Enigmatic Variations 1014 Two of a Kind by Nutmeg

So straight clues this week apart from seven with no definition (with a thematic treatment) and six unclued. So what will the “Two of a Kind” prove to be?

This was a puzzle that could easily go with a glass or two of fine wine. A nice array of different clueing styles , with not too many anagrams. I worked my way up from the bottom of the grid, with my last clue in 2 across, which was an unfamiliar term to me.

The undefined answers were all composers BRITTEN, ELGAR, VARESE, SALIERI, ARNE, HAYDN and STAINER. There answers all needed to be entered as anagrams.

The thematics from the bottom, which gave me the theme were DRUNK AS A LORD, LEGLESS, SLUED, FULL, MASHED and HALF-SEAS-OVER.

So the thematics were composed drunk and the undefined answers were drunk composers – I’m sure there is a better way of putting that, to fit in with the title, but can’t quite see it.

Thanks to Nutmeg forwhat I would say was quite a tricky but interesting puzzle.

Key;

* Anagram, Rev. Reverse, DD Double definition, underlined = definition

ACROSS

2 Thematic (12, doubly hyphened)

HALF-SEAS-OVER

12 First house entertaining married hosts (6)

Aries (First house of the zodiac) around m (married) = ARMIES

14 Affected with emotion, old earl’s changed residence (6)

E (earl) + moved (changed residence) = EMOVED

15 MS nurses bore fish for food (7)

MS around eagre (bore) = MEAGRES

16 Press agents, only half remaining from past times (7, 2 words)

Iron (press) + age (half agents) = IRON AGE

17 Thematic (6)

MASHED

19 European parliament worried about rations (5)

Rev. (E (European) + p (parliament) + ate (worried)) = ETAPE

20 Bags of money are missing from Tower (4)

Minaret (tower) – are = MINT

22 Thematic (4)

FULL

23 He gets the estate let out again by end of June (8)

Release (let out) + e (end of June) = RELEASEE (as in wills)

24 A note attached to thigh bone (6)

Ham (thigh) + a + te (note) = HAMATE

30 Riddle omitting first reference to queen (7) Undefined(1)

Strainer (riddle) – r (queen) = STAINER transforms to RATINES

31 Odd characters found in Serbia — there’s a story in it (7) Undefined(2)

A lie (a story) in S R I (odd characters of SeRbIa) = SALIERI transforms to ISRAELI

33 Snail out of place in tree (6)

(in tree)* = NERITE

34 In front of hill hill, artillery need help returning fire, possibly (8)

Ra (artillery) + Rev(aid(help)) + tor (hill) = RADIATOR

37 Cockney’s hair trimmed at edges (4) Undefined(3)

Barnet (cockney’s hair) trimmed = ARNE transforms to NEAR

40 Greek girl almost recalled American verse (4)

Rev(Lydia – a) = IDYL

42 Thematic (5)

SLUED

43 Musical signs left out for greeting leaders (6)

Clefs (musical signs) with hi (greeting) for l (left) = CHIEFS

45 Thematic (7)

LEGLESS

46 Possibly valueless scraps a licentiate plucks out (7)

(vlueess)* = EVULSES

47 Medical problem in US — first-rate chaps are going west (6)

Rev (ai (first rate) + men (chaps) + a (are)) = ANEMIA

48 Reportedly releases stoppage (6)

Homonyn of Frees = FREEZE

49 Thematic (12, 4 words)

DRUNK AS A LORD

 

DOWN

1 Scots fool s-setter in pub (6)

m-e (setter) in bar (pub) = BAMMER

3 Collect a left-footer’s service? (5)

A + mass (catholic service – i.e. left footer) = AMASS

4 Boat assisting with cargo spill? (7)

DD LIGHTER (spill as in O’level chemistry lessons to light a Bunsen)

5 Base match official upset old mate (4)

Rev(e (base as in logs)+ Ref.)  = FERE

6 Ancient ascetic disparaged when stripped… (6)

Lessened (disparaged) stripped = ESSENE

7 …kept women in loose raiment? (5)

Hidden looSE RAIment = SERAI

8 Polo team’s broken bone (8)

(polotea)* = OMOPLATE

9 Spaces cleared in hospital department for moving medicine (8)

Ent (hospital department) around vacua (spaces) = EVACUANT

10 Newspaper getting extremely large returns (5) Undefined(4)

Rag (newspaper) + le *extremely large) = ELGAR transforms to REGAL

11 Perfect existence cut short without a thought (8)

Ideal (perfect) + esse (existence) – e (cut short) = IDEALESS

13 UK national team reduced by one? (7) Undefined(5)

Brit (uk) + ten (team of eleven minus 1) = BRITTEN transforms to BITTERN

18 Rose in suitable container not so elevated (6) Undefined(6)

Rose – (rev So) in vase (container) = VARESE transforms to AVERSE

21 Fibre shown by rising Russian leader’s limitless (5)

Rev(Yeltsin (Russian leader limitless)) = ISTLE

24 Yard surrounded by native Chinese (5) Undefined(7)

Han (chines) around yd (yard) = HAYDN transforms to HANDY

25 In start of play rumour of drink shortage? (6, 2 words)

Homonym (Tea off – rumour of drink shortage) = TEE OFF

26 Note stopping dreadful puns in sections of leaflet (8)

(punsin)* around la (note) = PINNULAS

27 He makes plans showing mountains round which a river runs (8)

A + r (river) + runs(R) around range (mountains) = ARRANGER

28 Going into function, Scots aim to feel at home (8, 2 words)

Sin (function) around ettle (aim Scottish) = SETTLE IN

29 Extremely dangerous leader quits with most offhand manner (7)

Hairiest (extremely dangerous) – leader = AIRIEST

32 Astronomer’s delay over one group of stars (7)

Rev (lag – delay) + I (one) + leo (group of stars) = GALILEO

35 Poisonous creatures put on vetch (6)

Add (put on) + ers (vetch) = ADDERS

36 Old rustic sport’s fixed (6)

Ru’s (sport’s) + set (fixed) = RUSSET

38 Make improvements to pieces penned by editor (5)

Men (pieces) in ed (editor) = EMEND

39 A problem raised by constant background sound? (5)

Rev. (a sum (problem)) + k (constant) = MUSAK

41 The waters troubled not that turbulent river (5)

(watersthe – that)* = WESER

44 Boor lacking initial dash (4)

Churl(Boor) – initial = HURL