I don’t really have any issues with any of these clues. If I had to pick a favourite it would probably be 32D for the cryptic surface.
ACROSS
1 Out of action, sort lower in rank (9)
DOWNGRADE – DOWN = out of action, GRADE = sort
6 Money about right for wreck (5)
CRASH – CASH = money, around R = right
9 Source of inspiration after retirement perhaps caused bewilderment? (7)
BEMUSED – MUSE = source of inspiration in BED = after retirement, perhaps
13 Book first of vacations in time for Christmas (5)
NOVEL – NOEL = time for Christmas around the first letter of V{acations}
14 Singer taking short cut to city in Nevada, heading west (7)
CROONER – CRO{p} = cut, ENOR = RENO = city in Nevada, reversed
15 Decide to turn off before quarry, possibly (9)
DETERMINE – DETER = turn off, MINE = quarry, perhaps
16 Musical composition by college principal, a tour de force (11)
MASTERPIECE – MASTER = college principal, PIECE = musical composition
17 Solemn Aussie, a sexton maybe (11)
GRAVEDIGGER – GRAVE = solemn, DIGGER = Aussie
18 Reindeer given mashed potato, say, before run (6)
DANCER – DANCE = mashed potato, say, R = run
19 Eavesdrop? Line isn’t tapped! (6,2)
LISTEN IN – (LINE ISNT)*
21 Yellow flowers in neat borders (6)
OXLIPS – OX = neat, LIPS = borders
25 Family, edgier unfortunately, after gym (8)
PEDIGREE – P.E. = gym, EDGIER*
26 End disagreement? This may have a bearing on title (4,10)
GOAL DIFFERENCE – GOAL = end, DIFFERENCE = disagreement
28 Baffle fool, hiding face (5)
ELUDE – {d}ELUDE = fool
29 Spot used to be put back for playground attraction (6)
SEESAW – SEE = spot, SAW = WAS = used to be, reversed
30 Crowd sitting for improvised performance (3,7)
JAM SESSION – JAM = crowd, SESSION = sitting
33 Where one is as a consequence of being sent for an early bath? (2,3,5)
IN HOT WATER – cryptic definition
35 Cloak carried by Ripon chorister (6)
PONCHO – hidden in {Ri}PON CHO{rister}
36 One like Harpagon, in intense discomfort, endlessly (5)
MISER – MISER{y} = intense discomfort. I was not aware of Harpagon, the title character in Molière’s The Miser
38 Play a hit, newsletter broadcast (3,7,4)
THE WINTERS TALE – (A HIT NEWSLETTER)*
40 Old-fashioned Republican next to witness (6-2)
PASSER-BY – PASSÉ = old-fashioned, R = Republican, BY = next to
42 A year in mean accommodation provides sanctuary (6)
ASYLUM – A, SLUM = mean accommodation, around Y = year
43 Damn tack, the cause of a sore finger? (8)
HANGNAIL – HANG = damn, NAIL = tack
44 Precise as regards unfinished shopping centre (6)
FORMAL – FOR = as regards, MAL{l} = shopping centre
47 Somehow smart, hi-tech policy back in the 1980s (11)
THATCHERISM – (SMART HI TECH)*
50 Bored? Answer: eat noodles, specially prepared (2,1,5,3)
AT A LOOSE END – A = answer, (EAT NOODLES)*
52 Limit beer in grounds (9)
RATIONALE – RATION = limit, ALE = beer
53 Father hiding key makes one cross (7)
SALTIRE – SIRE = father, around ALT = key
54 Black and yellow cape missing (5)
RAVEN – {c}RAVEN = yellow
55 Disorder resulting from exploding grenade (7)
DERANGE – GRENADE*
56 Around noon, wee can of beer in Perth? (5)
TINNY – TINY = wee, around N = noon
57 Completed articles by Lawrence? Ask for more (2,3,4)
UP THE ANTE – UP = completed, THE, AN = articles, T.E. = Lawrence
DOWN
1 Material excavated mounted (5)
DENIM – MINED = excavated, reversed
2 Book in certain members of the clan? (5,3,9)
WIVES AND DAUGHTERS – double definition
3 Bird in vicious gale, on ledge (6,5)
GOLDEN EAGLE – (GALE ON LEDGE)*
