Definitions underlined, (ABC)* indicating anagram of ABC, {} deletions and [] other indicators.
Across
1 Producer of purchase initially causing argument at pub (7)
CROWBAR – C{ausing} ROW at BAR
5 Fellow lodger, Aussie native, beginning to make tea (8)
ROOMMATE – ROO + M{ake} + MATE (as in Yerba)
9 Frenzied bully in charge replacing certain soldiers (6)
HECTIC – HECT{or->IC}
13 Expose oneself to danger as a tortoise might do? (5,4,4,3)
STICK ONES NECK OUT – whimsical def
14 Match ending with half of team in cell! (6)
GAMETE – GAME ending with TE{am}
16 Doctor going over Lake Poet’s early life (8)
GIRLHOOD – reversed RIG + L(ake) + (Thomas) HOOD
17 Cleaning-mop primarily serving businesses around Washington (4)
SWAB – S{erving} B{usiness} around WA
18 Reportedly made it to vessel in time for wooing (9)
COURTSHIP – non-rhotic homophone of CAUGHT SHIP
20 Method of payment connected with American car and aircraft (8)
AUTOGIRO – GIRO connected with AUTO(mobile)
21 Officer’s position originally taken by English girl with place in Paris (11)
LIEUTENANCY – T{aken} by E(nglish) NANCY with LIEU [place, in French]
24 Directions given by the Spanish, no less, producing refreshments (9)
ELEVENSES – S E S [three directions] given by EL, EVEN
25 Vegetation identified by retired Frenchman in drab clothing (8)
GREENERY – reversed RENE in GREY
26 Dish moderate Tories sent back (4)
STEW – reversed WETS
29 Lisa’s thirty, surprisingly: she’s probably made a bob or two (11)
HAIRSTYLIST – (LISA’S THIRTY*)
31 Speedy field trip excluding North America (11)
EXPEDITIOUS – EXPEDITIO{n} U.S.
33 Outlet Lara and I manufactured for vegetable casserole (11)
RATATOUILLE – (OUTLET LARA + I*)
36 Soldiers in Irish story beyond rectification (11)
IRREPARABLE – R.E. in IR PARABLE
38 Part of Iceland’s style and vigour (4)
ELAN – hidden in {ic}ELAN{d}
39 Report from crime investigator’s area (8)
DISPATCH – D.I.’S PATCH
41 Sow efficiently, protecting head of pretty plant (9)
SPEEDWELL – SEED WELL, “protecting” P{retty}
44 Strange thing, Queen holding drink for hotel employee (5,6)
NIGHT PORTER – (THING*) + E.R. “holding” PORT
45 Cut back on fish, consuming roasts principally (8)
RETRENCH – RE TENCH, “consuming” R{oasts}
48 Criminal type, one-time complier (9)
CONFORMER – CON + FORMER
49 Culturally pretentious leader banished from political group (4)
ARTY – {p}ARTY
50 Policeman needing dope, carrying weapon back to front (8)
GENDARME – GEN + cycling ARMED
52 Grand way to replace one pound in cash (6)
LORDLY – LO{l->RD}LY
53 Talk of something else, as composers of variations do (6,3,7)
CHANGE THE SUBJECT – whimsical def
54 Attempt to cross French island, a source of baked clay (6)
TILERY – TRY “crossing” ÎLE
55 Confine mischievous child no teacher backed (8)
IMPRISON – IMP + reversed NO SIR
56 Person domiciled at first with Tony or Sam? (7)
DWELLER – D{omiciled} + WELLER [characters in The Pickwick Papers], semi-&lit
Down
1 Jointly authorise mathematician’s function, do we hear? (6)
COSIGN – homophone of COSINE
2 Willow patch of great size that is overlooking railway (6)
OSIERY – O(ut)S(ized + I(d) E(st) + R(ailwa)Y
3 Abuse OK, he recollected, where bloomers are often made (9)
BAKEHOUSE – (ABUSE OK HE*)
4 Managed business appallingly sourly, with malicious resentfulness (11)
RANCOROUSLY – RAN CO(mpany) (SOURLY*)
5 Hasten to remove initiator of crime from crowd (4)
RUSH – {c}RUSH
6 Agitated wife in excessively tough time (11)
OVERWROUGHT – W(ife) in OVER-ROUGH T(ime)
7 Fantasy force crushing Adam and Eve? (4-7)
MAKE-BELIEVE – MAKE is to force, BELIEVE is “Adam and Eve” (in Cockney Rhyming Slang)
8 Current member finally has meal, missing starter, in club (9)
TRUNCHEON – {curren}T {membe}R has {l}UNCHEON
10 Demanding divorcee possibly treading the boards (8)
EXACTING – EX, ACTING
11 Initial problems with canine development? (8,8)
TEETHING TROUBLES – whimsical def
12 Fellow left city at last, securing drug at little cost (7)
CHEAPLY – CHAP L(eft) {cit}Y, “securing” E(cstasy)
15 Collected condiment? You might pick that up (8)
MUSTERED – homophone of MUSTARD
19 Tamworth’s desire for kitchen scraps? (8)
PIGSWILL – PIG’S WILL
22 When speaking, observe husky, an upright swimmer (8)
SEAHORSE – homophone of SEE HORSE
23 Hospital doctor and senior officer meeting census organiser (9,7)
REGISTRAR GENERAL – or REGISTRAR meeting GENERAL
27 Wind wildly lashing yews at first around compound (8)
WESTERLY – W{ildly} L{ashing} Y{ews}, around ESTER
28 E.g. Marilyn Monroe’s heavenly body? (4)
STAR – double def
30 Established retreat ultimately where badgers are found (4)
SETT – SET {retrea}T
32 Hanger-on where airborne soldiers may be billeted (8)
PARASITE – or PARA SITE
34 Prescribed clothes a French class is without (8)
UNIFORMS – UN + FORM within IS
35 Comedian, possibly, throwing a party? (11)
ENTERTAINER – double def or thereabouts
36 Trendy woman’s current hair feature, one that succeeds (11)
INHERITRESS – IN + HER + I + TRESS
37 Went before exercises ended, carrying snooker ball (11)
PREDECEASED – P.E. CEASED, carrying RED
40 Noble securing fifth of wealth with bogus corded fabric (9)
PETERSHAM – PEER securing {weal}T{h} + SHAM
42 Detectives in Bedale bust? That’s possible to determine (9)
DECIDABLE – C.I.D. in (BEDALE*)
43 Casual walker’s posh car at end of street (8)
STROLLER – ROLLER at end of ST(reet)
44 Canoodle, meeting obstruction, a simple pendant (7)
NECKLET – NECK meeting LET
46 Trying experience of French in viva voce (6)
ORDEAL – DE [of, in French] in ORAL
47 Guide taking soldiers to river (6)
MENTOR – MEN TO R(iver)
51 Evade the drill sergeant’s command? (4)
SHUN – double def. Atten-SHUN!
Thanks again for all the blogs.