* = anagram < = reversal
ACROSS
1 M (AG) P I.E. The ring here is the outmost but one on a target, or the shot that hits it.
5 MADE IRA Ira, brother of George Gershwin
9 MAL A MUTE lam<
13 THE WRONG END OF THE STICK This stood out on first run thru which helped. Pun on ‘staff’
14 ACT 1 (ONE) (start of play) VIST(a)
15 F UMB(L)ER
16 LESSON less on
17 FISTICUFFS Good cryptic definition duke = fist
20 TRANSMIGRATE (treating arms)*
23 TIE R
24 SEN SIB LE
26 IN (DIAM A)N (a maid)< 11 is MAIDSERVANT Maypole = inn, I think. Not sure if there is a particular one in fact or in some work of literature, or if it just a typical name of a inn. A large vessel (ship) that used to trade with India.
29 LINCOLN’S HIRE Good, using the fact that Lincoln was an American President, Boston being in the US, and Boston in Lincolnshire.
30 DELIGHT FUL(l) Clue I marked as one of my favourites in the puzzle “de-light” = remove illumination from
32 STABLE MATE Arab being a horse
34 WATERING-HOLE Another typical pub name
36 BREEZIER Double definition
38 MINISTER Melbourne was PM twice in the first half of the 19th century
39 RIG A
41 A R BORE SC(i)ENCE
43 ANTIC (LIMA) X
44 INFANT Infantry less ry = railway (transport system)
46 S(H)INGLE single = one run (cricket)
48 PLOUGHED Double definition, with excellent surface pun on ‘field’
50 WORTH ONES WEIGHT IN GOLD Ref: Dentistry
51 BLU(ST)E RY Lines = ry (railway) Second use of the abbreviation but with a different definition. Marked this clue as a favourite too.
52 T (END) RIL(l)
53 EYELET “Islet” Inch = small island
DOWN
2 A (Z) ‘TEC
3 PREHISTORIC (their crop)*
4 EAR PIECE Pun on ‘organ’
5 M (ON) ET French impressionist painter Met = New York Metropolitan Opera
6 DREYFUS (used f.r.y)* Regularly = alternate letters French soldier involved in great controversy towards the end of 19th century – imprisoned for spying then pardoned.
7 INDOMITABLE (ambition led)* Very good surface
8 (l)AWFUL
9 MA HAR(I)SH I I = one I = ignorance initially (first letter)
10 LOSEL Hidden
11 MAID SE (R VAN)T “made”
12 TAKE OUT Double definition
18 IN IT(Italian) IA (Iowa = US State) TOR rot< Definition: one starts
19 FREE (a)SIA
21 AN (EC DO)TES
22 INDI(G)E NT Indie = Record company books = NT (New Testament)
25 SPIDERMAN “Spied” (g)ERMAN
27 AQUIL (E GI)A My last answer that I worked out from the wordplay with a guess, verifying after. Unfortunately the Italian town L’Aquila is now very well known due to the earthquake since the puzzle was published
28 FLUE PIPE “Flu”
31 LARGE ST (lager)*
33 BU (E NOS AIRE)S son<
34 W INTER GREEN
35 HERRING-BONE Used in skiing
37 RECUSANCY C in (curse any)*
40 SCROUNGE (rugs once)*
42 RE (NEW)AL
43 A VEN (venerable = priest) G ER Definition: one gets even
45 TE-HEE Hidden
47 INSE(C)T Pun on cricket Denis Compton was a well-known cricketer in the immediate post-war era
48 PETA(in) L
49 E N (quarters) DUE
IanD