Nothing too tricky here. A couple of unfamiliar words (15A, 17A) and a few nice clues (37A in particular)
No solving time noted
No solving time noted
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 TEPID - TEP = PET = favourite, reversed, I.D. = papers | |
| 4 BRIEFED - BRIE FED = on a diet of French food | |
| 8 GASTROPUB - GAB = talk, around SPROUT* | |
| 13 IRONSTONE - IRON'S = club's, TONE = vocal sound | |
| 14 UNPUTDOWNABLE - UNABLE = powerless, around PUT DOWN = insult | |
| 15 GEORGIC - the sixth letter in beethOven, in GRIEG*, C = approximately. One I needed to look up to confirm | |
| 16 ESTELLA - hidden reversed in wALLETS Evidently | |
| 17 REIFIED - IF = poem, I, all surrounded by REED = plant | |
| 18 MECHANICAL ENGINEER - (CHINAMAN, NICE, LEG)*, E'ER = always | |
| 21 WHOA - WHO = question, A | |
| 23 BUTTERNUT - BUT = except, around UTTER = pure, N(ew) | |
| 25 THESIS - THE SIS(ter) = the relative | |
| 26 DIK-DIK - KID, KID = children, reversed | |
| 28 BLOOD-AND-GUTS - DAN = desperate man (see The Dandy comic), in (GOLD BUT SO)* | |
| 30 CHICKEN OUT - CHICKEN = meat, OUT = off | |
| 33 WASHINGTON - WING = branch, around ASH = tree, TON = heavy weight | |
| 34 UNPRODUCTIVE - (C(onservative) UP DRIVEN OUT)* | |
| 37 NUMBER - stunTWOman and wEIGHTlifter both contain hidden numbers. A clever clue | |
| 39 MEDINA - MED = sea, IN A = enclosed by a | |
| 40 INAMORATO - O.T. = old testament, A ROMAN = a latin, I(nscription), all reversed | |
| 42 THUG - TUG = boat, around H(orn) | |
| 43 NUDGE NUDGE WINK WINK, NUDE = without clothes, around G(ood), twice, then WINK, WINK = flashes | |
| 46 SATSUMA - SAT = school test, SUM = problem, A(nswer) | |
| 47 DEPOSIT - OP = work, ED(itor), all reversed, SIT = rest | |
| 48 ETHANOL - hidden reversed in ceyLON AH TEa | |
| 50 INCONVENIENCE - IN, CONVENIENCE = ladies or gentlemen | |
| 51 COUP D'ETAT - TATE = art gallery, DUO = pair, C(aught), all reversed around P(ower) | |
| 52 GREEN BELT - GREEN = simple, BELT = hit | |
| 53 ASTILBE - (ITS ABLE)* | |
| 54 WIDEN - W.I. = women's group, DEN = office | |
| Down | |
| 1 THINGUMABOB - THIN = stick-like, BOB = man, around GUMA = A MUG = a face, reversed | |
| 2 PHOTO - PO = river, around HOT = on fire | |
| 3 DESIGNATED DRIVER - (SEDATED, GIN)*, DRIVER = club | |
| 4 BRONCHI - BRO = ORB = eye, reversed, INCH* | |
| 5 INELEGANT - GELATINE* around (fla)N | |
| 6 FOURTH ESTATE - FURTHEST = most distant, ATE = goddess, around O = zero | |
| 7 DAPPLE GREY - DREY = squirrel's nest, around APPLE = fruit, and (ba)G | |
| 8 GOTTA - OTT = too much, in GA = Georgia | |
| 9 SCOURGED - CO = carbon monoxide = exhaust gas, in SURGED = rushed | |
| 10 RENOIR - RE(d) = crimson, NOIR = black | |
| 11 PUBLISHED - PUSHED = forced, around B(ook) and LI(e) = story | |
| 12 BREADBASKET - BREAD = lolly, BET = chance, around ASK = appeal | |
| 19 CITROUS - (CROUT(on), IS)* | |
| 20 NEITHER - NETHER = infernal, around I = one | |
| 22 FIVE O'CLOCK SHADOW - cryptic definition | |
| 24 NONAGE - E.G. = here's an example, ANON = soon, all reversed | |
| 27 ACADIA - AC = account, A, DIA = AID = charity, reversed | |
| 29 GOOD EGG - double definition | |
| 31 ORIGAMI - OI = attention seeker, around RIGA = capital, M(aking) | |
| 32 INCANDESCENT - INCAN DESCENT = blood of old people. There was a similar clue in another crossword recently | |
| 33 WINE-TASTING - WIN = gather, ET = French "and", ASTI = Italian white, N.G. = no good | |
| 35 EXOSKELETON - EX = old, (KNEES TOO)* | |
| 36 GIANT PANDA - GIP = PIG = boar, around ANT = insect, AND = also, A | |
| 38 MOUSTACHE - H(orse), TAC = CAT = feline, all reversed in MOUSE = rodent | |
| 40 IDENTICAL - I = current, DENT = hole, I, CAL. = state | |
| 41 GUYANESE - GUY = man, AN, followed by initial letters of E(xtremely) S(uccessful) E(cuadorian) | |
| 44 ICE CUBE - I.E. = that is, around C = a hundred, CUBE = eight, perhaps | |
| 45 TURN IN - TURIN = European city, around (pensio)N | |
| 47 DRIFT - double definition | |
| 49 NOTED - double definition | |