This was a jumbo of average difficulty which went in with few hold-ups. It struck me on reflection that it was perhaps slightly looser than the normal Times standard, which is neither a good nor bad thing, but does offer more variety. I assume that the Jumbos adhere to all the usual rules that the dailies do, but perhaps the editor has more flexibiliy to push the boundaries.
| Across |
| 1 | A TALE OF A TUB - Answer clear from checkers, but I dont really know how this parses. There exists the Wife of Baths Tale, and "A tale of a Tub", so it may just be the differentiation between Baths tale and his wifes. I hope there is a little more to it though. |
| 7 | STEADY STATE - STEADY=girlfriend, STATE=public=not private, whole is the theory |
| 13 | A BULL IN A CHINA SHOP - Hereford is a bull and Worcester can be china |
| 14 | THINE - THIN=inadequate, E=english. Def is "The reader's (possessive) no longer" - suggesting an archaic word. |
| 15 | MOZART - OZ=Australia, inside MART=fair |
| 16 | SPADEFUL - (pals feud)* |
| 17 | ISRAELI - reverse hidden - (n)I (k)S(i)R (t)A (s)E(i)L(l)I(f), def is just "National" which provides good diversion within the surface reading. |
| 19 | LODGEMENT - GEM inside LO=watch, DENT=slight damage |
| 21 | BALMORAL - BALM=something soothing, ORAL=said |
| 23 | SNAG - NAG=horse, after (rancher)S |
| 25 | CAJUN - CA=about, JUN=thirty days of summer |
| 27 | TALK UP - TALK=spill beans, UP=over, whole is TOUT |
| 28 | DESERT BOOT - DESERT=maroon, B=black, TOO=unduly, reversed |
| 30 | SAKHAROV - (has, K, or a V)* where K is from K(urdish) |
| 31 | FOLLOW MY LEADER - MY=gracious, LEADER=editorial, after FOLLOW=track |
| 34 | COLLECTIVE NOUN - COLLECT=prayer, I'VE, O=love, in NUN=religious. Exaltation, for one, is the definition |
| 35 | FUNEBRAL - (burn leaf)* |
| 38 | GLASS FIBRE - (big far less)* |
| 40 | STRONG - RT=right, reversed inside SONG=air |
| 41 | STAIR - if you put STAIR between A&E you get Fred Astaire |
| 43 | ODDS - DS=policeman, after OD=overdose=take too much |
| 44 | PALOMINO - I inside ON, MO=second, LAP=circuit, all reversed |
| 45 | TOURNEDOS - Whole is just "CUT", as in of meat. TOURNE(y) then DOS = functions. The risk here is to think TOURNAMENT, and write TOURNADOS, but usually shortening refers to a single letter off. |
| 48 | CHRONIC - CHRONIC(le) |
| 49 | LONGHORN - LONG=desperately want, HORN=cape. Lower is a crossword type hint for cattle, "one that lows" |
| 50 | APPEAR - PA=per annum=a year, reversed, then PEAR=conference, say |
| 53 | NOYAU - reverse hidden (ec)NO YAU(garap) |
| 54 | BOUNCEBACKABILITY - (cob I in black beauty)* - a word allegedly coined by Crystal Palace manager Iain Dowie ?!? |
| 55 | I REST MY CASE - I, REST=remains, M(ainl)Y, CASE=patient |
| 56 | ANNIHILATOR - ANN=girl, I L=left, around HI=greeting, then ROTA=list, reversed |
| Down |
| 1 | ALARM CLOCKS - A LA R = in the style of Queen, MC=rapper, LOCKS=jams, whole is "rousing items" |
| 2 | ABUZZ - Whole is "humming", this is a strange loose wordplay, B(irds) inside AUZZ = GAUZE, with ends removed and "stretched". Not sure why the stretching only applies to the end and a single letter, but it gets the answer and I guess that is enough. |
| 3 | ENLARGE - (general)* |
| 4 | FANG - (injectio)N inside FAG=pain |
| 5 | TO CAP IT ALL - TO CAPITAL = London bound, L=learner driver |
| 6 | BOIS DE BOULOGNE - (doubles, oo, begin)* |
| 7 | SCAFFOLD - S,CAFF=cheap restaurant, OLD=familiar |
| 8 | ETHEL - ET=film, HEL(d)=briefly gripped |
| 9 | DUPLICATE - DUP=Irish party, LATE=into the small hours, around I,C. Whole is "match" |
| 10 | SATIRE - SAT=day, I, RE=engineers |
| 11 | ALICE IN WONDERLAND - ALICE=female, muse=WONDER, around IN=home, then LAND=win. Whole is just "Fabulous" |
| 12 | EVENING STAR - (in vast green)* |
| 18 | SEA TROUT - SEAT=place in parliament, ROUT=heavy defeat |
| 20 | DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE - cryptic def |
| 22 | ONE TWO - hidden in (n)O NETWO(rks) |
| 24 | ST HELENS - S, THE=article, LENS=glass |
| 26 | NEAR EAST - NEST=cosy home, AREA=quarter, inside |
| 29 | CLAUSTROPHOBIA - HO=house, in (subtropical)* then A |
| 32 | YOUNG GUN - double def |
| 33 | OVERDO - DO=note, after OVER=deliveries |
| 34 | COGNOSCENTI - CO=carbon monoxide=gas, then NO SCENT=lack of odour, inside GI=soldier |
| 36 | LORDS PRAYER - LORDS=house, PR=proportional representation=voting, AYE=yes, R=republicans |
| 37 | COSTA RICAN - COST=something quoted, A(f)RICAN=continental, not loudly |
| 39 | IRASCIBLY - reverse alternate letters - (d)I(a)R(f)A (h)S(a)C (d)I(h) B(u)L(c) Y(m) |
| 42 | PINNACLE - L, CAN=vessel, reversed inside PINE=tree. |
| 46 | NUPTIAL - LAIT(y)=people (nearly all), PUN=joke, all reversed |
| 47 | INSULT - (sunlit)* |
| 49 | LAURA - AURAL=hearing, with last letter to first |
| 51 | EVICT - E=European, VICT(or)=champion, without gold |
| 52 | NASH - N=name, ASH=tree |