Another of those weird semi-stinkers for me. Decent progress was had diagonally, north-west down to south-east, with perhaps the exception of ET IN ARCADIA EGO, but in the other corners it seemed the setter was a little too determined to play nasty, which spoiled the fun.

I think I got there in the end, at least as far as a grid fill goes. You can find mine below along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them helpful. While you are here, you can find links to solutions to the last 100+ of these things on my Just For Fun page, should a recent Jumbo have you stumped. I’ve also got some dusty old book reviews and a story of mine.

If I may quote the eminent philosopher of our times, Eric Cartman, Lockdown II continues “to suck donkey balls”, so stay safe, mask up and keep supporting the NHS and key workers everywhere. Time for me to hit one of them there shiny new games consoles. (Flexes thumbs.)

LP

Across clues

1. Worked with teeth – appropriate for a rodent (9)

Answer: GROUNDHOG (i.e. “a rodent”). Solution is GROUND (i.e. “worked with teeth”) followed by HOG (i.e. to take or “appropriate”).

6. Conflict, depression and division on colony, ultimately (10)

Answer: DISHARMONY (i.e. “conflict”). Solution is DISH (i.e. a bowl or “depression”) followed by ARM (i.e. branch or “division”), then ON and Y (i.e. “colony, ultimately”, i.e. the last letter of “colony”).

12. Men in retreat mostly ruined attack (5,2)

Answer: ROUND ON (i.e. “attack”). Solution is OR (i.e. “men”, specifically the Other Ranks of the British Army) reversed (indicated by “in retreat”) and followed by UNDONE (i.e. “ruined”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “mostly”), like so: RO-UNDON.

13. Something wet to clear up, sprayed with warm jet (5,4)

Answer: WATER JUMP (i.e. “something wet to clear”, say in a steeplechase). “Sprayed” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of UP and WARM JET.

14. One’s preceded by gracious primate proceeding slowly (5)

Answer: LORIS (i.e. “primate proceeding slowly”, referring to slow lorises). Solution is I’S (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one’s”) placed after or “preceded by” LOR (i.e. “gracious”, both taken as exclamations – “lor” is a slang abbreviation of “lord”), like so: LOR-I’S.

16. Storm involving priest seen with plunder in car (7,5)

Answer: RELIANT ROBIN (i.e. “car” – after a setter tried to score a free Bugatti the other week by including the car maker among the solutions, it seems this week’s setter has lowered their expectations a little). Solution is RANT (i.e. “storm”) wrapped around ELI (i.e. Biblical “priest”) and then followed by ROB (i.e. to “plunder”) and IN, like so: R(ELI)ANT-ROB-IN.

17. Society greets secure form of lottery (10)

Answer: SWEEPSTAKE (i.e. “form of lottery”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “society”, used in abbreviations like the RSPCA) followed by WEEPS (i.e. “greets” – a new one on me, “greet” has an old Scots meaning “to weep”) and TAKE (i.e. to “secure”).

19. Renowned Irish columns from author having huge influence all round (6,8)

Answer: GIANT’S CAUSEWAY (i.e. those “renowned Irish columns” where geology and geometry meet). Solution is CAUSE (i.e. to “author” or create) with GIANT (i.e. “huge”) and SWAY (i.e. “influence”) placed “all round” it, like so: GIANT-S(CAUSE)WAY.

22. Drops out of academy during a New York October? (8)

Answer: RAINFALL (i.e. “drops”). Solution is RA (i.e. “academy”, specifically the Royal Academy of Arts) followed by IN (i.e. “during”) and FALL (i.e. “a New York October”, referring to how Americans refer to the autumn months as “fall”).

24. Part of the company’s stable? Hardly (6)

Answer: INFIRM (i.e. “stable? Hardly”). When written as IN FIRM the solution also satisfies “part of the company”.

25. Nonplussed when fashion editor goes on rather! (10)

Answer: ASTONISHED (i.e. bewildered or “nonplussed”) Solution is AS (i.e. “when”) followed by TON (i.e. “fashion” – a variant meaning of “ton” that you see in crossword clues more often than everywhere else combined) and ED (shortened form of “editor”) once the latter has been placed after or “on” ISH (i.e. “rather”), like so: AS-TON-(ISH)-ED.

26. Singers turning round unmissable shows (5)

Answer: BASSI (i.e. “singers”, specifically a plural of basso). “Shows” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, in this case within the word “unmissable”, while “turning round” indicates the solution has been reversed, like so: UNM(ISSAB)LE.

29. Gallery’s encouragement to investigating officer? (4)

Answer: GODS (i.e. “gallery” in a theatre, as in “up in the gods”). When written as GO DS the solution also satisfies “encouragement to investigating officer”, specifically a Detective Sergeant.

30. The female expert appearing across commercial channel (8)

Answer: HEADRACE (i.e. “channel” – over to Chambers: “the channel leading to a water wheel or other hydraulically-operated machine”. Not something that’ll live long in the memory, sadly). Solution is HER (i.e. “the female”) and ACE (i.e. “expert”) wrapped around or “appearing across” AD (i.e. “commercial”, short for “advertisement”), like so: HE(AD)R-ACE. One of those nailed solely from the wordplay.

32. Page about supporting education graduate put together in advance (9)

Answer: PREFORMED (i.e. “put together in advance”). Solution is P (a recognised abbreviation of “page”) followed by RE (i.e. “about” – think email replies), then FOR (i.e. “supporting”) and MED (i.e. “education graduate”, specifically a Master of Education).

34. Clapped out old vehicle, in short one delivered at inopportune time? (4,5)

Answer: LOVE CHILD (i.e. “one delivered at inopportune time” – too vague). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “clapped out”) of OLD VEHICLE once the last letter has been removed (indicated by “in short”). Ugh.

35. Choice reflected your excellent work with animals (8)

Answer: BESTIARY (i.e. “work with animals”). Solution is BEST (i.e. “choice”) followed by YR (a recognised abbreviation of “your”) and AI (i.e. “excellent”, i.e. A1 with the 1 represented as a Roman numeral) once these latter two have been reversed (indicated by “reflected”), like so: BEST-(IA-RY).

36. Wily crook (4)

Answer: ARCH. Solution satisfies “wily” and “crook”, as in a bend or something bent. Nicely done.

39. Row after firm closed (3-2)

Answer: SET-TO (i.e. “row”). Solution is SET (i.e. “firm”) followed by TO (i.e. “closed”, as in how one would close a door “to”).

40. Act wisely: ring new solicitors (3,7)

Answer: LAW SOCIETY (i.e. “solicitors”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “new”) of ACT WISELY and O (i.e. “ring”).

42. One shut up after battle to impress conference (6)

Answer: POWWOW (i.e. “conference”). Solution is POW (i.e. “one shut up after battle”, i.e. a Prisoner Of War) followed by WOW (i.e. “to impress”).

44. Man set to become minister (8)

Answer: CHAPLAIN (i.e. “minister”). Solution is CHAP (i.e. “man”) followed by LAIN (i.e. “set” down).

46. Painting’s eradication, sadly, with age (2,2,7,3)

Answer: ET IN ARCADIA EGO (i.e. “painting” by Nicolas Poussin. I’m no Brian Sewell – I’m much too nice for a start (looks to camera) – but I do like gawping at artworks and looking into the techniques used to create them. Poussin never really did it for me, though.) “Sadly” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of ERADICATION and AGE.

48. Lesser characters punishing people in return refuse their food? (10)

Answer: SCAVENGERS (i.e. “refuse [is] their food”, as in how scavengers forage through another’s waste). Solution is SC (i.e. “lesser characters” – specifically those in Small Capitals) followed by AVENGERS (i.e. “characters punishing people in return”). Nice bit of recycling there.

49. US zoo let bear out? How low can you go! (8,4)

Answer: ABSOLUTE ZERO (i.e. “how low can you go”, referring to the coldest temperature possible. Even then, Geordie footie fans will turn up topless.) “Out” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of US ZOO LET BEAR.

53. Sort of share purchase with English girl in rugby team (2,3)

Answer: EX DIV (i.e. “sort of share purchase”, short for “ex dividend”, in which a purchase has been made in a company’s shares during a short period in which the next dividend would be paid to the seller of the shares in a transaction rather than the purchaser). Solution is E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”) followed by DI (i.e. a “girl’s” name) once placed “in” XV (i.e. “rugby team”, i.e. Roman numerals for “fifteen”), like so: E-X(DI)V.

54. Changing latest film in our name (2,3,4)

Answer: ON THE TURN (i.e. “changing”). Solution is NTH (i.e. “latest”, as in taking something “to the nth degree”) and ET (i.e. “film”, specifically ET: The Extra-Terrestrial) both placed “in” OUR and followed by N (a recognised abbreviation of “name”), like so: O(NTH-ET)UR-N.

55. Did career damage (light) (7)

Answer: HURTLED (i.e. “did career”). Solution is HURT (i.e. “damage”) followed by LED (i.e. “light”, specifically a Light Emitting Diode).

56. College keeping yellow spirit – a litre far from fresh (10)

Answer: UNORIGINAL (i.e. “far from fresh”). Solution is UNI (i.e. “college”) wrapped around or “keeping” OR (i.e. “yellow” or gold in heraldry), then followed by GIN (i.e. “spirit”), A and L (a recognised abbreviation of “litre”), like so: UN(OR)I-GIN-A-L.

57. Child meeting the head, one guilty of serious wrongdoing? (9)

Answer: KIDNAPPER (i.e. “one guilty of serious wrongdoing”). Solution is KID (i.e. “child”) followed by NAPPER (i.e. “the head”, as in how one gets their head down for a nap).

