There were some helpful gimmes as long answers to get me started but many very tricky clues, answers and wordplay along the way. These included a device I have never seen before, a clue cross-referenced to another with its answer dependent on it but without any specific indication of which clue it was referring to.
As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]. “Aural wordplay” is in quotation marks. I usually omit all reference to juxtaposition indicators unless there is a specific point that requires clarification.
 Across |
|
| 1 | Capital avenue (5) |
| MEANS | |
| Two meanings. Funds, as in the means to pay. A course of action, way of achieving something – I don’t think we need to explore that avenue… | |
| 4 | Speaker from memory, perhaps one moving in speech (7) |
| RECITER | |
| Aural wordplay [in speech] “re-siter” (perhaps one moving). I doubt the agent noun ‘re-siter’ exists, which would account for ‘perhaps’ in the clue. | |
| 8 | Back under cover before food? Not sure (9) |
| DEBATABLE | |
| ABED (under cover) reversed [back], TABLE (food) | |
| 13 | What can change appearance of each lemon when processed? (9) |
| CHAMELEON | |
| Anagram [processed] of EACH LEMON | |
| 14 | Tea and dinnertime are changing, not fixed (13) |
| INDETERMINATE | |
| Anagram [changing] of TEA DINNERTIME | |
| 15 | Past issue linked to opera company going west (3-4) |
| ONE-TIME | |
| EMIT (issue) + ENO (opera company) reversed [going west]. The English National Opera. | |
| 16 | Somehow hit dome bone of the skull (7) |
| ETHMOID | |
| Anagram [somehow] of HIT DOME. Entered with crossed fingers as I NHO this. It has appeared twice before, but only in Monthly Club Specials which I never attempt. | |
| 17 | Flier allowed to follow the French audio frequency (7) |
| LEAFLET | |
| LE (‘the’ in French), AF (audio frequency), LET (allowed) | |
| 18 | Be brief, how does one make saga sag? (3,1,4,5,5) |
| CUT A LONG STORY SHORT | |
| A reverse cryptic hint supports the main definition: sag{a} (long story) [cut short] | |
| 21 | Husband with a large ring, a light one (4) |
| HALO | |
| H (husband), A, L (large), O (ring). ‘One’ refers back to ‘ring’. | |
| 23 | Like original software? Deplore ad for a new version (3-6) |
| PRE-LOADED | |
| Anagram [new version] of DEPLORE AD | |
| 25 | Among pyramids, tomb hides (6) |
| AMIDST | |
| {pyr}AMIDS T{omb} hides the answer | |
| 26 | Damage pitch with mud and water (6) |
| MARSHY | |
| MAR (damage), SHY (pitch – throw a ball) | |
| 28 | Disastrous answer thanks, tantrum’s in with it? (12) |
| CATASTROPHIC | |
| A (answer) + TA (thanks) + STROP (tantrum) contained by [in] CHIC (with it – stylish) | |
| 30 | What could be Brighton line is pursuing speed (10) |
| RACECOURSE | |
| RACE (speed), COURSE (line). I don’t think much of the definition here as almost anything might be in Brighton. | |
| 33 | Safeguard share of Native Americans according to Spooner (10) |
| PRECAUTION | |
| According to Spooner: “Cree portion” (share of Native Americans) | |
| 34 | Once compelled the art editor to be fearful (5-7) |
| FAINT-HEARTED | |
| FAIN (once compelled), THE ART ED (editor). ‘Fain’ meaning ‘compelled’ is obsolete or at least archaic, hence ‘once’. | |
| 37 | Going over support in wood and stone (6) |
| MARBLE | |
| BRA (support) contained by [in] ELM all reversed [going over]. Crosswordland’s favourite support act! | |
| 39 | What one uses to see down answer hasn’t succeeded (6) |
| RETINA | |
| This is the clue with the non-specific cross-reference. The answer in question is at 31dn: RET{s}INA (down answer) [hasn’t succeeded]. | |
| 40 | One of two men introduced by a Pope (9) |
| GREGORIAN | |
| GREG OR IAN (one of two men) | |
| 42 | What takes hops in local site? (4) |
| OAST | |
| {l}O{c}A{l} S{i}T{e} [takes hops – every other letter] | |
| 43 | Many are supporting this vocally — are you? (5,5,8) |
| RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL | |
| Aural wordplay [vocally]: are you / “RU” – Rugby Union Football | |
| 46 | Most of arrested thrown in nick repeatedly (7) |
| SERRATE | |
| Anagram [thrown] of ARRESTE{d} [most of…]. To make an edge serrated by cutting a row of small sharp notches (nicks) or projections like the teeth of a saw. | |
| 47 | Bond got round M’s predecessor showing mercy (7) |
| CLEMENT | |
| CEMENT (bond) contains [got round] L (M’s predecessor) | |
| 48 | Vacated draughty and dirty house (7) |
| DYNASTY | |
| D{raught}Y [vacated], NASTY (dirty). As in the house of Windsor. | |
