating, or of, an ancient form of writing in which the lines run alternately from right to left and left to right.” (Collins). I rather approve of the idea, which seems efficient from the eye movement point of view and has the additional merit of favouring left and right handers equally, unlike our own system which is clearly rightist.
A literal translation of the word is “Like an ox ploughing.” It is also the title of an album, I discover, by the jazz saxophonist Evan Parker.. you read it here first, probably |
|
| 15 | Smooth and white flower sitting at rear of a workplace (9) |
| ALABASTER – A LAB (workplace) + ASTER (flower). Those few of us old enough to remember the songs on Cliff Mitchelmore’s Tonight programme performed by Jake Thackray may possibly recall one about a girl with “Breasts like apples and skin like alabaster.” It stuck in my mind because I thought it a bit racy for 7pm but hey, that was the 1960s for you.. | |
| 16 | Funny fellow with an unusual allure at end of street (4,6) |
| STAN LAUREL – ST(reet) + AN + *(ALLURE). One of the higher ranking entries on my list of completely unfunny comedians.. I’m sure lots love(d) him | |
| 17 | By ravines we turned back, everything leading to a communications barrier (7,4) |
| CHINESE WALL – CHINES + WE rev., + ALL (everything). Apparently a chine is “Southern English dialect for a deep fissure in the wall of a cliff.” My second nho, in that context. A Chinese Wall is an imaginary wall, designed to limit communication between different sectors of a business, for the sole purpose of lulling regulators into a false sense of security. | |
| 18 | Beastly types making money across the Channel (5) |
| EUROS – a DD. The money, I expect we are all familiar with; but apparently it is also “any of several large kangaroos of the genus Macropus; wallaroo.” (Collins), as such my third nho, and we are only on 18ac! | |
| 19 | A trade union returning officer, cad in charge brooking no opposition (10) |
| AUTOCRATIC – A + TU rev, + OC (officer) + RAT (cad) + IC (in charge). A charade clue. | |
| 21 | Lad following college concert (6) |
| UNISON – UNI (college) + SON (lad). Is a Uni a college? Discuss .. | |
| 23 | Lean over to grab guy in seaweed (9) |
| CARRAGEEN – RAG (guy, tease) in CAREEN, to lean over. Two slightly obscure words there which fortunately, I knew although I would spell it Carragheen. | |
| 25 | Is African archbishop endlessly backing African people? (5) |
| TUTSI – IS + TUT(u). A reference to the late Desmond Tutu. The Tutsi are a tribe in Central Africa who have been involved with the Hutu in more than one genocide in Burundi and Rwanda. | |
| 26 | Percy is passionate when given incentive (7) |
| HOTSPUR – HOT (passionate) + SPUR (incentive). A nickname for Sir Henry Percy, 1364-1403. | |
| 28 | Noble women, 10, provided with fee for hosting game (13) |
| ARCHDUCHESSES – ARCH (ie 10ac) + CHESS (game) in DUES (fee). Technically, yet another nho although where there are archdukes, one assumes there must be archduchesses .. | |
| 31 | Part of palace, say, with berth facing west (9) |
| STATEROOM – STATE (say) + MOOR (berth, as a verb) rev. | |
| 33 | Short article with winning description of balding man (4,2,3) |
| THIN ON TOP – THIN(g) (article) + ON TOP (winning). I’m not, I’m pleased to say | |
| 35 | Fancies forecasts about Left beginning to emerge (13) |
| PREDILECTIONS – L(eft) + E(merge) inside PREDICTIONS (forecasts) | |
| 37 | Understand the French fashion seen outside entrance to classy hotel (5,2) |
| LATCH ON – LA (French for the), + C(lassy) + H(otel) in TON, fashion, as any Georgette Heyer addict will know. Personally I would catch on not latch on, but it is in all the dictionaries. | |
| 38 | Old biblical city in which there is party atmosphere (5) |
| ODOUR – DO (party) in O(ld) + UR, the setters’ favourite biblical city. Although Ur was a Sumerian city of great antiquity, which may or may not be what the mentions in Genesis refer to. | |
| 40 | Fruit comes with dubious promise: hollow melon? (9) |
| PERSIMMON – an anagram of PROMISE + M(elo)N. Not sure this clue quite works. Not to mention the dodgy surface reading.. | |
| 42 | Prune, I suspect, not fit for eating? (6) |
| UNRIPE – *(PRUNE I) | |