Down clues

1. Poor serving? Set to clinch game (5)

Answer: GRUEL (i.e. “poor serving” – Oliver Twist famously asked for more). Solution is GEL (i.e. “set”) wrapped around or “clinching” RU (i.e. “game”, specifically Rugby Union), like so: G(RU)EL.

2. Model not oddly recalled with flowers in paintings (3,7)

Answer: OLD MASTERS (i.e. “paintings”). Solution is MDLO (i.e. “model not oddly”, i.e. every other letter of MODEL NOT) reversed (indicated by “recalled”) and followed by ASTERS (i.e. “flowers”), like so: OLDM-ASTERS.

3. Sort of pan, note, where you’d put cocktail sausage? (8)

Answer: NONSTICK (i.e. “sort of pan”). Solution is N (a recognised abbreviation of “note”) followed by ON STICK (i.e. “where you’d put cocktail sausage”).

4. Anything in house for use as guide? (3-2)

Answer: HOW-TO (i.e. “guide”). Solution is OWT (i.e. “anything” oop north) placed “in” HO (a recognised abbreviation of “house”), like so: H(OWT)O.

5. Frightful egotist we suss out (3,4,2)

Answer: GET WISE TO (i.e. “suss out”). “Frightful” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of EGOTIST WE.

6. Fleet-footed attorney’s patch (4)

Answer: DARN (i.e. to repair or “patch”). Solution is DA (i.e. “attorney”, specifically a District Attorney) followed by RN (specifically the Royal Navy, a “fleet”). As this is a down clue, RN is placed beneath or “footing” DA.

7. Radar signal is small, and as weak (6)

Answer: SQUAWK (i.e. “radar signal” – another new one on me, but interesting). So here we have an example of the setter playing nasty. The solution, as best I can establish, is S (i.e. “small”) followed by QUA (i.e. “as [being]” – Latin, because, you know, it’s The Times) and WK. Except WK is a recognised abbreviation of “week”, not “weak”. Poor of the setter for trying to pass this off as acceptable wordplay, and equally poor of the editor for allowing it. Yellow cards all round.

8. Flight software the French put round Polish Conference? (6,3,5)

Answer: APPLES AND PEARS (i.e. “flight” of stairs – The Times is at heart a London paper, and setters do love their Cockney rhyming slang, gawblessem. (Thumbs braces.)). Solution is APP (i.e. “software”, short for application or applet) followed by LES (i.e. “the French”, i.e. French for “the” used for collectives) once “put round” SAND (i.e. “polish” – ignore the misleading capitalisation) and PEAR (i.e. “Conference” – chalk one to my Bradfords here, as I’m not a pear man. Not much of a fruit man either, truth be told), like so: APP-LE(SAND-PEAR)S.

9. Married woes coming with blessing? That’s hopelessly romantic! (5-3-4)

Answer: MILLS-AND-BOON (i.e. “hopelessly romantic”, in comparison to the popular line of romance novels. Pub fact: when you see a job lot on eBay for 2000 Mills and Boon novels, there’s a good chance they’ll all be different. Same story arc, mind…) Solution is M (a recognised abbreviation of “married”) followed by ILLS (i.e. “woes”), then AND (i.e. “with”) and BOON (i.e. “blessing”).

10. Heaven recalled in bible stories (7)

Answer: NIRVANA (i.e. “heaven”, perhaps taken more as a blissful state than a chunk of supermundane real estate). Solution is IN reversed (indicated by “recalled”) and followed by RV (i.e. “bible”, specifically the Revised Version) and ANA (i.e. “stories” or anecdotes), like so: NI-RV-ANA. Nicely done. Probably my favourite clue.

11. Working group go in, after finally halting (10)

Answer: PROROGUING (i.e. “halting”. Blimey, has someone set the calendar back a year? (Reviews 2020 thus far.) Actually, yes, somebody! anybody! set the calendar back a year, please! Worthless aside: while “proroguing” became a political buzzword last autumn, perhaps my favourite word from the whole torrid affair was “tergiversation”, used by then Speaker John Bercow in this testy slap-down during the closing moments of the parliamentary session:

Dr Johnson – On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Earlier this week, the Leader of the Opposition said that he would vote for a general election tonight if Royal Assent was passed, but today he said that he would not, because he wants to prevent no deal. Can you confirm that, if an election had been held on 15 October, there would have been plenty of time, had he won the election, to have prevented no deal, so, in actual fact, there must be another reason for him running scared?
Mr Speaker – I cannot confirm anything of the sort. The expression “plenty of time” is an evaluative statement and it is obviously a view that the hon. Lady holds and she is entitled to it, but I certainly cannot confirm anything of the sort. I think that, essentially, she is accusing the Leader of the Opposition of tergiversation. [Interruption.] Yes, tergiversation. It is not a new charge. It is a charge that has been levelled many times over the centuries.
Dr Johnson (rose)
Mr Speaker – No, no. I do not need anything further.
Dr Johnson (rose)
Mr Speaker – No, no. Nothing further is required. That is the charge that the hon. Lady is levelling, but it is not a fatal charge. It has to be said that not only is it not a fatal charge, but it is not a novel concept, or without precedent in the history of our politics. We will leave it there.

https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2019-09-09/debates/44BDF5ED-3C22-40B5-AAD8-1EA95DED732C/EarlyParliamentaryGeneralElection(No2)

You’ll find this at the very end of the page as it took place at stupid o’clock in the morning, and, yes, I was watching. You’re right, I need to get out more. Anyway…) Solution is an anagram (indicated by “working”) of GROUP GO IN followed by G (i.e. “finally halting”, i.e. the last letter of “halting”), like so: PROROGUIN-G.

15. Indicate difficulty creating entrance (9)

Answer: SPELLBIND (i.e. “entrance”). Solution is SPELL (i.e. “indicate”) followed by BIND (i.e. “difficulty”, as in being placed in a bind).

18. Girl getting round periodical lack of diligence (8)

Answer: LAZINESS (i.e. “lack of diligence”). Solution is LASS (i.e. “girl”) placed “round” ZINE (i.e. “periodical”, shortened form of “magazine”), like so: LA(ZINE)SS.

20. One’s sworn at, very loudly, girls included (9)

Answer: AFFIDAVIT (i.e. “one’s sworn”). Solution is AT wrapped around or “including” FF (i.e. “very loudly”, i.e. a recognised abbreviation of “fortissimo” in musical lingo), IDA and VI (i.e. “girls” – VI can be short for a number of girl’s names), like so: A(FF-IDA-VI)T.

21. Team in bright blue gets turned over (6-4)

Answer: UPSIDE-DOWN (i.e. “turned over”). Solution is SIDE (i.e. “team”) placed “in” UP (i.e. “bright” or happy) and DOWN (i.e. “blue” or sad), like so: UP-(SIDE)-DOWN.

23. One with an outlet for their criminal aspirations? (10)

Answer: SHOPLIFTER. Clue plays on how “outlet” can mean a shop as well as a means of expressing oneself.

27. Brigadier’s outside with private wearing identical belt (3,6)

Answer: SAM BROWNE (i.e. “belt”). Solution is BR (i.e. “Brigadier’s outside”, i.e. the first and last letters of “Brigadier”) and OWN (i.e. “private”) placed in or “wearing” SAME (i.e. “identical”), like so: SAM(BR-OWN)E. One of those gotten from the wordplay and a quick check on Google.

28. Rules appearing long I revised (6,8)

Answer: AERIAL PINGPONG (i.e. “rules”, apparently a recognised reference to Australian Rules Football, also called… well, you guessed it). “Revised” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of APPEARING LONG I. Here’s another where the setter is playing nasty, but just about escapes a second yellow. Even so, it’s rather mean to have setters perform a double-jump to get to the solution, i.e. this aka that aka the solution, especially when the solution isn’t particularly well-known to us poms, and, to make matters worse, slotting it into a tricky part of the grid with even intersecting letters, which are frequently more difficult. Not nice.

31. Scottish town elder, maybe, in France, briefly on a promise (8)

Answer: ARBROATH (i.e. “Scottish town”). Another nasty clue, though mercifully one with a solution that was much easier to guess. You expect a certain amount of foreign words in these things as setters seek ways of getting the job done, but I’d have been knackered decoding this one without Google Translate giving me the French word ARBRE, meaning “tree”, i.e. “elder, maybe, in France”. Remove the last letter (indicated by “briefly”) and follow the remainder with OATH (i.e. “promise”), like so: ARBR-OATH. Sod it, I’m waving the second yellow. Piss off for an early bath, setter, and take a one grid ban with you.

33. Possible sixteen year-old getting changed to serve alcohol? (6-6)

Answer: SCHOOL-LEAVER (i.e. “possible sixteen year-old”). “Getting changed to…” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of SERVE ALCOHOL.

34. Reportedly, more than one can shed or forfeit rank (4,5)

Answer: LOSE CASTE (i.e. “forfeit rank” amongst Hindus in India). “Reportedly” indicates homophone. Solution is composed of homophones of LOOS (i.e. “more than one can” – can and loo being slang words for a toilet) and CAST (i.e. to “shed”).

37. Welcome enquiry into way of making jam (3-2-3-2)

Answer: HOW-DO-YOU-DO. A triple-header, I believe, satisfying “welcome” and “enquiry into way of making” and, according to my Bradford’s, “jam”, though of the latter my Chambers doesn’t want to know.

38. What’s very quietly catching Leo racing with artic? (6,4)

Answer: POLICE TRAP. Solution is PP (i.e. “very quietly”, i.e. a recognised abbreviation of “pianissimo” in musical lingo) wrapped around or “catching” an anagram (indicated by “racing”) of LEO and ARTIC, like so: P(OLICETRA)P. Within the context of the clue, a POLICE TRAP could be used to catch speeding motorists.

