Above average difficulty, although this may have been personal as I did not know a few words/phrases. Last four in were Lantern Jawed, Lebensraum, Aha moment, and Teuton, mainly as was lacking in the basic vocab (Tenuto in the last case). Elsewhere there was some cleverly disguised cluing to add to the challenge.
| Across |
| 1 | BIBLIOGRAPHER - (B,I,horrible gap)* |
| 8 | EXCALIBUR - EX=other half, once, then sounds like CALIBRE=gun rating |
| 13 | GRUFF - R=resistance, in GUFF=foolish talk |
| 14 | SKINNY DIP - double def, slightly cryptic/tongue in cheek |
| 15 | PANGAEA - PANG=painful emotion, A(r)EA. Whole is the orginial land mass that split into our continents today |
| 16 | INTEMPERANCE - ITEM=article, about N=northern, then E=english in PRANCE=spring |
| 17 | SEMI-WEEKLY - (likes my ewe)* - the anagrind being "shepherd" |
| 18 | EARFUL - double def |
| 19 | REFINISH - REF=judge, IN=during, (his)* |
| 21 | KNIGHT - cryptic def, knight being the "jumper" in chess, surface suggests a business context |
| 24 | SPELLBOUND - SPELL=period of time, BOUND=spring |
| 26 | TARAMASALATA - TATA=see you, around RAM=stuff, A SALA(d) |
| 29 | APEX - APE=mimic, X=by |
| 30 | DOCILITY - DO=perform, CI(vi)LITY = politeness less VI=six |
| 31 | MONETARY - MY (as in Oh brother!?!) around ONE TAR |
| 34 | TUTELAGE - TUT, GALE reversed, E |
| 35 | TOP-DRESS - double def |
| 36 | BOZO - B, (zoo)* |
| 39 | CHILD BENEFIT - cryptic def |
| 40 | POLITENESS - (is pole sent)* |
| 43 | INSTIL - hidden in (spa)INS TIL(es) |
| 44 | KEDGEREE - EDGER=trimming tool, inside KEE(n)= not quite sharp |
| 45 | SCOTER - SCO(o)TER = moped |
| 49 | ANCESTRESS - (d)ANCES, TRESS |
| 51 | ME GENERATION - MENTION=to speak of, EG=for example, ERA=age, included separately |
| 53 | TERRAIN - ER=monarch, in TRAIN=coach |
| 54 | AHA MOMENT - A HAM = radio operator, OMEN=sign, T(hats) |
| 55 | BASSO - BASS=fish, O=old |
| 56 | CAREERISM - CARE=concern, (miser)* |
| 57 | HUMAN INTEREST - HUNTER=predator, around MAN, I = two islands, then EST=established |
| Down |
| 1 | BAGPIPERS - (pig)*, PE=games, inside BARS |
| 2 | BLUSTER - ST inside BLUER |
| 3 | INFAMOUSLY - IN=popular, FAMOUSLY=way those who click get on. |
| 4 | GOSPEL - GO, SPEL(l) |
| 5 | ANIMATRONICS - I MATRON=carry on type, inside (cinmas)* which is Cinema less em |
| 6 | HANDCUFF - AND C inside HUFF |
| 7 | RUDE - RUDE and CRUDE have similar meaning |
| 8 | EXPRESSWAY - double def, first one a bit contrived in true xwd style |
| 9 | COPTIC - C,OPTIC |
| 10 | LANTERN JAWED - did not know this idea and needed all checkers to guess. One of those weak (IMO) cryptics which references a phrase by alluding to one of the words |
| 11 | BLACK - B=british, LACK=dont have. Second player is a chess reference |
| 12 | READY STEADY GO - READY=cash, STEADY=squeeze (partner), GO=game |
| 20 | NEAP TIDE - (deep aint)* |
| 22 | GUACAMOLE - AUG=month, reversed, CA=more or less, MOLE=blemish |
| 23 | DORDOGNE - DONE=finished, around R,DOG=track |
| 25 | ELECTRICS - ELECT=choose, RIC(h), S=society |
| 27 | ACOUSTIC - AC=current, OUST=get rid of, I/C |
| 28 | BLOOMING - BLOO(d)=most of family, MING=dynasty |
| 29 | ANTICLIMACTIC - AN=article, TIC, TIC = repeated habitual response, around LIMA, C |
| 32 | ALADDINS CAVE - (advance is)* around LAD |
| 33 | GET ONES EYE IN - Cryptic def, similar to the one referenced above where the allusion is BLINDER vs EYE |
| 37 | LEBENSRAUM - L(ik)E, BENS=highland peaks, A=area in RUM=odd. Didnt know the whole, but it seemed plausible. One of those enjoyable clues where you trust the wordplay with enough confidence to put in a word you dont know! Enjoyable as long as it is right that is !! |
| 38 | DESCRAMBLE - D, ESC(ape), RAMBLE |
| 41 | STRUNG OUT - RUNG=step inside STOUT=brave |
| 42 | FREE FORM - hidden in (o)F REEF OR M(udflat) |
| 46 | TRIESTE - TRIES, T(h)E |
| 47 | BRUNEI - BE=take place, I, outside RUN=operated |
| 48 | TEUTON - TENUTO, with the N dropped |
| 50 | CURER - CUR(l), ER=I dont know |
| 52 | RASH - RAH around S |