4112 Girl by Xanthippe


Xanthippe gave us a real challenge. The Carte Blanche grid was the first test. The initial and fourth letters of the redundant words gave the instructions, “Fold over two dashed lines. Cut along thick lines.” Numbers in the grid showed where to make the first and second folds. The answers TOPSIDE and LOWEST indicated the correct folds. Then, by cutting out along the thick bars, the letters removed from the grid spelled A PENNY DROP MOMENT, which was to be entered in the space. The letters not used in the instructions supplied a definition, “Formerly a two hundred and fortieth of one pound.”

Extra words in clues are shown in [ ]
 
Across
Jew’s first month within [funfair] tent is riotous (5)
TISRI Hidden
Benefit, not one relating to [octogenarian] grandparent (4)
AVAL AVAIL less I (one)
Old [recluse] cut unproductive olive branch? (4)
OLEA O + LEA(n)
Rather gloomy [Dalmatian] without bone (4)
MORE MOROSE less OS
Superficial deposit present round lake expert [exposed] (6)
PLACER L (lake) + ACE in PR (present)
Male [vagrant] leaves tongue in hot drink (4)
BREW HEBREW less HE
Fish [lakes] only (4)
SOLE 2 definitions
Pinnacle of past [year] circulated by letter (6)
APOGEE O + PA reversed + GEE
Independent [tenants’] month in Japanese seaport (5)
IMARI I + MAR + I’
[Waiters] take in game, dropping centre of the garnish (5)
CRESS R in CHESS less (t)H(e)
[Outworker] clearing end of refuse pit (3)
DEN Anagram DEN(y)
Tear edges of docket about parking [owed] in part (7)
DROPLET P in ROLE in D(ocke)T
Incomplete inane street building amuses [architect] (10)
ENTERTAINS Anagram INAN(e) STREET
[Scouts’] base in revamped drab green area for one with porter, say (10, two words)
BEER GARDEN E (base) in Anagram DRAB GREEN
Earl usurping [“nothing”] king in city long ago, long ago (4)
YORE YORK changing K to E
Green energy — turning energy [developed] in excessive wind? (8)
ECOLOGIC E + GO reversed in COLIC
To the point priest, skipping page, [read] mass (5, two words)
AD REM PADRE less P (page) + M
Old white wine container [exploded] (4)
SACK 2 definitions
Kegs surrounding a representative close to [divided] Malay village (7)
KAMPONG A MP + ON in KG (kegs)
Country air contaminated by nuclear [agent] (4)
IRAN Anagram AIR + N (nuclear)
Part of joint composition for nine [evenly] reflected (5)
TENON NONET reversed
More highly polished commentator outside of [studio] one (8)
GLOSSIER I in GLOSSER
 
Down
Upper part of page, half of page below start of [farcical] title (7)
TOPSIDE O’ + P + SIDE following T(itle)
Doomed island [occupant] set up place of vice with drug taking old hooker (9)
ILL-OMENED I (island) + DEN & E containing MOLL reversed
Mastic, say, solidified bordering aluminium on a third of [restored] panels (7)
SEALANT AL + A (pa)N(els) in SET
Head of reddish [Australian] tree snake (5)
RACER R(eddish) + ACER
Upper-class [Italian] leaving grim quiet backward town (4)
DORP DOUR less U + P
Weight unloaded from barrow tossed around [exposed] tree (5)
ARBOR Anagran BARROW less W (weight)
Tend [thin] edge of a roof ... (5)
VERGE 2 definitions
... regularly blown from [Gothic] place by the Fens, smallest ... (6)
LOWEST LOWESTOFT less OFT
... birds get [talons]  up inside ends of gable (5)
GEESE SEE reversed in G(abl)E
More than one [fashionable] cot, rep’s bagging number after price is dropped (10)
COTANGENTS N in AGENT’S after COST less ‘S (is)
Local injected primarily by ordinary US dentist replacing cap of molar in state! (9)
LIDOCAINE L(ocal) I(injected) + DOC replacing M(olar) in MAINE (US state); &Lit.
[Changing] before exposure or publicity, we hear (3)
AIR Homophone ERE
Lifting [kite] following a winding course snags end of line (8)
SNEAKING (lin)E in SNAKING
Magistrate imprisoning second of drivers [pulled] during burglary, perhaps (7)
BREAK-IN (d)R(ivers) in BEAK + IN
Pins local crowd erected [obliquely] on top of sundial (7)
GNOMONS MONG reversed + ON + S(undal); &Lit.
Methodical [nature] adapted to sickness (6)
FORMAL FOR + MAL
[Economic] head of college playing fields picked up rubbish (6)
RECTOR REC + ROT reversed
Northbound graduate [student] gets day’s work in Scotland (4)
DARG GRAD reversed