4099 Double Devilry by Pointer

This was an exemplary lesson in how to write neat Printer’s Devilry clues from Pointer. Gregson’s first worry was that the two blocked grids had 9-letter rows and columns but only the 6-letter words were clued. In fact both sets of answers could be squeezed into one grid; MUSCLE and CLEVIS were entered as MUSCLEVIS and so on. Using the normal clue order it was possible to fill both grids in the same way. The ten unchecked letters could be arranged to spell DUPLICATES, a description of the two identical grids.

Grid I (all six letters)

Unlike most, bird's early. Don't fly!
MUSCLE Unlike most birds e/mus cle/arly don't fly!

"Any sensitive? I serve" - scare from a counsellor
SUEDES Any sensitive is/sue des/erves care from a counsellor

Inventive audiences applaud The Gondoliers
ICE-CAP In Ven/ice cap/tive audiences applaud The Gondoliers

The robbers tell of ordeals with a cellist
ALSACE The robber ste/als a ce/l lo for deals with a cellist

The man in funny closet to become a clown
THESIS The man in funny clo/thes is/ set to become a clown

Bob Cratchit's title
MISLIT Bob Cratchit's Ti/m is lit/tle

The shepherd hopes not to find we lead in Snowdonia
SHEWED The shepherd hopes not to find Wel/sh ewe d/ead in Snowdonia

Ad is placed: "Away swan!" (Ted to return to his home country)
LIENAL A displaced a/lien al/ways wanted to return to his home country)

"A hungry boy will get to the tape" - Ed.
BLEATS A hungry boy will get to the ta/ble at s/peed.

Was this bold to the buyer wanting an old car
ANGERS Was this b/anger s/old to the buyer wanting an old car

Grid II (all six letters)

Unit's the house to give a present tone - phew!
CLEVIS Un/cle vis/its the house to give a present to nephew!

The interval between high tiers during a lunar cycle
DESALT The interval between high ti/des alt/ers during a lunar cycle

Is a Jock eyed to give head protection?
CAPLIN Is a jockey-/cap lin/ed to give head protection?

The seaworthy swords from The Forsyte Saga
REGALS These a/re Gals/worthy’s words from The Forsyte Saga

The anaesthetist continued tour during my operation
SEETHE The anaesthetist continued to u/se ethe/r during my operation

My quiz team through. Losing the round on "Trim", I shed our record
VIABLE My quiz team, through losing the round on tri/via, ble/mished our record

The ivy straggling over the roof to pile of tendrils
SATANG The ivy straggling over the roof to p i/s a tang/le of tendrils

Travellers on the wagon stall through the night
LITRES Travellers on the wagons-/lit res/ t all through the night

Even when Sir John hummed (and Hal), Gudrun's always had full houses
WEDGIE Even when Sir John hummed and ha/wed, Gie/lgud runs always had full houses

Muslims' place. (Their faith is divine power)
NALLAH Muslims place their faith i/n Allah/’s divine power