Uniform Uniform by istenem

Puzzle explanation

The extra words in clues gave “pioneering black baseball rookie; retired jersey” (42 letters in total). In cell 37 the letters P and Z were added to give 42. These referred to Jackie Robinson, the first black player in Major League Baseball, who thus “broke the color line” (represented by the initials of the answers to the clues with extra words: LOLRCO = (COLOR + L) *). The highlighting of JACKIE ROBINSON (twice) and the 42 in the clash cell formed a large “42” in the grid. Robinson’s jersey number 42 was retired when he stopped playing in 1997 and now no MLB player wears the number, except on Jackie Robinson Day (15 April, the date of his first appearance) when all MLB players wear it. The puzzle was published on 15 April; the title referred to the “uniform uniform” worn by all players on that day, and also hinted at 42 = 21 + 21, U being the 21st letter of the alphabet.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra word Answer Explanation
Across
2 pioneering LONGISH LOSING * + H
7   PERCA PER + C + A
12   LAMIA ANIMAL < − N
13   MACACO C in MACAO
15   MEDIUM 4 meanings
16   SOCLE SOLE around C
17   MARIJUANA cryptic definition
19   BRAAI BRA + AI
21   BAJU BAG − G + JUG − G
22   APIS PI in AS
23   ECCE RECCE − R
25   MEET TEEM <
27   INSWINGER SINGER * around WIN
29   FIER FIERCE − CE
32 black OCHE OCHRE − R
34   FARO FAR + O
35   NETT NÉ + TT
36   BEHAN EH in BAN
37   PLAINSONG PLAIN + SO + NG
40   NITRE NIT + RE
42   SEAHOG (GOES around HA) <
43   EASSIL LASSIE *
44   SONIA (Smith)SONIA(n)
45   IMSHI (a)IMS HI(t)
46   ESTHETE (THE TEES) *
Down
1   FLAMBÉ F + LA + MBE
2 baseball LAMARCKIANISM (CRIMINAL + A MASK) *
3   OMER ME in OR
4   NIDI (gu)IDIN(g) <
5   GAIJIN GAIN around (I + J)
6   SAMAAN SAMOAN with A for O
8   ECO E + CO
9 rookie ROCK PERCH ROCK + PERCH
10   COLLIESHANGIE (A CEILING + HOLES) *
11   AGEISTS A + GEISTS
14 retired CONJUNCT CON + JUN + CT
16   SAUL 2 meanings
18   CAMEO CAME O(n)
20   ACIERATES (C + I(ron)) in AERATES
21   BOW BELLS homophone of (BEAU + BELLES)
24   ENROL LONER *
26   EFFENDI (FF + END) in EI
28   GABNASH GNASH around AB
30 Jersey ONZE (br)ONZE
31   STASIS STASI + S
33   ENGRAM EN + GRAM
38   SHOE SHE around O
39   OONT O(ut) O(f) N(owhere) T(he)
41   RAH (p)R(e)A(c)H
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