I found most of this entertaining and reasonably straightforward. However, I did need to resort to aids for 47A and have reservations about 13A.
I will be away from the computer from tonight until probably Monday morning, trying to catch fish from a lake in Cambridgeshire, so apologies in advance if I don’t respond promptly to any comments and queries.
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MINIM – a palindrome so the same from either side. The same word was clued in the Saturday Crossword (number 24640) on the same day! The clues were also very similar. | |
| 4 | SECEDES – DEC(ember) = month, reversed in SEES = looks | |
| 8 | LIVERPOOL – LOO = game, PREV(a)IL = win, all reversed | |
| 13 | GOLF CARTS – cryptic, but it doesn’t quite work for me. Drivers are golf clubs, but I really don’t see the back-seat reference | |
| 14 | NUISANCE VALUE – (A VENUSIAN CLUE)* | |
| 15 | NINEPIN – NINE = square (of 3), PIN = leg | |
| 16 | EPSTEIN – EP = record, STEIN = mug | |
| 17 | deliberately omitted, please ask if necessary | |
| 18 | TOO MUCH INFORMATION – TOUCH = contact, around O.M. = Order (of Merit), IN, FORMATION = production | |
| 21 | SKIN – S(itu), KIN = family. I’m sure that there was a song called “It’s Your Skin That Keeps You In”, or similar, but I can’t find it | |
| 23 | INTENDANT – IN = popular, TEN = number, DANT(e) = poet | |
| 25 | PUTRID – PUT = set, RID = free | |
| 26 | CLARET – cryptic double definition | |
| 28 | EVENT HORIZON – EVEN = still, THOR = God, 1 ZON(e) = area. I knew the existence of the phrase, but looked it up to find the definition, which relates to the inescapable gravitational field of a black hole, or a point of no return | |
| 30 | AGGRAVATED – double definition | |
| 33 | NARROWBOAT – N(o)T around ARROW, BOA being the two killers | |
| 34 | HARRY HOUDINI – (lunc)H, (HOUR IN DIARY)* | |
| 37 | deliberately omitted, please ask if necessary | |
| 39 | JOCOSE – JOE around COS | |
| 40 | FORFEITED – FOR = supporting, FEED = supply, around IT | |
| 42 | deliberately omitted, please ask if necessary | |
| 43 | THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX – cryptic, referring to the 18 yard, or penalty, box in football (soccer) | |
| 46 | ARBITER – (b)AR = ban, BITER = dangerous dog | |
| 47 | ANOSMIA – A(ustralian) followed by reversal of AIMS = ends, ON = cricket side. I must confess resorting to aids to solve this. It means lack of sense of smell | |
| 48 | PUNJABI – PUN = joke, JAB = poke, 1 | |
| 50 | CONTORTIONIST – CON = politician, TORT = wrong, (IS NOT 1)* | |
| 51 | SHOWERING – E.R. = Queen in SHOWING = performance | |
| 52 | RESIDENCY – (p)RESIDENCY | |
| 53 | NORWEST – NO REST (for the wicked) around W(ife) | |
| 54 | SWEAR – SW = South West (for Cornwall), EAR = some corn | |
| Down | ||
| 1 | MAGINOT LINE – MINE = explosive, around A, GI = soldier, NOT, L(eft). A series of French defensive fortifications intended to stop German invasion. | |
| 2 | deliberately omitted, please ask if necessary | |
| 3 | MY CUP RUNNETH OVER – (EVERY MONTH)* around CUP RUN = some knockout success | |
| 4 | SCRUNCH – S(econd), CRUNCH = crush | |
| 5 | CASHEW NUT – CUT = trimmed, around AS HEWN = while sliced | |
| 6 | DENIS COMPTON – (TOP DENIMS ON,C)* | |
| 7 | SPIDER MITE – SPIDER = rest (in snooker or billiards), MITE sounds like MIGHT = strength | |
| 8 | LEARN – LEAR = king, N = knight (normal chess reference) | |
| 9 | VACATION – VA = Virginia, CATION = a positively charged ion | |
| 10 | REVIEW – (c)REW = team, around VIE = struggle | |
| 11 | OIL TANKER – OINKER = swine, around L.T.A. = Lawn Tennis Association, using the term racketeers for those playing the game. Took a bit of thinking to confirm the wordplay, both elements of which made me smile | |
| 12 | LEEDS UNITED – (TEN USED 1 LED)* | |
| 19 | OUTWEAR – OUT = blooming, WEAR = flower (river) | |
| 20 | TRIGGER – TIGGER = bouncer, around R(ight). Arm refers to weapon | |
| 22 | FLAVOUR ENHANCERS – (OF LUNCH ARE RAVENS)* | |
| 24 | AMOEBA – A MOB = crowd, around (spectr)E, followed by A | |
| 27 | ARCHER – double definition | |
| 29 | IDAHOAN – I, HAD reversed, (r)OAN) = horse. Boise is the state capital of Idaho | |
| 31 | TWIN-TUB – WIN = bag in BUTT = barrel, all reversed | |
| 32 | CAVEAT EMPTOR – CAVE = hollow, AT(t)EMPT = bit, OR = on the other hand. Let the buyer beware, as I was taught in O level Commerce, presumably now Business Studies! | |
| 33 | NECROMANCER – NEC, sounds like NECK = kiss, ROMANCER = someone with passion | |
| 35 | INDEX FINGER – (DEFINING)* around X = cross, ER = little hesitation | |
| 36 | LOCOMOTION – LOTION = oil around COMO = lake | |
| 38 | LAZYBONES – LAY around (about) Z = unknown, BONES = doctor | |
| 40 | FRICASSEE – FRI(day) = when fish is served, CAS = SAC (=bag) reversed, SEE = observe | |
| 41 | SHERATON – SHE = woman, RAT ON = betray. Sheraton was a furniture designer | |
| 44 | EXPLOIT – EX = old, PLOT = story around I | |
| 45 | deliberately omitted, please ask if necessary | |
| 47 | deliberately omitted, please ask if necessary | |
| 49 | ALIKE – A, LIKE = love | |
Onwards and upwards.