Rise and Fall by Colleague

Puzzle explanation

Resolution of grid clashes and jumbles in five across clues gives non-human characters from Animal Farm. All such names are used except for the pig Pinkeye and the dog Pincher (some editions give the latter’s name as Pitcher, which seems to be an error). Farmer JONES of Manor Farm is “evicted” from the top row of the grid; MANOR is highlighted symmetrically opposite.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra jumble or definition Answer Explanation
Across
1 a(ble bull e)state’s; BLUEBELL BANJO BO around (A + NJ)
5   NEST EGGS NESTS around (EG + G)
10   LEESE S(pac)E after LEE
11   MILLIE MILL + IE; ref. Thoroughly Modern Millie
13   XEBEC X + EB + EC
14   PIRAI PIR + A1
15   EYELET (LEY in TEE) <
17   JESTING J + EST + IN + G
18 A(lan, bowls); SNOWBALL RELY REALLY − (A + L)
19   CLOSE 2 meanings
20   HITCHER HIT + CHER
23 draw(ers – equal); SQUEALER NESSIE (IS SEEN) *
24   ERRATA (R + RAT) in (J)EA(n)
25   TAG T’ + AG
27   TOME TO ME (request for a pass in football)
29   BIPOD PO in BID
31   AMENTUM MENTUM after A
34 (on lap one); NAPOLEON MINIMUM MINI < in MUM
35   ENDURO UNDER * + O
37   ENATE ENSATE − S
38 police(men jab in); BENJAMIN STASIS STASI + (Burges)S
39   CLAVER CLEAVER − E
40   SALLY-MAN S + ALLY + MAN
41   ORALS ORA + LS
Down
1   BORER B + OR + ER
2   ALEYE ALE + YE
3   NEBEL NE + BEL
4   JEELY JE + ELY
5 informer (squealer) NETTLE SETTLE with N for S
6   SORES SO + RES
7 iced cake (napoleon) ELITIST IT in E-LIST
8   GEANS (ORANGES − OR) *
9   SOIGNÉE SOIRÉE with (G + N) for R
11   MAROR MAROONER − ONE
12   IRIDS I + RIDS
16   ECHT BRECHT − BR
20   HELMETS H + ELM + SET *
21   TRINAL TRIAL around N
22 viburnum (snowball) CAPITOL CAP + I + TO + L
23   JAMESON JAMES + ON
25   TASAR TSAR around A
26   GENTOO GEN + TOO
28   ZURIEL Z + U(p) + RIEL
29 overcoat (benjamin) BINCA BIN + CA
30   DUHEM HE in DUM(p)
32 hyacinth (bluebell) TUSK T(idal) + USK
33   MESES TMESES − T
36   DAUR RUD < around A
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