Poetry by Ifor



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One letter must be removed from each row and each column as answers are entered. Where removal leaves a real English word (not an abbreviation or acronym) the clue comprises two definitions, one of the answer and one of the entry, separated by a single word of secondary significance; either definition may appear first. Remaining clues are normal, with one leading to an abbreviation and two others to proper names.  In all cases numbers in parentheses refer to entry lengths.  Solvers must highlight the group of eight cells that identifies where a thematic item might be found, and show their understanding of the theme by writing a nine-letter adjective describing this item underneath the grid.
ACROSS
    1    Tries again, attempting repetition (7)
    6    Royal Academician to help a struggling artist (4)
    10    Radiant preacher belonging to strict religious group (5)
    12    Rewrite a letter twice, the second time in Morse (3)
    14    Reporter’s covered scoop (3)
    16    School’s angry — no-one’s backing formation of letters (6)
    17    One who draws type more familiar (4)
    18    Reserve attracted great satisfaction once (3)
    20    Yield while aroused (5)
    21    Do as I do?  Shame (4)
    22    Figures of speech used in argument threw ordinary people (6)
    24    Chauffeur replenishing component of lubrication (4)
    26    3 x 1021?  Nothing for a group like the wise men (5)
    28    Purgative beginning to end misuse of latrine (7)
    31    Change of gear (apart from first) preset for automatics (7)
    32    Dull soul seized by tangle of nerves (5)
    33    Beginners to drive on to the roundabout?  Gear may need to be this (4)
    36    Leaves stirred by this measure (6)
    38    Footballer’s book takes exercise to heart (4)
    40    Extreme anxiety, stress and so on without end (5)
    42    Red silica, externally recrystallised (3)
    44    Australian criminal questions responsibility (4)
    45    Absolute power’s a bit about space, seemingly (6)
    47    Destroyed utterly, not long ago (3)
    48    Hammerhead shark lands on Scottish islands (3)
    49    Dedicated to Aphrodite, goddess of Troy (5)
    50    Stroke leaving spin doctor a mess (4)
    51    Stripped right in the middle of summer month (7)



 DOWN
    1    Fibre from hardwood (4)      
    2    Gulls returned credit card (3)
    3    Family plot father’s murder (4)
    4    Sad lapse restricting one’s observation (5)
    5    Historically, comes undone assisting alluring women (4)
    6    Stewed pruines brought up  (4)
    7    Perhaps missing a first redraft of unfinished chapter 1 (5)
    8    Heroic figure in cell almost beaten unconscious (4, two words)
    9    Oil painful backs in cattle (7)
    11    Type of scraper without teeth to reset, saving time again and again (6, two words)
    13    Actions of two parties claiming subscription (4)
    15    Layer of wood strip (not with base) replaced (8)
    19    Originally pork is this in creating crackling (8)
    23    Brief officer section heading work unit (3)
    25    Simple weatherboarded houses (3)
    26    Traitor that’s first run off into cover (7)
    27    Steep fees, reminiscent of the past (3)
    29    Lighthouse’s first and final bearing that’s suitable for producing intense beam (3)
    30    Man’s figure is developed like within a system of weights (6)
    34    Fashionistas losing marks to poets (5)
    35    Varnish damage on pen (4)
    37    Games to capture returning interest of male members (5)
    39    Regrets making secret signs (4)
    40    Vagrant libertine’s good at heart (4)
    41    Bloody filthy lucre (4)
    42    Current time in wrong occupation (4)
    43    10N, additional unit of force (4)
    46    Entropy remained wasted (3)
To enter this competition, send your entry as an image or in list format, along with the highlighted letters and the word under the grid, to derekharrison@yahoo.com before the 8th June 2011. The first  correct entry drawn from the hat will receive a copy of  The Chambers Dictionary which has been donated by Chambers.