Elementary Deduction by Rood

Puzzle explanation

Wordplay in clues led to the answer with an extra chemical symbol. The symbols spelt out “Initiating at column five, using D, obtain every fifth clockwise” and “Care with position of tiny particles”. With the correct resolution of clashes, taking every 5th perimeter letter spelt out “Draw rings of atomic no. six” and the six occurrences of E (or e) in the grid occurred in two central rings, representing a carbon atom, with the outer ring passing through cells containing “valence electrons”. With the other choices for the clashes, the message would specify “atomic no. five”, but choosing “boron” (with its five electrons) and “valency electrons” in the centre would leave an extra electron (e) on the perimeter of the grid.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer Explanation [extra letters]
Across
1 GOAS GO + (o)AS[I](s)
5 DOF [Ni]DOR with F for R
8 SIRKAR SI[T] + [i]R + KARZY − Z − Y
13 LOTAH ATOL(l) < + H[At]
14 VARIX VA[In] + R + FIX − F
16 OCTADIC OCTA + DI[G] + [a]C
17 TIARA TI[T] + [c]AR + A
18 YOUNG (GNU + [O]O + Y) <
19 RONINS (squad)RON IN [Lu]S(hun)
20 KERB KE[M]B around [n]R
23 DOITIT DO + [F]IT + IT
24 TIRL TI in [I]RL
25 OBANGS ([V]AN + (engravin)G) in OBS
28 SNYE SE[E] around NY + [u]
29 SERES SE(t) + [Si]RE’S
31 SITE SI[N]TE(r)
35 GHERAO (GA[G] around HER) + [d]O
37 VROW RO[O] in VW
38 ITHACA HA[B]IT * + CA
41 NYAS SA[Ta]Y < after N
43 GROW ON G[I]RO + WON
47 RADIO DI[Ne] in OAR <
48 HOG IT HOG + [V]ITE − E
49 MAIL-INS MAINLIN[Er]S − (first) N
50 TRANT T[Y]RANT
51 UMRAS RAS after [F]UM
52 CONGII CO[I]N + GI + I(magines)
53 AIT A[F]RIT − R
54 AMIR MIR[Th] after A
Down
2 ONCOMING COM in [Cl]ONING
3 ACTUARY AC + AUT[O] < + RY
4 FLANK FLA[C]K around N
5 DODGEMS D + [K]O’D + GEMS
6 OTIC O[W]T + I(rritate) C(entre)
7 FACT [I]F + ACT
8 SHARD [Se]SH + ARD
9 RAIN IN RA[Ca] + IN + IN
10 KRAIT RA[Re] in KIT
11 AIRN [W]AIN around R
12 ROYSTS ROY + S[I]TS
15 VASTY VAS + TY[Th](e)
21 RHEA HEA[P] in R[o]
22 BOSON OS[Si] in NOB <
26 BEVY BEY around [Ti]V
27 STOTINKI SKI around (T[O]OT + IN)
30 SHARIAT HAS * + RIA[N]T
32 IRIDIUM (I[O]U + M) after (I + RID)
33 SWOOSH ’S + WOO[F] + SH
34 NIGHT NI(t) + [Ti]GHT
36 YAWING YAW[N]ING
39 HOGAN AN[Y] after HOG
40 ANHUI [P]AN + HUI
42 SALSA SAL[Ar](y) + S(exy) + A
44 RO-RO [Ti]RO around OR
45 EMMA [Cl]EM + MA
46 LARI LAR[Es] + I
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