Not the Rockies by Kruger

Puzzle explanation

The extra letters in wordplay spelt out “answers containing N to the top and S to the bottom”. Each clue pair had one answer with N (but not S) and one with S (but not N), partitioned into the North and South parts of the grid respectively. The circled letters were a jumble of “Watford”, which is often cited as the boundary for the UK’s North-South Divide. The title refers to the Rocky Mountains, part of the Great Divide or Continental Divide of North America.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

Answer Explanation [extra letter]
INEQUALITIES ((M[A]IN + QUALITIES) around E) − M
ENCAGE (h)EN(s’) + CA[N] + EG <
FRIS FR + [S]IS
CRUSE CRE[W] around US
INYALA (LAY IN) * + [E]A
STIPES ST[R]IPES
ERNANI ([S]IRE around NAN) <
UNIT (pi)N in [C]UIT
THISTLE (THEI(r) + L[O]ST) *
EO IPSO POISO[N]E(d) *
GENUINE GEN[T] + EQUINE − EQ
CTENE C[A]T + E(njoy) N(ew) E(lectric)
SERAI [I]SRAELI * − L(ocked)
STIRP PRI[N]TS <
ANCHOR AN + [I]CHOR
NITRIC (CR + [N]I + TIN) *
OECIST E[G]O < + CIST
ISAAC (Par)IS A[N] AC(claimed)
ARRAN RA[T] < + RAN
AWARNED A + WAR +[O]NE + D
OAST [T]OAST
OBSESS (BOSS S[H]E) *
YULAN YUAN around L(arg)[E]
EVINCED VIN in E[T]C + E(ducation) + D
CESTUS (SC[O]UT + SE(en)) *
CUNEATE (EATEN U[P]) * after C
IMSHI ((Helsink)I H[A]S MI(grants)) <
VILLOUS VILLA[N]OUS − (llam)A
ELENCHI ELCHI around EN[D]
OCEANIC (CAN ICE + [S](h)O(w)) *
DAISIES DAIS + [T]IE(r) + (ailanthu)S
IYNX (BR[O]NX − BR) after I(ndecenc)Y
ASHMOLE MOLE after [T]ASH
GAYNOR GAY + [H]ORN *
DASHPOT ASH in D[E]POT
DYNAMO ([B]OND MAY) *
TUSCHE S in T[O]UCH + E(nhances)
RERUN RE + [T]URN *
EASIER EAS[T]ER around (Apr)I(l)
BURSCH B[O]UCH(e) around RS
ELTON [M]ELTON
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