A straightforward Jumbo, with a rather botanical feel – ORACHE (18ac), PERICARP (30ac), OPUNTIAS (6dn) and MARIPOSA (42dn) were probably the most obscure answers. Personally, I’ll take any number of plant terms in preference to just one cricketing reference (22dn)!
| Across |
| 1 |
FIVE POUND NOTE – I + V + EP (obsolete type of record) in FOUND NOTE |
| 8 |
SHEFFIELD – SHE = woman + F + FIELD (sounds like “feeled”, illiterate form of “felt”) |
| 13 |
RODEO – RODE + O=round |
| 14 |
RASMUSSEN – (man sure)*, around SS=ship. Rasmussen was an arctic explorer |
| 15 |
STRIVES – R=river in ST IVES |
| 16 |
FINGERPRINTS – FINER PRINTS outside G |
| 17 |
PEDESTRIAN – (train speed)* |
| 18 |
ORACHE – OR=men (military sense; see 40ac) + ACHE=long. ORACHE is a leafy vegetable. |
| 19 |
LOANABLE – LO + B containing ANA=collection of anecdotes, + LE. |
| 21 |
PIFFLE – PILE around FF |
| 24 |
TOPGALLANT – TO + P + GALLANT |
| 26 |
BLANDISHMENT – SH + MEN, taken in by BLAND + IT=Italian |
| 29 |
SUIT – double meaning, attire and suit of cards (clubs) |
| 30 |
PERICARP – PERI=fairy + CARP. PERICARP is one of the layers of tissue making up a fruit |
| 31 |
ATTENDEE – ATTLEE=former Prime Minister, with L replaced by END=death |
| 34 |
ELATEDLY – (b)ELATEDLY |
| 35 |
FOREGONE – OREGON=territory of America (answer to 53ac), surrounded by FE (Fe is the symbol for iron) |
| 36 |
SMUT – SMUT(s). Jan Smuts was a Prime Minister of South Africa |
| 39 |
PRETTY-PRETTY – PRETTY=rather + PETTY=small-minded, around R=queen (regina) |
| 40 |
OTHER RANKS – OR, a letter pair seen inside the word fort, is an abbreviation for OTHER RANKS=(non-officer) soldiers |
| 43 |
HURRAY – HURRY around (conveying) A |
| 44 |
ARMCHAIR – ARCH=knowing + AIR, around M |
| 45 |
CAFTAN – CAN around (concealing) AFT |
| 49 |
BRIDESMAID – IDES=fateful day (as in “Ides of March”) + M in BRAID |
| 51 |
DISAPPROVING – SAP in DIP, + ROVING |
| 53 |
AMERICA – ERIC in (hugged by) A MA |
| 54 |
HALLOWEEN – HALLO + WEE + N=last letter of children |
| 55 |
O MEGA – could be a way of addressing something or someone very big, i.e. mega |
| 56 |
DISPARAGE – D + IS + PA + RAGE |
| 57 |
HEARTLESSNESS – cryptic definition, having only three of the four suits of playing cards (i.e. no hearts) |
| Down |
| 1 |
FOREFRONT – (effort)*, around Ron=man’s name |
| 2 |
VEDANTA – hidden in [depra]ved anta[gonists] |
| 3 |
PROMETHEAN – PRO + ME + THE + AN. PROMETHEAN can mean creative or original |
| 4 |
UNRIPE – RIP=scoundrel inside (protected by) UNE= french feminine indefinite article |
| 5 |
DISCIPLINARY – DISC + I + PLINY around A R |
| 6 |
OPUNTIAS – (patio sun)* |
| 7 |
ELSE – E + LSE=London School of Economics |
| 8 |
SUNDERLAND – S + UNDER + LAND |
| 9 |
EASTER – (f)EASTER |
| 10 |
FIRST-NIGHTER – FIRS + TIGHTER around N |
| 11 |
ENVOI – hidden in [childr]en voi[ced] |
| 12 |
DISINVESTMENT – DI’s=woman’s + IN VESTMENT (clerical clothing).The bread being taken out indicates withdrawal of funds (investments) |
| 20 |
ALLERGEN – ALLER=French for go, + GEN=info |
| 22 |
FIELDSMAN – point is apparently some sort of fielding position in cricket (summer sport). I wouldn’t know… |
| 23 |
FLIP-FLOP – double meaning |
| 25 |
PRIVATEER – PRIER around VAT + E |
| 27 |
IN THE RED – THERE=that place inside (not outside) IND=independent |
| 28 |
ACROSTIC – A CROC around anagram of its |
| 29 |
SWEEP THE BOARD – double (almost triple) meaning |
| 32 |
SEPTUAGESIMA – (us a times page)* |
| 33 |
FOSTER-PARENT – (part of nester)* |
| 37 |
BEAR WITH ME – double meaning |
| 38 |
TREASONOUS – T + REASON + O + US=useless |
| 41 |
SANDGLASS – S and G are the extremities of sulking; + LASS |
| 42 |
MARIPOSA – PO=river + S inside MARIA=large plains on the Moon (hence dry). Mariposa is a kind of lily |
| 46 |
TRIREME – TRI(p) + REME (army engineers) |
| 47 |
IMPALA – I’M PAL + A |
| 48 |
SPONGE – SPONGE(r)=(metaphorical) parasite |
| 50 |
IDEAS – A SIDE with AS moved down to the end |
| 52 |
ALPH – ALP +H. Alph is the sacred river in “Kubla Khan” by Coleridge |
Looking at the Google Calendar that seems to still be the case and Helen should have the ones ending 4 or 9.