Right-wing Majority by Ifor

Puzzle explanation

The extra words in clues gave wordplay leading to {sun, new, inactive, hidden, stranger, radium, Oganessian}, the origins of names of the elements in group 18 of the periodic table, in order of their atomic numbers. Inserting their symbols into down entries would make, respectively: 8 Sa(He)lian, 26 pho(Ne)tic, 6 milit(Ar)ia, 23 ban(Kr)ate, 4 ta(Xe)mes, 2 gu(Rn)ards, 21 gamb(Og)ian. The group number 18 was drawn through the insertion points (any recognisable form of 1 and 8 passing through the right points was accepted). The title referred to 18 as the age of majority and the elements being on the right of the Periodic Table.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra word Answer Explanation
Across
1 every AGNATE NAT in AGE
5 Second EMERSE SEAMER * with (Adelaid)E for A(delaide)
10 part CURRANT RAN in CURT
12 from ICTAL TALC * after I
13 issuing HA-HA (SECRET + HA-HA) * = HEARTACHES
14 mine MOE 2 meanings
16 water ARUM A(s) R(eproduction) U(sing) M(onet)
17 shows ANIONIC CONDITIONAL * − TOLD *
18 invite TASLET LATEST *
19 out BEAU BEAT with U (next letter in alphabet) for the last letter
20 keeping ASSIGN AS + SIGN
25 advanced SARAPE S + A + RAPE
27 Command RABI BAR < + I’
28 paper MANIAS (MAN + AS) around I(gnores)
31 hotel YNAMBUS NAM in BUSY *
33 nut NOOP N + OOP
34 died NAE AE after N
35 erroneously DATA (A TAD) <
36 inside ITALA (SNAG around ITALA) = GALATIANS <
37 more SYRPHID (HAPPY − AP + IS + R(oun)D) *
38 marked CEMENT MEN in CET
39 orienteer’s STANCE ASCENT *
Down
1 originally ACHAR (K)ARACH(i) *
2   GUARDS (A DRUGS) *
3 becoming ARAMAIC A + DRAMATIC − (ol)D − (agreemen)T
4   TAMES STEAM *
6   MILITIA LIMIT * + I + A
7 absent ECHO (th)E CHO(rus)
8   SALIAN ALIA in (S + N)
9 fearful ELOCUTE ELO + CUTE
11 Scottish TENET TENT around E
15 institute ENEMAS (SAME + ONE − O) <
18 united TSUBAS BUST < + AS
20 mass ACRYLIC UNCRITICALLY * − UNTIL *
21   GAMBIAN NAMIBIA * with G for I
22 One’s GRANDPA PARADING * − I
23   BANATE BAN + ATE
24 sun FAUNS A in FUNS
26   PHOTIC H in (OPTIC with P moving up)
29   INERT (FINER + T) − F
30 again SPADE PAD in SE
32 Red MULE M + ULE
Extra
every Second part from issuingSUN(i)S(s)U(i)N(g)
mine water showsNEW(mi)NE W(ater)
invite out keeping advanced Command paperINACTIVEINVITE * around (A + C)
hotel nut, died erroneously insideHIDDEN(H + N (en = nut)) around DIED *
more marked, orienteer’s originally becoming absentSTRANGERSTRONGER with A for O(rienteer’s)
fearful Scottish institute united massRADIUMRAD + I + U + M
One’s sun again RedOGANESSIAN(ONE’S + S + AGAIN) *
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