| 44 | Leading girl falling short in concert — I’m living in a cell (10) |
| PROTOPLASM – TOP LAS(s) (leading girl, falling short) inside PROM, a concert. | |
| 46 | King, stained and unconventional (5) |
| KINKY – K(ing) + INKY (stained). | |
| 48 | After party maiden sat upset (11) |
| DISCOMPOSED – DISCO (party) + M(aiden) + POSED (sat) | |
| 50 | A foreign hospital permitted to be totally secular? (10) |
| UNHALLOWED – UN (a, in French) + H(ospital) + ALLOWED (permitted). Another technical nho although I had heard of hallowed. | |
| 52 | I am going one way and another, joining crush to enter new country (9) |
| IMMIGRATE – IM + MI, + GRATE (crush). I would not see grate as a synonym for crush.. and nor do Collins and Lexico | |
| 53 | Makes amends with garland, certainly, whenever convenient (2,4,7) |
| AT ONES LEISURE – ATONES (makes amends) + LEI (garland) + SURE (certainly) | |
| 54 | Posturing evident in ridiculous ideas (4) |
| SIDE – hidden, in ridiculouS IDEas | |
| 55 | Daughter joining most intimate group that may be got together for meal (6,3) |
| DINNER SET – D(aughter) + INNER SET, your most intimate group. | |
| 56 | Nurses carrying silver bits left behind? (3,4) |
| TAG ENDS – AG (silver) in TENDS (nurses) | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Island’s young adventurer just starting out? (4) |
| CUBA – CUB + A(dventurer). Neat surface to this clue. | |
| 2 | Grown-up to transgress — end of marriage involved? (9) |
| ADULTERER – ADULT (grown-up), + (marriag)E in ERR (to transgress). Really not sure where the definition is, in this clue! | |
| 3 | Undertake a task — with the anticipation of a cheese and pickle lunch? (3,4,4,2,3,6) |
| PUT ONES HAND TO THE PLOUGH – a reference to the ubiquitous ploughman’s lunch. I remember, many years ago, asking for one at a pub near Whitby, only to be told that the ploughmen in those parts preferred egg and chips… | |
| 4 | Satellite in turbulent episode seen in series of pictures? (7) |
| DIORAMA – IO (satellite) in DRAMA (turbulent episode). Io is a satellite of Jupiter and quite interesting .. for example, it has over 400 active volcanoes, and higher gravity and density than any other moon in the solar system. | |
| 5 | The benefit from someone having the will to let another succeed (11) |
| INHERITANCE – a CD, I think. | |
| 6 | Namely, shop involved in wickedness getting shut finally (9) |
| VIDELICET – DELI (shop) inside VICE (wickedness) + (shu)T. Usually abbreviated to viz. | |
| 7 | Greek is charged? (5) |
| IONIC – Well, an ION is an electrically charged atom. IONIC can refer to that, or to various Greek things; for example, an architectural order, a dialectical foot, a dialect spoken in Ionia… | |
| 8 | Pounds one will get with skills — so these can be paid off? (11) |
| LIABILITIES – L (pounds) + I (one) + ABILITIES (skills) | |
| 9 | Artist’s storage facility (6) |
| DRAWER – a DD | |
| 11 | Rodents surrounding brown trees (7) |
| RATTANS – TAN (brown) in RATS, much maligned and misunderstood rodents. Rattans are a kind of palm tree, used to make wickerwork furniture. | |
| 12 | Disciplinarian listened to, exuding energy on ship (9) |
| HARDLINER – H(e)ARD (listened to, without the E(nergy)) + LINER | |
| 13 | Experience disappointment and reconsider approach (4,7,5,6) |
| HAVE ANOTHER THINK COMING – yet another clue where you can see what the setter is getting at, but is still quite hard to pin down. Presumably somone who has another think coming has not yet experienced any disappointment? And when they do, will they reconsider, or perhaps just give up? Clues like these used to be very normal, and I’m not complaining, I quite like them in fact, but they are rather uncommon in these precise, uber-Ximenean days.
On edit: as pointed out by brchn below, the wordplay is probably HAVE ANOTHER THINK (reconsider) + COMING (approach). Though that last pair is not a perfect match; and the def. still seems dodgy to me.. |
|
| 18 | Liking to hide head, showing charm (7) |
| ENCHANT – (p)ENCHANT (liking, beheaded) | |
| 20 | Performer in role, heading off — is theatre completely empty? (7) |
| ARTISTE – (p)ART (role, also beheaded) + IS + T(heatr)E | |
| 22 | Bird with musical awareness, full of passion (8) |
| WHEATEAR – HEAT (passion) inside W(ith) + EAR, musical awareness.
