Roadies by Bandmaster

Puzzle explanation

The theme was Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. First letters of the extra words spelt out “Like pilgrims to th’appointed place we tend” (Dryden). Selection of the letters from the down answers in clashing cells led to ten pilgrims appearing in rows (Friar, Merchant, Miller, Shipman, Monk, Parson, Host, Summoner, Squire, Reeve, modifying frier, (Cran)mer/chank, milker, shopman, mook, pardon, hose, summoned, squirr, reave). Changing the E in “piler” to G, gives “pilgrimagers” across the central row. The corrected clashes and misprint gave (in row order) ATLING STREE, suggesting Watling Street (now in part the A2) as the likely route. Solvers had to highlight the W (in Southwark) and the T (in Canterbury) as the beginning and end of the itinerary.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra words/Clashes Answer Explanation
ACROSS
1 liners SOUTH SO + UT + H
5 involved WARKING WAR + KING
10 E FRIER FRITTER – TT
11 kill OBOE BO < + OE; reference organ stop
13 exchanging CRANMER C(hess) + RAN + ME + R
15 K CHANK C + HANK; round as in about = ca
17 Pressure KILN L in KIN
18 K MILKER ILK in MER; reference type of cow
19 O SHOPMAN SAN about (HO + PM)
21 isn’t ODSO O + DSO
22 Lutherans THEE Two definitions
24 O MOOK Composite anagram: KIMONO* = IN + MOOK
26 generates   (G) PILER PILE + R
28 registered IMAGERS I + M + AGE + RS
29 invigilator ROYNES (YES + NO + R)*
31 D PARDON Two definitions
34 E HOSE Two definitions
37 military ESSE SEES*
38 D SUMMONED MUM’S DONE*
41 Singaporean SATE EATS*
43 R SQUIRR SQUIRREL – EL
44 trips INGLE Two definitions; reference Sir Walter Scott
45 opportunity ULNA ANNUAL* – AN
46 A REAVE (g)REAVE; rifle = rob
47 Theoretical DECANTER CANT in DEER; axis is a type of deer
48 heliocentric BURY Y after BUR(n)
DOWN
1 apple SUCKET C(oo)K in SUET
2 power URAL URALI – I
3 I TINNIE TIE about INN
4 A HAME (T)HAME(s)
5 Porsche WREN (NEW + (ca)R)*; reference female sailor
6 Officer’s AIRMAN IRMA in AN
7 impeded RICIN R + ICIN(g)
8 neurotic KOHL OH in KL (Kuala Lumpur); reference Helmut Kohl
9 Trendy NONES NONESUCH – (U + CH)
12 LNS BALDNESS BADNESS about L(ocks) & lit
14 Edmund RISHI SIR* + HI
16 T TROTS Two definitions
20 drama’s PORE Two definitions
23 Pepper MISO IS in MO
24 Lambs MAA Homophone MA
25 animal OGRE ERGO <
26 Car   (G) PRESSED SPEEDS* about corne(R)
27 exercise LYAM AY < in LM (measure of light)
30 witless NUMINA (UNMAN + I)*
32 equerry OSTLER OR about ST(ab)LE
33 Tartan TUQUE TU(rn) + QUE
35 excoriates SERRE RR in SEE (office of bishop)
36 TR TRIER Two definitions
39 nitrogenous ORAN ORAN – GE (personification of Earth)
40 E NEXT X (Roman 10) in TEN <
41 E SNEB (bu)S + BEN <
42 dancing EELY E(ntertainment) + ELY (see, as in 35dn)
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