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55 Across - "Ball died, dropped by rackets player up the line" (9)
(--S-I-G-R) Is this "INSWINGER"?
43 Down - "Cook's richer, although dog wants a run" (9)
(B-T-E---R)
31 Down - "Time for training group's last weight-lifting exercise" (5)
(S-U-T) This is presumably "SQUAT"?

55a yes. (D)INS + WINGER
43d BUT (although) + TER(R)IER
31d. yes. Change the last D of squad for time (T)

Thanks, Quisling - that BUTTERIER is certainly an odd word!

Some VERY odd words this week, and some very contrived clues.

Please can anyone help with these?

36a: Apply force, breaking church's buzzer in the vicarage (8)
I have H - U - E - L -
Looks like HOUSEFLY (buzzer in the vicarage), but how does it parse?

44a: Skin treatment works like 6d? T - N - E - Y
Looks like TANNERY (skin treatment works), but what does it have to do with 6d (to which the answer is TIME LAG)?

4d: Assess fifth man involved with Burgess, Maclean, etc? (4) R - T -
Looks like RATE (assess), but how does the rest of it work?

21d: American coffee cups and English crackers for DA's party? (4,3)
I have J - N - / D - E
Not a clue about this one. Could it be Jane Doe? If so, why?

36a USE F in HOLY
44a 6d is a sixpence in old money, also known as a tanner, hence tanner-y

4d is weak. Rat E is the fifth rat, as in traitor.
21d. JANE DOE. John Doe and Jane Doe are terms used in the US courtroom for unnamed male and female plaintiffs or defendants. Joe is a US term for coffee, surrounding and anagram of and E

RATE is RAT E as in the fifth rat

JOE is an American coffee around an anagram of AND E to give JANE DOE a party in an US legal claim

sorry quisling, I should have realised you were just passing for breath

Haha no worries, candledave. I’ve seen Joe a few times recently. In Collins, which the Times uses as a reference, but not yet made it to Chambers, even though it appeared in the 1930s, and became popular in the 80s

Did not like this at all.

18a Complicated system where J seats are switched round with K (7). Might be 'network'.

9d Rubbish smelled round at the end (4-5). Begins with 'b'.

27d Poet holds aces cards to go all in (4,4,7). Last word begins with 'b'.