Times Jumbo 802

[kalahari12]

9 ac: Dull reporter saying something to cut copper? (7) H?C???? Is it hachsaw and if so why?
15 ac: Other ranks strain after terror plague(9) ??P?R???? I think aspirants but can not understand why!
53ac: Notoriety of investment's initial fifty pounds, part of descending scale (3,4) ILL ?A?E I wonder if it is face as in the musical notes? A dim memory from my music lessons many decades ago!

[baitress]

9a - hacksaw. hack is a word for a reporter, saw is a saying.
53a - ill fame.
15a - importune. imp(terror) + OR(other ranks) + tune(strain)

[JMR27]

9a hacksaw...dull reporter = hack + saying = saw

[kalahari12]

Thanks to you both. 53 ac still has me baffled as to the answer matching the clue but recently some of these clues have been very lateral thinking wise!

[baitress]

Investments initial is I then fifty is L pounds is another L. do ra me fa scale descending becomes fa me.
At least I think so. rather awful clue I must admit.they are getting almost as bad as the clues in the Sunday Express Skeleton. Today they used 3 to mean the letter C.

[kalahari12]

Thanks Baitress. I had just worked out the Doh Re Me thing when I saw your post. Thanks.