Honeycomb

The answers to the clues all read in a clockwise direction around the clue number. Answers can start in any of the six spaces around the clue number. The number in brackets after each clue shows in which segment of the hexagontopeasecghmwenotridsnsutmarbtesr tahned osonoent, oastshheowringahrtouonfdithies shown iwn We’ve placed one answer to get you started.

1 Rarely (4)

2 Adapt (5)

3 Prior, previous (3) 4 Californian city (5) 5 Extremely dirty (1) 6 Alleviation of pain (3) 7 Crackling sound on a radio (3) 8 Criminals (6)

9 Send for (2)

10 Small songbird (2) 11 Lessen (1)

12 Work out (5)

13 Beat (3)

14 Bird whose call sounds like its name (3) 15 Pledge (yourself) (5) 16 Assistant (1)

17 Of milk, to separate (1) 18 Turn into (5)

19 Appeared (2)

20 Old Portuguese currency unit (5) 21 Painter or sculptor, eg (4) 22 Group of seven (6) 23 Fire-breathing monster (6) 24 Large white sturgeon (1) 25 Field of grass (1)

26 Loads (5)

27 Abseil (1)

28 Discover the presence of (5) 29 Beginner (1)

30 Handy (2)

31 Neat and trim (6)

32 Be against (4)

33 Attach, affix (5)

34 Brown from the sun (2) 35 Hogwash (4)

36 Weak, frail (1) 37 Alludes (to) (1)

38 Marilyn ___, actress (2) 39 Drifters (4)

40 Greek goddess (2)

41 Hold back (3)

42 Prior to (6)

43 In vain, pointless (1) 44 Come back (3)

45 Rooms on a ship (2) 46 Roman poet (2)

47 Black eye (informal) (2) 48 Angel of the highest order (6) 49 More idle (2) 50 Coconut-flavoured rum (4) 51 Group of travelling performers (5)

52 Inflict a penalty on (5) 53 Rebellion (6)

54 Nipped (4)