41. City pub’s heading for bar brawl (9)

Answer: INNSBRUCK (i.e. “city” in Austria renowned for winter sports). Solution is INN’S (i.e. “pub’s”) followed by B (i.e. “heading for bar”, i.e. the first letter of “bar”) and RUCK (i.e. “brawl”).

43. Old Russian’s British alias taking in US president (8)

Answer: BABUSHKA (i.e. “old Russian”). Solution is B (a recognised abbreviation of “British”) and AKA (i.e. “alias”, i.e. Also Known As) wrapped around or “taking in” George BUSH (i.e. “US president”), like so: B-A(BUSH)KA.

45. Pantomime as done for daughters at home (7)

Answer: ALADDIN (i.e. “pantomime” – oh, no, it isn’t! Now, now, don’t boo. Be nice.) Solution is À LA (i.e. in the manner of or “as done for” – more French, a contraction of à la mode de) followed by D and D (D being a recognised abbreviation of “daughter”, so two daughters in this case gets you DD) and IN (i.e. “at home”).

47. Singer out of A&E – he’s at home with us? (6)

Answer: BRITON (i.e. “he’s at home with us” – the Times being published in Great Britain). Solution is BARITONE (i.e. “singer”) with the “A” & “E” taken “out”, like so: B(A)RITON(E) => BRITON.

50. Had garden worker put up fences (5)

Answer: OWNED (i.e. “had”). “Fences” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, while “put up” indicates the solution has been reversed – this being a down clue – like so: GAR(DEN WO)RKER.

51. Mathematician showing odd parts equalled four, finally (5)

Answer: Leonhard EULER (i.e. “mathematician” – weirdly one I knew). Solution is EULE (i.e. “odd parts of equalled”, i.e. every other letter of EQUALLED) followed by R (i.e. “four, finally”, i.e. the last letter of “four”), like so: EULE-R.

52. Where prisoner waits to be flogged for speaking out? (4)

Answer: CELL (i.e. “where prisoner waits”). “For speaking out” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of SELL (i.e. “to be flogged”).

No musical accompaniment this time around. Lots of live Premier League was had instead. Call me cynical, but I never really bought the Premier League’s change of heart on pay-per-view. “Well, there’s another lockdown, so we’ll roll back our pay-per-view matches to help the fans”. Yeah right. If enough people were paying £15 a pop, do you think they’d have rolled back? Money talks. So does the lack of it. – LP

A medium strength puzzle this week, and a decent one overall with some nicely worked clues. As ever you can find my completed grid below along with (at times snarky) explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them useful.

Elsewhere I’ve curated links to the last 100+ of these things on my Just For Fun page, should a recent Jumbo have you stumped. I’ve also got some mouldy old book reviews and a story of mine.

Two years ago this week I started posting Jumbo solutions as a means of resurrecting my blog. I’d seen a few too many comments here and there along the lines of “I really wish they explained the solutions to these things” and thought I’d put a few posts together to demonstrate the wily ways setters apply their trade. As my Just For Fun page attests, I never really thought I’d keep this up for so long, never mind build up an audience in the process, but I’m glad I’ve stuck with it – even during the stinkers! To all the commenters, subscribers and regular readers, thank you. And if you’ve only just found me, welcome along. Solutions and occasional silliness awaits you.

Till next time, Lockdown II is a bugger so stay safe, mask up and keep flying the flag for the NHS and key workers everywhere.

LP

Across clues

1. List that starts at H (8,5)

Answer: PERIODIC TABLE. H is the chemical symbol of hydrogen, atomic number 1, which appears top-left of said table.

8. Problem reported by newspaper occasionally (9)

Answer: SOMETIMES (i.e. “occasionally”). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “reported”) of SUM (i.e. “a ‘problem’ in addition, or arithmetic generally” (Chambers)) followed by TIMES (i.e. “newspaper”).

13. Female writer briefly including a mystic syllable (5)

Answer: NAOMI (i.e. a “female” name). Solution is NIB (i.e. “writer”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “briefly”) and the remainder wrapped around or “including” A and OM (i.e. “mystic syllable”), like so: N(A-OM)I.

14. All ventured out having experienced little (11)

Answer: UNTRAVELLED (i.e. “having experienced little”). “Out” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of ALL VENTURED.

15. Covert mercenary in position in Jamaica (5)

Answer: NINJA (i.e. “covert mercenary”). “In” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: POSITIO(N IN JA)MAICA.

16. Philosopher one girl entertains over the years (9)

Answer: MILLENNIA (i.e. “years”). Solution is John Stuart MILL (i.e. “philosopher”) followed by I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) once it has been placed in or “entertained” by ANNE (i.e. “girl’s” name) reversed (indicated by “over”), like so: MILL-ENN(I)A.

17. School broadcast welcome (4)

Answer: HIGH (i.e. “school”). “Broadcast” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of HI (i.e. “welcome”).

18. American singer depressed meets Charlie Parker (8)

Answer: BLUEBIRD (i.e. “American singer” or songbird). Solution is BLUE (i.e. “depressed”) followed by BIRD (nickname of influential saxophonist “Charlie Parker”).

20. Line appended to schedule going round (6)

Answer: ROTARY (i.e. “going round”). Solution is RY (i.e. “line”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of a “railway”) “appended to” the end of ROTA (i.e. “schedule”), like so: ROTA-RY.

21. Flower of British nobility baroness made famous? (7,9)

Answer: SCARLET PIMPERNEL (i.e. “flower”). The remainder of the clue refers to Baroness Orczy’s play and novel The Scarlet Pimpernel, in which the eponymous hero would rescue aristos destined for the guillotine while also living it up as a noble. “We seek him here! We seek him there!” Well, they weren’t seeking hard enough as he made an appearance here only a couple of months ago.

24. Baltic people succeeded amongst elite pupils (9)

Answer: ESTONIANS (i.e. “Baltic people”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “succeeded”) placed “amongst” ETONIANS (i.e. “elite pupils”), like so: E(S)TONIANS.

26. King opposed to an apriorist (7)

Answer: KANTIAN (i.e. “apriorist”, specifically “a person who believes in Kant’s view of a priori cognition” (Chambers)). Solution is K (a recognised abbreviation of “king”) followed by ANTI (i.e. “opposed to”) and AN.

27. Fool in school system (5)

Answer: SCHMO (i.e. “fool”). Solution is SCH (a recognised abbreviation of “school”) followed by MO (i.e. “system”, specifically Modus Operandi).

29. Toothache rages, having consumed mostly cold drink (3,9)

Answer: HOT CHOCOLATE (i.e. “drink”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “rages”) of TOOTHACHE wrapped around or “having consumed” COLD once the last letter has been removed (indicated by “mostly”), like so: HOTCHO(COL)ATE.

31. Dramatic platform accommodating good band (10)

Answer: STAGGERING (i.e. “dramatic” – weak, IMO). Solution is STAGE (i.e. “platform”) wrapped around or “accommodating” G (a recognised abbreviation of “good”) and followed by RING (i.e. “band”), like so: STA(G)GE-RING.

33. One short poem penned by a Mitford in Cambridge? (10)

Answer: UNIVERSITY (i.e. “Cambridge”, plus a few others). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and VERSE (i.e. “poem”) trimmed of its final letter (indicated by “short”) both placed in or “penned by” UNITY (i.e. “a Mitford [sister]”, British socialite, fancier of Hitler and prominent advocate of fascism, Nazism and antisemitism – another week, another Times setter keen to memorialise history’s shittiest people. Good job, everyone. Well done. (Slow clap)) like so: UN(I-VERS)ITY.

35. Mark is sullen about English having to stand for trespass (12)

Answer: MISDEMEANOUR (i.e. “trespass”). Solution is M (a recognised abbreviation of “mark”, the former German currency) followed by IS, then DOUR (i.e. “sullen”) once wrapped “about” E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”) and MEAN (i.e. “to stand for”), like so: M-IS-D(E-MEAN)OUR.

38. Broadcast brings controversy (5)

Answer: ISSUE. Solution satisfies “broadcast” and “controversy”.

39. Island man in Iowa converted (3,4)

Answer: IWO JIMA (i.e. “island”). Solution is JIM (i.e. “man’s” name) placed “in” an anagram (indicated by “converted”) of IOWA, like so: IWO(JIM)A.

40. Putting together new dissertation after second year (9)

Answer: SYNTHESIS (i.e. “putting together”). Solution is N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”) and THESIS (i.e. “dissertation”) both placed “after” S (a recognised abbreviation of “second”) and Y (ditto “year”), like so: S-Y-(N-THESIS).

42. Vulgar verse still needs correction in book (9,7)

Answer: GULLIVER’S TRAVELS (i.e. “book” by Jonathan Swift). “Needs correction” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of VULGAR VERSE STILL.

44. Sweet run for B52? (6)

Answer: BOMBER (i.e. “B52”). Solution is BOMBE (i.e. pudding or “sweet”) followed by R (a recognised abbreviation of “run” used in several ball games).

47. Shoot wraps the whole onion (8)

Answer: SCALLION (the leek, or a spring “onion”). Solution is SCION (i.e. descendant or “[off]shoot”; also refers to viable plant cuttings) “wrapped” around ALL (i.e. “the whole”), like so: SC(ALL)ION.

49. Transgression involving parking for short trip (4)

Answer: SPIN (i.e. “short trip”). Solution is SIN (i.e. “transgression”) wrapped around P (a recognised abbreviation of “parking” used on maps), like so: S(P)IN.

50. League has location for playing across island (9)

Answer: COALITION (i.e. “league”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “has…for playing”) of LOCATION wrapped around or placed “across” I (a recognised abbreviation of “island”), like so: COAL(I)TION.

