Barred crossword

Question

Across

1 47 Across writer's signature train (6)
6 A letter to Ms. White (not Ms. Landers) shows initial spirit (6)
11 You call this a party? You are sad (4)
13 Don't need anything crazy (4)
15 Sectarian who is convinced by speech (8)
17 Talk about Rocky Ⅰ–Ⅳ (4)
18 Almost foils evil plans: heads east to Spain (5)
19 Close to the line? Capital! Stop at nothing (5)
21 Partner to black follower of Yan's (3)
22 Develop new cybernetics reusing computers (their cores) (5)
23 Check out a sort of doc (3)
24 Put out, conclusively, the animal that goes after the head! (7)
27 Costly defense, I hear (4)
29 A flyer (not a flying mammal!) returns, becoming a swimmer (4)
32 Best-ever opening scenes lead to Emmy (7)
34 Lost at War by placing a low number and only then an ace, after seeing a high number (3)
35 The user-facing parts of R, ECMAScript, Python, Lisp, sed, …! (5)
37 So prompt (3)
39 Welcome back! Grab a letter (5)
40 Going backwards, steer into a cheer leader and a script kiddie (5)
41 Transfer/catalytic ribonucleic complex (4)
43 See a quotation of, perhaps, New York 2140 (8)
44 Perhaps Greenwich time, for one (4)
45 Act the boss at the newspaper: read backward and forward (4)
46 Spiritual leader gone south for some disgusting waste (6)
47 In retrospect, wino, smashed… he shouldn't have drunk any wine (6)

Down

2 Notice home redesign (5)
3 Mr. Edmonds's choice joint has "killa" at center (2,4)
4 German reference of defective English (5)
5 Identifying sign of angry spa clientele (7,5)
6 These, cloches? Weird! (12)
7 Soused, i.e. dumb-drunk (6)
8 Called Sanka "pointless" (3)
9 W.C.'s a bother: it has a clog (5)
10 Fake ego-abnegation of Opus Dei members (6)
12 An advantage following the queen's gambit (4)
14 Love to go through wood (5)
16 Online Test match (5)
20 Toerags' odd messes? (4)
25 Northern Ireland uprising here! (4)
26 Tip of my tongue's to stick to something (5)
28 The essence of Larry Bird is contrition (6)
30 Commute to work, perhaps, from home (5)
31 A limb (foot) wearing an Air Jordan is close to this (6)
33 Sprite's sweet treats have captivated a president and a general secretary (6)
34 A production made of the Rev. Spooner's failure to hit the white ball (5)
36 That girl had a splendid vacation with that guy as guest (4)
37 Contrary to popular belief, not only females were punished here: males got tortured (5)
38 Endless protection afforded by apartment (5)
42 It is likely to be eaten — eaten by grues (3)

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_{Credit: The layout (blank grid) is slightly altered from one by Jafe.}

Answer 1

The final solved grid should look like this:

Clue explanations:

