Times Jumbo 766 (Sat 12 July 2008)

* = anagram < = reversal
ACROSS
1 P AS S T(HE B)UCK Very elaborate wordplay!
7 CONNECT I CUT Excellent misleading context
13 ON THE CREST OF A WAVE Entered on first run through, which helped
14 HINDU Hidden
15 I(SOME)R
16 The sword of DAMOCLES
17 WAR (HE A)D
19 CO AL F (I)RED King Alfred and the two symbols
21 EPI (DEMI)C
23 TSAR First letters
25 O P ART
27 L ON DON
28 PROSCIUTTO (cup risotto)*
30 ST (E’ER) AGE Main = sea
31 GIVE UP THE GHOST
34 TOILET TRAINING
35 S TRUMPET
38 SHADOW PLAY
40 LE(GAT)O music
41 LEEDS “leads”
43 E(X)IT tie<
44 PORT RA IT
45 DISES TEEM (sides)*
48 LAP LACE mathematician and astronomer
49 SEA(FARE)R
50 PRESE(n)T
53 T I RE D
54 WILL I AM WORDS’ WORTH
55 DESIDERATUM (maid red suit)*
56 NO STRAD A MUS sum<

DOWN
1 PROMIS(e) C(U)O US firm = co (company)
2 SET-TO Hidden reversal
3 THE RE(O)F O = leader of opposition
4 EARN “urn”
5 UP STANDING
6 KNOW ONE’S ONIONS Onions producing tears
7 CHAPL(A)IN A in Charlie Chaplin – one of his best-known roles
8 N(EAR)S
9 EDELWEISS (weeds lie)* S (close to helpless)
10 T (S)HIRT(y) S = succeeded
11 CONVERS (AT) ION PIECE t = Protestant finally king = piece (chess)
12 THUNDERBOLT (Truth blonde)*
18 ARC LIGHT Shiner = good misleading definition (tragic hl)* hl = hospital emptied (first and last letters)
20 A N AME R ICAN IN PA R IS (in a panic)* in RR (2 queens = regina)
22 E (U)ROP A U = uranium (a pore)< satellite of Jupiter
24 RING PULL Very good use of ‘can’
26 TURNED ON no<
29 NEANTHERDAL MAN (had learnt name n)*
32 H O T H OUSE Flower = river (Ouse)
32 SA(VAN)T
34 TESS EL(L)ATED Thomas Hardy – Tess of the d’Urbervilles
36 TEST MATCHES
37 S (ADDLE-B)OWS
39 P (HONEY W)AR Liked this (1939-40)
42 PARA DIG M (Monsieur)
46 SCREWED Double definition (conned)
47 CAN DID My last entry
49 SP(L)IT
51 SCRUM(my)
52 River ODER “Odour” River = flower again