Jumbo 1438

ACROSS
1 Troublesome — could it be compatible given right input? (11)
PROBLEMATIC – COMPATIBLE* around R = right

7 Cheap beer that made for expansive habit (11)
FARTHINGALE – FARTHING ALE would be cheap beer

13 Attractive lie spun deviously for business investor (7,10)
VENTURE CAPITALIST – (ATTRACTIVE LIE SPUN)*

14 Pipe connects with eastern state (5)
MAINE – MAIN = pipe, E = eastern

15 Linen not covering picture’s frame (6)
NAPERY – NARY = not, around P(ictur)E

16 Prisoner holding a little flower set to be hung in Tower (8)
CARILLON – CON = prisoner, around A and RILL = little flower

17 Work with uranium, fast becoming rich (7)
OPULENT – OP = work, U = uranium, LENT = fast

19 Fool brought back after school as planned (9)
SCHEDULED – SCH = school, EDULED = DELUDE = fool, reversed

21 Vicious perhaps, Scotsman chasing alumnus produces glass (8)
OBSIDIAN – O.B. = alumnus, SID = Vicious (of the Sex Pistols in case anyone is puzzled), IAN = Scotsman

23 Some ground overlooks ruin (4)
UNDO – hidden in groUND Overlooks

25 Giants substitute appears shortly after blunder in field (5)
OGRES – O.G. = blunder in field, RES(erve) = substitute

27 Shaking bunk about to hamper phase of sleep (6)
TREMOR – TOR = ROT = bunk, reversed around R.E.M. = phase of sleep

28 Saunter round northern capital, obtaining picture (10)
MONOCHROME – MOOCH = saunter, around N = northern, ROME = capital

30 This, installed across the pond, to make flight optional? (8)
ELEVATOR – cryptic definition

31 Somewhat limited success as year in Down ends badly (4,4,6)
NINE DAYS WONDER – (YEAR IN DOWN ENDS)*

34 Stylish gesture reworked for panto dames (3,4,7)
THE UGLY SISTERS – (STYLISH GESTURE)*

35 Cathedral plans to include religious education (8)
CHARTRES – CHARTS = plans, around R.E. = religious education

38 Needing atmosphere after interlude, books diner (10)
RESTAURANT – REST = interlude, AURA = atmosphere, N.T. = books

40 With this, not doing as much in class (6)
LESSON – LESS ON = not doing as much

41 Find penny on public transport vehicle in March (5)
TRAMP – TRAM = public transport, P = penny

43 Dispute on chairs around piano (4)
SPAT – SAT = on chairs, around P = piano

44 Retired sleuth visiting Alpine ridge and similar things (2,6)
ET CETERA – ARETE = alpine ridge, around TEC = sleuth, all reversed

45 European craft touching down on frozen mass (9)
ICELANDER – ICE = frozen mass, LANDER = vehicle touching down

48 Company car is damaged in mountainous place (7)
CORSICA – CO = company, (CAR IS)*

49 Waffle about god endlessly, then finish speaking (8)
PERORATE – PRATE = waffle, around ERO(s) = god

50 Literary lion takes time on slope (6)
ASLANT – ASLAN = literary lion, T = time

53 Love new song being broadcast (2,3)
ON AIR – O = love, N = new, AIR = song
54 In which leading Oxbridge pair will make repeated appearances? (7,3,7)
NOUGHTS AND CROSSES – O and X are the first pair of letters in Oxbridge and are used repeatedly in the game

55 Green Man? Here one may find whiskey! (7,4)
EMERALD ISLE – EMERALD = green, ISLE = Man

56 Seer rejecting crazy schemes — common sense deployed about this (11)
NOSTRADAMUS – NOUS = common sense, around STRADAM = MAD ARTS = crazy schemes

DOWN
1 Flag seen in the street — Pentagon is very troubled (6,5)
PAVING STONE – (PENTAGON IS V(ery))*

2 Admit that was painful bit of humour, taken wrong way (3,2)
OWN UP – OW = that was painful, NUP = PUN = bit of humour, reversed

3 Museum finally supplied with slats (7)
LOUVRED – LOUVRE = museum, (supplie)D

4 Once proper hounds assembly (4)
MEET – double definition

5 Accountant in women’s underwear leaves containers (3-7)
TEA CADDIES – A.C.A. = accountant, in TEDDIES = women’s underwear

6 Experts in the wrong? (14)
CRIMINOLOGISTS – cryptic definition. This was one of my first in and I really like the simplicity of the clue

7 Confident female — and why she won’t listen? (8)
FEARLESS – F = female, EARLESS = why she won’t listen

8 Good to be in control for this! (5)
REIGN – REIN = control, around G = good

9 Stew over author regularly seeing controversial problem (3,6)
HOT POTATO – HOTPOT = stew, alternate letters in AuThOr

10 Summit avoided, wing enters warmer rising cloud (6)
NIMBUS – (l)IMB = wing, in NUS = SUN = warmer, reversed

11 Fantastic girl, elected, having triumphed over the German state (5-2-10)
ALICE-IN-WONDERLAND – ALICE = girl, IN = elected, WON = triumphed, DER = the in German, LAND = state

12 Campaigner the Spanish church upset, one dragged into row (11)
ELECTIONEER – EL = the in Spanish, EC = C.E. = church, reversed, TIER = row, around ONE

18 Greed shown where corporation man banks pounds (8)
GLUTTONY – GUT = corporation, TONY = man, around L = pounds

20 Researcher’s goal is to develop powered vehicle (9,8)
HORSELESS CARRIAGE – (RESEARCHERS GOAL IS)*

22 Returned to make cut into beloved tree (6)
DEODAR – DEAR = beloved, around OD = DO = make

24 Article by rotter about firm sent up revered leader (8)
THEOCRAT – THE = article, OC = CO = firm, reversed, RAT = rotter

26 Remain in quiet given excellent port (8)
SHANGHAI, SH = quiet, around HANG = remain, A1 = excellent

29 Group member wants her ego massaged in fortress (6,8)
GEORGE HARRISON – GARRISON = fortress, around (HER EGO)*

32 Small prehistoric monument within borders of certain European area (8)
SCHENGEN – S = small, C(ertai)N around HENGE = prehistoric monument

33 Intended to underwrite funding where one name absconds (6)
FIANCE – FINANCE = underwrite funding, with one N = name removed

34 Muse and priest thrashing tedious Job (11)
TERPSICHORE – PRIEST*, CHORE = tedious job

36 For whom south, set apart, is potentially enough? (11)
SEPARATISTS – (S(outh), SET APART IS)*

37 Silly workers maybe must welcome first people helping (10)
ASSISTANTS – ASS ANTS = silly workers, around IST = first

39 Redundant staff are often kept on, Republican admitted (9)
RETRAINED – RETAINED = kept on, around R = Republican

42 Maybe Vatican brings in cunning Frenchman I don’t know (6,2)
SEARCH ME – SEE = Vatican, around ARCH = cunning and M = Frenchman

46 Sailors trick duke and skip town (7)
ABSCOND – ABS = sailors, CON = trick, D = duke

47 Chain letter read out on radio (6)
SIERRA – double definition

49 Rains temporarily stop, as some might hear? (5)
POURS – can be pronounced the same as PAUSE = temporarily stop

51 Top-grade schools vacated before noon in this region (5)
ASSAM – A = top grade, S(chool)S, A.M. = before noon

52 Maple, one seen by river (4)
ACER – ACE = one, R = river