Classic FM Track by Aelfre

Puzzle explanation

“Nothing really matters to me” is the penultimate line of the Queen song Bohemian Rhapsody, which also mentions Scaramouche, Galileo and Figaro. The puzzle’s title refers to Freddie Mercury, who wrote the song.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer Explanation
Radials
1 REUSED (DE + SUER) <
2 ENCODE CO in ENDE
3 RAPHIA RAP + HIA(tus)
4 LEGLIN NIGELL(a) *; LEG + LIN
5 AVIARY (V + I + (l)AR(k)) in AY
6 MALMAG MALM + AG
7 ASIANS AS + A in INS
8 HAMLET LET after HAM
9 MALONE 2 meanings; ref. TV show Cheers, novel Malone Dies
10 REFUND RED around FUN
11 STIEVE I in STEVE
12 MAGGOT MAG + GOT
13 IGNARO (campa)IGN ARO(used)
14 APTOTE APT + (n)OTE
15 LESSON LESS ON
16 ORCHEL (LICHEN OR) * = (IN + ORCHEL) *
17 TRAMPS T(hief) + RAMPS
18 HEROIC HE + R + O + I/C
19 TO A MAN (A + MA) in TON
20 ON SONG “ON SONG” = RE + LAY
Arcs
21 ENID END around I
22 ERAS ERASE(e); (t)ERAS
23 ERNE (Inv)ERNE(ss)
24 TORE SUPERSTORE − PURSES *
25 TORR homophone of TORE; (TORR + A + C) = CARROT <
26 ÉLAN LA in EN
27 OPAL (s)O(u)P (l)A(d)L(e)
28 IMAM (Musl)IM A M(ullah)
29 BLUE 3 meanings
30 GNAT G + ANT *
31 SHMO SH + MO
32 JASS J + ASS
33 EDAM MADE <
34 IVAN VAIN with I moved to the front
35 AZAN NAZA(reth) <
36 VAGI V + A + GI
37 PEEP PEE + P
38 IRON 2 meanings
39 SNAG 2 meanings; S + NAG
40 SHAM S + HAM
41 DEMI DEMI-
42 GALL 3 meanings
43 SCAT SC + AT; SCATHE − HE
44 ODER REDO <
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