Market Square Fable by Charon

Puzzle explanation

One origin claimed for the expression “paint the town red” is a spree with pots of red paint, in Melton Mowbray in 1837, by the 3rd Marquess of Waterford and associates. He was also suspected of being the mischief-maker “spring-heeled Jack”.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer Explanation
1 YOCK (K + COY) <
2 ONCE BONCE − B(rains)
3 DERMOIDS (OI after ERM) in DDS
4 EDSON ARANTES DO NASCIMENTO (MENTIONED A CROSS AND A STONE) *
5 PELE PELÉ; homophone of “four shortened”, ref. clue 4
6 RADIOELEMENT (ONE LEAD TIMER) *
7 REVENANT VENA in RENT
8 TREELESS TESS around (R + EEL)
9 VAIL LAV < around I
10 JACOBIAN J(ust) A(bout) C(overs) O(ne’s) B(ase) I(nvestment) A(lbeit) N(ot)
11 NARCEINE (p)ARCE(l) in NINE
12 MEAN-TONE ANTON in (ME + (Bruckn)E(r))
13 VINE DIVINE − DI
14 LIMP LI + MP
15 PERIBLEM PER + (b)IBLE + M
16 GHERKINS (H + ERK) in GIN’S
17 EIRE IR in (Gr)EE(ce)
18 EFTS FEST *
19 MODE MODERN − RN
20 PREORDER P + RE + ORDER
21 LIGHTING LIGHTNING − (pote)N(tial)
22 DOWN (a)D(d) O(n) W(i)N(g)
23 REDOUBTS B in OUT after RED + S
24 AT A PRICE (APRI(l) after (Augus)T) in (A + CE)
25 BLUESTOCKING (BLUEST + KING) around OC
26 WING W + IN + G
27 BRAS BARS with R moved toward the front
28 TATU (s)TATU(e)
29 FEATURED (DUET FEAR) *
30 CLOCKING CG around LOCK-IN
31 ROCK K after ROC
32 AYES EASY *
33 REIF RE + IF
34 UNIVERSE UNI + VERSE
35 STRANGER ST + RANG + ER
36 TOROIDAL (TOR + OIL) around DA
37 HEREDITAMENT (THE RED INMATE) *
38 ISOTHERE (Shangha)I’S OTHER E(stuary)
39 RAVE RAVE(l)
40 INIA IN + I + A
41 TEES 2 meanings
42 SENT 2 meanings; (ab)SENT(ia)
43 THIRTEEN (TENT HIRE) *
44 TAMS T(hat) A(re) M(outh) S(tingers)
45 GAINSAID GAINS + AID
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