A mainly European bird, of which Wikipedia engagingly says “The name “wheatear” is not derived from “wheat” or any sense of “ear”, but is a folk etymology of “white” and “arse”, referring to the prominent white rump found in most species.” |
|
| 24 | Referring to pursuing old lover as ”energising” (8) |
| EXCITING – EX (old lover) + CITING (referring to) | |
| 27 | Piece of publicity for short time (5) |
| PROMO – PRO (for) + MO (short time) | |
| 29 | Cold dressing for section of limestone pavement (5) |
| CLINT – C(old) + LINT, cotton fibres commonly used in surgical dressings. Also found in pockets and navels. Malham Cove has a famous set of clints and grikes.. | |
| 30 | Back to drink fortified wine (7) |
| SUPPORT – SUP (drink) + PORT (fortified wine). | |
| 32 | Indication of pregnant Virgin, as revealed in stonework? (7) |
| MASONRY – MARY, carrying a SON … | |
| 34 | Demanding conformity, posture can ultimately suffer terribly (11) |
| PROCRUSTEAN – *(POSTURE CAN + (suffe)R). Procrustes was a son of Poseidon who forced everyone he came across to fit his iron bed, either by stretching them or by shortening them; as such, a metaphor for damaging uniformity. He got his, at the hands of Theseus who forced him to fit his own bed.. | |
| 36 | Men emphatic about charge against Nixon? (11) |
| IMPEACHMENT – *(MEN EMPHATIC). Trump and Clinton have been impeached, but although he was investigated, Nixon never was. | |
| 37 | Stories about start of affair with a foreign doctor — they deal with dirty stuff (9) |
| LAUNDRIES – So, A(ffair) + UN + DR, inside LIES, ie stories. | |
| 39 | Modern music before fantastic tour has American ”over the moon” (9) |
| RAPTUROUS – RAP (modern “music”) + *(TOUR) + US (American) | |
| 41 | Model with deficient style, one of five in a group (9) |
| MANNEQUIN – MANNE(r) (style, deficient by one letter) + QUIN, one of five | |
| 43 | Supposed to have dumped leader and started afresh (7) |
| RESUMED – (p)RESUMED, supposed, beheaded again. Started afresh, in the sense of restarting, rather than from scratch | |
| 45 | Plant Mollie transplanted beginning to thrive (7) |
| MELILOT – *(MOLLIE) + T(hrive). Another NHO, and thus rather difficult to decide where all those vowels should go. Melilot hardly seems the most likely combination, and I felt the need to check in Collins prior to submission.. bordering on the unfair, this clue, some might say | |
| 47 | Leaders of urban district penning scheme for geographical area (6) |
| UPLAND – PLAN (scheme) inside U(rban) D(istrict). Not my initial thought for a geographical area | |
| 49 | Sailor — Devon’s foremost man of dubious reputation? (5) |
| DRAKE – D(evon) + RAKE (man of etc) | |
| 51 | Iron ship, ordinary (4) |
| FESS – FE (properly Fe, Iron) + SS (ship). Helped by having seen FESS = ordinary, only a few days before | |
Thanks for the blog. It was all a bit challenging!
Clues like 14ac make me appreciate the idea of “open book” puzzles. I know some may enjoy sweating out the anagram, but me … not so much.
At 13dn, perhaps the wordplay is: reconsider=have another think, and coming=approach?
I think you’ve got it, Bruce.
Yes, I’m sure you are right about the wordplay. I still find the def. a little odd..
DNK the other EURO, so I held off until near the end. DNK CLINT, CARRAGEEN, MELILOT (which I looked up). I actually did know BOUSTROPHEDON, sort of; at least I recognized it when sorting out the vowels. I liked ODOUR.
DNF for me with several left. Usually I come back during the week to see if I can finish them but I was traveling in Europe and ended up forgetting to take another look.
At the finish I had no queries as to how any of the clues worked but there were 8 words unknown to me here , 4 of which required aids to get to the answers and for the other 4 I used aids immediately after deducing answers to check that they existed with the required meanings. For that reason I didn’t find the puzzle very enjoyable or satisfying.
1:42:21 with errors. I did like CHINES at the beginning of 17ac, like a spooky deja vu from the Jubilee Holiday Jumbo, where it did not actually feature, except in my own overcomplicated parsing (which was fine), which set me up nicely for this one.
For 14ac BOUST… I wrote out the crossers and spent some time slotting the remaining letters in where it seemed best. And lo, it was good. I tried the same approach with 45ac MELILOT and ended up with three pink squares. Other DNKs (inc EUROS, FESS and CLINT) went in more easily somehow. A MER at the somehow distasteful 32ac MASONRY.
My COD has to be 17ac CHINESE WALL
A comfortable 40 minute solve. The only CHINE I know is Blackgang on the Isle of Wight.
Unlike kapietro, I found MA SON RY rather amusing: I suppose I just have to hope that neither Our Lady or her offspring take offence at my sense of humour.
About 36 1/2 minutes for me, so not too hard. Thanks for the excellent blog Jerry. I too had lots of unknowns , much the same as yours, so I checked quite a few answers in my copy of Chambers before submitting… which allowed me to fix MELILOT which I had guessed wrong too. I didn’t know the derivation of the name WHEATEAR. I thought BOUSTROPHEDON must have escaped from a Monthly Club Special, where it surely belongs.