By Ken Greatorex
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CLUES: across
2. & 8 Across: The principle that among competing hypotheses, the one that makes the fewest assumptions should be selected (Two words, [6], [5])
6. Traditional or legendary story without factual basis [4]
8. See 2 Across
9. Onomatopoeic sound of something in rapid motion [5]
11. Edible shellfish [7]
13. An Unconscious muscular response roused by an idea or thought [9]
15. Printer’s measures defined as the width of type which is equal to the height of the same type [3]
17. Study which assumes that movements of celestial bodies have an influence on human affairs [9]
20. Bearing 225o on the Compass Rose (abb) [2]
21. Higher in position or rank [5]
22. Famous Italian automobile body designer [4]
25. See 12 Down [7]
28. Cactus associated with mescal [6]
29. Friend; partner [4]
30. Baboons, collectively [5]
31. Bestir [5]
32. See 28 Down
33. & 41 Across: The subject of conspiracy theories dating back to 1969 (Two words, [4], [8])
36. Boxer [3]
37. Water nymph [5]
39. Leading males in primate societies [6]
41. See 33 Across
43. Distinct part of a list [4]
45. Female sheep [3]
47. Tree of the genus Fraxinus [3]
48. Study of the supposed occult influence of numbers [10]
49. Tree of the genus Taxus [3]
CLUES: down
1. Hives [9]
3. See 26 Down
4. Open to debate [4]
5. Aromatic root believed by some to have medicinal powers [7]
6. Modulator – demodulator [5]
7. Cards from the pack of a trick-taking card game used to tell fortunes [5]
10. The act of walking barefoot over a bed of hot embers or stones [11]
12. & 25 Down & 25 Across: Implausible device said to continue to function without drawing energy from an external source; (Three words, [9], [6], [7])
13. Small island or peninsula [4]
14. Generic suffix for “study” [5]
16. Bundle of thick loose strings attached to a handle, used for wiping floors or other surfaces. [3]
18. Food fish [4]
19. Declaimer [6]
20. Rest with the hindquarters lowered onto a supporting surface [3]
23. System of therapy which postulates that diseases may be cured with remedies containing active ingredients in infinitesimal amounts [10]
25. See 12 Down
26. & 3 Down: Cereologist’s pursuit (Two words, [4] [7])
27. Supernatural entity of small stature [3]
28. and 32 across: Famous rationalisation for the advisability of believing in God [7]
31. Fortune telling session [7]
34. River in Yorkshire [4]
35. Gear situated between a driving gear and a driven gear to transfer motion so that driving gear and driven gear rotate in the same direction [5]
38. “Has been mentioned previously” [4]
39. Era [3]
40. Male possessive pronoun [3]
42. Nothing [3]
44. Cut down [3]
46. Us [2]