ACROSS
1 Singer, one acknowledging applause before time? (9)
BOWERBIRD – BOWER = one acknowledging applause, BIRD = time (in prison)
10 Soft cheese a woman takes in bed (7)
RICOTTA – RITA = woman, around COT = bed
13 Vehicle I’d used to carry books? It carries blood! (7)
CAROTID – CAR = vehicle, O.T. = books, I’D
14 Shade encountered in Milanese piazzas (5)
SEPIA – hidden in milaneSE PIAzzas
15 Old boxer given permit that’s legally transferrable (9)
ALIENABLE – ALI = old boxer, ENABLE = permit
16 It’s unremarkable, but prep school pupils feared having it? (7,2,5,4,5)
NOTHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT – mildly cryptic second definition, which I think would have been better with boarding school rather than prep school as the latter was not always a residential establishment
17 Run into pole — fast! (6)
STAVE = pole, around R = run
18 Projecting column I coated in stucco (8)
PILASTER – PLASTER = stucco, around I
19 No one’s pad in Albert Square is so disgusting (7)
NOISOME – NO, I’S = one’s, ‘OME = pad in Albert Square
22 Money suitable for securing game and starchy food (10)
BREADFRUIT – BREAD = money, FIT = suitable, around R.U. = game
23 European woman, one coming ashore with bag (12)
NETHERLANDER – NET = bag, HER = woman, LANDER = one coming ashore
27 Place where a stripper briefly appears? (5)
LOCUS – LOCUST(t) = stripper
29 Caustic wordplay by man of breeding (7)
PUNGENT – PUN = wordplay, GENT = man of breeding
30 Prevent retiring daughter concealing her archaeological find (8)
POTSHERD – POTS = STOP = prevent, reversed, HER, D = daughter
32 A French lad ringing about a lack of logical thinking (8)
UNREASON – UN = a (French), RE = about, A, SON = lad
34 Cooked most tropical fruit (7)
APRICOT – TROPICA(l)*
36 Strip firearm (5)
RIFLE – double definition
39 Vehicle thief collects favourite political candidate from afar? (12)
CARPETBAGGER – CAR = vehicle, PET = favourite, BAGGER = thief
41 Belittled and frustrated, the writer’s at home in this (10)
DIMINISHED – DISHED = frustrated, around I’M IN = the writer’s at home
44 Liberal academic given employment (7)
PROFUSE – PROF = academic, USE = employment
46 The domain one abandoned sadly for Macbeth’s Cawdor? (8)
THANEDOM – (THE DOMA(i)N)*
48 Present old footballer with ring in retirement (6)
BESTOW – BEST = old footballer, O = ring, W = with
50 Become agitated carelessly removing one’s clothing from washing machine? (3,4,8,2,1,5)
GET ONE’S KNICKERS IN A TWIST – double definition, the second mildly cryptic
53 Surprisingly happy with old car and rejected books (9)
APOCRYPHA – (HAPPY, O, CAR)*
54 Hang about in south coast resort before run (5)
HOVER – HOVE = south coast resort, R = run
55 Popular view voiced by Republican, a provoker of action (7)
INCITER – IN = popular, CITE sounds like SIGHT = view, R = Republican
56 High-flyer changes sides — what a bore (5)
EAGRE – EAGLE = high flyer, with L = left replaced by R = right, so sides changed
57 For a seamstress they’re not entirely unnecessary (7)
NEEDLES – NEEDLES(s) = unnecessary
58 Assuasive English gang girl that is not without heart (9)
EMOLLIENT – E = English, MOLL = gang girl, I.E. = that is, N(o)T
DOWN
1 Meaty product of Berkshire philosopher? (5)
BACON – double definition, the first mildly cryptic referring to the Berkshire breed of pigs
2 Best to reconnoitre plot? Nothing could be more awful (5-4,8)
