Jumbo 1473

My best wishes to all readers for a healthy and happy 2021!

ACROSS
1 Rex one with physic cured fast (10)
HYPERSONIC – (R{ex}, ONE, PHYSIC)*

6 Cut dead polar bear (4-8)
COLD-SHOULDER – COLD = polar, SHOULDER = bear

14 Fix again with reference to a parking place (9)
REAPPOINT – RE = with reference to, A, P = parking, POINT = place

15 Example given in current understanding (5)
IDEAL – I = current, DEAL = understanding

16 Checked where gold tester initially had it outside (7)
AUDITED – AU = gold, DIED = had it, around T{ester}

17 Crime a seaman mentioned with one charged (7,3,7)
ASSAULT AND BATTERY – ASSAULT sounds like A SALT = a seaman, AND = with, BATTERY = one charged

18 Thick-skinned sort making cash (5)
RHINO – double definition

19 Old diet adjusted to create muscle (7)
DELTOID – (OLD DIET)*

21 British bombshell in France and county here (6)
DORSET – DORS = British bombshell, ET = and, in French. “County here” as a definition is even more appropriate for me as the puzzle was solved and this blog post is being written in Dorset!

22 Decorative tiles made by girl, given time and energy (8)
TESSERAE – TESS = girl, ERA = time, E = energy

24 Cosy situation Johnson accepts in human rights group (7)
AMNESTY – AMY = Johnson, around NEST = cosy situation

26 Be marked, cut by one Bavarian with sword (8)
SCIMITAR – SCAR = be marked, around MIT = with in German and therefore in Bavaria, and I = one

27 Alfresco meal and walk in park (6)
PICNIC – double definition

30 Present ploy at last decisive in long-term investment (6,5)
TROJAN HORSE – cryptic definition, where investment = siege

32 One likely to behave unpredictably in firing-line? (5,6)
LOOSE CANNON – cryptic definition

33 Volatile Scot in Irish melodrama (11)
HISTRIONICS – (SCOT IN IRISH)*

35 Unselfish in good position in box (11)
CONSIDERATE – ONSIDE = good position, in CRATE = box

37 Soak companion after anorak returned (6)
DRENCH – DREN = NERD = anorak, reversed, C.H. = companion

38 Shabby old magistrate a revolutionary (3-5)
DOG-EARED – DOGE = old magistrate, A RED = a revolutionary

39 Rubber man shot approaching ancient city (7)
MASSEUR – MASSE = shot (in billiards/snooker), UR = ancient city

42 Switch positions occasionally (3,3,2)
OFF AND ON – double definition

44 Staff without rupees suffer from hunger (6)
STARVE – STAVE = staff, around R = rupees

46 Blaze contained in mile radius ultimately circulates (7)
MINGLES – M = mile, INGLE = blaze contained (in a room, according to Chambers), {radiu}S.

48 Language used by Magwitch in Dickens (5)
HINDI – hidden in {Magwitc}H IN DI{ckens}

49 Government department troubled over idealistic Conservative MP (10,7)
DIPLOMATIC SERVICE – (OVER, IDEALISTIC, C, MP)*

51 Points raised badly needing to be accepted by Scottish bank (7)
BRAILLE – BRAE = Scottish bank, around ILL = badly. Nice definition

52 Pleased haze at last is clearing (5)
GLADE – GLAD, {haz}E

53 Aggressor making trouble between two creatures (9)
ASSAILANT – ASS, ANT = creatures, around AIK = trouble

54 Poetic technique nothing but repeats (12)
ALLITERATION – ALL = nothing but, ITERATION = repeats

55 Printed notepaper? (5,5)
SHEET MUSIC – cryptic definition

DOWN
1 Not moving like cannonball (4,3,4)
HARD AND FAST – double definition

2 Mountain up north on small maps (5)
PLANS – PLA = ALP = mountain, reversed, N = north, S = small

3 Exalted god, universal, seen in Proust reworked (9)
RAPTUROUS – RA = god, PROUST* around U = universal

4 Hand detected in reference work is overlooked (7)
OMITTED – O.E.D. = reference work, around MITT = hand

5 Sang canticle as passionate about Scots hooligan (7)
INTONED – INTO = passionate about, NED = Scots hooligan

7 Past it and into next valley? (4,3,4)
OVER THE HILL – double definition, the second mildly cryptic

8 Trick left soldiers in prehistoric tomb (6)
DOLMEN – DO = trick, L = left, MEN = soldiers

9 Mesomorphic villain on stage (8)
HEAVYSET – HEAVY = villain, SET = stage

10 Erudite men sat around — judge not well? (13)
UNDERESTIMATE – (ERUDITE MEN SAT)*

11 Party time — couple runs for more nuts (7)
DOTTIER – DO = party, T = time, TIE = couple, R = runs

12 Do anaerobic exercises — one knows where one is with it (5,6)
RADIO BEACON – (DO ANAEROBIC)*

13 Capital the enemy surrounds in woodland boundary (10)
TIMBERLINE – TIME = the enemy, around BERLIN = capital

20 Good drive out in Channel to find shellfish (9)
LANGOUSTE – LANE = channel, around G = good and OUST = drive out

23 Distress signal used by news boss in isolated position (8)
MAROONED – MAROON = distress signal, ED = news boss

25 Louts still heading north — Soho in uproar (6)
YAHOOS – YA = AY = still, reversed, SOHO*

26 Path round assumed by sun that’s sweet (8)
SORBITOL – SOL = sun, around ORBIT = path around

28 Man, carrying on, average or unique? (9)
NONPAREIL – NEIL = man, around ON and PAR = average

29 This writer slow to introduce uniform method (6)
MEDIUM – ME = this writer, DIM = slow, around U = uniform

31 Moor for example with nameless wild plant (7,6)
AFRICAN VIOLET – AFRICAN = Moor, for example, VIOLE{n}T = wild

33 Work hard on magic to stop monster showing an aversion (11)
HYDROPHOBIA – HYDRA = monster, around OP = work, H = hard and OBI = magic

34 Tuber thus contains little tasteless stuff going round belly (5,6)
SWEET POTATO – SO = thus, around WEE = little and TAT = tasteless stuff, these around POT = belly

35 Nurse without fear obtains security device (4,6)
CARD READER – CARER = nurse, around DREAD = fear

36 Cup tie score excited one not keen on Union (11)
EUROSCEPTIC – (CUP TIE SCORE)*

40 My singers resolved to show effective integration (9)
SYNERGISM – (MY SINGERS)*

41 Cherish husband, an elderly person (4,4)
HOLD DEAR – H = husband, OLD DEAR = elderly person

43 Cool guy mentioned letters from admirers (3,4)
FAN MAIL – FAN = cool, MAIL sounds like MALE = guy

45 Final word mine in each pub (7)
EPITAPH – EA = each, P.H. = pub, around PIT = mine

46 Stone in French museum not to be missed (4-3)
MUST-SEE – MUSEE = French museum, around ST = stone

47 Tap on barrel from glutton feeding drunk (6)
SPIGOT – SOT = drunk, around PIG = glutton

50 Geordie mother is taken round to see holy men (5)
IMAMS – IS around MAM = Geordie mother