Judging by my first 10 minutes I thought this was going to be an easy one but then I ran into trouble and seemed to be struggling with almost every clue.
As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]. “Aural wordplay” is in quotation marks. I usually omit all reference to juxtaposition indicators unless there is a specific point that requires clarification.
 Across |
|
| 1 | Fighter with height and strength (5) |
| MIGHT | |
| MIG (fighter – jet plane), HT (height) | |
| 4 | Sauce is excellent (7) |
| TOPPING | |
| Two meanings, the second very common in world of Bertie Wooster, but not so much these days | |
| 8 | Prepared to fight a crowd, one shown the way around island (9) |
| MOBILISED | |
| MOB (crowd), I (one), LED (shown the way) containing [around] IS (island) | |
| 13 | Some woman accepting a reduced prize, free programs (9) |
| SHAREWARE | |
| SHE (some woman) containing [accepting] A + REWAR{d} (prize) [reduced] | |
| 14 | Ignore wind at centre of storm catching an awning (4,1,5,3) |
| TURN A BLIND EYE | |
| TURN (wind) + EYE (centre of storm) containing [catching] A BLIND (an awning) | |
| 15 | A way to travel: on the pillion? (7) |
| ASTRIDE | |
| A, ST (way), RIDE (travel) | |
| 16 | Understand your old walls to be weak (7) |
| THREADY | |
| THY (your, old) contains [walls] READ (understand) | |
| 17 | Greatly enlarges barrel wood suppliers stock (7) |
| TREBLES | |
| TREES (wood suppliers) contain [stock] BL (barrel) | |
| 18 | A denial of evolution deliberately started quarrel (8,4,6) |
| ARGUMENT FROM DESIGN | |
| ARGUMENT (quarrel), FROM DESIGN (deliberately started). NHO this. | |
| 21 | Still a desire for unsuitable food (4) |
| PICA | |
| PIC (still – photo), A. SOED: Medicine & Veterinary Medicine. A tendency or craving to eat substances other than normal food, occurring during childhood or pregnancy, or as a symptom of disease. NHO this meaning. I only knew PICA as a space in printing. | |
| 23 | They deliver a prince, it’s said (5,4) |
| ROYAL MAIL | |
| Aural wordplay [it’s said]: ROYAL MAIL / “royal male” (prince) | |
| 25 | No wife to advise aged headmaster (6) |
| ARNOLD | |
| {w}ARN (advise) [no wife], OLD (aged). 19th century reformer Thomas Arnold was a famous headmaster of Rugby School. | |
| 26 | Race is run through small wood (6) |
| STREAK | |
| R (run) contained by [through] S (small) + TEAK (wood) | |
| 28 | Condemnation for resettling in tropics (12) |
| PROSCRIPTION | |
| PRO (for) anagram [resettling] of IN TROPICS. A decree of condemnation to death or banishment. | |
| 30 | Criminal’s unhackable old phone (4-6) |
| SAFE-BLOWER | |
| A straight definition and a whimsical one with BLOWER being slang for a phone. The hyphen would need to be omitted for that one. | |
| 33 | Old investment vehicle? (5,5) |
| SIEGE TRAIN | |
| I’d say this is essentially a straight definition but perhaps with a cryptic element. Many (most?) people wouldn’t know that ‘investment’ is another word for ‘siege’ so it serves as a handy diversion. | |
| 34 | Coupé, not safe, breaks down but it is found appealing (4,3,2,3) |
| ONE’S CUP OF TEA | |
| Anagram [breaks down] of COUPÉ NOT SAFE. Anything you like. | |
| 37 | A ghost’s not about to show face (6) |
| ASPECT | |
| A, SPECT{re} (ghost) [not about – re] | |
| 39 | Law has given wrong impression, on reflection (6) |
| SHARIA | |
| Anagram [given wrong] of HAS, then AIR (impression) reversed [on reflection] | |
| 40 | Embarrassed efforts leading to extremely elegant sort of parking (3-6) |
| OFF-STREET | |
| Anagram [embarrassed] of EFFORTS, then E{legen}T [extremely] | |
| 42 | Rabbit, caught, left out, however (4) |
| CONY | |
| C (caught), ON{l}Y (however) [left out] | |
| 43 | Stamp, being well-shod, but pass on fighting (3,4,4,5,2) |
