Each clue contains an extra word, whose first letter should be removed from the answer wherever it occurs, to be replaced by its penultimate letter. One or other of these letters, when taken in clue order, spell out a quotation whose author's full name must be highlighted in the grid. Chambers Dictionary (2003) is the primary reference.
ACROSS
1 Dazzling Hollywood personality sadly
harmless if left out (7)
6 Bearing in river explains waste matter
(6)
11 Blood-poisoning alleged - am I to
axe brewing? (8)
13 Take fancy medley, initially leave
out early repair (6)
14 See, modernising minister has same
plates (7)
15 Official nonsense - yellow revolving
arm (5)
17 Antelope spoils long story about
Italy (5)
19 Imagined drymouth terror enveloped
me (7)
21 Franks' late law of succession -
social upset nothing left (5)
22 Raunchy girl from Ireland upset after
kinky lad leaves (4)
25 Embarrassed - woman with erotic record
is hot (8)
26 Induce side into rioting and
rabble-rousing (8)
27 Wine at the heart of affluent feasting
(4)
29 Palm genus caught in space cargo
(5)
31 Intensify economy, hence an adjustment
needed (7)
34 Viscount let criminal out of volatile
arrangement ? There you are (5)
36 Prevent the German grabbing debit
note (5)
37 Note positive line in numeric talent
produces great difficulty (7)
38 Sever digit using unusual knife (6)
39 False praise in Lebanon brings regional
revenge (8)
40 Boys stigmatize unknown spirit (6)
41 Edmund's named them twice about singular
expert (7)
DOWN
1 Boxing method put vessel in very stormy
sea (6)
2 Extra slippery character returns after
most excellent brawl (5)
3 Hospital houses final union leader
(6)
4 Charity feeds neat family (5)
5 Filled up though removed young dairy
girl (4)
7 Book in the beginning introduces epic
rock band (7)
8 Arab's hysterical cry - consider carefully
then change direction (5)
9 Form of witchcraft Macbeth smarmily
worked right away (7)
10 Measure dividing cagy youths ruined
action (6)
12 Country led by obtuse European offshoot
(7)
16 State supporting alien prince is
out of condition (6)
18 Sick terrorists return leaving seed
coatings (6)
20 Pacific rhapsody created by Irish
Republic meeting leaders of Northern Ireland community (7)
23 Her first herb garden and mole perhaps,
asleep (7)
24 Newly discoloured and adjusted instead
(7)
26 Teetotal journey in Seychelles is
barred (6)
27 Northern French town resists African
fruit (6)
28 Shut in angel with demon drink
(6)
30 Keeping old father in Greek dance
(5)
32 Stop rivers in church catastrophe
(5)
33 Gang with European support enjoy
pot (5)
35 Press inventor sacked messy British
nurse (4)
To
enter this competition send your solution in list format, plus the
full name of the author, to derekharrison@yahoo.com before the
8th December. The first correct solution picked will receive a copy of the
£150 leather-bound edition of Chambers Dictionary which has been donated
by the publishers.