Across:
1 [Samson] writer's signature train (6) HANDEL = HAND (signature) + EL (train)
6 A letter to Ms. White (not Ms. Landers) shows initial spirit (6) CHIVAS = CHI + V(-ann)A + S(-hows)
11 You call this a party? You are sad (4) DOUR = DO (party) + U R (you are)
13 Don't need anything crazy (4) AMOK = AM OK
15 Sectarian who is convinced by speech (8) SADDUCEE = “seducee”
17 Talk about Rocky Ⅰ–Ⅳ (4) BLAB = BALB(-oa)<
18 Almost foils evil plans: heads east to Spain (5) EPEES = E_ P_ + E (east) + ES (Spain)
19 Close to the line? Capital! Stop at nothing (5) QUITO = QUIT + O (Quito is a capital city close to 'the line', i.e. the Equator)
21 Partner to black / follower of Yan's (3) TAN = ddef (Black & Tan, Yan tan tethera)
22 Develop new cybernetics reusing computers (their cores) (5) ENSUE = _E_ _N_ _S_ _U_ _E_
23 Check out / a sort of doc (3) VET = ddef
24 Put out, conclusively, the animal that goes after the head! (7) DELOUSE = D(_E _L)OUSE &lit!
27 Costly defense, I hear (4) DEAR = D (defence) + EAR (I hear)
29 A flyer (not a flying mammal!) returns, becoming a swimmer (4) ORCA = ACRO(-bat)<
32 Best-ever opening scenes lead to Emmy (7) ECLIPSE = E(-ver) + CLIPS (scenes) + E(-mmy)
34 Lost at War by placing a low number and only then an ace, after seeing a high number (3) MIA = M (a high number) + I (a low number) + A (ace)
35 The user-facing parts of R, ECMAScript, Python, Lisp, sed, …! (5) REPLS = R_ E_ P_ L_ S_ &lit!
37 So prompt (3) SIC = ddef
39 Welcome back! Grab a letter (5) UNBAN = (NAB + NU)<
40 Going backwards, steer into a cheer leader and a script kiddie (5) HAXOR = R(OX)AH<
41 Transfer/catalytic ribonucleic complex (4) CRIB = _C RIB_
43 See a quotation of, perhaps, New York 2140 (8) DATELINE = DATE (See) + LINE (a quotation)
44 Perhaps Greenwich time, for one (4) UNIT = UNI (perhaps Greenwich) + T (time)
45 Act the boss at the newspaper: read backward and forward (4) DEED = ED< + ED
46 Spiritual leader gone south for some disgusting waste (6) SEWAGE = (n → S)EWAGE
47 In retrospect, wino, smashed… he shouldn't have drunk any wine (6) SAMSON = (_NO SMAS_)<

Down:
2 Notice home redesign (5) ADAPT = AD (notice) + APT (home, i.e. ‘apartment’)
3 Mr. Edmonds's choice joint has "killa" at center (2,4) NO DEAL = NODE (joint) + (-h)A(-s) + (-ki)L(-la)
4 German reference of defective English (5) DUDEN = DUD (defective) + EN (English)
5 Identifying sign of angry spa clientele (7,5) LICENSEPLATE = SPACLIENTELE*
6 These, cloches? Weird! (12) CHEESECLOTHS = THESECLOCHES* &lit!
7 Soused, i.e. dumb-drunk (6) IMBUED = IEDUMB*
8 Called Sanka "pointless" (3) AKA = (-s)A(-n)KA
9 W.C.'s a bother: it has a clog (5) SABOT = _S A BOT_
10 Fake ego-abnegation of Opus Dei members (6) PSEUDO = OPUSDE(-i_*
12 An advantage following the queen's gambit (4) RUSE = R (‘regina’ i.e. queen) + USE (advantage)
14 Love to go through wood (5) OLIVE = O (Love) + LIVE (to go through)
16 Online Test match (5) EQUAL = E (Online) + QUAL (test, short for ‘qualification’)
20 Toerags' odd messes? (4) TEAS = T(-o)E(-r)A(-g)S
25 Northern Ireland uprising here! (4) ERIN = (N + IRE)< &lit! (another name for ‘Ireland’)
26 Tip of my tongue's to stick to something (5) UPEND = "Append" ('to stick to something') [thanks @SQLnoob in comments]
28 The essence of Larry Bird is contrition (6) REGRET = (-la)R(-ry) + EGRET (bird)
30 Commute to work, perhaps, from home (5) CABIN = CAB IN
31 A limb (foot) wearing an Air Jordan is close to this (6) ARABIA = AR(A + _B)IA
33 Sprite's sweet treats have captivated a president and a general secretary (6) PIXIE’S = PI(XI)ES
34 A production made of the Rev. Spooner's failure to hit the white ball (5) MUCUS = Spooner(cue miss)
36 That girl had a splendid vacation with that guy as guest (4) SHE’D = S(-plendi)D containing HE
37 Contrary to popular belief, not only females were punished here: males got tortured (5) SALEM = MALES*
38 Endless protection afforded by apartment (5) CONDO = CONDO(-m)
42 It is likely to be eaten — eaten by grues (3) RUE = _RUE_