4014: Without Bars by Elgin

This was a challenging and complex puzzle, as is expected from Elgin. The first challenge was to solve the clues and to decide whether entries were across or down. Four across answers, reassuringly in symmetrical entries, were to be jumbled and entered with spaces. These were 5, 14, 31 and 38. The letters that were not checked by down entries could be arranged to spell to unclued entries HERALD ANGELS. The letters in asterisked cells led to LINE FIVE. The fifth line of the song Hark the Herald Angels Sing is “Joyful all ye nations rise”. This allowed further filling of the grid and seven countries could be entered rising up the grid, YEMEN, ESTONIA, CAMEROON, LAOS, SENEGAL, ISRAEL and CHINA (the latter with the first two letters in the same cell). Now the spaces in the four jumbled entries could be filled, giving MY CHAINS FELL OFF - MY HEART HEART WAS FREE. The link between the two songs is the writer of the lyrics, and the letters used to fill the spaces in the four special entries could be rearranged to give his name. The fifth line of the second song begins, “I rise” and so the name CHARLES WESLEY could be entered upwards in the right-hand column, creating new words, all in Chambers 2003 – SEA-FIRE, FOUL, REARMS, PODS, RIB-BONE, PLEURAL, E.M.E.A. and NEATH.

CLUES
1 One does a lot to appear quite fresh - mainly inside (13)
SPRING-CLEANER SPRING (appear)  +  NE(w) in CLEAR
2 Fish shop with a chippy (5)
OPAHS Anagram SHOP + A
3 It holds the hair close to head of youngster in tight plait (8)
PONYTAIL ON (close to) + Y(oung) in Anagram PLAIT
4 Passages that start splitting off large intestines (4)
SOLI Initial letters S(plitting) O(ff) L(arge) I(ntestines)
5 A return of service not up to the usual standard - a good distance away (7, two words)
AFAR OFF A + RAF (reversed) + OFF
5 Maybe one looks over water for agent working on river (9)
FRONTAGER Anagram FOR AGENT + R
6 Refuse to kill a gangster (5)
OFFAL OFF (to kill) + AL (Capone)
7 Place to cross over international waters (5)
FIORD I (International) in FORD
8 Cut piece of beef that's eaten outside (7)
FRUMPED RUMP in FED
9 Ring is almost entirely fake (5)
PHONE PHONE(Y)
10 This marine creature and its mate make merry as fear is rife (6, two words)
SEA FIR Double Anagram AS FEAR IS RIFE
11 No director for King and I; who plays the queen? (4)
RANI R (king) AND I less D (director)
12 Pot luck wins it (4)
LOTA LOT (luck) + A (it)
13 Perhaps bridge players drop king under the table (3)
FOU FOUR less R (definition – under the table = drunk)
14 Praising god of marriage without energy is primarily no good (7)
HYMNING HYMEN less E + I(s) + NG (no good
14 Elgin's second one (3)
MOI MO + I
15 Provide new materiel to build up men at the front (5)
REARM REAR + M(en)
16 It's written shortly before tense drama on TV (7)
NOTELET NO (drama) + TELE (TV) + T (tense)
17 How to stop graffiti causing distress in public (9)
OVERPAINT PAIN in OVERT
18 Irish beast infested with two separate parasites (7)
GIARDIA GARDA (Irish police) containing II (separately!)
19 Grape producer's holding in French region around Poitiers (6)
VIENNE EN (IN in French) in VINE
20 Steal scene in which star appears (4)
CRIB 2 definitions
21 Bait my line and fish are brought up (7)
RAGWORM M (my) + ROW (line) + GAR (fish) (all reversed)
22 Seals a decompression chamber? (3)
POD 2 definitions
23 Completely frozen fish (6)
ALLICE ALL ICE
24 Source of cinnamon is found in eastern lands (6)
CASSIA C(innamon) + IS in ASIA: & lit.
25 Decoration is good on part for violin (6)
RIBBON RIB + BON (good)
26 Before new year receiving a belated Christmas present? (6)
BEFANA BEF (before + AN (New year) + A
27 Celebrity gives away money - not any for Elgin (3)
NAE NAME less M
28 Girl's short journey to hospital (5)
STEPH STEP + H
29 Lining for chest is made from substantial quantities of pure lead (6)
PLEURA Anagram PUR(e) LEA(d)
30 They provide colour reversal for very good work by leading academician (6)
AWETOS
31 Referring to a treaty sets lad free (7)
FEDERAL Anagram LAD FREE
32 Ditch politician - no good (4)
REEN (g)REEN
33 Sign man's translated from last part of ancient civilisation (4)
NOME OMEN N (knight/ man in chess) moved
34 Cut power off to old bothy in the isles (4)
SKIO SKIP less P (power) + O (old)
35 Point to most excellent relative (3)
EME E + ME
36 Base material within biochemical catalyst (7)
EREPSIN E (base) + REPS + IN
37 Excellent catch if Australian's dismissed (4)
NEAT = NET (catch) less A
38 Small communities allow in non-professionals (7)
HAMLETS LET in HAMS
39 Doctor's acquiring new surgical instrument (5)
LANCE N (new) in LACE (as in to doctor a drink!)