Four individuals share something in common (one in a different way to the others), and all four contribute to what's unclued. All clues contain a superfluous word, the first letters of which (in order of printed clues) spell out additional information about what's unclued. Clues are in alphabetical order of answers, and word lengths are for the answers. In the final grid, you should highlight the four individuals and what they have in common. You should also highlight what is individually associated with each of the four - these associations are of lengths 14, 11 (hyphenated in Chambers Biographical Dictionary, but two words in Chambers Dictionary), 7 and 7 (two words).
Play absent on tennis court (3)
Riders and horses dead beat (7)
Shelter by a long elm avenue (5)
Not in danger and straight ahead at sea (5)
Tutankhamen serving Osiris - symbol of life (4)
Block up part of ear (5)
Law holder backs Kray Brothers mostly (3)
Love sharp edge in Cheddar risotto (5)
Corrupt master returning for evening tea (5)
Be well and happy, acting very young and beginning to exercise (3)
Optical taxonomy includes neural extension (4)
Teen half abandoned Man. United. (4)
Doctor does work during visit (6, 2 words)
Stone drunk (mere office lad) (7)
So be it ecstasy from the rear? Utterly unlikely! (5)
James possibly (not Jack) believes in actual existence (4)
Blast whoever loosed unguarded expression of drunken frenzy (5)
Father excited about Mother's passion (5)
Earth regularly supplied by grave yard man (4)
Overworked doctor taking a break (3)
Once decked with jewels, girl unloaded boy (8)
Grant dismissal for one left after classes (7)
Ohio officials, for example, up a creek (3)
Government lie is unfortunately something beyond recovery (5)
That woman's bragging about island they'll inherit (5)
One clear limpid part of the eye (4)
Scrape part of leg in front, examining space under a desk (8)
Mould teachable youth - book not needed for solution (8)
Male, offering no reason, exposed woman in verse (6)
Drunken sileni undertake prolonged rests (6)
Judge returning agreed portion (4)
My new clothing worn and spoiled in America (5)
Vault rib design never developed outside Ukraine (7)
Single topic about Earth's origin (3)
Counting initially passes hours (6)
Some gluttons consume eclairs after Gold Syrup (6)
Round round round round tenor dieting (7)
Often consume too much, gaining breadth - you shouldn't do this with cream
(8)
Solemn people that hurt toes left with a bit of suffering (4)
Cattle crossing Spanish town (6)
Cure asthma with smoke? Stare confusedly (5)
Bloody angry, tenders resignation (8, 2 words)
Henry excitedly stalking some rare water bird (4)
Navratilova ahead in tennis preparation (5)
Having nothing afoot initially, Sherlock Holmes obeys sign, returning letter
(8)
Henry following tracks - trailing tree-dweller (5)
Bald king pursues Siam celebrity (5)
Neat resort one has in Scotland (4)
Ten obscenities found in offensive book (4)
Excitedly argue without a woman prompting (4)
Flogging wife necessitates execution (8)
To enter the competition, solvers should send an email with all the highlighted entries to derek@crosswordcentre.fsnet.co.uk before 1st September 2003. The winner will receive a copy of Chambers Crossword Manual by Don Manley, which has been donated by the publishers.