Each solution contains one letter at least once, always omitted in the cryptic wordplay of each clue. This letter and its number of appearances in the completed grid mark this week’s landmark. Two solutions are hyphened, five of two words and one of three. The red squares disclose Doc’s family celebration on 3 April.
Across
1 Non-professional (amateur) in charge of academy (6)
7 Game at stake for cup (6)
12 Subordinates’ broken Strad missing – clues should not be so (9)
13 Censure ethnic acronym (5)
15 Famine so foul in Douglas’ place (9)
16 Old birds back for race (6)
20 Great valerian with a mass of leaves cut (7)
21 Origins of ordinary compound eyes incorporate simple ones (6)
22 Homes one tailless greylag (6)
24 Church spoke about accents (8)
26 2nd of July’s period of quiet (4)
27 Archbishop’s first black and white attire (3)
28 German egg for priest (3)
29 Useless fish (4)
32 Knight floored at once (8)
34 Exam’s regular overview (6)
35 Aesop out in Texas (6)
37 Spill the beans and drink (7)
39 Caveman will identify guilty person, we’re told (6)
42 Egypt as a resort for drama (9)
43 Scots intend to discard letter’s envelope (5)
44 Hostile couple: we had to arrest one (9)
45 Handsome witness. Gosh! (6)
46 Coldly determined set out to heart of vineyard (6)
Down
1 Tory leader’s hats (4)
2 A long time involving king in German prosecution (7)
3 Scots girl’s saving plan (4)
4 A salmon in the drink (7)
5 How could Ascot be a problem? (8)
6 Form of a gene – oddly! (6)
8 Ancient coin from vessel carrying oil and ore (4)
9 Warm females taking off odd layers (8)
10 Message from England returned at 0100H (5)
11 Nine bats fashioned for server’s use (10)
14 Crazy US soldier seen in ten cases (9)
17 Remainder of month with variety act (6)
18 Kind, dashing new team (9)
19 Signalling devices with support and chains (10)
23 Unhealthily pale porker eating bit of apple (6)
25 Thin metal sheet from paltry head (8)
26 Delayed Wimbledon announcement for SEAT model (8)
30 Team caught player to take on all – that’s banned! (7)
31 Ground chickpeas are in iron containers (7)
33 Books game for opera (6)
36 Tries half the coffee (5)
38 Dance in Greece oddly (4)
40 Goddess drops a bog-myrtle (4)
41 Mistress at day-break (4)
A first prize of £30 for the first correct solution opened on 19 April.
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