DEFINING THE MODERN AGE by APEX

Definition only clues to words in each row and in each column are given in the correct order. The perimeter (clockwise) followed by the central row, consists of words, described by the title, from which two consecutive letters (in one case, one letter) have been omitted. The omitted letters when entered below the diagram, and letters occurring in shaded squares, when arranged and entered above the diagram, should enable the solver to fully understand the puzzle and the selector of the words defining the modern age.

[Image]

Across Rows
1 US inhabitant not of Latin extraction, group of hard glassy minerals (5,6)
2 Old dominion, Eastern inn (6:5)
3 Inert gas, small shield, song regarded as sentimental (4,3,4)
4 Requests, exclamations, person easily deceived (4,3,4)
5 Indian places of cremation, veins of an insect's wing (5,5)
6 Authentic German, descendants of Polynesian voyagers (4,5)
7 Korean statesman, gypsy gentleman, precious stone (4,3,3)
8 Poet's before, European Space Agency, in an indifferent manner (3,3,4)
9 Sharp edge, a fructose polysaccharide (5,6)
10 Relating to any VD, a pamphlet (6,5)
Down columns
1 To entangle, an innocent child (6,6)
2 To approve of German men (4,6)
3 Deep mountainous valleys, one privately taught, Japanese statesman (5,5,3)
4 Time long past, venomous snakes, to be tested again (4,4,5)
5 Branch of psychology (13)
6 Ancient town in Asia Minor branch of British army, insects (5,4,4)
7 French compagnie, French psychoanalyst, chapter of the Koran (3,5,4)
8 Hostile attack, trademark (6,4)
9 English humorist, city in Northern Spain, diamonds (4,6,3)
Perimeter followed by central row
An elfin tomboy (6)
Aversion (informal) (7)
Antibiotic (10)
Beach garment (6)
'The trots', __________ revenge (10)
Under the influence of drugs or alcohol (6)
Supporter of modernizing policies (8)
Affluent young professional person (6)
Produce near copies of a person or thing (5)