| DIE WITH ONE’S BOOTS ON | |
| DIE (engraved stamp), WITH ONE’S BOOTS ON (being well-shod) | |
| 46 | Miss one feature of tropical noon? (3,4) |
| AIR SHOT | |
| AIR’S HOT (one feature of tropical noon) | |
| 47 | Before one pressure shot, initially fix range (7) |
| MENDIPS | |
| MEND (fix), I (one), P (pressure), then S{hot} [initially]. A range of hills in Somerset. | |
| 48 | Drivers touring as far as I can see leaving house in a state (7) |
| ARIZONA | |
| AA (drivers – Automobile Association) containing [touring] {ho}RIZON (as far as I can see) [leaving house – ho] | |
| 50 | Extreme situation in golf, opening up an advantage perhaps (8,5) |
| BREAKING POINT | |
| IN + G (golf – NATO alphabet) contained by [opening] BREAK POINT (advantage in tennis). Let’s not be pedantic, it’s always an advantage. | |
| 51 | Idle officer admits current information, having previously rejected it (9) |
| NEGLIGENT | |
| LT (officer) contains [admits] I (current) + GEN (information), all preceded by [having previously] GEN (it – i.e. information) reversed [rejected]. I don’t know what prompted me to check the definition here as ‘idle / NEGLIGENT’ seems reasonable to me, but I haven’t been able to find them listed as synonyms anywhere. | |
| 52 | Police check drama school: Romeo role going west (5,4) |
| RADAR TRAP | |
| RADA (drama school – Royal Academy of Dramatic Art), R (Romeo – NATO alphabet), then PART (role) reversed [going west] | |
| 53 | Around university, close sort of family (7) |
| NUCLEAR | |
| NEAR (close) containing [around] UCL (University College London) | |
| 54 | Land first of delayed aeroplanes in fine weather (5) |
| SUDAN | |
| D{elayed} + A{eroplanes} [first of…], contained by [in] SUN (fine weather) | |
| Down |
|
| 1 | Daily consuming a drink beginning to rant, confusing speaker (3,8) |
| MRS MALAPROP | |
| MRS MOP (daily) containing [consuming] A + LAP (drink) + R{ant} [beginning to…]. My AI assistant advises: The term “Mrs. Mop” originated from the character Mrs. Mopp (sic) in the wartime radio series It’s That Man Again aka ITMA. She was a daily charwoman, and the name ‘Mrs. Mop’ became a colloquial term for a cleaning lady. Her catchphrase was ‘Can I do you now, sir?’ I knew all this but AI saves time. | |
| 2 | Count on time for hard work (5) |
| GRAFT | |
| GRAF (Count – European title, as in Graf Spee), T (time) | |
| 3 | Identical schemes formulated for so-called economics (3,6,7) |
| THE DISMAL SCIENCE | |
| Anagram [formulated] of IDENTICAL SCHEMES. NHO this coined by essayist Thomas Carlyle in 1849. I’ve been to his birthplace though, in Ecclefechan. | |
| 4 | Exchange some jazz with a German (5-2) |
| TRADE-IN | |
| TRAD (some jazz – Traditional), EIN (a, German) | |
| 5 | Feeble, one makes way for Leonard, becoming generous (9) |
| PLENTIFUL | |
| P{I}TIFUL (feeble) becomes PLENTIFUL when I (one) makes way for LEN (Leonard) | |
| 6 | In panic holding gun over person who’s on your case (12) |
| INTERROGATOR | |
| IN, TERROR (panic) containing [holding] GAT (gun) + O (over) | |
| 7 | Put up flag over jetty and decking (10) |
| GARLANDING | |
| RAG (flag – slang) reversed [put up], LANDING (jetty) | |
| 8 | Have a meal, in my case non-vegetarian (5) |
| MEATY | |
| EAT (have a meal) contained by [in…case – encased in ] MY | |
| 9 | Stay a long time securing lease for best floor of building (3,5) |
| BEL ETAGE | |
| BE AGE (stay a long time) containing [securing] LET (lease). NHO this and it’s not in Collins, but Chambers has it as usually referring to the first floor above ground level. | |
| 10 | Dawdle around centre of hotel in Germany (6) |
| LINGER | |
| Hidden in [centre of] {hote}L IN GER{many} | |
| 11 | Bombardment, singular punishment for sinners (9) |
