the times | Saturday December 18 2021 saturday review 83
12345678 910 11 1213 141516 17 1819 20 21 2223 24 25 26 27 2829 30 31 32 3334 35 3637 38 39 40 41 4243 44 45 46 47 4849 50 51 52 5354 5556 57 58Train
Tracks
No 1509
Lay tracks
to enable
the train to
travel from
village A to
village B.
The numbers
indicate
how many
sections of
rail go in
each row
and column.
There are
only straight
rails and
curved rails.
The track
cannot
cross itself.
Solution
on Monday
12 Sports match reporter (11)
15 Something vitally important
(6,2,4,3,5)
20 Grateful; delighted (7)
21 Busy; occupied (7)
24 Style of coiffure (7)
26 Lowest point (5)
28 Big cat (7)
30 Scottish region; — sausage (5)
32 Excellent (7)
33 Paper-folding art (7)
34 Deserving reward or praise (11)
36 Casually calm manner (11)
38 Heavenly (9)
40 Matter-of-fact; realistic (9)
41 Very detailed (9)
44 Continue to live or exist (7)
46 Bizarre (7)
48 Attainment of fame or wealth (7)
51 Place where birds settle (5)
53 Dance originating in Cuba (5)Cryptic clues
Across
1 Gold tooth maybe is one doing the
rounds? (7)
5 Tendency to escape from unhealthy
air associated with a metropolis (8)
9 Record performance by musicians
that’s not at all moving (6)
13 Soft, expensive cape wrapping about
neck (16)
14 Where police may be disposing of old
drug (6)
16 A number, it’s assumed, evens out (5)
17 Clouds of blue an explosion initially
sent out (7)
18 Awful, violent crime: men torn apart
(9)
19 Most exclusive clubs left: in Paris,
who’s admitting one? (9)
21 Sales pitch, outwardly well done, just
empty talk? (7)
22 What helps to make a hip drinking
venue, one’s concluding (5)
23 Note a lot of Liverpool fans after
return game (5)
25 Chocolate was not consumed after
devouring snail (9)
27 Fare from Italy to drop, with channel
crossing (7)
29 Your setter cried allowed, getting
stared at (9)
31 The butt’s a part of a rifle that goes on
without a problem (8,5)
34 Inferring from Irangate plot times are
a-changing! (13)
35 Churchgoer’s spirits at last excellent
after taking in cricket match (9)
37 With river advancing, beneath vessel,
prepare to swim? (7)
39 Short quote from champ appearing on
channel (9)
42 Idiot to cancel final — a sort of
football revolution! (5)
43 Pet for children’s party going without
meat? Unknown! (5)
45 Glaswegian’s protracted attempt to
find old actress (7)
47 Call I answer after day in German
state (9)
49 Crime by one with posh hairdo inside
car (9)
50 American actor’s spoken line of
Shakespeare? (7)
52 Depression has so far not entirely
regressed (5)
54 Niche firm in East London’s cut by 50
per cent (6)
55 To get nowhere is to be sufficient with
pop groups (2,5,2,7)
56 All there is to follow vermouth,
flipping fruit tea! (6)
57 For trial, took up with Left: set to
agitate (4-4)
58 Cheat also, it’s said, getting prison
sentence (3-4)
Down
1 Following rule, cricket league stops
pop star joining cricket side (2,9)
2 British not so in favour (5)
3 Briefly tense after interruption from
impolite old prime minister (7)
4 Fresh from southern Oz, Liverpudlian
poets do get back from across the
channel (8,3,4,5)
5 Piece of timber: product that’s a cube?
(4-2-3)
6 Large English egg chopped up hardly
appetising fare (5)
7 Train ran once a month originally for
remote Irish destination (9)
8 Mexican meal from hopper covering
stone article (7)
10 Rock one can see on sale at bird food
store (7)
11 Pitcher containing beer moving bishop
to dance! (9)
12 Notes type of wood cut for table (6,5)
15 Work of member of Parliament
admired by the queen (3,3,3,3,8)
20 Varied content of skip, etc, is most
revolting (7)
21 Letters on French wine included in
unwelcome post? One cause for
complaint! (7)
24 Maybe stout resistance met by each
trio omitting Les? (4,3)
26 Flat or house? I’m not sure (2-3)
28 Crack alarms us — so utilise clamps
(4,3)
30 Guts shown by inexperienced visiting
CID officer (5)
32 Silly young lad’s outside far too early
(7)
33 Declaring cipher secure, up to date,
and good (7)
34 Just as far behind horse, perhaps, first
soldier? (11)
36 Unlikely start to August: gets to visit
American capital (11)
38 Said PC could be moved with 1kg
boxes (9)
40 What the keenest do to win a speaking
competition? (9)
41 Audience were mostly thrilled with
invite (9)
44 City, years before, leading division (7)
46 A few with premier going on offensive
(7)
48 Reason acceptable for raising hell (7)
51 Don’t permit anything short to be
worn (5)
53 Was once successful in sales —
making money no longer (5)Across
1 Insect; game (7)
5 Disjoined (8)
9 Grape variety (6)
13 Disagreement, quarrel (16)
14 Bone of the lower back (6)
16 Terminal point; boundary (5)
17 Domestic fowl (US) (7)
18 Completely remove (9)
19 Electronic component (9)
21 Plain, obvious (7)
22 Feel triumphant elation (5)
23 Cogs; molars (5)
25 Having enduring popularity (9)
27 Dependant (on someone) (7)
29 Sacking (9)
31 Ceremonial escort (5,2,6)
34 Seismically active submarine area
(3-5,5)
35 Something causing severe harm
(9)
37 Italian soft cheese (7)
39 Eg, gelignite (9)
42 Waste channel (5)43 Stories (5)
45 Satisfy (an appetite) (7)
47 Composer of popular songs (9)
49 Artificial lake (9)
50 Wed (7)
52 Christmas song (5)
54 Starting point (6)
55 Play by Arthur Miller (5,2,1,8)
56 Bad-tempered, sulky (6)
57 Formal attire (5,3)
58 One kept prisoner as security (7)Down
1 Elaborate, involved (11)
2 To conclude (2,3)
3 Relating to motion (7)
4 Novel by Dostoyevsky (3,8,9)
5 Written or spoken communication
(9)
6 Brainy; sting (5)
7 Dig beneath (9)
8 Bring together (7)
10 Extreme greed (7)
11 Predatory marine fish (9)times2 clues
Jumbo crossword No 1531
The prize for each of the first
correct solutions to the Cryptic
and times2 Jumbo clues to be
opened will be a collection of
Times reference books —
including The Times Universal
Atlas of the World, Collins
English Dictionary & Thesaurus, and Bradford’s
Crossword Solver’s Dictionary published by
HarperCollins. Entries should be marked “Cryptic” or
“times2” and sent to: The Times Jumbo Crossword 1531,
PO Box 2164, Colchester, Essex CO2 8LJ; or emailed to:
[email protected], with “Cryptic 1531” or “times2
1531” in the subject line, to arrive by December 30.
Open to 18+, UK & ROI residents only. The winners and
the solutions will be published on January 8.Name......................................................................................................... Prizes
Address.....................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
............................................................ Postcode.....................................
Phone number......................................................................................
For more crosswords and your favourite
puzzles go to thetimes.co.ukThe next Jumbo crossword in the newspaper will appear on
bank holiday Monday, December 27, in times2
*