Inevitability solution
by Kegler
The highlighted diagonal says DEATH AND TAXES, which were described by author (1A) BENJAMIN (45A) FRANKLIN as the
ONLY TWO THINGS, THE AUTHOR SAID, ARE CERTAIN IN THIS WORLD. The superfluous words are shown in brackets.
Across
| 1 | BEN(JAM)IN [old] |
| 6 | WEIRD (I DREW anag) [nudes] |
| 10 | CA(D)RE [lately] |
| 12 | wELF (rev) [young] |
| 13 | PRECEPT (hidden) [tarnished] |
| 15 | MA'S + S [wiry] |
| 16 | TE + ET + H [overtaking] |
| 18 | LETTUCE ("LET US" hom) [tapes] |
| 22 | fatHER [hands] |
| 23 | ETCETERA (TEE CRATE anag) [inside] |
| 24 | AGER (GEAR anag) [noisier] |
| 25 | PAG(E)AN + TRIES [glass] |
| 27 | R(U)&B + Y [singer] |
| 29 | D + ROP(P)ING [tether] |
| 32 | lEFT [Hopping] |
| 35 | UMLAUTS (TU ALUMS anag) [examine] |
| 38 | ROUST (TOURS anag) [adventurer] |
| 39 | NEXT (hidden) [U-boat] |
| 41 | STA + SHED [tools] |
| 42 | BOAr [harms] |
| 43 | G(O)ALS [only] |
| 44 | STOOL (LOOTS rev) [rusty] |
| 45 | FRANK + LINe [severed] |
|
Down
| 1 | BATTLE + GROUNDS [around] |
| 2 | N(ARE)S [identical] |
| 3 | ARCHITECTURAL (CHARLIE CUT ART anag) [Debonair] |
| 4 | MEEK (last letters) [albino] |
| 5 | sIMPLY [refinements] |
| 6 | WEATHERPERSON (REHEAT SNOW PER anag) [entertaining] |
| 7 | sELMa [Comfortable] |
| 8 | R(ESC)UE [extraordinary] |
| 9 | DESEGREGATION (SEEING DOG TEAR anag) [relay] |
| 11 | ATE (hidden) [tasty] |
| 14 | ETRE (TREE anag) [axed] |
| 17 | EAT (1st letters) [identified] |
| 19 | URGE (hidden) [no] |
| 20 | HEADY (2 defs) [isn't] |
| 21 | B + A + TON (NOT A rev) [needed] |
| 26 | ABEL ("ABEL" hom) [thoroughly] |
| 28 | UN + MEET [hardly] |
| 30 | POOH (2 defs) [itinerant] |
| 31 | NUS (SUN rev) [spectacularly] |
| 33 | ASTER (TEARS anag) [Wilted] |
| 34 | QUELL (hidden) [obviously] |
| 36 | TaSK [reporting] |
| 37 | SAG + A [lurid] |
| 40 | TOO ("TWO" hom) [dances] |
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