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SOLUTION to Byline Times Crossword #2set by Dr DivaDECEMBER 2020

NB Clues ending with a ? are suggestive of the answer rather than strictly defining it in detail.
Words that are underlined are the quick clues to the puzzle.

Across

    1  Corrupt monies have non-metric aspiration in modern lust for global domination (14)
Anagram (corrupt) of MONIES surrounding (have…in) non-metric aspiration (IMPERIAL, ie as in measuring system desired by Brexiters) = NEOIMPERIALISM (modern lust for global domination)

    8  Revitalised, having rushed to absorb Trump’s customs (6)
Having rushed (SPED) around (absorb) Trump’s customs (ICE, ie U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) = SPICED (revitalised)

  12  Central functioning of field position (3-2)
Central (MID) + functioning (ON) = MID-ON (field position, in cricket)

  13  Grateful for Treasury burden involved in dine out scheme (8)
Anagram (scheme) of DINE around (out)Treasury burden (DEBT) = INDEBTED (grateful for)

  14  Purpose of SpAd at the top of his game? (6)
Wordplay of advisor’s role (to INFORM Ministers) and at the top of his game (IN FORM)

  16  An upright GP put ducks in the mail (8)
GP (DR) with OO (ducks, as in cricket score) inside + the mail (POST) = DOORPOST (an upright)

  17  Unspoken hero pulls down broken statue (6,6)
Anagram (pulls down) of BROKEN STATUE = BUSTER KEATON (unspoken hero)

  18  See novice in shocking splendour (5)
Novice (L) inside shocking (GORY) = GLORY (splendour)

  19  Disco company sacked worker after unresolved criminal feature (12)
DISco minus (sacked) co (company) + worker (ANT) after CRIMINal without the last letters (unresolved) + IN  = DISCRIMINANT

  25  Forces out leader from tournaments (5)
Take away first letter (leader from) tournaments (jOUSTS) = OUSTS (forces out)

  26  Sprouted once sovereign was turned over outside (8)
Turned over (TILLED) around (outside) sovereign (ER) = TILLERED (sprouted)

  27  Aliens‘ number is out of focus badly (4)
Remove (out) number (C) from anagram (badly) of FOcUS = UFOS (aliens)

  30  Breaking agreement by making strong call to adopt trendy leader (10)
Strong (F) + making call (RINGING) + trendy (IN) at the front (leader) = infringing (breaking agreement)

  31  Test devised by small business led by fools ends national trust (10)
Start with (led by) fools (ASSES) + small business (SME) + national trust (NT) at the end = ASSESSMENT

  33  A spymaster follows single Frenchman to leader (4)
A + spymaster (M, as in Bond films) follows single (I) + Frenchman (M, monsieur) = IMAM (leader, of prayer)

  34  Info about time by river leads to outsiders (3, 5)
Info (NEWS) goes around (about) time (AGE) + river (R) = NEW AGERS (outsiders)

  35  Frightfully butch Scottish Santa? (5)
Wordplay involving Scottish (MAC) + Santa (HO) = MACHO, like McHo, frightfull butch)

  38  A time when love-ins were possible? (3,2,7)
Wordplay of time (AGE) and sexual activity being possible (CONSENT) = AGE OF CONSENT

  39  As bonkers as cricket clubs? (5)
Wordplay with cricket club (BAT) and bonkers = BATTY

  42  Connectors rescind online permit and toss in breakages after acid test (12)
Online (E) + permit (LET) reversed (rescind, ie take back) + anagram (breakages) of TOSS IN after acid test (PH) = TELEPHONISTS (connectors, ie of calls)

  45  Perhaps a gardener has to seduce deity (8)
Seduce (BED) + deity (MAKER) = BEDMAKER (perhaps gardener, as it isn’t an official definition, but makes beds for flowers and veg)

  47  Dysfunctional bot’s application  is crass (6)
Anagram (dysfunctional) of BOT + application (USE) = OBTUSE (crass)

  48  Craftily tip omens in favour of your own (8)
Anagram (craftily) of TIP OMENS = NEPOTISM (in favour of your own)

  49  Quietened angry mate with a little cash (5)
Anagram (angry) of  MATE + a little cash (D, old penny) = TAMED (subdued)

  50  Small talk after old partner sent message (6)
Small (S) + talk (TED, eg Ted Talks) after old partner (EX) = SEXTED (sent message)

