One letter from the answer to a down clue in each column must go up to the top of the column. In clues to all other answers starting with the last down, a letter must go up from one clue to the next clue that doesn’t lead to an affected answer (a letter going 'up' from the first down clue to the last across clue). The letters always affect words in the wordplay part of the clue; those going up and those coming up within a clue never affecting the same word. These 29 letters give an instruction which must be followed. In clues, amendments leave real words, but mostly ruin any surface sense. In answers, rising letters mostly leave non-words in the grid. Entry lengths are shown. The Chambers Dictionary 13th edition is recommended.

Across 1 Deserters raze old venues, 300 razed at the outset (7) 7 Scar con bore after being cut as a noob (4) 11 Year reactionary opens heart to fellow serving life (5) 12 Cavalryman nabs tray before service, dropping it (5) 13 Parisian’s son admitting a violent attack (5) 14 Um and ah about using Steven to conceal Henry’s hair product (5) 15 Pa’s mistress tripped in front of new address (4) 16 Mould in the centre of humus reflected age for fish in the main (5) 18 Keep out of the way of ale son when it ain’t cold (5, 2 words) 20 Old Albanian’s rant about auto ad (7) 22 Know instinctively right notes covered by tenor, innit! (6) 26 Ed’s place for suet occasionally needed (6) 27 Give Muse rum, a form of spirit (7) 29 Promote name-dropping git by coast, about to be sacked (5) 30 Frays tip of silk tie over holidays (5) 31 Ann in section with men played harshly on violin (4) 33 I backtracked, indeed, following leader to orate before more than one spoke (5) 35 Gran sitting in front of don, taking Latin as a filler (5) 36 Olly once hoisting a base say for Spenser (5) 37 Red pans containing goldfish in the middle (5) 38 Bows made from bits of wood strange young islander constructed (4) 39 Italian behind pros over one round (7)

Down 1 We call beards plaits occasionally coming up in Catholic Church (8) 2 One in uniform retired tearfully disheartened (4) 3 Pa for example going across earth to east cites faulty earth measurement (9) 4 Navigator is almost a bundle of nerves on highway (7) 5 Inn may personalise sign (4) 6 Balance loads in Perth after severe cut (6) 8 Rips up addresses used by Muslims (3) 9 Heartless manager told sue fee for tyres (8) 10 Upper room well above god of house (4) 12 Stun when preferring North to Philippines in the east (6) 17 Man’s going around on pet pig – short of one liner, sadly (9, 2 words) 19 Maid can rise to become more powerful as in the old days (8) 21 In close confrontation, cats either side of Eton, not a neuter in sight (8) 23 On Sabbath, queen pulled up in fawn-coloured breeches out of fashion (6) 24 Italian chap about to be put in oven by cook (7) 25 Lot refuse to admit it’s over (6) 28 McDonald’s in cases to feed capital - on the contrary stewed fruit for Baltimore (5) 30 Order man to leave horse in Oz before heading north (4) 32 Antique stone bottles go begging (4) 34 Start with note from local’s father (3)

To enter this competition, send your entry as an image or in list format giving the top row, to ccpuzzles@talktalk.net before the 8th July 2016.The first correct entry drawn from the hat will receive a book from the Chambers range which has been donated by Chambers.