Bias by Zag

Puzzle explanation

The unclued entries were the homes of the Seven Sages as confirmed in Chambers, namely, Solon of Athens, Thales of Miletus, Pittacus of Mitylene, Bias of Priene in Caria, Chilon of Sparta, Cleobulus tyrant of Lindus in Rhodes, and Periander tyrant of Corinth.

NB: The spelling Mitylene is not a mistake in Chambers. It’s a variant of Mytilene that can be found in Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, the New Testament (from the Greek variant Μιτυλήνη) and many other places. Since the other form also appears in Chambers (in the entry for “lesbian”), both spellings were accepted.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer with (reversed part) Explanation
Across
9 (TIS)SUE SITS + U + (cours)E
10 (PILOT) TO LIP
12 (INSIST) IT’S * + SIN *
14 (TE)RSE REST * + E
15 (BET)A ABET <
16 (WHE)EL EH + WE + L
18 C(AV)ALRY (V + A) in LYCRA *
19 EN G(ARD)E ENG + D + ARE *
23 (PA)RNASSUS (AN ASS + SPUR) *
26 (SETTE)E (maison)ETTE SE(ems)
28 (PLAYPE)N (NAPPYLESS − (S + S)) *
30 (COACHE)S (AC + CHOSE) *
32 B(INGO) BOG + IN <
34 (NOVA) AV + ON
36 (IN)ERT N + TIRE *
37 O(TS)EAL EA in SLOT *
38 S(OL)ES SLOES
39 I(ONI)AN I + IN + O + AN
Down
1 (LI)STING (f)I(e)L(d) + STING
2 (ISL)E LIE around S
3 T(RUANT) (T + A TURN) *
4 SU(RE) SUER
5 (VOTER) REV around TO
6 (TH)REATS H + TREATS
7 D(WEL)L D + WE’LL *
8 S(LOP) LOPS <
11 (RENI)N (HER − H) in INN
13 (TI)SANE IT’S + AN + E
17 (GN)AT (bloodsucki)NG AT(tempt)
18 CEA(SE) (SEE + C + A) *
20 (SA)PPHO (AS + HO) around PP
21 E(LS)E (b)ES(t) (a)LE(s)
22 (HELLENES) SEEN * + HELL <
24 R(OS)IEST (SO + I) in REST
25 (PE)NNANT (PET + A + N + N + N) *
27 THO(LE) THO’ + E(dinburgh) L(egislate)
29 (ROTARY) RA in TORY *
31 C(ONG)A C(ommunicatin)G + NO + A
32 (SOB)S SOBS
33 (CITE) (hypoth)ETIC(ally)
35 (NEO)N ONE * + N
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