52. Tree more bare with bark initially removed (5)

Answer: ALDER (i.e. “tree”). Solution is BALDER (i.e. “more bare”) having “removed” the B (i.e. “bark initially”, i.e. the first letter of “bark”).

53. Basic soldier, endlessly in two minds, stops hunting target (11)

Answer: PREPARATORY (i.e. “basic”, as in the fundamentals or foundations of something. I don’t like it. My Bradford’s doesn’t want to know. My Chambers and Oxford dictionaries don’t really cover it, but my Chambers Thesaurus eventually bails the setter out). Solution is PARA (i.e. “soldier”, short for paratrooper) and TORN (i.e. “in two minds”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “endlessly”) both placed in or “stopping” PREY (i.e. “hunting target”), like so: PRE(PARA-TOR)Y.

54. Absurd how dialogue ends (5)

Answer: INANE (i.e. “absurd”). When written as IN AN E, the solution also satisfies “how ‘dialogue’ ends”. Simple, but nicely done. Probably my favourite clue this week.

55. Fungus needs soil and sun (9)

Answer: EARTHSTAR (i.e. “fungus”). Solution is EARTH (i.e. “soil”) followed by STAR (i.e. “sun”). One I remembered from a previous grid, if I’m honest.

56. Valuable box, safe found in stretch in river (8,5)

Answer: TREASURE CHEST (i.e. “valuable box”). Solution is SURE (i.e. “safe”) placed “in” REACH (i.e. “stretch”), which is itself placed “in” TEST (a “river” in Hampshire), like so: T(REA(SURE)CH)EST.

Down clues

1. Confine foreign character ascending slope in shadowy areas (9)

Answer: PENUMBRAE (i.e. “shadowy areas”). Solution is PEN (i.e. “confine”) followed by MU (i.e. “foreign character”, specifically the twelfth letter of the Greek alphabet) reversed (indicated by “ascending” – this being a down clue) and BRAE (i.e. Scots word for a “sloping” bank), like so: PEN-UM-BRAE.

2. Search vigorously over time for minor radical (7)

Answer: ROOTLET (i.e. “minor radical” – radical has many meanings, a botanical one being “proceeding from near the root” (Chambers), so that’s what I’m going for here). Solution is ROOTLE (i.e. “search vigorously”) followed by T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”).

3. Girl born on farm makes conciliatory gesture (5,6)

Answer: OLIVE BRANCH (i.e. “conciliatory gesture”). Solution is OLIVE (i.e. “girl’s” name) followed by B (a recognised abbreviation of “born”) and RANCH (i.e. “farm”).

4. Crested lizard one year vanishing from country (6)

Answer: IGUANA (i.e. “crested lizard”, tasty when barbequed in Tijuana, apparently). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) followed by GUYANA (i.e. “country”) once the Y has been removed (indicated by “year vanishing from…” – Y being a recognised abbreviation of “year”), like so: I-GUANA.

5. Hatters mad to receive Roman Catholic rulers (9)

Answer: TETRARCHS (i.e. “rulers” – over to Chambers again, a tetrarch was “under the Romans, the ruler of the fourth part of a province”, or “one of four joint rulers”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “mad”) of HATTERS wrapped around or “receiving” RC (a recognised abbreviation of “Roman Catholic”), like so: TETRA(RC)HS.

6. Gossip from British bird about soaps (12)

Answer: BLATHERSKITE (i.e. “gossip”). Solution is B (a recognised abbreviation of “British”) and KITE (i.e. “bird”) wrapped “about” LATHERS (i.e. “soaps”), like so: B-(LATHERS)-KITE. Another I remembered from a previous grid. Cool word, still.

7. Woman on river leaves to cook perennial favourites (10)

Answer: EVERGREENS (i.e. “perennial favourites”). Solution is EVE (i.e. “woman’s” name) followed by R (a recognised abbreviation of “river”) and GREENS (i.e. “leaves to cook”).

8. Completely convinced, faithful ultimately placed in ground (4)

Answer: SOLD (i.e. “completely convinced”). Solution is L (i.e. “faithful ultimately”, i.e. the last letter of “faithful”) “placed in” SOD (i.e. dirt or “ground”), like so: SO(L)D.

9. Mediator me in representative level of organisation (6,10)

Answer: MIDDLE MANAGEMENT (i.e. “level of organisation”). Solution is MIDDLEMAN (i.e. “mediator”) followed by ME once placed “in” AGENT (i.e. “representative”), like so: MIDDLEMAN-AGE(ME)NT.

10. Charged for contract (5)

Answer: TENSE. Solution satisfies “charged”, as in a charged atmosphere, and “contract”, as in how one tenses their muscles. Something like that, anyway.

11. One incarcerated in murderous family home (7)

Answer: MANSION (i.e. “home”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) placed or “incarcerated” in MANSON (i.e. “murderous family” – (continues slow clap) Will next week’s setter continue the shitty people theme? Join us to see how Paul POT, IDI/AMIN and Fred WEST get worked into the clues! Hell, maybe DOCTOR HAROLD SHIPMAN will make an appearance too, seeing as though he’s dead n’ all), like so: MANS(I)ON.

12. One to relish canard spread? (13)

Answer: SCANDALMONGER. A canard is a false rumour or hoax, while scandals can be malicious gossip, which are kind of the same thing. Ish or thereabouts. Scandalmongers, meanwhile, spread… um… scandals. That’s it, I guess, though the riddly question mark could mean the setter is playing clever. If anyone swings by with a better solution then I’ll update the post. Meanwhile I’m getting on with my weekend.

19. Ran second copy by news boss (8)

Answer: SPRINTED (i.e. “ran”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “second”) followed by PRINT (i.e. “copy”) and ED (i.e. “news boss”, shortened form of an editor).

22. Opponents at table go to law for result (5)

Answer: ENSUE (i.e. “result”). Solution is E and N (i.e. “opponents at table”, which I believe is a reference to a game of bridge, which pitches North and South against East and West. I’m about 90 years too young to know for sure. I’m joking, bridge fans! I’m only 70 years too young…) followed by SUE (i.e. “go to law”).

23. Food sent round hospital has lactoprotein taken out (10,6)

Answer: LANCASHIRE HOTPOT (i.e. “food”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “taken out”) of HAS LACTOPROTEIN wrapped or “sent round” H (a recognised abbreviation of “hospital”), like so: LANCAS(H)IREHOTPOT. Nicely worked.

25. Snacks made from bird parts (7)

Answer: TITBITS (i.e. “snacks”). Solution is TIT (i.e. “bird”) followed by BITS (i.e. “parts”).

28. Wicked male and one with common sense (7)

Answer: HEINOUS (i.e. “wicked”). Solution is HE (i.e. “male”) followed by I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and NOUS (i.e. “common sense”).

29. New Stone Age hut is found in buildings complex (7,6)

Answer: HOUSING ESTATE (i.e. “buildings complex”). “New” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of STONE AGE HUT IS.

30. Lease smallest rooms – key supplied for free (3,5)

Answer: LET LOOSE (i.e. “free”). Solution is LET (i.e. “lease”) followed by LOOS (i.e. “smallest rooms”) and E (i.e. “[musical] key”). Nicely done.

32. Revised data given captures deplorable weakness (12)

Answer: DISADVANTAGE (i.e. “weakness”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “revised”) of DATA GIVEN wrapped around or “capturing” SAD (i.e. “deplorable” – often jocularly), like so: DI(SAD)VANTAGE.

34. Resin from tree around eastern India (5)

Answer: ELEMI (i.e. “resin”). Solution is ELM (i.e. “tree”) wrapped “around” E (a recognised abbreviation of “eastern”) and followed by I (“India” in the phonetic alphabet), like so: EL(E)M-I. One almost certainly pulled from the setter’s “HELP ME!!!” file. My Bradford’s came to the rescue here.

36. The other driver on move in Cairo is a PhD (11)

Answer: APHRODISIAC (i.e. “the other driver” – “the other” being a euphemism for… you know… (recites entirety of Monty Python’s ‘Nudge, nudge’ sketch)). “Move” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of CAIRO IS A PHD.

37. Interpreter, one in principle role: public house worker? (10)

Answer: HIEROPHANT, which Chambers lists as “a person who shows or reveals sacred things” (i.e. “interpreter” – chalk another to my Bradford’s here, as I wouldn’t have made the connection). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) placed “in” HERO (i.e. “principle role”), then followed by PH (a recognised abbreviation of “public house”) and ANT (i.e. “worker”), like so: H(I)ERO-PH-ANT.

40. Lecherous Sarah promises to pay without bill (9)

Answer: SALACIOUS (i.e. “lecherous”). Solution is SAL (a contracted form of “Sarah” I don’t think I’ve ever seen in the wild) and IOUS (i.e. “promises to pay”) wrapped around or placed “without” AC (i.e. “bill”, shortened form of “account”), like so: SAL-(AC)-IOUS.

41. Tight cord flexed when first pulled (9)

Answer: STRINGENT (i.e. “tight”). Solution is STRING (i.e. “cord”) followed by BENT (i.e. “flexed”) once the initial letter has been removed (indicated by “first pulled”), like so: STRING-ENT.

43. Youth from Abydos with piercing look (7)

Answer: LEANDER, a platform game released by Psygnosis on the Commodore Amiga in 1991 that looked good for its time, like a lot of Psygnosis’s games, but one I sadly couldn’t get to work as I didn’t have the right model… oh, wait, “youth from Abydos”. Classics. Right. I forget this is The Times, home of the Latin crossword, so this must relate to the story of Hero and Leander. The remainder of the clue could be a reference to the story, but I’ve no desire to read it, not when I can rot away what remains of my mind with a shiny new games console. Yay, technology!
[EDIT – Thanks to Chris in the comments for nailing this one. “…with piercing look” instructs us to insert or “pierce” LEER (i.e. “look”) with AND (i.e. “with”), like so: LE(AND)ER. Cheers, Chris! – LP]

45. Soldiers ordered to carry kit (7)

Answer: BRIGADE (i.e. “soldiers”). Solution is BADE (i.e. “ordered”) wrapped around or “carrying” RIG (i.e. “kit”), like so: B(RIG)ADE. Nicely worked.