| 50 | Keyboard instrument only audible when it has the lead? (8,5) |
| ELECTRIC PIANO | |
| A cryptic hint adds support | |
| 51 | Joint’s awfully poor in old aeroplane (9) |
| CORPORATE | |
| Anagram [awfully] of POOR contained by [in] CRATE (old aeroplane – slang) | |
| 52 | Did rest like kids’ films? Soppy (9) |
| SATURATED | |
| SAT (did rest), U-RATED (like kids’ films) | |
| 53 | A third of towels match up completely (7) |
| TOTALLY | |
| TO{wels} [a third of…], TALLY (match up) | |
| 54 | Obese male’s heart causing death (5) |
| FATAL | |
| FAT (obese), {m}AL{e} [’s heart] | |
| Down |
|
| 1 | Very small computers with integrated circuit must include PC (11) |
| MICROSCOPIC | |
| MICROS (computers) + IC (integrated circuit) containing [must include] COP (PC) | |
| 2 | Gemstone found in a street up north (5) |
| AGATE | |
| A, GATE (street up north). There are plenty of streets named ‘gate’ in that are not up north, but Collins has one definition that specifies it as northern English or Scottish dialect. | |
| 3 | Noteworthy painting, one you may find arresting (7,9) |
| SPECIAL CONSTABLE | |
| SPECIAL (noteworthy), CONSTABLE (a painting by John Constable) | |
| 4 | Brighton school managed without dictionary — English (7) |
| ROEDEAN | |
| RAN (managed) containing [without] OED (dictionary) + E (English). There was a discussion here on 21 June (QC3021) in which a contributor said the only schools we get in Times crosswords are Eton and Harrow, but never girls schools such as Roedean. I checked the archive and found it had come up as an answer 4 times between 2013 and 2020 but of course that didn’t invalidate the point. Now here it is today – or rather it was on 28th June, only one week later. I know the puzzles are set well in advance so this can only be coincidental. | |
| 5 | Admitted fish is eating starter of nothing ordinary (9) |
| CONFESSED | |
| COD (fish) containing [eating] N{othing} [starter] + FESSE (ordinary). POD: fesse – in heraldry an ‘ordinary’ in the form of a broad horizontal stripe across the middle of the shield. ‘Ordinaries’ are the simplest and most common heraldic devices. | |
| 6 | In full colour, highly decorated capital in Attica missing edges (12) |
| TRICHROMATIC | |
| RICH (highly decorated) + ROMA (capital) contained by [in] {a}TTIC{a} [missing edges], Using all three primary colours. I’m not keen on use of the Italian name for Rome without any indication in the clue. | |
| 7 | Solid is decomposing with ray in this (10) |
| RADIOLYSIS | |
| Anagram [decomposing] of SOLID IS RAY. I assume the process involves use of rays and that’s what ‘this’ as definition must be referring back to. |
|
| 8 | Revealed the age of Father Edward (5) |
| DATED | |
| DA (father), TED (Edward). I don’t recall seeing ‘da’ as ‘father’ in a puzzle before it turned up here a couple of weeks ago. | |
| 9 | Theft of college grant, grand left for student initially (8) |
| BURGLARY | |
| BUR{s}ARY (college grant) becomes BURGLARY when G (grand) + L (left) replaces s{tudent} [initially] | |
| 10 | Big island fish new around Western Australia (6) |
| TAIWAN | |
| TAI (fish) + N (new) containing [around] WA (Western Australia). I didn’t know the fish, but I understand it’s a pacific sea bream that’s very popular in Japan. | |
| 11 | Wild animals eating everyone on earth — pay careful attention (2,3,4) |
| BE ALL EARS | |
| BEARS (wild animals) containing [eating] ALL (everyone) + E (earth – electric wiring) | |
| 12 | Solution for transferring power: make Roly an MP on 50 per cent of vote? (11) |
| ELECTROLYTE | |
| ELECT ROLY (make Roly an MP), {vo}TE [50 per cent of…] | |
| 19 | That place cast regularly enters? (7) |
| THEATRE | |
| {c}A{s}T [regularly] contained by [enters] THERE (that place) | |
| 20 | Short cavalryman with popular Arabic name (7) |
| HUSSAIN | |
| HUSSA{r} (cavalryman} [short], IN (popular) | |
| 22 | Oh, infant actor too involved in play from Tennessee (3,2,1,3,3,4) |
| CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF | |
| Anagram [involved] of OH INFANT ACTOR TOO. By Tennessee Williams. | |
| 24 | Run down in power of past queen in time (6) |
| DERATE | |
| ER (past queen) contained by [in] DATE (time). Reduce the power rating of a component or device. | |
| 27 | What European is wearing casual shirt for a laugh? (3-3) |
| TEE-HEE | |
| EH (what) + E (European) contained by [is wearing] TEE (casual shirt) | |
| 29 | Saw pair finished book (7) |
| PROVERB | |
| PR (pair), OVER (finished), B (book) | |
| 31 | Drink container upended, about to be dispensed with (7) |