4 Pass law about edible fungus (6)
ACCEPT – ACT = law, around CEP = edible fungus
5 Circle in compound on island, circle initially difficult to understand (8)
ESOTERIC – ESTER = compound, around O = circle, I = island, C{ircle}
6 Established nunnery on Hebridean island, then left (12)
CONVENTIONAL – CONVENT = nunnery, IONA = Hebridean island, L = left
7 Brazenly, turn up inside, with pride (10)
ARROGANTLY – ARRANTLY = brazenly, around OG = GO = turn, reversed
8 Monster in Binchy drama (5)
HYDRA – hidden in {Binc}HY DRA{ma}
9 Gambler leaving in profit? (6,3)
BETTER OFF – BETTER = gambler, OFF = leaving
10 Officer reportedly game, heading off for karate, etc. (7,4)
MARTIAL ARTS – MARTIAL sounds like MARSHAL = officer, {d}ARTS = game
11 Smart, Romeo leaving procession (5)
STING – ST{r}ING = procession
12 Dull days breed melancholy, ultimately (6)
DREARY – D = days, REAR = breed, {melancholy}Y
18 I must go in to protest against decline (10)
DEPRECIATE – DEPRECATE = protest against, around I
20 Bore is lying in shade (8)
NUISANCE – NUANCE = shade, around IS
22 Song‘s unexpected benefit (7,4,6)
PENNIES FROM HEAVEN – double definition
23 Ridiculous age, his female companion (6)
GEISHA – (AGE HIS)*
24 Mint coin — sovereign, perhaps (10)
PENNYROYAL – PENNY = coin, ROYAL = sovereign
27 Look into touching prior to examination (8)
RESEARCH – RE = touching, SEARCH = examination
31 Work hard on a new jingle (6)
SLOGAN – SLOG = work hard, A, N = new
32 Where one may get spares down the lane? (7,5)
BOWLING ALLEY – cryptic definition
34 Nonsense written about large cap and papal tiara (6,5)
TRIPLE CROWN – TRIPE = nonsense, around L = large, CROWN = cap
36 Wrongly interpret young lady defending argument against? Correct (11)
MISCONSTRUE – MISS = young lady, around CON = argument against, TRUE = correct
37 Man soon set off — his business may be flagging (10)
STONEMASON – (MAN SOON SET)*
39 Paddy had a meal, balanced (9)
TEMPERATE – TEMPER = paddy, ATE = had a meal
41 American and I ruin it, upside-down dessert (8)
TIRAMISU – U.S. = American, I, MAR = ruin, IT, all reversed
45 Kept being annoyed about time taken by duke (6)
STORED – SORE = annoyed, around T = time, D = duke
46 Concealed hide close to nest (6)
COVERT – COVER = hide, {nes}T
48 A sailor holding line where knot may be tied (5)
ALTAR – A TAR = a sailor, around L = line
49 Delicate point, female being sacked for showing no skill (5)
INEPT – {f}INE = delicate, PT = point
51 Slow to understand Democrat, unable to relax, blowing top (5)
DENSE – D = Democrat, {t}ENSE = unable to relax
The only minor sticking point for me was 18 A Dancer. I had not heard of the Mashed Potato Dance (I see from the internet it was a brief craze in 1962, and I plead youth here), and interestingly Donner, another of Santa’s reindeers (Dasher, Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen), also fits the checkers, whether one spells it Donner or as I have seen sometimes, Donder. But Donne- for mashed potato sounded even less likely than Dance- so I guessed Dancer. Fortuitously as it turns out.
I agree that 32D Bowling Alley was a fine clue (worth more than a “feh”, surely?) but my personal COD was 9A Bemused. Not really because it is a clever clue, but because I felt so pleased with myself for having worked out that “after retirement, perhaps” could mean “in bed”. As some may know my natural habitat is more the QC, and we don’t get that sort of wordplay there very often!
Cedric