Offender by Chalicea

Puzzle explanation

The extra letters in wordplay spelt out “whoreson zed, thou unnecessary letter”, part of a speech by the Earl of Kent in King Lear (Act 2, scene 2). All Zs were omitted in the wordplay for the 19 answers that contained them. In the grid, the Zs formed a large Z shape and were replaced to form the 19 extra words from clues. The letters in the bottom corner cells of the grid were SE, hinting at Kent (in the south-east of England). Any of KENT, EARL OF KENT or DUKE OF KENT was accepted below the grid.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra word Answer Explanation [extra letter]
Across
1   CREATOR [W]ATER * in COR
6   ADEEMS ME < in [H]ADES
10   TARDIGRADES (DIG + R[O]AD) in TARES
12 C-in-C ÉTAPE E + TAPE
13   ETA [R]ATE <
14   INDIA (m)AID[E]NI(shly) <
15 Edna DIT[Z] DIT
16 Amine [Z]INC IN + C
17   IFS I(ndustrial) + FU[S]S − U; ref. 26dn
18   VERSE VER[O]NESE − (ONE − O); ref. painter Paolo Caliari / Veronese
20   [Z]EST ER[N]ST − R
23 rite AI[Z]LE ELIA <
25 aisle HUE (th)E (ch)U(rc)H <
27   TEAING TING around [Z]EA(l)
28   DEPEND DE[E]P END
29   ISM [D]ISMALLY − ALLY
30   RA[Z]ED RA[T] + ED
32   JEE[Z] J(ohnny-cak)E + E[H]
33 Sati ALOWE A + LOW + E
34 dribbled FOE F(o)O(t)E(r)
35 snappier LUT[Z] (swir)L + UT
38   [Z]ONE (t)O N[O] E(xtent)
39   E-LA-MI H[U]MILIATES * − HITS *
40 rated IDE (a)IDE
41   ABSIT AB + S[U]IT
42   SEPTENNATES SPE[N]T * + EN + NATES
43   SPERRE SPE[N]SER * with (lu)R(id) for S
44   AGITATE A + TI[E] < in GATE
Down
1   CREDIT TITLES (LIST + DIR + ET[C] ETC) *
2   RATIFIES RAT[E] + IF + IE + S(atisfy)
3   ÉTATS STATE[S] <
4   TRE[Z] TRÈ[S]
5   RIT[Z] R[A]IT
6 dite AGA[Z]E AGA + E(mirs)
7   DRI[ZZ]LED D[R] + RILED
8   EDDISHES SEED * around DISH[Y]
9   MEINT ME[L] + IN + T
11 agate SACRED BEETLE ((l)ES(s) + CELEBRATED) *
13 Sicel E[Z]RA ARE <
18 eyra VAIR V(icuñ)A + I(nferio)R
19 jeep SI[Z]EL S + LIE *
21 Dose NAMETAPE MAN < + ÉTAPE; ref. 12ac
22 lute SNA[ZZ]IER (RESIN A) *
24 bone ÉPÉE (t)EPEE(s)
26   UNIONIST UNION + I + S[E]T
31   DO[Z]E [T]OD < + (aff)E(cts)
32 Best JULEP JUL + EP
33   A[Z]INE A(rsenic) + IN + [T]E
34 tree FOSSA FOSS + A
36   [Z]-DNA DAN[E] *
37   [Z]ATI (p)[R]ATI(e)
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