Times Jumbo 715

[wychwood1]

Not doing well on this one!

19a: ??d?u?t "Innermost fortification"
54a: ??d?l?s "Cheats meanly"
31d: ?a?ing "Very keen (to go)"
41d: ?l?g?a?? "Element resisting progress"

Obviously I might have got some of these letters wrong. Mant thanks for any help.

[kettledrum]

19a redoubt
31a raring

[kettledrum]

54a diddles

[kayakamina]

54 Fiddles

31 Raring

[kayakamina]

Blockade ?

[kettledrum]

41d old guard ?

[kettledrum]

What is the clue for 54d ? As I see it , the answer could be either diddles or fiddles for 54a !

[wychwood1]

Mant thanks to everyone. I think you have done them all. I can't help feeling a couple of those clues are cryptic and this is meant to be the "quick" crossword, what do others think?

[Ulzana]

Wychwood1 I thought there was only one Times Jumbo crossword on a Saturday and last Saturday's was 714, so where is 715?

[kettledrum]

Bank Holiday Monday

[wychwood1]

Sorry I didn't make it clear - Jumbo 715 was on Bank Holiday Monday. They always do an extra one on bank holidays.

[Ulzana]

Thanks for that. I must remember that for future. If you did 714, however, can you help me out on 56a Possibly Joyce's Parisian friend backing substance of argument - I?A?I?T

[wychwood1]

Sorry Ulzana I only do the "quick" version. I could not begin to do the cryptic one. However I am sure someone out there can help you.