I was slow to start and very slow to finish off the last few but in between the answers flowed nicely.
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 | Model T Ford covered by founder in water? (4,5) |
| SOFT DRINK | |
| Anagram [model] of T FORD contained [covered] by SINK (founder) |
|
| 6 | Republican argued missing leader gets discounted (7) |
| REBATED | |
| R (Republican), {d}EBATED (argued) [missing leader] | |
| 10 | Bread picked up in store (5) |
| CACHE | |
| Aural wordplay [picked up]: “cash” (bread – money) | |
| 13 | Loudly exclaim one’s stopping delaying tactics becoming clear (13) |
| CRYSTALLISING | |
| CRY (loudly exclaim), then I’S (one’s) contained by [stopping] STALLING (delaying tactics) | |
| 14 | Caught with illegal drug religious text censured (9) |
| ENTRAPPED | |
| E (illegal drug), NT (religious text – New Testament), RAPPED (censured) | |
| 15 | Philosopher’s inclination to overact (7) |
| BENTHAM | |
| BENT (inclination), HAM (overact). Jeremy Bentham, 18th century English philosopher and founder of modern Utilitarianism. | |
| 16 | Bohemian composer came across article probing sonata vacuously (7) |
| SMETANA | |
| MET (came across) + A (article) contained by [probing] S{onat}A [vacuously]. He was discussed at length here recently with reference to his tone poems called Ma Vlast. | |
| 17 | Prompt to hold pack out, showing sweet treat (7) |
| CUPCAKE | |
| CUE (prompt) containing [to hold] anagram [out] of PACK | |
| 18 | Danced encircling northern banker in a flustered state (12) |
| DISCONCERTED | |
| DISCOED (danced) containing [encircling] N (northern) + CERT (banker) | |
| 20 | With eccentrics about, miss what soldiers may do (5,5) |
| CLOSE RANKS | |
| CRANKS (eccentrics) containing [about] LOSE (miss) | |
| 23 | Josh getting Sunday lunch for one (5) |
| ROAST | |
| Two meanings, the second by example, hence ‘for one’. | |
| 24 | Trees from group of countries with typical ground (9) |
| EUCALYPTI | |
| EU (group of countries), anagram [ground] of TYPICAL | |
| 25 | American stockholder managed joyful shout, losing heart (7) |
| RANCHER | |
| RAN (managed), CH{e}ER (joyful shout) [losing heart] | |
| 26 | Two different queens support a future emperor, perhaps (11) |
| CATERPILLAR | |
| CAT + ER (two different queens), PILLAR (support). Emperor is a type of butterfly. | |
| 28 | Set places in a ballet they choreographed (3,3,5) |
| LAY THE TABLE | |
| Anagram [choreographed] of A BALLET THEY | |
| 30 | Hoover, say, around current carpeting made heat-resistant (11) |
| FIREPROOFED | |
| FED (Hoover, say) containing [around] I (current) + REPROOF (carpeting – telling-off). ‘Fed’ is US slang for a member of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. J Edgar Hoover was its first Director. | |
| 32 | Mostly brownish grey object, something physicists study (3,8) |
| TAU PARTICLE | |
| TAUP{e} (brownish grey) [mostly], ARTICLE (object). NHO this but the answer came easily from wordplay. | |
| 34 | Following setter around, couple behave affectionately (7) |
| EMBRACE | |
| ME (setter) reversed [around], BRACE (couple) | |
| 36 | Scarlet collars new cat relinquished (9) |
| RENOUNCED | |
| RED (scarlet) contains [collars] N (new) + OUNCE (cat) | |
| 38 | Location of insect briefly (5) |
| LOCUS | |
| LOCUS{t} (insect) [briefly] | |
| 39 | Possibly rags husband digging into peach fools (10) |
| DISHCLOTHS | |
| H (husband) contained by [digging into] DISH (peach) + CLOTS (fools) | |
