G by Xanthippe

Puzzle explanation

The grid depicted a classic scene from Only Fools and Horses. The first part, shown here, with one choice from the clashing letters, showed RODNEY and DEL holding a BLANKET, ready to catch a LOUIS XIV CHANDELIER when it is unbolted. The letters missing from across clues gave two instances of STEPLADDER, on which Rodney and Del were standing. The second part of the scene showed GRANDAD having dislodged the BOLT from the (wrong) chandelier, which has crashed to the floor, its letters forming the writer’s name SULLIVAN and new down words. The extra letters in down clues spelt out words for fools and horses: “Bottom, nit, ass; dun, Red Rum, nag”. The title of the puzzle referred to the episode’s title, A Touch of Glass.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Removed/ added letter Answer Explanation
Across
1 bea(S)t STAG TAG after S
4   BOLT B + (COLT − C)
8 me(T)al ABORE BA < + ORE
13 L(E)ad CHORIC R(ye) in CHOIC(e)
14 (P)aid ERNES homophone of EARNS
15 co(L)d RELÂCHE (L + HERE) * around (A + C)
16 Me(A)n AVAILE AVE around AIL
17 Agree(D) OONT ON around O + T
18 title(D) LAUWINE (IN EU LAW) *
21 sprit(E) CION ICON with first half reversed
22 (R)and RERAN (swo)RE RAN(d)
23   NOUS NO US
24 (S)he DEIRDRE DR DRE around EI; ref. Deirdre Barlow of Coronation Street
25 (T)urn GOOLIE GO + O’ + LIE
27 (E)motion DOYENS (E)motion in SYNOD *
29 (P)lace TYMBAL (LAB + MY + ’T) <
30   PUMPS PU + MP + ’S
33   BLANKET BLANK + ET
36 S(L)ave OILS TOIL + S − (Ti)T(ian)
39 l(A)id or are(A) LARIDAE (LAID ARE) * or (LID AREA) *
40 Bran(D) LONG ON LOGO around N + N(orthants)
41 wee(D) E-CIGARETTE (TARGET + I + C) * in ((rang)E + (rang)E)
42 D(E)ad LA TÈNE LATE around EN
43 (R)Aging ERNIE IRENE *
Down
1 bar(B) SCROD ’S + C + ROD
2 L(O)ad THEOLOGY THEO + LOG + Y
3 (T)at GRATIS AT in GRIS
5 over(T) OCH CH after O
6 her(O) LEE REEL < − (he)R
7 war(M) TRAWLED T + WAR < + LED
9 Angola(N) BEANERY AN in BEERY
10 ru(I)n OSIER IE after OS + R
11 (T)reads RELEARNS (LARRY SEEN) * − Y
12 (A)head EVENNESS EVENT with NESS for T
18 (S)on LOX O’ in XL <
19 block(S) ANVIL ANIL around V
20 enslave(D) UNDERKEEP UNDER + KEEP
23 Cal(U)m SETTLE S + METTLE − M
26 Georgia(N) OBLIGE BOIL * + GE
28 game(R) EPIGON EPI(c) + GO + N
30 P(E)ace PELTS (STEP around L) <
31 (D)one LONER homophone of LOANER
32 (R)ace CACA A after (CA + C)
33 Sco(U)t’s BRIT B + RIT
34 (M)end CARE CAR + (engin)E
35 To(N)e ROTE (TOE + R) *
37 se(A)t LOTI I after LOT
38 son(G) SNEE KNEE with S for K
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