  51  Knowledge of pecking order keeps kids awake (5-9)
Word play of pecking order & kids (CLASS) and knowledge of & awake (CONSCIOUS) = CLASS-CONSCIOUS

Down

    1  Migrants moan about investigator (6)
Anagram (about) of MOAN + investigator (DS, detective sergeant) = NOMADS (migrants)

    2  Irregular undertaking designed for a little villain? (6)
Wordplay of irregular (ODD) + undertaking (JOB) – ODDJOB (diminutive bond villain)

    3  Lead away from discredited “Moonshot” politics with complete control (12)
Anagram (discredited) of MOONshot POLITICS with shot removed (lead away from) = MONOPOLISTIC (with complete control)

    4  Intention to abandon Withdrawal Agreement? (4,8)
Wordplay with intention (STRATEGY) + abandon (EXIT) and Withdrawal Agreement, itself an exit strategy.

    5  Leader of trendy party related to Modhi?
Trendy (IN) + party (DO) = INDO (a suffix, ie leader, to do with India, ie related to Modhi)

    6  Left supporters to work at chaotic site (10)
Work (LABOUR) + anagram (chaotic) of SITE = LABOURITES (Left supporters)

    7  We heard he was off to make metal (5)
Sound-alike  (we heard) of he was off (smelled) and to make metal (SMELT)

    9  Widespread use of pot by stressed medic (8)
Use pot (PAN) + anagram (stressed) of MEDIC = PANDEMIC (widespread)

  10  Councillor’s strike for power (5)
Councillor (CL) + strike (OUT = CLOUT (power)

  11  Bully onside mate into cash withdrawal (14)
Anagram (bully) of ONSIDE MATE INTO = DEMONITISATION (cash withdrawal, from circulation)

  15  Channel artist to take part in racket (5)
Artist (RA) goes into (takes part in) racket (DIN) = DRAIN (channel)

  20  Not just pawns, but serious players across the board? (8)
Simple wordplay with pawns indicating chess & serious players across the board being CHESSMEN

  21  Tied worker up with drunk circling outside (8)
Tied worker (SERF) reversed (up) surrounded by (circling) drunk (ALCO) = ALFRESCO (outside)

  22  The devices at Cummings’ disposal or those he controls? (9,5)
Wordplay. Cummings will use a variety of methods & a derogatory way of describing the politicians in his control = POLITICAL TOOLS

  23  No woman has been included in a Bill recently (2,2,4)
A+ bill (SLATE) + on the inside (included in) is no (O) + woman (F) = AS OF LATE

  24  Indicators show bishop has connection with 1st half German sub (8)
Bishop (B) + connection (LINK) + first  half of the German word for substitute (ERSatz) = BLINKERS (indicators)

  28  After novel retreat, door knocker is about to operate as a journalist (12)
Novel (NEW) + retreat (SPA) + reverse (is about) of (REP) + to operate (MAN) = NEWSPAPERMAN (journalist)

  29  Impacts may add to outbreak without warning (12)
Anagram (outbreak) of IMPACTS MAY + TO = ASYMPTOMATIC (without warning)

  32  Those charged after turning crazy colour about to get punishments (10)
Those charged (IONS, as in electrical particles) follow (after) the reverse (turning & about) of both crazy (MAD) & colour (TAN) = DAMNATIONS (punishments)

  36  Abandoned expected norms, like Boris at Lebvedev’s bash apparently? (3-5)
Wordplay of  OFF-PISTE (abandoning norms eg going off track) & Boris Johnson’s similar sounding unscheduled escapade (PISTE OFF) to Lebvedev’s party where he was reportedly very worse for  wear (OFF & PISTE)

  37  Chelsea man sets up first three, then Everton backs make a fool of him (5)
Reverse (sets up) of first three letters of ROMan (as in Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich) + last two letters (backs) of EvertON = MORON (a fool)

  40  A “Rocket Man” with hygiene issues is all over the place (6)
A + rocket man (KIM jong-un) + hygiene issues (BO) = AKIMBO (all over the place)

  41  Hindsight about staff wears thin (6)
Hindsight means to look bak (ie SEE reversed) surrounding (about) staff (ROD) = ERODES (wears thin)

  43  Delayed vote is fluid (5)
Delayed (LATE) + Vote (X) = LATEX (fluid from a plant)

  44  Setter’s trade in perfection (5)
(Setter (I, ie myself) + trade (DEAL) = IDEAL (perfection)

  46  Princess’ Tory data spinner (4)
Princess’ (DI’S) + Tory (C) = DISC (data spinner)