| 41 | It may ensure the natural resolution of complaints (6,6) |
| IMMUNE SYSTEM | |
| Cryptic | |
| 45 | One holding up travellers or army unit shortly concealing name (7) |
| BRIGAND | |
| BRIGAD{e} (army unit) [shortly] containing [concealing] N (name) | |
| 46 | Mind Laurel hugging British model (4-3) |
| BABY-SIT | |
| BAY (laurel) containing [hugging] B (British), then SIT (model) | |
| 47 | United absorbed by plan — it’s working for the match (7) |
| NUPTIAL | |
| U (united) contained [absorbed] by anagram [working] of PLAN IT | |
| 49 | Obligatory change I urged — regret doing a U-turn (2,7) |
| DE RIGUEUR | |
| Anagram [change] of I URGED, then RUE (regret) reversed [doing a U-turn] | |
| 50 | Brewing ale with pub machine that’s 100% reliable (13) |
| UNIMPEACHABLE | |
| Anagram [brewing] of ALE PUB MACHINE | |
| 52 | Vehicle component needing tungsten repair at last? (5) |
| WHEEL | |
| W (tungsten), HEEL (repair at last). ‘Last’ being the model of a foot used for shaping and repairing shoes. | |
| 53 | Money obtained from investing gets endowed the wrong way (4,3) |
| NEST EGG | |
| Hidden in [obtained from] {investin}G GETS EN{dowed} reversed [the wrong way] | |
| 54 | Following the compass thus makes pupils slip up? (9) |
| WESTWARDS | |
| One of those reverse type clues where part of the wordplay is in the answer: ‘Pupils’ WESTWARDS gives us ‘slip up’ . | |
| Down |
|
| 1 | Place for patient teacher after criticism, taking time off (7) |
| SICKBED | |
| S{t}ICK (criticism} [taking time off], BED (teacher – Bachelor of Education) | |
| 2 | Newspaper including dishonest celebrity’s promising beginning (6,5) |
| FLYING START | |
| FT (newspaper – Financial Times) containing [including] LYING (dishonest) + STAR (celebrity) | |
| 3 | Onset of decline, then Long Depression (5) |
| DITCH | |
| D{ecline}, ITCH (long) | |
| 4 | Religious institute’s initiator claims to undergo conversion (7) |
| ISLAMIC | |
| I{nstitute’s} [initiator], anagram [to undergo conversion] of CLAIMS | |
| 5 | I agreed to bring up a kind of fish (3) |
| KOI | |
| I, OK (agreed) | |
| 6 | Regularly erratic, and filled with energy, that woman’s going to be disruptive (5,4) |
| RAISE HELL | |
| {e}R{r}A{t}I{c} [regularly], then SHE’LL (that woman’s going to) containing filled with] E (energy) | |
| 7 | Poor person saving bears for one grand (6) |
| BEGGAR | |
| BAR (saving) contains [bears] EG (for one) + G (grand) | |
| 8 | It’s up to you now, as king hosting a dance might be told? (3,5,2,4,5) |
| THE BALLS IN YOUR COURT | |
| An elaborate cryptic hint supports the main definition | |
| 9 | Notices day film school’s leaderless (7) |
| DETECTS | |
| D (day), ET (film), {s}ECT’S (school’s) [leaderless] | |
| 10 | Crooner’s outside club, catching some current bit of heavy metal (5-4) |
| CRAMP-IRON | |
| C{roone}R [’s outside] + IRON (club) containing [catching] AMP (some current). A strip of metal with its ends bent at right angles, used to bind masonry. I needed aids for this as I never heard of it and the wordplay confused me. | |
| 11 | Disposed to stop Biblical killer, I see, and book’s obsessive antihero (7,4) |
| CAPTAIN AHAB | |
| APT (disposed) contained by [to stop] CAIN (Biblical killer), AHA (I see), B (book). Moby Dick. | |
| 12 | Tolerate forsaking right gift (5) |
| ENDUE | |
| ENDU{r}E (tolerate) [forsaking right] | |
| 16 | Nugatory horror film introduced by dance show pro (8,3,3,5) |
| STRICTLY FOR THE BIRDS | |