46. Bar worker keeps whiskey in coat (6)

Answer: LAWYER (i.e. “Bar worker” – Bar being the legal profession in general). Solution is W (“whiskey” in the phonetic alphabet) placed “in” LAYER (i.e. “coat”), like so: LA(W)YER.

48. Tree line to extend over (5)

Answer: LARCH (i.e. “tree”). Solution is L (a recognised abbreviation of “line”) followed by ARCH (i.e. “to extend over”).

51. Stick close to housemate in block (4)

Answer: BEAR (i.e. “stick”, as how one might stick out a bad situation). Solution is E (i.e. “close to housemate”, i.e. the last letter of “housemate”) placed “in” BAR (i.e. to “block”), like so: B(E)AR.

A medium-to-tough offering this week that managed to get so far up my nose it could have taken a swab test. There were a handful of really good clues, but overall this was not for me. Expect swears.

You can find my completed grid below along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them helpful, despite the grumpiness. While you are here, I’ve curated links to solutions for the last 100+ of these things on my Just For Fun page, should a recent puzzle have you stumped. I’ve also got some mouldy old book reviews and a story of mine.

I hope the start of Lockdown II finds you well, or at least as well as can be expected. As ever, stay safe, mask up and keep supporting NHS and key workers everywhere. We could be in this for the long haul.

LP

Across clues

1. City rivals swallowing drink after drink in case (11)

Answer: PORTMANTEAU (i.e. “case”). Solution is MAN U (i.e. “city rivals” – straight out of the blocks we get a flavour of some of the slack clueing we’re in for this week. I often make fun of stiff grammarians in these posts, but I do acknowledge the importance of grammar in clarifying the written word. The way this clue has been written is wilfully misleading, suggesting more than one city rival is going to appear in the solution, the city rivals in this case being Manchester United and Manchester City football clubs. Misdirection may be a setter’s stock in trade, but it should also remain within the rules. To those who’d argue Manchester United is a multitude of players, management staff, fans etc, I would point out they collectively comprise a team, i.e. a single entity. The clue therefore ought to have been written as “city rival”. (Heavy sigh.) Meanwhile the world keeps spinning…) wrapped around or “swallowing” TEA and the whole then placed “after” PORT (i.e. another “drink”), like so: PORT-(MAN-(TEA)-U).

7. Beaten by elements in war, where not in formation (11)

Answer: WEATHERWORN (i.e. “beaten by elements”). “In formation” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of WAR WHERE NOT.

13. One checks pulse or pulses after bad actor recoiled (17)

Answer: ELECTROCARDIOGRAM (i.e. “one checks pulse”). Solution is GRAM (i.e. “pulses” – an alternative meaning of the word is “the chickpea” (Chambers). My Oxford dictionary goes further, helpfully indicating the word also works a mass noun, so wouldn’t be GRAMS) placed “after” an anagram (indicated by “bad”) of ACTOR RECOILED, like so: ELECTROCARDIO-GRAM.

14. Graceful female enters river from the east (5)

Answer: ELFIN (i.e. “graceful” – again, too slack. The dictionaries I have centre around “small, delicate and (mischievously) charming” or a butterfly, for the lepidopterists out there. My Bradford’s, meanwhile, will have none of it. You could argue the thinnest of links to “graceful” through “charming”, but not for this pseudonymous nobody. Ugh. Back to setter school with you.) Solution is F (a recognised abbreviation of “female”) placed in NILE (i.e. “river”) once this has been reversed (indicated by “from the east” – this being an across clue), like so: EL(F)IN.

15. One Communist enforcer somewhere in Europe (6)

Answer: IBERIA (i.e. “somewhere in Europe”, being Spain and Portugal collectively). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) followed by Lavrentiy BERIA (i.e. a “Communist enforcer” who was one of Stalin’s most influential secret police chiefs and was responsible, among other atrocities, for wartime massacres, the vast expansion of gulags in post-war Russia and who was eventually executed on charges of over 350 counts of rape and treason. Nice guy he was not. It’s bad enough that the setter thought it fine to memorialise this fucker in one of the clues, but that the puzzles editor of The Times, with a number of Jumbos lined up in advance, don’t forget, considered it acceptable to publish this over Remembrance weekend beggars belief.)

16. Theatre hands round account showing revenge (8)

Answer: REPRISAL (i.e. “revenge”). Solution is REP (i.e. “theatre”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of a repertory theatre) followed by R and L (i.e. “hands” – specifically recognised abbreviations of “right” and “left”) once these have been placed “round” ISA (i.e. “account”, specifically an Individual Savings Account, a tax efficient savings account available here in the UK), like so: REP-R(ISA)L.

17. Unknown speed trap’s without siren, perhaps (7)

Answer: NYMPHET (i.e. “siren, perhaps” – other mythical temptresses are available). Solution is Y (i.e. “unknown” – setters cannot resist referring to X Y or Z in solutions as “unknowns”) and MPH (i.e. “speed”, specifically Miles Per Hour) with NET (i.e. “trap”) placed around or “without” them, like so: N(Y-MPH)ET.

19. Real logic set out in the form of a parable, say (9)

Answer: ALLEGORIC (i.e. “in the form of a parable, say”). “Set out” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of REAL LOGIC.

21. Appeal about maintaining virtue in retirement (8)

Answer: EMERITUS (i.e. “in retirement”, often from academia). Solution is SUE (i.e. to apply, plead or “appeal” – again, too wilfully slack for my liking) reversed (indicated by “about”) and wrapped around or “maintaining” MERIT (i.e. “virtue”), like so: E(MERIT)US.

23. Cockney’s bum note, one in orchestra (4)

Answer: OBOE (i.e. “one in orchestra”. An orchestra is “a large company of musicians” (Chambers) so I’m guessing this is one of those magic oboes that can play all by themselves. Again, slack.) Solution is HOBO (i.e. “bum”) with the H removed (indicated by “Cockney”, as in how they’re forever dropping their bleedin’ aitches, not to mention incorrectly using “was” with such frequency it makes you wonder whether they were taught it in school) followed by E (i.e. “[musical] note”), like so: OBO-E.

25. Spades held back in grassy plant borders (5)

Answer: EDGES (i.e. “borders”). Solution is SEDGE (i.e. “grassy plant”) with the S (a recognised abbreviation of “spades” used in some card games) “held back” to the end, like so: (S)EDGE => EDGE(S).

27. Slate sample in store (6)

Answer: PANTRY (i.e. “store”). Solution is PAN (i.e. to criticise or “slate”) followed by TRY (i.e. to “sample” something).

28. Cow’s close, suppressing instinctive urges (10)

Answer: INTIMIDATE (i.e. to bully or “cow” someone). Solution is INTIMATE (i.e. “close”) wrapped around or “suppressing” ID (i.e. “instinctive urges”, one of the parts of the psyche in psychoanalytic theory), like so: INTIM(ID)ATE.

30. Not great jockeys in shape (8)

Answer: TETRAGON (i.e. “shape”). “Jockeys” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of NOT GREAT.

31. Supply fashion garments after working in northern town (8-2-4)

Answer: STOCKTON-ON-TEES (i.e. “northern town”). Solution is STOCK (i.e. “supply”) followed by TON (i.e. “fashion” – another favourite play of setters, and a valid definition of “ton”, but I’m still to see it used in the wild) and TEES (i.e. “garments”, specifically T-shirts) once this latter has been placed “after” ON (i.e. “working”), like so: STOCK-TON-(ON)-TEES.

34. One disdainful about people arriving at top London location (8,6)

Answer: SPEAKERS CORNER (i.e. “London location”). Solution is SCORNER (i.e. “one disdainful”) wrapped “about” PEAKERS (i.e. “people arriving at top”), like so: S(PEAKERS)CORNER.

35. Less than a couple, moving with current (8)

Answer: UNDERTOW (i.e. “current” beneath the water’s surface). Solution is UNDER (i.e. “less than”) followed by TWO (i.e. “a couple”) with the W (a recognised abbreviation of “with”) “moved”, like so: UNDER-T(W)O => UNDER-TO(W).

38. Mostly toxic substance, name for fuel (10)

Answer: ANTHRACITE (i.e. “fuel”). Solution is ANTHRAX (i.e. “toxic substance”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “mostly”) and the remainder followed by CITE (i.e. “name”), like so: ANTHRA-CITE. One I remembered from a previous puzzle, if I’m honest.

40. Mended coats tailor vacuously left here and there (6)

Answer: STREWN (i.e. “left here and there”). Solution is SEWN (i.e. “mended”) wrapped around or “coating” TR (i.e. “tailor vacuously”, i.e. the word “tailor” with its middle letters removed), like so: S(TR)EWN.

41. Officer no longer receiving a raise (5)

Answer: EXALT (i.e. “raise”). Solution is EX-LT (i.e. “officer no longer” – Lt being a recognised abbreviation of “lieutenant”) wrapped around or “receiving” A, like so: EX-(A)-LT.

43. Pods round ship heading west (4)

Answer: OKRA (i.e. “pods” of an edible tropical plant of the same name). Solution is O (i.e. “round”) followed by ARK (i.e. “ship”) reversed (indicated by “heading west” – this being an across clue), like so: O-KRA.

