Times Cryptic Jumbo 1633 – 2 September 2023

13 comments on “Times Cryptic Jumbo 1633 – 2 September 2023”

1. A number of DNKs, as usual: DORSE, PORTIERE, BUNG. DNK that the HORA was Romanian; I assumed that it was Jewish, as it’s done, ineptly, at bar mitzvah receptions and such. LOI 52ac of all things; I took ‘broadcast’ to indicate a homophone, and wasted bags of time before twigging.

2. ODE sv ‘troika’ 1 a Russian vehicle pulled by a team of three horses abreast:
   -a team of three horses for a troika

3. Completed in one session but I struggled so much in the top half that I nearly put the puzzle aside before embarking on the rest of it. Mercifully the lower half seemed much easier and the clues started to fall rapidly so I continued. A sting in the tail came with FOREBEAR as my LOI which for some reason took forever to come to mind.

   1. FOREBEAR was my POI.

4. An enjoyable substantial crossword that took me just over the allotted 2 hours, but with a fully-deserved pink square for DIED-IN-THE-WOOL.

   LOI ENSLAVE which was hard in its own right but which I couldn’t get until I had corrected one of the crossers. I had put in SMUTI instead of SWAMI (using the more simple TUMS for “stomachs” instead of MAWS). I am sure I briefly asked myself if a SMUTI really is a Hindu mystic but then moved swiftly on. At least we have, here at home, attached to the back of our front door, a device that I know is called a portiere rod, from which mrs k hangs a curtain; this was close enough to give me 41ac.

   I think my only problem with forbear/forebear was that it made me think of the irritating forgo/forego. At 22dn TWANG, I took “to play” as the anagrind, leaving just “this” as the definition? At 8dn I did not like “snapping” as an anagrind. DNK the Romanian dance or the small cod, but they didn’t delay me much. I liked ARGYLE and INCOGNITO.

   My thanks to setter and blogger

5. You reminded me, what is it with certain words? After TWANG appeared here it turned up again only 9 days later in both 15×15 and the QC!

   1. I am certain that the software they use prefers certain words to others; and that this is compounded by reusing the same or similar grids.
      My impression is that this is a relatively recent problem, if problem it is (it’s quite helpful, sometimes!). But for most of my solving life it has been hard to check such things – no TfTT, no google. Also I am doing more crosswords now I’m retired.

      1. I’m not sure you can blame the software. A discussion on a recent TfTT blog (sorry I can’t remember which) led to an intervention from the Crossword Editor, Richard Rogan, saying that, for Times crosswords at least, compilers don’t let the software generate their grid-fill. In my own (limited) experience I use the software to suggest words that fit checkers I have in place (and warn me when entering a word that nothing will fit with). I then choose words that I think I can clue readily. Maybe it’s just the compilers choosing the same word that fits their checkers because they can see possibilities.

         1. I did read what RR said but I don’t know what else the explanation might be… open to suggestions. Whatever it is, the regular duplication of words, in recent years, is real.

         2. That seems like a reasonable explanation John. Some words must jump out as being full of cryptic possibilities more than others.

6. I found this on the gentle side, particularly the Down clues where all but 4 went in on the first pass, taking just over 30 minutes in all. I liked the wordplay for LIMB, the gin & tonic and old fashioned at 30A and ELEVENTH. I narrowly avoided a foolish DIED IN THE WOOL when entering the answers from my paper copy online and checking them. DNK the Romanian dance or PORTIERE. I too remember Blaster Bates. A schoolmate of mine was a great fan and shared tapes of Blaster Bates’ performances. Thanks Jerry and setter.

7. Well this was suitable chewy and kept me amused all afternoon, which was just as well, as I was lying on the beach for the first time this year, and I don’t sit still very well.
   Most clues seemed fair but I did check a few unknowns after writing them in. DNK or rather did not remember TROIKA, PORTIERE, BIRETTA, TOLUENE. The long anagrams weren’t always friendly and took some playing around with. But it was the NE corner that finally drove me to distraction and in the end I looked up the last two.
   I DNK the church service TERCE nor did I know PT as an abbreviation of port. So I couldn’t decide where to put the M in EXEMPT and didn’t think of that type of discharge. So those crossing clues eluded me. However all good instruction and a few new nuggets of GK to store away.

   COD CINEMATOGRAPHY for the natty definition, which foxed me for some time before the satisfying PDM

   Thanks setter and Jerry

8. Well this was suitable chewy and kept me amused all afternoon, which was just as well, as I was lying on the beach for the first time this year, and I don’t sit still very well.
   Most clues seemed fair but I did check a few unknowns after writing them in. DNK or rather did not remember TROIKA, PORTIERE, BIRETTA, TOLUENE. The long anagrams weren’t always friendly and took some playing around with. But it was the NE corner that finally drove me to distraction and in the end I looked up the last two.
   I DNK the church service TERCE nor did I know PT as an abbreviation of port. So I couldn’t decide where to put the M in EXEMPT and didn’t think of that type of discharge. So those crossing clues eluded me. However all good instruction and a few new nuggets of GK to store away.

   COD CINEMATOGRAPHY for the natty definition, which foxed me for some time before the satisfying PDM

   Thanks Jerry

Comments are closed.