Diversions by Dysart

Puzzle explanation

Applying the answer “sort out” (28dn) to the circled letters gave “last row”, so the last row was also sorted out, to form MOUNT OLYMPUS. Letter changes in the remaining rows revealed names of major Olympian gods, ordered by length in a mountain formation, with Zeus and Hera appropriately given top place. The puzzle’s title is DI (gods) + VERSIONS.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer Explanation Thematic associations
Across
1 INSET IST around (N + E)  
5 EASTER EATERS with (crop)S moved to the left fruits, crops (Demeter)
11 HEADS HADES with E moved ecstasy (Dionysus); underworld (Hades = Pluto)
13 BHUNA H in BUN + A  
14 ENLACE E(lgar) + ’N’ + L + ACE  
15 MIAOU (MIAOU + SHE’D) * = HOUSEMAID  
16 ATLATL AT LAST − S + L spear (Ares, Athena)
17 UNABLE TUNABLE − T  
18 LADE homophone of LAID  
19 POLE POE around L(ightning) lightning (Zeus); rod (Hermes)
20 EXIT EX + IT sex (Aphrodite, Dionysus)
21 FAWNER (F + A + NEW + R) * queen (Hera)
22 CESSER ESSE in CR  
24 TUARTS STUART with first letter moved family (Hestia)
27 SISTRA (STAIR + S) *  
29 SCHEME SOME with CHE for O(man) strategy (Athena)
31 TOROID TO + RID around O  
34 URDÉ (m)URDE(r)  
35 ONUS (SUN + O’) < light (Apollo)
36 URGE PURGE − P desire (Aphrodite)
37 TOROSE OS in TORE  
39 ADONIA AIA around (D + ON) Adonis (loved by Aphrodite)
40 JAPER APE in (R + J) <  
41 OBITER (O + ARBITER) − AR  
42 ALEPH PELA < + H  
43 STUNT 2 meanings  
44 LUPOUS SOUL * around UP  
45 TOMMY TO + M + MY  
Down
1 KHALIF IF after (K + HAL) king (Zeus)
2 WASHLAND SAW < + HAND around L floods (Poseidon)
3 LEARNED LED around ARNE light (Apollo)
4 TAPETS AT < + PETS woven pieces (Athena)
6 SECULAR SECUR(e) around LA  
7 HESTIA (Researc)H + (b)ESTIA(l) animal goddess (Artemis); Hestia
8 BEAU homophone of BOW  
9 LORINER LINER around OR metalworker (Hephaestus)
10 QUARTE QUE around ART  
12 CEORL (prin)CE OR L(ord)  
23 REMOUNTS (Messenge)R + (ONE MUST) * messenger (Hermes); horses (Poseidon)
25 LOCULAR L + JOCULAR − J justice (Zeus)
26 AENEOUS AENEAS with OU for second A warrior (Ares, Athena); Aeneas (son of Aphrodite)
28 SORT OUT (O + R) in STOUT  
29 JUNTAS NUJ < + AS around T  
30 EPOPEE POPE < + EE poetry (Apollo)
31 TAUBE TUBE around A  
32 ODISTS (POSTS − P) around DI  
33 VAT DYE (STAYED + V) * − S sun (Apollo)
38 PURE UP < + RE(d) wine (Dionysus)
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