| STRICTLY (dance show – Strictly Come Dancing – never seen it), FOR (pro), THE BIRDS (Hitchcock horror film) | |
| 19 | Some rock that’s unfashionable: member of The Police covering Queen (7) |
| OUTCROP | |
| OUT (unfashionable), COP (member of the police) containing [covering] R (Queen). The surface refers to a pop group, The Police, which brought Sting (Gordon Sumner) to fame. | |
| 21 | Enchanting lady in gold — goddess boarding ship (9) |
| SORCERESS | |
| OR (gold) + CERES (goddess) contained by [boarding] SS (ship) | |
| 22 | Jobs creation, maybe, by leader of tech program online? (6) |
| APPLET | |
| APPLE (Steve Jobs creation, maybe), T{ech} [leader of …]. ‘Maybe’ because he didn’t do it alone. | |
| 23 | Paddy Power’s abandoned fee before competitors (4,5) |
| RICE FIELD | |
| {p}RICE (fee) [power’s abandoned], FIELD (competitors) | |
| 24 | Good example of unfinished, long poem as I see it (7) |
| EPITOME | |
| EPI{c} (long poem) [unfinished], TO ME (as I see it) | |
| 25 | What bores behind Democrat were told again (7) |
| REHEARD | |
| EH (what?) contained by [bores] REAR (behind), D (Democrat) | |
| 27 | Scandinavian girl cycling around, using a bike (6) |
| RIDING | |
| ING/RID (Scandinavian girl) cycling around becomes RIDING | |
| 29 | Reason for using an abacus? Absolutely (7) |
| TOTALLY | |
| TO TALLY (Reason for using an abacus) | |
| 31 | Revolutionary dresses I slip inside empty package (11) |
| ROBESPIERRE | |
| ROBES (dresses), then I + ERR (slip) contained by [inside] P{ackag}E [empty] | |
| 33 | Old-fashioned consumers may be here (8,3) |
| COCKTAIL BAR | |
| Cryptic. An old-fashioned is a cocktail containing spirit, bitters, fruit, etc. | |
| 35 | Divine figure, a convert held in both hands (9) |
| ARCHANGEL | |
| A, then CHANGE (convert) contained by [held in] R+L (both hands) | |
| 37 | Revealing our name periodically, in a regal capacity? (9) |
| UNMASKING | |
| {o}U{r} N{a}M{e} [periodically] AS KING (in a regal capacity) | |
| 40 | How friend was once greeted, a blonde rogue (3,4) |
| OLD BEAN | |
| Anagram [rogue] of A BLONDE | |
| 42 | Nonets written without piano, including a coda from brass (7) |
| ENNEADS | |
| {p}ENNED (written) [without piano] containing [including] A, then {bras}S [coda from…]. NHO this. | |
| 43 | Place to see shoppers unlimitedly reuse hammer (7) |
| MALLEUS | |
| MALL (place to see shoppers), {r}EUS{e} [unlimitedly]. NHO this bone in the middle ear. | |
| 44 | Heading for Orpington, Tube’s awfully slow (6) |
| OBTUSE | |
| O{rpington} [heading for …], anagram [awfully] of TUBE’S | |
| 45 | Wet jacket of wholesome girl coming out climbing (5) |
| BEDEW | |
| W{jolesom}E [jacket of…] + DEB (girl coming out – debutante) reversed [climbing] | |
| 48 | Page with playwright’s derisive remark (5) |
| PSHAW | |
| P (page), SHAW (playwright). An outdated expression that crops up in Restoration comedy and the like. | |
| 51 | Sound of impact one caught during conflict (3) |
| POW | |
| Two meanings, the second as in Prisoner of War. | |
DNK CRAMP-IRON, and it’s not in ODE, but my English/Japanese dictionary has it. DNK TAU PARTICLE Didn’t get the wordplay in BEGGAR (forgot ‘bar’), FIREPROOFED (forgot J Edgar). I finally got TOTALLY looking at it before coming here; I couldn’t get past TOT ALLY.
I was completely baffled by TOTALLY when I wrote up my blog two weeks ago. It was only when making a final check late last night that I suddenly spotted how it worked.