| SHELLFIRE | |
| S (singular), HELLFIRE(punishment for sinners) | |
| 12 | Does gossip about second one Holmes may be seen with (11) |
| DEERSTALKER | |
| DEER (does) + TALKER (gossip) containing [about] S (second) | |
| 19 | Feel uncertainly around unlit yard at first, then steadier (3-4) |
| GUY-ROPE | |
| GROPE (feel uncertainly) containing [around] U{nlit} + Y{ard} [at first]. Steadies tents etc. | |
| 20 | Greetings unfortunately upset a young lady (7) |
| SALAAMS | |
| ALAS (unfortunately) reversed [upset) A, MS (young lady) | |
| 22 | A book: Down and Out in Paris and London? (1,4,2,3,6) |
| A TALE OF TWO CITIES | |
| The Charles Dickens title, then a cryptic hint referring to George Orwell’s memoir published in 1933 about living in poverty in both cities. Read it and you may never want to eat in a posh restaurant again! | |
| 24 | Large enclosure always open to referee’s assistant: one’s inside (6) |
| AVIARY | |
| AY (always) containing [open to] VAR (referee’s assistant – Video Assistant Referee ) itself containing I (one) [inside] | |
| 27 | Unexpectedly spurn unfinished puzzle with great force (6) |
| REBUFF | |
| REBU{s} (puzzle) [unfinished], FF (with great force – fortissimo – musical direction) | |
| 29 | Light vehicle could be blown up in this war (7) |
| TRISHAW | |
| Anagram [blown up] of THIS WAR | |
| 31 | See changing name for lake is stupid (7) |
| WITLESS | |
| WIT{N}ESS (see) becomes WITLESS when N (name) is changed to L (lake) | |
| 32 | NATO is acting strangely hostile (12) |
| ANTAGONISTIC | |
| Anagram [strangely] of NATO IS ACTING. I’m sure Mr Putin would say so! | |
| 33 | Awful catarrh’s restricting Your Honour perhaps in court (4,7) |
| STAR CHAMBER | |
| Anagram [awful] of CATARRH’S containing restricting MBE (your honour perhaps). Evidently the setter thinks that some of us may have been awarded the MBE, but I have done nothing to merit it and my career as a Civil Servant started too late for me to wear out the seats of sufficient pairs of trousers. | |
| 35 | Like to swallow, drinking last of gin in car (5,6) |
| ASTON MARTIN | |
| AS (like), TO + MARTIN (swallow) containing [drinking] {gi}N [last of…] | |
| 36 | Affectation of not being worried yet? (10) |
| PRETENSION | |
| The cryptic hint takes us to PRE-TENSION | |
| 38 | Maybe foreign correspondent in prison with colleague (3,6) |
| PEN FRIEND | |
| PEN (prison), FRIEND (colleague). It really should be an American prison. | |
| 40 | Bow of canoe moving across bay, easing into sight from the front (9) |
| OBEISANCE | |
| Anagram [moving] of CANOE containing [across] B{ay} + E{asing} + I{nto} + S{ight} [from the front]. My LOI. | |
| 41 | Having initially lost one, direct to acquire new auditor (8) |
| LISTENER | |
| L{ost} [initially], I (one), STEER (direct) containing [to acquire] N (new) | |
| 44 | One scrounging book, who puts a cover on (7) |
| BLAGGER | |
| B (book), LAGGER (who puts a cover on) | |
| 45 | Necklace to die for? (6) |
| CHOKER | |
| Cryptic. A tight-fitting style of necklace. | |
| 47 | Dispose of Spitz, it’s suggested (3,2) |
| MOP UP | |
| This refers to the Spitz, a type of dog that includes the Pomeranian aka Pom. It’s a reverse-type clue in which MOP UP gives us POM (Spitz) | |
| 49 | Please study this nymph (5) |
| OREAD | |
| O (please – expression of appeal), READ (study) | |
DNF
I struggled with this one ad finally gave up with DNK MENDIPS unsolved. I thought of MOP UP for 47d, but couldn’t justify it: no idea that spitzes and poms were related. DNK BLAGGER, BEL ETAGE.
Thank you for the very informative blog. Couldn’t parse MOP UP or OBEISANCE and now I see the explanations, I’m not surprised!
NHO ARGUMENT FROM DESIGN.
Worked through clues with the blog and crossers. Many thanks.