WORST-CASE SCENARIO – WORST = best, CASE = reconnoitre, SCENARIO = plot
3 Recovered stored information? It’s what the Lab did? (9)
RETRIEVED – double definition, the second mildly cryptic referring to the dog breed, the Labrador Retriever, often shortened to Labrador or Lab
4 Once disgraceful gibe delivered in pub (6)
INDIGN – INN = pub, around DIG = jibe
5 Girl’s status and character (11)
DISPOSITION – DI’S = girl’s, POSITION = status
6 Final send-off for heretic connected with bank (8)
RIPARIAN – R.I.P. = final send-off, ARIAN = heretic. As a fisherman I should have got this one sooner – as it was it was one of my last ones in
7 Bird identified by lieutenant, one wearing outdoor garment (4,3)
COAL TIT – COAT = outdoor garment, around LT = lieutenant and I = one
8 Her chap set out to secure current post at school (11)
TEACHERSHIP – (HER CHAP SET)* around I = current
9 A former country with popular old king? It’s what Anatolia was (4,5)
ASIA MINOR – A, SIAM = former country, IN = popular, O = old, R = king
10 Judge given notes in largely Carthaginian language (7)
PUNJABI – PUNI(c) = Carthaginian, around J = judge and A, B = notes
11 Forbidden book, not acceptable in Chinese philosophy (5)
TABOO – TAO = Chinese philosophy, around BO(ok) where OK = acceptable and has been removed
12 Lover demanding attention in parts of the West (10)
SWEETHEART – (THE WEST)* around EAR = attention
17 Prophetess lives over by lake (5)
SIBYL – SI = IS = lives, reversed, BY, L = lake
20 A Scottish honour, tho Forester held it, unexpectedly (5,2,3,7)
ORDER OF THE THISTLE – (THO FORESTER HELD IT)*
21 Loses footing absorbing last of info for Cambridge exam (6)
TRIPOS – TRIPS = loses footing, around (inf)O
24 Secure by intimidation in text or tweet (6)
EXTORT – hidden in tEXT OR Tweet
25 Hate airline coming over house by river (5)
ABHOR – AB = B.A. = airline, reversed, HO = house, R = river
26 Lavishly supply short man with alcoholic drink (6)
REGALE – REG = short man, ALE = alcoholic drink
28 Kid influenced by power or moral force, we hear (5)
SUEDE – sounds like SWAYED = influenced
31 Shabby-sounding provider of starch in Scotland (6)
TATTIE – sounds like TATTY = shabby
33 Singer’s dark period buffeted by wind (11)
NIGHTINGALE – NIGHT = dark period, IN GALE = buffeted by wind
35 Decorative work of one in hard-wearing trousers on lake (11)
CHINOISERIE – CHINOS = hard-wearing trousers around I = one, ERIE = lake
37 Finance demise that hurt (5)
ENDOW – END = demise, OW = that hurt
38 Rascal initially scaring head girl? (10)
SCAPEGRACE – S(caring), CAPE = head, GRACE = girl
40 British painter’s fancy brooch (9)
BREASTPIN – B = British, PAINTER’S*
42 The writer would clean it out just the same (9)
IDENTICAL – I’D – the writer would, (CLEAN IT)*
43 Books about court actions? (8)
RESERVES – RE = about, SERVES = (tennis) court actions
45 Disconcert peacekeepers, at no time raising resistance (7)
UNNERVE – U.N. = peacekeepers, NERVE = NEVER = at no time with R = resistance moved up
47 Everyone taking in salmon and strong drink (7)
ALCOHOL – ALL = everyone, around COHO = salmon
49 A shade 4, changing second name to Oscar (6)
INDIGO – INDIGN = 4 (down) with N = name, changed to O = Oscar
51 Heavyweight key locking up husband’s skimpy beachwear (5)
THONG – TON = heavyweight, G = key, around H = husband
52 Card call-girl carries round (5)
TAROT – TART = call-girl, around O = round
Ong’ara,
Kenya.