44. Familiar with animal’s home around lawn, say (8)

Answer: MATERIAL (i.e. “lawn, say” – Chambers offers “a sort of fine linen or cambric”). Solution is MATE (i.e. “familiar” in its noun form – Chambers again: “a person with whom one is well or long acquainted”) followed by LAIR (i.e. “animal’s home”) once this latter has been reversed (indicated by “around”), like so: MATE-RIAL.

45. Maybe saw manufacturer’s fixed motor with leak (9)

Answer: TOOLMAKER (i.e. “maybe saw manufacturer”). “Fixed” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of MOTOR and LEAK.

48. Official stops work in plant (7)

Answer: TREFOIL (i.e. “plant” – chalk one to my Bradford’s here. I can seldom be arsed applying much brainpower when setters resort to using plants in their grids). Solution is REF (i.e. “official”) placed in or “stopping” TOIL (i.e. “work”), like so: T(REF)OIL.

49. Cheaply con one lady out of publicity (8)

Answer: STINGILY (i.e. “cheaply”). Solution is STING (i.e. “con”) followed by I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and LY (i.e. “lady out of publicity”, i.e. the word LADY with the AD removed, an ad being a shortened form of an advertisement).

50. Wrong exam before lunch? (6)

Answer: AMORAL (i.e. “wrong”). When written as AM ORAL the solution also satisfies “exam before lunch”.

53. Scrap of fruit and shell of hazelnut (5)

Answer: FIGHT (i.e. “scrap”). Solution is FIG (i.e. “fruit”) followed by HT (i.e. “shell of hazelnut”, i.e. the first and last letters of “hazelnut”).

54. Love smooth winger’s passes in game (7,3,7)

Answer: NOUGHTS AND CROSSES (i.e. “game”). Solution is NOUGHT (i.e. “love”, as in a zero score in tennis) followed by SAND (i.e. to “smooth” e.g. some wood) followed by CROSSES (i.e. “winger’s passes” in a game of football).

55. Exactly how Generation Rent is obligated? (2,3,6)

Answer: TO THE LETTER. Solution satisfies “exactly” and “how Generation Rent is obligated”, a letter being a landlord.

56. Prodigal son has power to stop the endless conflict (11)

Answer: SPENDTHRIFT (i.e. “prodigal”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “son”) followed by P (ditto “power”), then END (i.e. “to stop”), then TH (i.e. “the endless”, i.e. the word “the” with its final letter removed) and finally RIFT (i.e. “conflict”), like so: S-P-END-TH-RIFT. Nicely done.

Down clues

1. Divine, eating the last word in jam (11)

Answer: PREDICAMENT (i.e. “jam” or sticky situation). Solution is PREDICT (i.e. to “divine”) wrapped around or “eating” AMEN (i.e. “the last word”), like so: PREDIC(AMEN)T.

2. Bird’s old beak (5)

Answer: REEVE. Solution satisfies “bird” and “old beak” – a “beak” being slang for a judge. One definition of reeve is “[historical] chief magistrate of a district” (Chambers)).

3. Issue about dry home’s rugs etc. (7)

Answer: MATTING (i.e. “rugs etc”). Solution is MAG (i.e. “issue”, i.e. a magazine) wrapped “about” TT (i.e. “dry”, being a recognised abbreviation of “teetotal”) and IN (i.e. at “home”), like so: MA(TT-IN)G.

4. Revolutionary happening upon fine shelter (4)

Answer: NOOK (i.e. “shelter”). Solution is ON (i.e. “happening”) reversed (indicated by “revolutionary”) and followed by OK (i.e. “fine”), like so: NO-OK.

5. Passing vehicle in the middle of deep trail (10)

Answer: EVANESCENT (i.e. “passing”). Solution is VAN (i.e. “vehicle”) placed “in” EE (i.e. “middle [two letters] of dEEp”) and followed by SCENT (i.e. “trail”), like so: E(VAN)E-SCENT.

6. Official resurrected any careers (14)

Answer: UNDERSECRETARY (i.e. “official”). “Careers” indicates anagram, as in running or dashing. Solution is an anagram of RESURRECTED ANY.

7. Duke has scrap behind court building (8)

Answer: WOODSHED (i.e. “building”). Solution is D (a recognised abbreviation of “duke”) and SHED (i.e. to “scrap” or abandon something) both placed after or “behind” WOO (i.e. to “court”), like so: (WOO)-D-SHED.

8. Girl lowers cap touching the ears? (5)

Answer: AURAL (i.e. relating to or “touching [on] the ears”). Solution is LAURA (i.e. “girl”) with the initial letter or “cap” “lowered” to the end – this being a down clue, like so: (L)AURA => AURA(L).

9. Little people in hospital developing inoculum (9)

Answer: HOMUNCULI (i.e. “little people”, plural of homunculus; a dwarf or manikin). Solution is H (a recognised abbreviation of “hospital”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “developing”) of INOCULUM, like so: H-OMUNCULI. Nicely worked.

10. Lots of leaves picked up in cathedral city (6)

Answer: RHEIMS (i.e. “cathedral city” in France). “Picked up” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of RHYMES (i.e. “lots of leaves” – RIME can be a variant form of REAM, one meaning of which being a whole bunch of paper).
[EDIT: Thanks to Sue in the comments for pointing out RHEIMS is pronounced REAMS anyway, and so works as a direct homophone. Cheers, Sue! – LP]

11. Syncopated, say, in French song in odd places (3,3,6,5)

Answer: OFF THE BEATEN TRACK (i.e. “in odd places”). Solution is OFF THE BEAT (i.e. “syncopated, say” – off to Chambers again: “to alter the rhythm of (music, etc) temporarily by transferring the accent to a normally unaccented beat”. Yup. Exactly what I was going to say. (Looks to camera.)) followed by EN (i.e. “in French”, i.e. the French for “in”) and TRACK (i.e. “song”).

12. Not a single girl wearing cape still (11)

Answer: NONETHELESS (i.e. “still”). Solution is NO (i.e. “not a single” – Chambers accepts “not any” and “not one” under a variant sense of the word NO) followed by ETHEL (i.e. “girl”) once placed in or “wearing” NESS (i.e. “cape”, as in the geographic feature), like so: NO-N(ETHEL)ESS.

18. Opening in building with raised cross-piece? (4-4)

Answer: TRAP-DOOR (i.e. “opening in building” often flush with a surface, e.g. that found on a theatre stage. Note, not an opening to a building. That would be a rather harsh way of garnering footfall). Solution is ROOD PART (i.e. “cross-piece” – rood is another word for Christ’s cross) all reversed (indicated by “raised” – this being a down clue).

20. Combatant one quickly smashed, admitting confusion (5,12)

Answer: LIGHT WELTERWEIGHT (i.e. “combatant” in boxing). Solution is LIGHTWEIGHT (i.e. “one quickly smashed” or intoxicated) wrapped around or “admitting” WELTER (i.e. “confusion”), like so: LIGHT(WELTER)WEIGHT.

22. Burn coal, not its top (6)

Answer: IGNITE (i.e. “burn”). Solution is LIGNITE (i.e. brown “coal”, technically almost-but-not-quite-yet coal) with its initial letter removed (indicated by “not its top”). Solution was obvious but needed a quick dip into my Bradford’s to narrow the 25-1 odds of guessing the right initial letter to remove.

24. From capital city in France, runs away during struggle (8)

Answer: VIENNESE (i.e. “from capital” of Austria). Solution is RENNES (i.e. “city in France”) with the R removed (indicated by “runs away” – R being a recognised abbreviation of “runs” used in a number of ball games) and the remainder placed “during” VIE (i.e. “struggle”), like so: VI(ENNES)E.

26. Onlookers surrounding king revealing all (8)

Answer: STARKERS (i.e. “revealing all”). Solution is STARERS (i.e. “onlookers”) wrapped around or “surrounding” K (a recognised abbreviation of “king”), like so: STAR(K)ERS.

29. Believers in sect losing it, so silly! (14)

Answer: SCIENTOLOGISTS (i.e. “believers”). “Silly” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of SECT LOSING IT SO. Best clue this week by a country mile. Very nicely worked!

32. Unacceptable news about priestess without working alliance (3-5)

Answer: NON-UNION (i.e. “without working alliance”). Solution is NON-U (i.e. something that is “unacceptable” in the eyes of posh nobs) followed by N and N (recognised abbreviation of “new”, the plural of which being “news”) wrapped around IO (i.e. “priestess” of Greek mythology), like so: (NON-U)-N(IO)N. One for the Eton set, there.

33. Female nursing pet once hurt (6)

Answer: SCATHE (i.e. “once hurt”, referring to how this word would more commonly appear in older texts). Solution is SHE (i.e. “female”) wrapped around or “nursing” CAT (i.e. “pet”), like so: S(CAT)HE.

34. See red drunk recover quickly (4,3,2,2)

Answer: SNAP OUT OF IT (i.e. “recover quickly”). Solution is SNAP (i.e. “see red”, a bit like a certain solver this week) followed by OUT OF IT (i.e. “drunk”, a bit like a certain solver in a couple of hours’ time).

36. Smallest room in ruined castle tower (5,6)

Answer: WATER CLOSET (i.e. the “smallest room” of the house). “Ruined” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of CASTLE TOWER.

37. Splenetic European concocted serious complaint (10)

Answer: PESTILENCE (i.e. disease or “serious complaint”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “concocted”) of SPLENETIC followed by E (a recognised abbreviation of “European”).

39. Tax measure brought back, cutting a little money (9)

Answer: CHALLENGE (i.e. to “tax”). Solution is ELL (i.e. “measure”, specifically “a varying measure of length originally taken from the arm” (Chambers). Probably explains why there isn’t a single proper right-angle in my house) reversed (indicated by “brought back”) and placed in or “cutting” CHANGE (i.e. “a little money”), like so: CHA(LLE)NGE.

