State Transition Diagram by Tuds

Puzzle explanation

The corrections to misprints could be arranged to form the first four words of the song title (Get Your Kicks on) Route 66. The cells indexed by outer letters of the extra words in clues, and their reflections in the grid’s vertical axis, were joined to form the shape of a US Route shield, within which ROUTE was highlighted and 66 drawn in large digits. The clashing letters in cell 40 formed LOS ANGELES and those at the end of 30ac formed CHICAGO, the endpoints of the road. The line drawn to join them traced THE MOTHER ROAD, a nickname popularised by The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. The puzzle was published on 4 July 2026, the 250th anniversary of the USA’s Declaration of Independence, and almost 100 years after Route 66 was established (in November 1926).

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Misprint/extra word Answer Explanation
Across
1   QASIDAS Q + (ID + AS) after AS
7   DIKKOP DIP around (K + KO)
13 (K)illers ORCS SCRO(d) <
15 St(E)p STAIR (R + IT + A + S(alt)) *
16 driving AUTOROUTES (OUT EAST OUR) *
17   ANTLIATE ATE after LATIN *
18 keeping SHRI SH + (I + R) <
19   SALOP SAP around LO
21 da(Y)’s DARG GRAD <
23 f(O)rce CHI 2 meanings
24   GAZOO GA + ZOO; ref. Athens, Georgia
26 Ali(G)n RANGE RANG + (hom)E
27 amazed OCCUR (C + CU) in OR
29   ENLIT ENLIST − S
30   ANGICO (I CAN GO) *
32 Ma(R)s ARES A + RES
35   MEDAL ME + D + L after A
37 no(T) FAKE EKA < after F
38   OVERRODE ERR in ((l)OV(e) + ODE)
39 la(I)d MOTHBALLED (OLD LAMBETH) *
40   GALOSHING S in (GAL + O’ + HING)
41   HOAR HO + RA <
42 judged SITREP PRIEST *
43   ETHOSES ETHE around OS + (idea)S
Down
2   AGUNAH AAH around GUN
3 fabric SITTLICHKEIT (KILT IT ITCHES) *
4   ISOLOGUE I(nterest) + SOLO + GUE(ss)
5 mai(N) A-ROAD DORA < around A
6 Prote(C)tors SCUTA A after (S + CUT)
8   ISENGRIM IS + E(ate)N + GRIM
9 intrinsic KACHINA DOLLS (AN AD HOC SKILL) *
10   OIL RIG (RIOT ISOLATING) * − STATION *
11   PRAISEACH (PHRASE CIA) *
12 (S)ir BAAS SAAB <
14   STEROL (LETS around OR) <
20 w(O)rd PARAGOGE (APE + AGGRO) *
22   WATERLOO LATER * in WOO
23   CONFINELESS ((OF SILENCE) * + S) around (Dunca)N
25 dead ZEROTH Z + (TO HER) *
28 C(U)ps CYATHI CY + A + THI(s)
31 angering NA-DENE AND * + (m)E(a)N(i)E(s)
33   EVHOE EVE around OH <
34 cleric SEBAT B in SEAT
36 (K)ing LEDA À after LED
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