Not really much to say about this one. A number of helpful long anagrams and double definitions made it a trouble-free solve, although I did not time myself.
I have left out more solutions than I normally do, but they should not have caused much difficulty – please ask if you need clarification of any clue I have not explained.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 ORBIT – OR, BIT(e) = snack | |
| 4 ASPHALT – AS = say, P(repare), HALT = game – both old-fashioned words for lame or crippled | |
| 8 SNAPPER UP – SNAPPER = fish, UP = more expensive | |
| 13 CRICKETER – CRICK = muscle spasm, (d)ETER = put off | |
| 14 THE PARTYS OVER – double definition | |
| 15 OREGANO – REGAN = king’s daughter, in OO = circular formations | |
| 16 HOOK-TIP – I read this as HO = house, OK = fine, TIP = extreme end. I needed to check to make sure such a moth existed. | |
| 17 SATIRIC – SIC = thus, around (=describing) RITA = educated female, from the play and film Educating Rita | |
| 18 TOO MUCH INFORMATION – double definition, using dope = information | |
| 21 FIRM – MR = Mister, short, IF = condition, all reversed | |
| 23 deliberately omitted, please ask if necessary | |
| 25 IN TRIM – ANTRIM with I replacing A | |
| 26 deliberately omitted, please ask if necessary | |
| 28 EXTENDED PLAY – double definition | |
| 30 deliberately omitted, please ask if necessary | |
| 33 MESS JACKET – SS = ship, JACK = seaman, all in MEET = properly fitting | |
| 34 EASTER ISLAND – ELAND = wild animal, around ASTERIS(k) = star | |
| 37 TO COME – O.C. = officer, in TOME = heavy work | |
| 39 MANUAL – MAN = chap, followed by alternate letters in UnAbLe | |
| 40 deliberately omitted, please ask if necessary | |
| 42 EARN – EAR = organ, N(ote) | |
| 43 DISLOCATED SHOULDER – cryptic cluing as SHOULDER = (OLD USHER)* | |
| 46 GROWN-UP – sounds like GROAN UP | |
| 47 THERMAL – TAL(k) = gossip, around HER = woman, M(arried) | |
| 48 WAILFUL – WILFUL = obstinate, around A(nswer) | |
| 50 ORCHESTRATION – O.R. = soldiers, RATION = helping, around CHEST = box of treasure | |
| 51 GROUNDERS – G = note, ROUNDERS = game | |
| 52 ELECTORAL – E(nglish), LECTOR = reader, A, L(earner) | |
| 53 GRANTEE – GRAN = nan, TEE – sounds like tea, a drink from India | |
| 54 LURID – U R = you are in text speak, in LID = hat | |
| Down | |
| 1 ONCE OR TWICE – (CONCERTO, WE)* with the I (second letter) from Liszt included | |
| 2 deliberately omitted, please ask if necessary | |
| 3 TAKE A RUNNING JUMP – double definition | |
| 4 ANTIOCH – ANTI = not supporting, O(ld), CH(urch) | |
| 5 PARTHENON – PART = TRAP = catch, reversed (up), HEN = female, ON = working | |
| 6 deliberately omitted, please ask if necessary | |
| 7 TREE TOMATO – (TOT ATE MORE)* | |
| 8 deliberately omitted, please ask if necessary | |
| 9 ATTESTOR – AT, TEST = trial, R(ight), around O = nothing | |
| 10 PUSHTU – (SHUT UP)*. Became topical as the language used in the area where Osama Bin Laden was found | |
| 11 REVARNISH – RE = on, VANISH = leave, around (Ma)R(ch) | |
| 12 PART COMPANY – double definition | |
| 19 OBLATES – reversal of SET = laid, ALB = vestment, O(ut) | |
| 20 TRIDENT – ID = identification, in R.E. = engineers, all in TNT = explosive | |
| 22 UNCONSTITUTIONAL – UN = a in French(spoken in Versailles), CONSTITUTIONAL = walk in the park | |
| 24 TRENCH – TENCH = swimmer, around (seawate)R | |
| 27 SIERRA – I, ERR = wander, in S,A = peaks of South America | |
| 29 deliberately omitted, please ask if necessary | |
| 31 deliberately omitted, please ask if necessary | |
| 32 BALLETOMANIA – BET = be confident, OMANI = Arab, A, all around ALL = everyone | |
| 33 MOTHER GOOSE – MOT = TOM = Puss, reversed, HOSE = something inside boots, around ERGO = thus | |
| 35 DEMORALISED – DEMISE = failure, around ORAL = exam, D(aughter) | |
| 36 SUCCEEDING – double definition. One of my last in, but looking back I’m not sure why | |
| 38 CARTOUCHE – TOUCH = small amount, in CARE = treatment | |
| 40 SIDELIGHT – SI = I’S = one’s, reversed, DELIGHT = glee | |
| 41 DISPUTER – I’S PUT = one’s place, in DER = RED = left-wing, reversed | |
| 44 HOW COME – OWC = COW = bully, with the initial letter moved down, inside HOME = house | |
| 45 INGEST – (m)IN(t), GEST which sounds like JEST = gag | |
| 47 deliberately omitted, please ask if necessary | |
| 49 FREER – FRE(sh)ER = new undergraduate | |
The solution should be available via the Crossword Club in a day or so. Typos are annoying and much more difficult to spot in a Jumbo!
As for oblates, I only knew the geometrical meaning of the word, but I did know alb so was happy to bung it in.
As I seem to say most weeks, it is wrong to treat not knowing a word as a valid reason for not solving the clue. You need to get into the habit of expecting to solve them regardless, since we all come across words we don’t know from time to time. It isn’t that hard.
Ironically enough, I only knew the religious sense of ‘oblate’, but Jerry’s point is well taken: All of us ‘know’ thousands of words that we don’t really know the meaning of–actually, I couldn’t tell you what an oblate does–and we all have a sense of what is a more or less likely word of English–‘oblate’ is more likely than, say, ‘osnite’. So we don’t come to the clue empty-handed.
However where there’s an obscure piece of vocabulary, I think it’s only fair that there is an alternative way into the clue that doesn’t require another piece of obscure vocabulary. I didn’t know either here so I couldn’t get the answer. I don’t like it when this happens.
As for obscurity, I refer you to Collins:
obscurity [əbˈskjʊərɪtɪ]
n pl -ties
1. the state or quality of being obscure
2. an obscure person or thing
3. a word appearing in an answer or clue in the Times crossword that I don’t know in circumstances where it prevents me from getting the right answer, thereby inducing a fit of grouchiness