CROSSHARE
1A
Mean friend gathers around beer barrel containing echo of herb, which shouldn't be here. (6,9) 1. Charades, insertion, synonym, abbreviation 2. The herb is dill, that should help. 3. because it's a loooong clue with a lot going on... "shouldn't be here" is the definition, "which" is a linking word.
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Across
  1. 1A
    Mean friend gathers around beer barrel containing echo of herb, which shouldn't be here. (6,9) 1. Charades, insertion, synonym, abbreviation 2. The herb is dill, that should help. 3. because it's a loooong clue with a lot going on... "shouldn't be here" is the definition, "which" is a linking word.
  2. 11A
    Non-binary farmer's call teachers during a crisis. (3) 1. Letter deletion, abbreviation 2. Binary has two numbers, they can be considered letters, and there's a farmer's call you learnt when you were very small.
  3. 12A
    Bend two directions to operate. (3) 1. Abbreviation 2. "Operate" is the definition.
  4. 13A
    Two taken states don't echo Mowgli's leader. (6,9) 1. Letter deletion, abbreviation. 2. Mowgli's leader is Akela. 3. and this will really give you the answer, Take e for echo from Akela and you get AKLA, and "taken" can mean "bought".
  5. 19A
    Scarlet's role starts, then Edward's. (4) 1. Letter selection, abbreviation 2. Both of those apostrophes are misleading.
  6. 20A
    When Esther is celebrated, Adam's maidenless, but gets head from Ruth. (4) 1. Letter deletion, letter selection. 2. Knowing a little about Esther and her celebrations will go a long way to solving this.
  7. 21A
    The fifth can. (3) 1. Double definition 2. "Can" isn't a good definition, if you're a nitpicker.
  8. 22A
    The screaming man reportedly is going to lead. (7) 1. Homophone, synonym 2. Another word for "lead", particularly when aboard?
  9. 26A
    Upside-down egg turns out to be a mistake, financially. (3) 1. Synonym, letter deletion. 2. If you have one of these, even one, ever, you'll never buy a house.
  10. 27A
    Tragedy at Wellington's official event opening. (3) 1. Letter selection 2. "Tragedy" is the definition.
  11. 28A
    Charity gives back Jesus' day. (3) 1. Translation, reversal 2. Jesus doesn't refer to the middle eastern guy.
  12. 29A
    Also email Hank a quarter pounder? (3) 1. Synonym, letter selection. 2. "A quarter" is an indicator here.
  13. 30A
    Rodent echoes, echoes in the sound of the drum. (7) 1. Off the wall 2. "echoes" normally means "es", but not here.
  14. 32A
    Much rhymed with odd oaf, etc. (3) 1. Letter selection 2. "Much, rhymed" is the definition with easier punctuation.
  15. 33A
    A farm mum speaks like you. (3) 1. Homophone 2. "farm mum" is the definition
  16. 34A
    Nrly nor... evry othr drctn. (3) 1. Abbreviations 2. Somewhere near Nor. that's many directions, but not nor...
  17. 35A
    Kitty's slip frequently discolour'd. (3) 1. Letter selection 2. What kind of sheet might be in a kitty?
  18. 36A
    Undressed, Burns carries tea. (3) 1. letter deletion 2. "Carries tea" is the definition, not an insertion of "t".
  19. 37A
    Ass about lines in ancient city's battleground with a stone wall. (4,3) 1. Insertion, abbreviation, synonym 2. a well-used Battleground, near and dear to Virginians.
  20. 38A
    Bananas? Maybe not, ma... pass. (3) 1. Anag, letter deletion. 2. "Pass" is the definition.
  21. 39A
    Sounds like whoopee, right? (3) 1. Homophone 2. Instead of shouting "whoopee", you might say something else.
  22. 40A
    Alien's class in France's legislation. (3) 1. Hidden word 2. This wouldn't be a class in France.
  23. 41A
    Equal is nothing. (3) 1. Abbreviations 2. "is nothing" is the wordplay.
  24. 43A
    Use up quietin' key. (7) 1. Abbreviation, synonym, insertion, lift and separate 2. The key in question is one on your computer's keyboard - but maybe not your phone's.
  25. 47A
    Merry lost my slip. (3) 1. Letter removal 2. "Slip" is the definition.
  26. 49A
    Prompt litigation starts inside whatever this is. (4) 1. Synonym, letter selection, insertion 2. The answer to this clue is kind of meta.
  27. 51A
    Bug a fella, make him fall apart and give up his fifty. (4). 1. anagram, letter deletion 2. "Bug" is the definition.
  28. 52A
    Lifespan signage becomes a sense of dying. (1,7,7) 1. Anagram 2. I considered making this about pooping. Alternative definition: a transient emotion.
  29. 57A
    Strange tiger's pal doesn't open westward door. (3) 1. Letter deletion, reversal. 2. Think about a forest. Not very big, only 100 acres.
  30. 58A
    Mr. Daffy sometimes puts fliers up around London. (3) 1. Letter selection 2. "Daffy" is fodder, not indicator.
  31. 59A
    Sounds like the outer portion of an argent stone wrote about Sue. (4,11) 1. Homophone, synonym, charades 2. "Wrote about Sue" is the definition. One particular Sue. Not the one who ran around.
