Times Jumbo 955 (10 Dec 2011)

Author   daveperryPosted on Categories Jumbo Cryptic
Solving time: 1:21:22

I enjoyed this one. Some marvellous clues in here – 14, 25 & 46 all stand out as my personal favourites.

cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (–)*, and removals like this

Across
1 HUM + DRUM
5 LOCK + JAW
9 IMBIBER = I + Blade in tIMBER
13 DON GIOVANNI = (AVOIDING NO)* about gardeN
14 GLOTTAL STOP = LOT (large figure) + Tries in GAL’S TOP – this produced a groan once I’d finally decrypted the wordplay!
15 NO + MAD
16 DO(WAG)ER
17 PENNILESS – cd – PRESIDENT becomes RESIDENT when it is penniless
18 LINE OF LEAST RESISTANCE = (ALLIES OFTEN)* + RESISTANCE. I can only recall seeing this phrase as ‘path …’ rather than ‘line …’
23 HELLENIC = HELL + (NICE)*
25 (UK + US) rev about DO – My last in, but I thought it was a great definition once the penny finally dropped
27 NERVOUS = (SUN OVER)*
30 STEEP – dd
32 OBVIATE = OBE about (VIA + Threats)
33 H(A + PH + AZ)ARD
35 STAGE DOOR – cd
36 ICE-COLD = ID about CE COL
37 mENDED
38 T(A + V)ERN + Ample
40 YANKEE = NAY rev + KEEn
41 GORMLESS = GO + R + Lancashire in MESS
44 CRY ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK – cd/dd
48 IN + STAN(CE)D
50 SALERNO = (ORLEANS)*
53 EXPAT = EX + TAP rev
54 PLANE + TO + LOG + Y
55 PAEDIATRICS = I in (PRACTISED A)*
56 RED TAPE = PATER rev about D + E
57 Y-FRONTS = pythoN in (FORTY)* + S – although I suspect a lot of people will have seen Underwear (1-6) and written it straight in. I know I did!
58 MIRAGES = MISt about RAGE
Down
1 HIDING – dd
2 MINIMAL = I’M rev on aNIMAL
3 RAIN DANCE – cd
4 MOVED – dd
5 LONE WOLF = (ONE + LOW rev) in LiFe
6 C + LING
7 JOG + TROT
8 WHOOPEE CUSHION – cd
9 IN(TENT)ION – I didn’t know the word Inion so I needed most of the checkers in place before I felt confident enough to put it in.
10 BALTI = Tikka in BALI
11 BETWEEN YOU AND ME – dd
12 RIPOSTE = POST in cRuIsE
19 ORINOCO = (CON + IR + O) all rev + O
20 ADULATION = A + (AIN’T LOUD)
21 T(ER)RACE
22 CHE + S/S/S + ET
24 LEE HARVEY OSWALD = (AHEAD SO VERY WELL)* – The setter is clearly someone who puts no faith in conspiracy theories!
26 OV(E + REX)ERT
28 SIDE + DISH
29 OVER MY DEAD BODY – dd
31 PLEURAL = P + (ALLURE) – the organ in question being the lung
34 PA + DRONE
39 ARTIC + H(OK)E
42 MEAT-EATER = MATER about (EAT + sausagE) – along with 56a, completes the set of very posh parents
43 STARLESS = STARE about Legion + SS
44 CLIPPER – dd
45 AS + SAYER
46 KIP + LING – Brilliant definition that completely passed me by until post-solve – ‘If man’
47 STASI + Slow
49 ARE(N)A
51 bLUe + PIN
52 O(PIU)M – as with most Italian words found in crosswords, PIU as a musical direction as in ‘piu allegro’

One comment on “Times Jumbo 955 (10 Dec 2011)”

  1. 30:43 for me – at least that’s what my stopwatch said at the end, but it felt a lot faster so perhaps I dozed off in the middle or forgot to reset the time to zero after my 9:53 for that Saturday’s 15×15 (which I’d done immediately before).

    Nice puzzle – I particularly liked 12dn.

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