Coming Around by Samson

Puzzle explanation

The extra letters in the clues’ wordplay spelt out “Oh, it all makes work for the working man to do! Flanders, Swann”. The refrain is from their song The Gas-Man Cometh, which describes a series of workmen coming round, each one causing damage that needs repairing by the next. The puzzle was published on what would have been Donald Swann’s 100th birthday.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer Explanation [extra letter]
Across
2 FRAIL RA in F[O]IL
7 SUPPER (REP + PUS[H]) <
12 AGAS A(n)G(l)[I](c)A(n)S
14 PEN PEN[T]
15 CRISP C[A]R + IS + P
16 SOUR SOU[L] + R
17 EONS O’ in [L]ENS
18 TENSEST TEST around ([M]EN + S)
19 BASUTO BA’S + [A]UTO
20 TEAR UP PETRUSH[K]A * − SH
23 INTO (mach)IN[E] TO(ols)
26 CASHMERE (HM + CREASE[S]) *
27 DIAPER ([W]ED PAIR) *
29 TEASES T(h)E + [O]ASES
31 DATE PALM (T[R]AMPLED A) *
32 NOLE (u)N(l)O(c)[K] (O)L(d)E
34 IGNORE [F]OREIGN *
37 ARMPIT A + IMP[O]RT *
38 DIALECT DI[R]ECT around (A + L)
39 DEAL D(onald) + [T]EAL
40 BAEL LEA < in B[H]
41 LATTE TE[E]TOTAL * − TO
43 LIZ (Z + [W]IL(l)) <
44 CIRÉ C[O] + I + RE
45 FINERY (IN FER[R]Y) *
46 SATAY (A + TAS[K]) < + Y
Down
1 FACTOID (A FICT[I]ON + D) * − N
3 RAINE (fo)R (a)[N] (extr)A (chill)I (co)N (carn)E
4 ASS [G]ASS(y)
5 IMPERCEPTIBLE ([M]ICE TREMBLE PIP) *
6 LASSU NASS[A]U with L for N
7 SNOT SON[N]ET * − (Shakespear)E
8 PARAPHERNALIA (RAPHAEL IN A [T]RAP) *
9 PRESSMAN (REAS[O]NS MP) *
10 RENTE RENT + [D]E
11 INSOLE I + LO[O]SEN *
13 CUBIST CUB + [F]IST
21 PAOLI (IL[L] + OAP) <
22 PESO [A]ESOP *
24 TATE TA[N]TE
25 OPEN-PLAN PEN in POLAN[D] *
28 RAGTAG G in (A GR[E]AT) *
30 SETTEES SETTE[R] + E(at)S
31 DEADLY DE[S] + (b)ADLY
33 PREIF FIRE[S] * after P(rovoking)
35 GILAS ((dor)SAL [W]IG(gles)) <
36 RETIA (TEA + R[A]I(l)) *
38 DENY E[N]D < + NY
42 ACT CA[N]’T *
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