One Shot at a Time by Artix

Puzzle explanation

The puzzle commemorated the attempted assassination of Theodore Roosevelt on his campaign trail on 14 October 1912. Though shot and injured while speaking, Roosevelt delivered his speech and never had the bullet removed from his chest. In 1900 Roosevelt had written “I am as strong as a bull moose and you can use me to the limit”, after which Bull Moose became the nickname of the Progressive Party. His “Speak softly and carry a big stick” (from a 1903 speech on the Monroe Doctrine) was imagined here as a reference to the larger size of drivers in modern golf.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer Explanation
Par three
2 SLIT SPLIT − P
6 DARG DARGLE − LE
15 UDO TUDOR − TR
Par four
3 LAPPER RAPPEL with L and R switched
4 MANTO MAN + TO
7 GAMBA BA’ after GAM
8 ADOBES “abodes” with b and d in mirror writing
9 SACHA SA + CHA(-cha)
10 KINCOB KIN + COB
11 TATOU TATU around O(kapi)
13 SOREL ROOSEVELT * − VOTE *; ref. the thematic assassination attempt
14 SARUM MURALS < − L
16 BIMBO BIM + BO
18 SENSE ESNES <
Par five
1 RIOTERS RIO + TERS(e)
5 PHAETON (A + STANHOPE) = (A + S + PHAETON *)
12 DAMOISEL (OLD MAI(d)) * around (S(ocial) E(tiquette))
17 MIRADORS MIRA + DORS
Columns
a PERIPTERAL (PIRATE * − I) in PERIL
b TALISMANIC TALIBAN with ISM for (I + B) + I/C
c STORE S(aloon-keeper) + TORE
c BROOM BRO + OM
d SYMPATHISE METAPHYSICS * − C
e AEROPHOBIC 2 meanings
f BLIND ROADS BROADS around LIND
g FUGUES FUGU + E(noki) + S(eaweed)
h KETTLEDRUM KETTLE + DRUM
i KING COBRAS (ROC(k) + SNAK(e) + BIG) *
j BLOOD SUGAR (ABO GLUCOSE + DR − CE) *
k A’BODY D in (A + BOY)
k STALK STALK(o)
l MATTAMORES MATT + A + MORES
m ASSOCIABLE (A + COS + ELBA + S + I) *
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