Solving time of 22:35, suggesting something very straightforward by normal Jumbo standards. Where there were things which were beyond my existing knowledge, the wordplay was perfectly clear, so no complaints.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | SALOP – A in SLOP gives an old/alternative name for Shropshire – I wasn’t quite sure that was the same thing as “a county that’s no more” but that’s a minor quibble. |
| 4 | PINFISH – PIN (as used in cashpoints) FISH(=angle). I was not aware of the existence of the porgy or pinfish, but the wordplay allowed me to deduce it. I’m not sure if knowing Porgy and Bess helped or not. Probably not. |
| 8 | FLAGSTAFF – FLAG(=wilt), STAFF(=employees). |
| 13 | ETRUSCANS – (CARESTUNS)*. |
| 14 | STALKING HORSE – S{econd} TALKING HORSE. |
| 15 | DRAFTEE – RAFT in DEE. |
| 16 | PLEATER – P(=quietly), drEsses in LATER. Another word deduced from wordplay – it’s an attachment on a sewing machine which, surprise surprise, makes pleats. |
| 17 | ALMANAC – ALMA, (CAN)rev. |
| 18 | HAULED OVER THE COALS – spelling out the metaphorical phrase literally. |
| 21 | BLOW – double def. |
| 23 | INSTIGATE – (G.I.)rev. in IN STATE. |
| 25 |
ROSARY – ROS |
| 26 | MAGNUM – [A G{ood} N(knight in chess notation)] in MUM. |
| 28 | TRACEABILITY – [A (LIB)rev., IT] in TRACEY. |
| 30 | REPUBLICAN – (E.R.)rev. + PUBLICAN. I didn’t actually know which party Abe belonged to, but it seemed almost certain to be one of two. |
| 33 | GIRLFRIEND – (RINGRIFLED)*. |
| 34 | LANDING STAGE – LANDING, ST{reet}, AGE. |
| 37 | ASTRAY – S{on} in A TRAY. |
| 39 | SHRIMP – R{hode} I{sland} in [SH(=quiet), M.P.]. |
| 40 | ASPHALTIC – [(Prince) HAL, T{ook}] in ASPIC. |
| 42 | EDEN – Garden of E., and Anthony E., former prime Minister. |
| 43 | KEEP A STIFF UPPER LIP – depending on whether one interprets the phrase literally or metaphorically. |
| 46 | IMPRESS – i.e. “I’M PRESS”. |
| 47 | SLOSHED – bLoOmS in SHED. |
| 48 | ASSEGAI – ASS, E.G., A1. |
| 50 | GRANDDAUGHTER =”GRAND OUGHTA”. Little Nell from The Old Curiosity Shop. |
| 51 | VARIATION – VA. I{ntroduced} in RATION. |
| 52 | RESONATOR – (ORATENORS)*. |
| 53 | ROSETTE – SET in ROTE. |
| 54 | EXTOL – EX (LOT)rev. Not sure I’ve come across the expression “cry up” before. |
| Down | |
| 1 | SPENDTHRIFT – END in P{oin}T, in SHRIFT. |
| 2 | LARVA – spectacuLAR VAriety. |
| 3 | PASS THE TIME OF DAY – another of those “explain a metaphor literally” clues. |
| 4 | PLACEBO – PLACE [O.B.]rev. |
| 5 | NOSEPIECE – [E{nglish} SON]rev., “PEACE”. |
| 6 | INSPECTORATE – (PRIESTONCEAT)*. For those outside the UK, Ofsted is the public body which inspects schools etc. |
| 7 | HEARTSEASE – HEARTS, [AS in E{astern} E{uropean}]. Even with my limited botanical knowledge I recognise this term for the pansy. |
| 8 | FAKIR – Fostering All Knowledge In Religious. |
| 9 | ANNUALLY – U{nion} in ANN, ALLY. |
| 10 | SCHEME – HEM(=hesitate) in SeCrEt. |
| 11 | ADRENALIN – RENAL in A DIN. |
| 12 | FRENCHWOMAN – W{ife} in F{ine}, (ANCHORMEN)*. |
| 19 | UPSTAIR – ST{reet} in U PAIR(=posh couple). |
| 20 | OARWEED =”OR WE’D”. Another word I didn’t know which was made clear by the wordplay |
| 22 | CALL A SPADE A SPADE – another literal metaphor. |
| 24 | ALBEIT – L{earner} and E{nergy} in A BIT. |
| 27 | TURNIP – TURN 1p. Since the demise of the ha’penny, a single penny is the least amount of cash you can tender in this country. |
| 29 | LONG HOP – HOP(=dance) after N in LOG. |
| 31 | COASTAL – COAST(=freewheel), A{long} L{ength}. |
| 32 | HARPSICHORDS – (RICHARD’SSHOP)*. |
| 33 | GRAVEDIGGER – GRAVE(=gloomy), DIGGER(an old slang term for an Aussie). |
| 35 | EXCEPTIONAL – IONA in [EXCEPT(=save), L(=pounds, as in LSD)]. |
| 36 | SIX-SHOOTER – SHOOT(=fly) in SIXER. I wasn’t in the Brownies, obviously, but it seemed logical that the term would be the same as it was in the Cubs. |
| 38 | THESPIANS – (SHEPAINTS)*. |
| 40 | AFFIDAVIT – DAVI{d} in [A TIFF(rev.)]. |
| 41 | NEWSCAST – S{econd} in NEW CAST. |
| 44 | PRAIRIE – P{opula}R, AIR{DR}IE minus the DR. |
| 45 | TENDON – TEND ON, dude. |
| 47 | SUGAR – GA. in SUR{e}. |
| 49 | GLINT – G{irls} LINT. |
Definition of sixer in English:
noun
1The leader of a group of six Brownies or Cubs.