Chapstick by Tangram

Puzzle explanation

Misprint corrections, missing letters and initial letters from clues spelt “overlapping names depict a near version of Lang’s fifth line”, referring to the following verse by Andrew Lang:

If the wild bowler thinks he bowls,
Or if the batsman thinks he’s bowled,
They know not, poor misguided souls,
They too shall perish unconsoled.
I am the batsman and the bat,
I am the bowler and the ball,
The umpire, the pavilion cat,
The roller, pitch, and stumps, and all.

This was a parody of Brahma by Ralph Waldo Emerson, which begins:

If the red slayer think he slays,
Or if the slain think he is slain,
They know not well the subtle ways
I keep, and pass, and turn again.

and contains the line “I am the doubter and the doubt”.

In the grid, the highlighted bat shape is formed by cricketers (W. G.) GRACE and (John) EDRICH down the middle and (Dean) ELGAR, (Viv) RICHARDS and (Allan Gibson) STEEL clockwise around the blade.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No (Misprint) or -missing- letter Answer Explanation
Across
1 f(O)x METAGRABOLISE (A + BO) in (TELEGRAMS I) *
10 (V)est ALB ALBACORE − (A CORE)
11   EGERIA EGER + I + A
13 lo(R)d BIGWIG BI- + (W in GIG)
14 (L)unk or Hu(L)k APE A(che) + PE
15 sol(A) TOPEES TOPS around EE
16 P-late SCUTAL UT in SCAL(e)
17 fa(P) EBRIATED (BRIDE ATE) *
19 r(I)de CLARENCE C + REN in LACE
22 ba(N)k BRAE BRA + E
25 (G)rog RAKEE R + AKEE
26 strai(N)s LIGETI (I + GET) in LI
27 cl(A)pper CLAVE C(reate) + LAVE
30 (M)ales COVES VOICES * − I’
31 h-E-ad ABBESS A + B(rown) + BESS
32 boo-S-t RAISE SIERRA * − R
34 D-aunt PALL P + ALL
35 l-E-ad’s DIRECTOR CREDIT * + O + R
37 (P)anto FARCICAL (ARCTIC − T) in FA-L(a)
41 sl(I)ps ERRATA (A + TAR + RE) <
43   COLLET COLLIE − I(ts) + T
44 pin(T) LOG 2 meanings
45 g(A)uge ETALON (annul)ET A LON(g)
46 can(N)y WISEST IS in WEST
47   VIE (A)VIE(more)
48   ASSET-STRIPPER (SITE + SPARE PARTS − A) *
Down
1 t-R-ee MASTIC (I + C(lubhouse)) after MAST
2 Cur-V-e ELBOW BOWEL *
3 l(E)tter ALGEBRA ALGA around (E + BR)
4   GOWER GOER around W
5 S-elected AGGRACED (GA < + D) around (G + RACE)
6 M(I)nk BEAST BE + A + ST
7 (O)f LIEU I in LEU
8 shor(N) SEPARATED (DEPART SEA) *
9 fl(O)cks EDELWEISS (LIES + WEEDS) *
12 (F)orms RACEMIC RACE + MI + C
18 fil(L) BREVET (BR + VET) around E
20   ARABLE A + RABBLE − B
21   NET TEN <
23 sun-G A CAPPELLA ACARUS − RUS(set) + (L + APPLE) *
24   ALBATROSS (A BORSTAL’S) *
28 (F)ords ESTATES ES + TASTE *
29 Dr(I)ve GAR GEAR − E
32 (F)ull RICHEST RI + CHEST
33 s(T)arter SCALLOP CAL in SLOP
36 (H)oof ROTHER (HERD − D) after ROT
38 (L)ines RACES SCARE *
39   COATI CI around OAT
40 gin-N GENIE ENGINE * − (cotto)N
42   AMIE (MAÎTRESSE − TRESS) *
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