SOLUTION to Byline Times Crossword #1set by Dr DivaOctober 2020

Our crossword setter, Dr Diva, kindly suggested we might also want to share explanations of their crossword puzzle clues, and we’re glad to do so.

NB Clues ending with a ? are suggestive of the answer rather than strictly defining it in detail.

Across

11 Earphone used with such a composer. (12)
Anagram (used with) Earphone + such = SCHOPENHAUER (composer)

12 Printing stuff about fish causes suspicions. (8)
Printing stuff (INKS) is around/about fish (LING) = INKLINGS  (suspicions)

13 Departing record label with unpleasant results. (10)
Record label (EMI) + unpleasant results (GRATING) = EMIGRATING (departing)

14 Performer who only likes the sound of her own voice? (10)
Solo performer (1 voice) = MONOLOGIST

15 Make contact with documents that can launch rockets. (11)
Make contact (TOUCH) + documents (PAPERS) = TOUCHPAPERS (can launch rockets)

18 Do ultra conservative activists pause for afternoon refreshments? (3,6)
Activists might be Tea Party who pause for = TEA BREAKS

21 Radio signal with spaces for lobbies. (9,5)
Radio signal (RECEPTION) + spaces (ROOMS) = RECEPTION ROOMS (Lobbies)

23 Embarked with the company governors? (6)
Someone who has embarked & company governors both = A BOARD

24 Discontinue the session to help out a crook. (8)
To help out (PRO) a crook (ROGUE) = PROROGUE (to discontinue a session)

26 Vacate the alley so the bill can pass? (5,7)
Vacate (CLEAR) alley (PASSAGE) = CLEAR PASSAGE (so a bill in Parliament can pass)

28 Muddled old farts touring are trying to hide the sponsors of their message. (12)
Anagram (muddled) farts + touring = ASTROTURFING (hiding message sponsors)

30 A young pigeon follows the ocean for a cut of asthmatic fish. (3,5)
Young pigeon (SQUAB) after (follows) ocean (SEA) = SEA SQUAB (cut of asthmatic,  ie Puffer, fish)

32 A minor upset in a chocolate dessert. (6)
minor upset (TIFF) + IN = TIFFIN (a chocolate dessert)

33 Trade in apes is decidedly dodgy. (6,8)
MONKEY BUSINESS is both a trade in apes and dodgy

35 The most rough looking triangles are faulty. (9)
Anagram (faulty) triangles = GNARLIEST (the most rough looking)

37 One-by-one embrace the elite in really extreme way. (11)
One-by-one (SINGLY) around (embrace) the elite (CREAM) = SCREAMINGLY (really extreme way)

40 Magnificent instrument can have a baby. (5,5)
Magnificent (GRAND) instrument (PIANO) can have a baby (ie baby grand) = GRAND PIANO

42 Cunning ending to a pretentious display is quaintly creative. (4-6)
Cunning (CRAFTY) follows (ending) pretentious display (ARTY) = ARTY-CRAFTY (quaintly creative)

45 Boris Johnson’s trademark noise emanates from a pert slut. (8)
Anagram (emanates from) pert+slut = SPLUTTER (BJ’s noise)

46 Toadying mix of training with odd gait. (12)
Anagram (mix of) training + gait = INGRATIATING (toadying)

Down

1   Intimate chat sounds like “The Silencing of the Cows” (8)
SCHMOOZE (intimate chat) sound like shhh + moos.

2   No GP would smell like that. (4)
Anagram No + GP = PONG

3   Decadent British Parliamentarian throws off depression in order to make a rapid exit. (6) DECAdent + British Parliamentarian (MP) with depression (dent) removed = DECAMP (make rapid exit)

4   Foreign national is hiding in the fourth Airbus. (4)
Answer (THAI) is hiding in fourth Airbus

5   Uncouth portions of anything. (6,9)
Uncouth (VULGAR) portions (FRACTIONS) can apply to anything.

6   Header from total arse of a president. (5)
Header from total (T) arse (RUMP) = President (TRUMP)

7   Intended partners can see if there is trouble, (8)
Anagram (trouble) can+see+if = fiancées (intended partners)

8   Test location of the Murdoch empire is out of this world. (6)
Murdoch Empire (SKY) + test location (LAB) = SKYLAB (out of this world)

9   Solo weights are on their own. (10)
Solo (SINGLE) + weights (TONS) = SINGLETONS (on their own)

10 SAGE was muddled for a long time. (4)
Anagram (muddled) SAGE = Ages (for a long time)

16 With panache, ERG showed good humour. (5)
Panache ERG is hiding (showed) = CHEER (good humour)

17 Pier holds one trailblazer. (7)
PIER has (holds) ONE in the middle of it = PIONEER (trailblazer)

19 Army keg exploded according to an ancient proclamation (7)
Anagram (exploded) army + key = KERYGMA (ancient proclamation)

20 Swap alien for roubles? (7,8)
Swap (EXCHANGE) + alien (FOREIGN) = FOREIGN EXCHANGE (ie for roubles)

22 Secure drunken Little Englander. (7)
Drunken (TIGHT) + little Englander (EN) = TIGHTEN (secure)

23 Internet icons have a tank with a Serbian domain. (7)
A tank (A+VAT) with a (A) Serbian domain (.RS) = AVATARS (internet icons)

25 Funny old Abbott’s first encounter with one article of Putin’s lot. (7)
Funny old Abbott’s first name (RUSS) + one (I) + article (AN) = RUSSIAN (Putin’s lot)

27 Ridiculous reaction to bile is right. (7)
Anagram (reaction) BILE+IS+R (right) = RISIBLE (ridiculous)

29 Point to final hesitation for a vote. (10)
Point to (REFER) + final (END) + hesitation (UM) = REFERENDUM (a vote)

31 Off-the-wall ideology with little quality assurance receives a Gallic denial. (5)
Little quality assurance (QA) + Gallic denial (NON) = QANON (ideology)

33 To lift something badly is not just. (8)
Lift badly (MIS + CARRY) = MISCARRY (not just)

34 Indecisive conclusion to a strand of hair. (5,3)
Indecisive (SPLIT) conclusion (END) = SPLIT END (of hair)

36 To suggest guilt causes disruption to uptime. (6)
Anagram (disruption) of UPTIME = IMPUTE (suggest guilt)

38 Assist with filling the speech with vitriol. (4,2)
Speech vitriol (MUCK) filling (IN) = MUCK IN (to assist with)

39 Very short collaborative film about a disease. (5)
Very short collaborative (CO) + short film (VID) = COVID (disease)

41 Mature, but a bit whiffy. (4)
Mature & whiffy = RIPE

43 Rush to make a hole. (4)
Rush to & make a hole both = TEAR

44 Star who became part of our culture. (4)
Anagram (became) of STAR = ARTS (part of our culture)