Vera by Elfman

Puzzle explanation

From left to right, the grid’s subsections contain the entries for the “half true/half lying” clues, the true clues, and the lying ones. The central proverb (which has “half” and “lie” in the appropriate sections) is given in the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations as “Half the truth is often a whole lie”. The title is half of VERACITY.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

Lie (truth) Answer Explanation
dog race (horse race) THE OAKS homophone of THEE + SOAK with S moved to the end
  EPAULET TAPE < around (Y)ULE
  ANNULET ANNUL + SET − S
nobody (somebody) SOMEONE SO + ME + ONE
  SCAPULA CAPSULE with middle letter moved to the front, and A for E
underfilled (well filled out) PLUM PLUMP − P
losing (gaining) BELT BEL + T
  CURR CUR + R
didn’t (did) SANG 2 meanings
  ET AL METAL − M
male (female) LETITIA LEIA around TIT; ref. Princess Leia
  GHEE (Af)GH(an) (ch)EE(se)
  ONSHORE HORSE * after ON
  STETTED STEED around TT
6 (7) [answer length] UPRAISE U + PRAISE
to leave open (to fasten with a seal) TAR SEAL TA + R + SEAL
to march on (to come to a standstill) ASPHALT A + SP + HALT
needn’t be (need be) AMULET A + M(ade) U(nderhand) + LET
  TABANUS TA + BAN + US
  ESCUDOS (ECU around S) + DOS
  AARHUS AA + RUSH with last letter moved up
brother (sister) NEMESIS NE + ME + SIS
with (without) EN L’AIR EN(d) + LIAR *
  ELBA (LAB − A) in EA
  OUTLEAP OUT + (P after LEA)
  TARWEED (s)TAR + WEED
clad (unclad) ANTI (sc)ANTI(ly)
installing (removing) SENEGAL SEN + REGAL − R
two words (one word) OBLATE OB + LATE
failed to preserve (preserve) KEPT P in KET
  UPSHOT 2 meanings
  STERLET (STARLET around E) − A
  TENT (s)TENT
right-winger (left-winger) LEFTIE EFT in LIE
not intended to be sung (intended to be sung) ODEA ODE + A
  HAPU (U + PAH) <
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