42. One crossing the line in interrupting Peter, say (8)

Answer: FINISHER (i.e. “one crossing the [finishing] line”). Solution is IN placed in or “interrupting” FISHER (i.e. “Peter, say”, referring to Saint Peter, a former fisherman who makes several guest appearances in the New Testament of The Bible).

46. A distance covered by insect is huge (7)

Answer: MAMMOTH (i.e. “huge”). Solution is A and MM (i.e. “distance”, being a recognised abbreviation of a millimetre) both placed in or “covered by” MOTH (i.e. “insect”), like so: M(A-MM)OTH.

47. Small men join in trip (6)

Answer: SORTIE (i.e. “trip”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) followed by OR (i.e. “men”, specifically the Other Ranks of the British Army) and TIE (i.e. “join”).

49. Check development of attention-seeking exploit (5)

Answer: STUNT. Solution satisfies to stop or “check development” and “attention-seeking exploit”.

51. Sage European bringing down leader (5)

Answer: RISHI (i.e. “sage” or poet, from the Sanskrit). Solution is similar to 8d, with the first letter or “leader” of IRISH (i.e. “European”) being “brought down” to the end – this being a down clue – like so: (I)RISH => RISH(I).

52. Bitter is an intoxicating substance (4)

Answer: ACID. Solution satisfies “bitter” and “intoxicating substance”.

A medium strength offering this week, and a decent one “to boot”. There were some good clues to be had, plus a few things I’ve learned during its solution – always a good thing – but there were a couple of repeats to get through as well. I appreciate NAIROBI is useful, what with the vowels ‘n all, but come on, setters, there are other cities out there. I’ve counted at least half a dozen of them.

As ever you can find my completed grid below along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them useful. While you are here, I’ve curated links to the last 100+ of these things on my Just For Fun page should that be of any interest, plus a bunch of book reviews and a story of mine.

Till next time, with another lockdown now officially on the doorstep, keep calm, stay safe, mask up and keep flying the flag for NHS and key workers everywhere. Let’s hope things don’t get as bleak as all the projections suggest.

LP

Across clues

1. Swift’s bathtime story? (1,4,2,1,3)

Answer: A TALE OF A TUB, a “story” by Jonathan “Swift” – technically a story with a whole lot of asides. Clue plays on how “bathtime” can involve a bathtub. You get the idea.

7. Young animal was taking food to effect a transformation (6)

Answer: PUPATE (i.e. “to effect a transformation”). Solution is PUP (i.e. “young animal”) followed by ATE (i.e. “was taking food”).

10. Gasper – holding new one in the mouth (4)

Answer: FANG (a tooth or “one in the mouth”). Solution is FAG (i.e. “gasper” – both slang words for a cigarette) wrapped around or “holding” N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”), like so: FA(N)G.

14. Suffer, and fail to reach destination? (7)

Answer: UNDERGO (i.e. “suffer”). Solution is UNDER (i.e. “fail to reach [a target]”) followed by GO (i.e. “destination” on a Monopoly board). Seems wishy-washy to me, so there could be better explanations for this one.

15. Cows produce it: change the name (7)

Answer: METHANE (i.e. “cows produce it”). “Change” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of THE NAME.

16. Two big beasts clash for the gold (7)

Answer: BULLION (i.e. “gold”). The “two big beasts” in this case are BULL and LION, while “clash” indicates they overlap, like so: BUL(L)ION.

17. The coming Utopia makes one tense (6,7)

Answer: FUTURE PERFECT (i.e. “tense” – in the dry and joyless world of grammar, this is a combination of future tense and a “perfect”, an event seen as completed or having already occurred, e.g. a sentence like “Mr Poll will have read and reviewed Best New Horror 14 by the end of time”). Solution is FUTURE (i.e. “the coming”) followed by PERFECT (i.e. “Utopia”).

18. Boring cricket? But it could lead to an explosion (4,5)

Answer: SLOW MATCH, a slowly burning rope for firing explosives (i.e. “it could lead to an explosion”). Solution is SLOW (i.e. “boring”) followed by MATCH (i.e. “cricket”, e.g. a test match – other sports are available).

19. Admirer unveils boxing programme again (5)

Answer: RERUN (i.e. “programme again”, as in TV reruns). “Boxing” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: ADMI(RER UN)VEILS.

21. Majority of ship separating two creatures (5,5)

Answer: LION’S SHARE (i.e. “majority”). Solution is SS (a recognised abbreviation of “ship”, specifically a steamship) “separating” LION and HARE (i.e. “two creatures”), like so: LION-(SS)-HARE.

23. Source of energy, damming river flow (6)

Answer: STREAM (i.e. “river flow”). Solution is STEAM (i.e. “source of energy”) wrapped around or “damming” E (a recognised abbreviation of “energy”), like so: ST(R)EAM.
[Typo fix courtesy of purleypab in the comments. I’d accidentally written STR(E)AM. Much obliged! – LP]

25. Bore behind pipe in US street (4,4)

Answer: MAIN DRAG (i.e. “US street” – basically what they call a main road through a town or city). Solution is DRAG (i.e. “bore”) placed “behind” MAIN (i.e. “pipe”).

26. Designing to remove a Spanish king is fine by shadowy officials (3,2,4,5)

Answer: MEN IN GREY SUITS (i.e. “shadowy officials”). Solution is MEANING (i.e. “designing” – a bit loose for me) with the A removed (indicated by “to remove a”) and followed by REY (i.e. “Spanish king”, i.e. the Spanish for “king”) and SUITS (i.e. “is fine by”), like so: MENING-REY-SUITS.

29. Loathing one’s grot, removing decay, clean all round (7)

Answer: DISGUST (i.e. “loathing”). Solution is I’S (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one’s”) and G (i.e. “grot, removing decay”, i.e. the word GROT with ROT removed) with DUST (i.e. “[to] clean”) placed “all round” them, like so: D(I’S-G)UST.

30. Twitchy movement in sweet grass skirt (9)

Answer: PETTICOAT (i.e. “skirt”). Solution is TIC (i.e. “twitchy movement”) placed “in” between PET (i.e. “sweet” – both terms of affection) and OAT (i.e. “grass”), like so: PET-(TIC)-OAT.

31. Simpleton tending to drift into sleep? (5)

Answer: NODDY. Solution satisfies “simpleton” and “tending to drift into sleep”, as in nodding off.

32. Confines doctor in island (5)

Answer: AMBIT (i.e. “confines”). Solution is MB (i.e. “doctor”, specifically a Medicinae Baccalaureus or Bachelor of Medicine) placed “in” AIT (i.e. an “island”), like so: A(MB)IT.

34. Half of college heads at school or university (9)

Answer: PRINCETON (i.e. US “university”). Solution is the first “half of” PRINCIPALS (i.e. “college heads”) followed by ETON (i.e. “school”), like so: PRINC-ETON.

37. After fast, no stomach to eat meat (7)

Answer: BRISKET (i.e. “meat”). Solution is BRISK (i.e. “fast”) followed by ET (i.e. “no stomach to eat”, i.e. the word “eat” with its middle letter removed), like so: BRISK-ET.

39. Game of tennis wonderful practice for string player (6-8)

Answer: DOUBLE-STOPPING (i.e. “practice for string player”, being “the simultaneous stopping of and playing on two strings” (Chambers)). Solution is DOUBLES (i.e. “game of tennis”) followed by TOPPING (i.e. “wonderful”).

41. Small group of families America turned back at frontier (8)

Answer: SUBORDER (i.e. “small group of [biological] families”). Solution is US (i.e. “America”) reversed (indicated by “turned back”) and followed by BORDER (i.e. “frontier”), like so: SU-BORDER. Fitting, given the times. Nicely done.

43. Muddle up little shepherdess’s name: that amuses baby (4-2)

Answer: PEEP-BO (i.e. game “that amuses baby”, i.e. a game seemingly identical to peekaboo but with rules sufficiently different to warrant separate administrative bodies, with predictable animosity between the two as a result. If you thought Rugby Union vs Rugby League was bad, just check out the bad blood online between peekabooers and peepboers. Definitely not for kids.) Solution is BO PEEP (i.e. “little shepherdess”) with both parts of the name “muddled up”.

44. Preacher concerned with order of candidates for examination (10)

Answer: REVIVALIST (i.e. an itinerant “preacher”, often plying their trade in big tents over in the US). Solution is RE (i.e. “concerned with” or regarding – think email replies) followed by VIVA LIST (i.e. “order of candidates for examination” – vivas are sometimes used when a student’s degree is borderline between, say, a 2:1 and a 1st).

45. Alice is wounded in the guts (5)

Answer: ILEAC (i.e. “in the guts”). “Is wounded” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of ALICE. Another of those solutions I suspect wasn’t the first in the grid.

48. Feeling of revulsion as certain N American people spasm regularly (3,6)

Answer: THE CREEPS (i.e. “feeling of revulsion”). Solution is THE (i.e. “certain”) and CREE (i.e. indigenous “N American people”) followed by PS (i.e. “spasm regularly”, i.e. every other letter of SPASM), like so: THE-CREE-PS.

49. Cabbage ordered since he doesn’t eat (7,6)

Answer: CHINESE LEAVES (i.e. “cabbage”, e.g. bok choi/pak choy). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “ordered”) of SINCE HE followed by LEAVES (i.e. “doesn’t eat”).

51. Returning home with a spring in one’s step? (7)

Answer: INBOUND (i.e. “returning” journey). Solution is IN (i.e. “home”) followed by BOUND (i.e. “spring in one’s step”). Simple, but nicely done all the same.