Down
  1. 1D
    Drug's damage follows priest - caustic ale spilt. (15) 1. Abbreviation, synonym, anagram 2. I couldn't make the homophones work, but there are a lot of homophones in the answer - one might have referenced 59.
  2. 2D
    Andrea, why? You're plastered! I'm prepared! (5,4,3,3) 1. Anagram 2. "I'm prepared" is the definition - the answer is a synonymous set phrase.
  3. 3D
    X is held by Kremlin spy leaders. (4) 1. Insertion, letter selection 2. yrs, Connor. xxx
  4. 4D
    Sound of fear echoes back, finally. (3) 1. Abbreviation, letter selection 2. "Echoes" shouldn't be read as a verb.
  5. 5D
    Billy stripped? Cool! (3) 1. Letter deletion 2. "Cool" is the definition. Think through the 2.5 million synonyms for "cool".
  6. 6D
    Cindy, who followed middle to upper class. (3) 1. Letter selection, abbreviation 2. While it's not often used, "Upper class" abbreviates to "U".
  7. 7D
    Robert's leaving? Bogus for a cosy tavern-keeper. (3) 1. Letter deletion. 2. Bo Burnham's actual first name is Robert.
  8. 8D
    Partially minor as I am chosen. (4) 1. Hidden word 2. This word precedes "minor" in a known phrase, but isn't synonymous with it.
  9. 9D
    Trouble follows unhesitant leader, destroys blue file - that's just what heroes do. (4,1,6,4) 1. Abbreviation, letter deletion, synonym, anagram 2. Yes, there's a lot going on here! The only tricky part, though, is remembering that an unhesitant leader wouldn't say "er".
  10. 10D
    I agree forthwith: vandalisation to electrically lengthen 2024 for 1/4 of the population. (4,2,3,6) 1. Charades, synonyms, lift and separate, anagram, abbreviation. Yes, all that. 2. Read "forthwith: vandalisation" as "forth, with vandalisation". 3. Definition is: 2024 for 1/4 of the population
  11. 14D
    Meadow larks' ensconced atop heads. (3) 1. Letter selection 2. "Meadowlarks" is normally a single word - I've separated them for a reason.
  12. 15D
    What Maui took from Mahuika, via his secrets. (3) 1. This is normally just for telling you what the wordplay is, but you need to know about the Maori mythology surrounding Maui, and it's fairer to tell you here than in 2. Hidden word. <- don't worry about it. 2. https://teara.govt.nz/en/1966/maui-legends-of/page-5 https://maoridictionary.co.nz/search?idiom=&phrase=&proverb=&loan=&histLoanWords=&keywords=fire
  13. 16D
    Anti-danger crew broke so hard. (3) 1. anagram, abbreviation 2. The definition is "anti-danger crew"
  14. 17D
    Girl drops a gram outside. (3) 1. Letter deletion, abbreviation 2. The definition is "outside".
  15. 18D
    Use a GPS, like the USMC? (3) 1. Cryptic, pun 2. The USMC are navy, so they're like...
  16. 22D
    Evil follows old man, as losers might say. (4,3) 1. Synonyms 2. (2'2,3). The "old man" should have you looking for an archaic term for "man". 3. Alternative wordplay Turns evil monthly
  17. 23D
    Give up the answer to "shall we kiss?" (3,4)/(4,3) 1. Double definition 2. Definition 1: "Give up". Definition 2: "the answer to "shall we kiss?""
  18. 24D
    Order entrée around 10 for doctor who doesn't live here. (7) 1. Anagram, abbreviation 2. Alternative wordplay which doesn't work with a simple reading: "Bird energetically follows lost love".
  19. 25D
    Primary carries tea evenly, Edith starts to show in the early afternoon. (7) 1. Abbreviation, insertion, letter selection. 2. This time, "carries tea" is wordplay. Hope 36a didn't trip you up! That's a lie, I hope it did.
  20. 31D
    Punchy tool wallowing in lawlessness. (3) 1. Hidden word 2. "wallowing in" is the indicator."
  21. 42D
    Initially Sue loses patience for one bar. (3) 1. Letter selection 2. One bar is a scientific term. The answer is also a scientific term.
  22. 44D
    Maybe Pen cooked pie? (3) 1. anagram 2. Something which might be a pen?
  23. 45D
    Gal climbs trail. (3) 1. Reversal 2. "Trail" is the definition.
  24. 46D
    Article states that half turn into bed nude. (3) 1. Letter selection 2. "Article" is the definition.
  25. 48D
    Brent stripped for a fair. (3) 1. letter deletion 2. The solution is a type of fair.
  26. 50D
    Lose? Loose? This is where newbies find out. (4) 1. Anagram 2. lose and loose are a common tripping point for people new to speaking English.
  27. 51D
    Unit's a little low. (4) 1. Double definition 2. "A little low" is a music hint.
  28. 53D
    Help me initial some outstanding settlements? (3) 1. Letter selection 2. "Help me" is the definition.
  29. 54D
    Azerbaijani lingerie has zip. (3) 1. hidden word 2. "Zip" here doesn't mean a toothed garment fastener.
  30. 55D
    Fine! Feel left out! (3) 1. Letter deletion, abbreviation. 2. Definition: fine.
  31. 56D
    Filled gaps in understanding. (3) 1. hidden word 2. Alternative definition: urgently medical rooms.
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