Character Recognition by Vagans

Puzzle explanation

In the down clues, sequences of extra letters spelt out the names of six letters each from the Arabic, Greek and Hebrew alphabets (all given in the appendices of The Chambers Dictionary). In across clues, single extra letters spelt “obsolete English letters”. In the grid the highlighted letters AESC, YOGH, WYN and ETH formed the shape of a thorn (þ).

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal, ب = Arabic, Γ = Greek, ℵ = Hebrew

No Extra letter Answer Explanation
Across
2 cell(O) CYTOPLASMIC (SLAM CITY COP) *
10 (B)one POISE I in POSE
11 Ba(S)il AIBLINS (BAIL IN) * + S
14 log(O) RENTE ENTER with letters cycled
15 B(L)eat SLAT L in SAT
16 ton(E) APE TAPE − T
17 ro(T)und AWEEL LEEWA(y) <
18 D(E)riving TAR SEALS A in TARSELS
19 plan(E)t ORRIS (t)ORRI(d) + S
20 (N)utter WYND homophone of WHINED
21 Do(G) ADD A + DD
22 B(L)ack LAO GOAL < − G
24 (I)s [spanning] FCCA FA around CC
27 (S)neck HALSE SHALE *
30 (H)earth YTTRIOUS TOURIST * after Y
31 drive(L) CACAO CA’ + CA + O
32 r(E)ally ERA (differenc)E RA(lly)
33 Gra(T)in RIPP RI + PP
34 (T)o ALONG O in (AL + NG)
36 mal(E) LEACHES LES around ACHE
37 C(R)ash LAARI L(ift) A(ll) A(uto) R(isk) I(nsurance)
38 T(S)ar’s FALSE STARTS (LEFT TAR’S ASS) *
Down
1 ℵ f(LAMED) using → fusing APOSTOLICAL (LOCAL PATOIS) *
2 ب go (BA)d → god COLLAR LAR after COL
3 ب (JIM) TSOTSI IS < after ((nigh)T + SOT)
4 Γ G(ET A)round O’ER ROME * − M
5 Γ (PHI)lemon PAWPAW PAW + PAW
6 Γ (OMICRON) LIKELY ILKLEY *
7 ب (DAL)í and I → I-and-I SLEWED WE in SLED
8 Γ O(PI)ne MINERAL OIL (ONE AMIR ILL) *
9 ℵ (DALE TH)at INTEND IN T’END
12 ب (SAD) SELF-DESPAIR SELF + DES + PAIR
13 ب b(LAM)e PARROT-COAL PARROT + COAL
23 ℵ (BETH) AZALEA (G)AZA LEA(flet)
24 Γ Ti(BETA)n FRANCS cryptic definition
25 ℵ T(AY IN) oil → toil CTENES CES around NET <
26 ب (DAD) AT REST A + TRÈS + T
28 ℵ t(HE H)orn → torn AIR-CAR R in AFRICA * − F
29 Γ e(MU) very → every SUPERS PER in SUS
35 ℵ an(Y OD)d ALA A + LA
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