| RETSINA | |
| {c}ANISTER (container) [about – c – to be dispensed with] reversed [upended] | |
| 32 | Work to which Edentata might provide answer, if split? (8,4) |
| PARADISE LOST | |
| PARADISE LOST (Eden ta-ta – farewell). Well this is an odd one for The Times as the wordplay requires a word in the clue (Edentata) to be divided into two elements. This is commonplace in The Guardian but I think it’s the first time I’ve seen the device used here. Perhaps for that reason it’s indicated by ‘if split’, a nicety The Guardian doesn’t usually go in for. Does that make it more acceptable though? | |
| 33 | Overblown nature of dahlia mostly the centre of lush head (11) |
| POMPOUSNESS | |
| POMPO{m} (dahlia) [mostly], {l}US{h} [the centre of…], NESS (headland). My father used to grow dahlias and I am familiar with the pompom variety. | |
| 35 | Pickwickian place of idyll and legend, possibly (7,4) |
| DINGLEY DELL | |
| Anagram [possibly] of IDYLL LEGEND. It’s a farm in Pickwick Papers. | |
| 36 | Stretch out uniform ahead of camp accommodating an officer (10) |
| LIEUTENANT | |
| LIE (stretch out), U (uniform), TENT (camp) containing [accommodating] AN | |
| 38 | Concerned with not entirely reliable chap appearing again (9) |
| RESURGENT | |
| RE (concerned with), SUR{e} (reliable) [not entirely], GENT (chap) | |
| 40 | Relating to inheritance, client age needs to be sorted out (9) |
| GENETICAL | |
| Anagram [needs to be sorted out] of CLIENT AGE | |
| 41 | Player, the rest of the eleven and I engaged in lechery (8) |
| LUTENIST | |
| TEN (the rest of the eleven) + I contained by [engaged in] LUST (lechery) | |
| 44 | Well behaved attendant the German found in a Paris airport (7) |
| ORDERLY | |
| DER (‘the’ in German) contained by [found in] ORLY (a Paris airport). Two definitions plus wordplay. | |
| 45 | Light-hearted talk limited in Taliban territory? (6) |
| BANTER | |
| Hidden in [limited in] {Tali}BAN TER{ter} | |
| 47 | Love drink I had (5) |
| CUPID | |
| CUP (drink), I’D (I had) | |
| 49 | Scarcely sufficient — that has a lot missing inside? (5) |
| SCANT | |
| SCA{rcely sufficie}NT [that has a lot missing inside] | |
DNF
Didn’t get PARADISE LOST; I could make nothing of the clue, and now I see why. I hope we don’t have more of these. DNKs: ETHMOID, RADIOLYSIS, FESSE, DERATE. 39ac actually confirmed 31d for me, which I hadn’t parsed yet. Didn’t understand SCANT. 28ac is the worst surface I’ve seen in some time.
DNF, defeated by MEANS, ETHMOID, RACECOURSE, RETINA, SATURATED (not come across the soppy meaning), AGATE, CONFESSED (NHO fesse), RETSINA, PARADISE LOST and LUTENIST.
– I’m biased because I didn’t get RETINA or RETSINA, but I’m not a fan of a cross-reference with no indication of which clue it’s referring to
– Had no idea of the definition of gate as a street up north, and the clue for AGATE had me barking up the wrong tree looking for a reversal
– Got POMPOUSNESS without knowing that a pompom is a dahlia
– Didn’t see how SCANT worked
Thanks Jack and setter.
COD Electric piano
A tricky one this. I couldn’t parse SCANT so thanks for that. I don’t mind the device in 32dn as long as it’s explicitly spelled out like this. When it isn’t it irritates me.
Streets with names ending ‘gate’ in the South of England (Bishopsgate, for instance) are invariably named after a gate. In places like York the ‘gate’ comes from the Viking word for ‘street’ derived from Old Norse and cognate with Swedish gata, Danish gade and Norwegian gate.
And street in Finnish is katu borrowed from these Scandinavian forms due to the longtime Swedish influence.
Interesting – I did not know that!
DNF.
Thank you for the blog, I needed help with quite a few. I hadn’t heard of ethmoid, I didn’t know that ‘micros’ were computers, didn’t the know fesse, radiolysis, tai, derate, the dahlia at 33d, or understand 49d. Brighton as a definition at 30a was dreadful, I hate Spoonerisms and 33a was no exception. I agree with the previous poster who pointed out the awful surface of 28a.
Worst clue: 39a
Favourite clue: 18a.
Agreeing with many of your observations Jackkt – some nice creative clues, I thought there was lots to like about this one.
Raised eyebrows for Retsina-Retina but satisfying to work it out. Shame to get another heraldry word used in 5d. And like you I’m not used to Da for Father – maybe that’s a Welsh thing?
Really like the hopping clue for Oast!
5 away. RETINA to my mind wasn’t fair, and couldn’t see what was needed for 43 and 32. Thanks to the blogger for his work. Not my cup of tea this one.