52. Rodents a horror in boarding school on winter nights? (7)

Answer: DORMICE (i.e. “rodents”). Solution is DORM (shortened form of “dormitory”, of a kind found in “boarding schools”) and ICE (found on some “winter nights”). I guess “a horror” is there to make the clue scan, but I could be missing something clever.
[EDIT: the consensus opinion would be that the solution satisfies “rodents” and, when written as DORM ICE, also satisfies “a horror in boarding school on winter nights”. Thanks all! – LP]

53. Makes bigger uniform and boasts (7)

Answer: UPRATES (i.e. “makes bigger”). Solution is U (“uniform” in the phonetic alphabet) followed by PRATES (i.e. “boasts”).

54. Good year evens out for artist (4)

Answer: Francisco GOYA (i.e. “artist” whose Black Paintings were and still remain Metal AF. Keep an eye out for his skull on eBay, as it was found to be missing when his body was reinterred.) “Evens out” indicates the solution is derived by removing every other letter of GOOD YEAR.

55. Encouragement to start fires (4,2)

Answer: LETS GO. Solution satisfies “encouragement to start” and “fires”. Again, simple, but nicely worked.

56. Emperor who condemns king he hangs (7,4)

Answer: GENGHIS KHAN (i.e. “emperor”). “Condemns” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of KING HE HANGS.

Down clues

1. Supplier of water showing nerves maybe, receiving fine for missing volume (7)

Answer: AQUIFER (i.e. “source of water”). Solution is AQUIVER (i.e. “showing nerves”) with the V (a recognised abbreviation of “volume”) replaced by F (ditto “fine”), like so: AQUI(V)ER => AQUI(F)ER. A very similar clue appeared a few months ago in grid 1450.

2. Documentary evidence of car time-lags (5,6)

Answer: AUDIT TRAILS (i.e. “documentary evidence”). Solution is AUDI (i.e. “car”) followed by T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”) and TRAILS (i.e. “lags”).

3. Prolonged hesitation with nothing to conceal is a mistake (5)

Answer: ERROR (i.e. “mistake”). Solution is ERRR (i.e. “prolonged hesitation”) wrapped around or “concealing” O (i.e. “nothing”), like so: ERR(O)R.

4. Hither and thither troops patrol and film freely (4,6,2,4)

Answer: FROM PILLAR TO POST (i.e. “hither and thither”). “Freely” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of TROOPS PATROL and FILM.

5. Endless grave misery headed off for another day (8)

Answer: TOMORROW (i.e. “another day”). Solution is TOMB (i.e. “grave”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “endless”) followed by SORROW (i.e. “misery”) with its first letter removed (indicated by “headed off”), like so: TOM-ORROW.

6. Cutting water into stone arousing conflicting emotions (11)

Answer: BITTERSWEET (i.e. “conflicting emotions”). Solution is BITTER (i.e. “cutting”) followed by WEE (i.e. “water”, as in feeling something in one’s waters) once this latter has been placed “into” ST (a recognised abbreviation of “stone”), like so: BITTER-S(WEE)T.

7. Long line’s broken in factory (5)

Answer: PLANT (i.e. “factory”). Solution is PANT (i.e. to “long” for something) with L (a recognised abbreviation of “line”) “broken in” as follows: P(L)ANT.

8. Recreation area suggesting super ale? (8,6)

Answer: PLEASURE GROUND (i.e. “recreation area”). “Suggesting super ale” refers to the solution being a cryptic clue in itself, in how PLEASURE is an anagram (indicated by “GROUND”) of “super ale”.

9. Also for kicking? (2,4)

Answer: TO BOOT. Solution satisfies “also” and “for kicking”.

11. Anonymous informer’s short sentence (1,6,4)

Answer: A LITTLE BIRD. Solution satisfies “anonymous informer” and “short sentence”.

12. Travelling player short of nothing in dress material (7)

Answer: GINGHAM (i.e. “dress material”). Solution is GOING (i.e. “travelling”) and HAM (i.e. “player”, or actor, luvvie, dahling) with the O of GOING removed (indicated by “short of nothing”), like so: GING-HAM.

13. Mark put in wedge is for climber (8)

Answer: CLEMATIS (i.e. “climber”). Solution is M (a recognised abbreviation of “mark”, as in the former German currency) “put into” CLEAT (i.e. “wedge”) and followed by IS, like so: CLE(M)AT-IS.

20. I am sure to bound excitedly (2,5)

Answer: NO DOUBT (i.e. “I am sure”). “Excitedly” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of TO BOUND.

22. British out of custom found on one half of island (5)

Answer: HAITI (i.e. “island”). Solution is HABIT (i.e. “custom”) with the B removed (indicated by “British out of…” – B being a recognised abbreviation of “British”) and the remainder followed by I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), like so: HAIT-I.

24. Attend boxing match? The president has to equivocate (4,5,3,4)

Answer: BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH (i.e. “equivocate”). Solution is BE AT A BOUT (i.e. “attend boxing match”) followed by THE and BUSH (i.e. former US “president”, take your pick).

25. Motorway I would come down away from the coast (7)

Answer: MIDLAND (i.e. “away from the coast”). Solution is M (a recognised abbreviation of “motorway”) followed by I’D (a contraction of “I would”) and LAND (i.e. “come down”).

27. Hospital worker putting out one for extremely hungry swindler (7)

Answer: SHYSTER (i.e. “swindler”). Solution is SISTER (i.e. a senior nurse or “hospital worker”) with the I removed (indicated by “putting out [Roman numeral] one for…”) and replaced by HY (i.e. “extremely hungry”, i.e. the first and last letters of “hungry”), like so: S(I)STER => S(HY)STER.

28. In vicious pitilessness, do roar (5,4,5)

Answer: SPLIT ONES SIDES (i.e. “roar” with laughter). “Vicious” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of PITILESSNESS DO.

31. Oxygen needed for energy in elevated Spanish city (7)

Answer: NAIROBI (i.e. “city”). Solution is IBERIAN (i.e. “Spanish”, also Portuguese) with the E (a recognised abbreviation of “energy”) replaced by (indicated by “for”) O (chemical symbol of “oxygen”), and the whole then reversed (indicated by “elevated” – this being a down clue), like so: IB(E)RIAN => IB(O)RIAN => NAIR(O)BI. While it’s tiresome that this is the fourth time this year NAIROBI has been used as a solution, this is by far the most creative clue I’ve seen for it. Very nicely done.

33. Favourite son athlete watched over (4-4,3)

Answer: BLUE-EYED BOY (i.e. “favourite”). Solution is SON (i.e. “boy”) with BLUE (i.e. “athlete”, specifically the rah-rah-rah types from Oxford, Cambridge, Harrow or Eton, old thing, what, what, what) and EYED (i.e. “watched”) placed “over” it – this being a down clue – like so: (BLUE-EYED)-BOY.
[Thanks to Sue in the comments for the typo fix. I’d written (BLUE-EYED)-SON at the end. Cheers, Sue! – LP]

35. About twenty-four days, possibly, in holiday island? (5)

Answer: CAPRI (i.e. “island”). Solution is C (a recognised abbreviation of “circa”, i.e. “about”) followed by the first four letters of APRIL (i.e. “twenty-four days”, being 80% of the thirty days in April), like so: C-APRI. I guess “holiday” refers to Capri being a popular tourist spot, rather than the Easter holiday, which can occur in March or April.

36. Volunteers new short story I confess very gripping (11)

Answer: TANTALISING (i.e. “very gripping”). Solution is TA (i.e. “volunteers”, specifically the Territorial Army) followed by N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”), then TALE (i.e. “story”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “short”) and I SING (i.e. “I confess”), like so: TA-N-TAL-I-SING.

38. Organ voluntary’s beginning to cut into ladies’ fingers (6,5)

Answer: KIDNEY VETCH (i.e. “ladies’ fingers”, a medicinal plant). Solution is KIDNEY (i.e. “organ”) followed by V (i.e. “voluntary’s beginning”, i.e. the first letter of “voluntary”) and ETCH (i.e. “to cut into”).

40. Wood supplier getting a blaze going in chimney (8)

Answer: LABURNUM (i.e. “wood supplier”). Solution is A BURN (i.e. “a blaze”) placed “in” LUM (Scots word for a “chimney”), like so: L(A-BURN)UM.

42. Replacement cleric’s unusual deviance (4-4)

Answer: VICE-DEAN (i.e. “replacement cleric”). “Unusual” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of DEVIANCE.

43. Looking sadly on ostensibly good drawing (7)

Answer: PITYING (i.e. “looking sadly on”). Solution is PI (i.e. “ostensibly good”, i.e. a recognised abbreviation of “pious”) followed by TYING (i.e. “drawing” or being evenly matched in a contest).

46. Play’s begun? Gets knitting (5,2)

Answer: CASTS ON. Solution satisfies “play’s begun” and “gets knitting”.

47. Buyer in French department (6)

Answer: VENDEE. Solution satisfies “buyer” and “French department” – a department is an administrative division of France (hat-tip to Steve, who mentioned this in the comments of a previous puzzle). One such department is Vendée.

49. In Madagascar, God is a sort of cult (5)

Answer: CARGO (i.e. “sort of cult”, specifically “a type of religion in certain S Pacific islands based on the belief that ancestors or supernatural beings will return bringing products of modern civilization and thus make the islanders rich and independent” (Chambers) – fascinating stuff. I didn’t know that.) “In” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: MADAGAS(CAR GO)D.

50. Love pocketing initially unwanted coins (5)

Answer: EUROS (i.e. “coins”). Solution is EROS, Greek god of “love”, wrapped around or “pocketing” U (i.e. “initially unwanted”, i.e. the first letter of “unwanted”), like so: E(U)ROS.

Not much music listened to this time – mostly live footie and chipping away at a backlog of about 20 NFL games. I did have a moment, however, hunting out the tune that’s on that Peloton advert at the moment: Sofi Tukker – Purple Hat. Very cool.