Construction by Shackleton

Puzzle explanation

The first message was “book of Genesis, eleven four”, leading to the Tower of Babel, which could be constructed by joining the two sides of the grid. Some across entries wrapped around what would be the join in the cylindrical construction. The other message, “title of Led Zeppelin song”, referred to Stairway to Heaven, represented by a staircase spiralling up the tower. This contained the Francis Bacon quotation “All rising to great place is by a winding stair.” Babel is the Hebrew name for Babylon.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

Answer Explanation
ADONAI (IDAHOAN − H) *
ALBINIC NIB < in ALIC(e)
ALL OF ALLOW with F for W
ALLY RALLY − R
ALMS-FEE FEMALE * around S
ANGLIST (AN + GIST) around L
ANTIWAR TIW after (A + N) + (M)AR(s)
ATAP TAP(a) after A
BAAL BANAL − N
BACKLIST BLACKLIST − L
BE FOR IT BEFOR(e) + IT
BO’S’NS BOSS around N
BY-LANES LAN in BYES
CELLAR (RALL + EC) <
DRUNKEN DR + UN + KEN
EARL LEAR with L moved to the end
EASE LEASE − L
EINSTEIN NINETIES *
ELDER WELDER − W
ELIDE EDILE <
ERNIE ERNE around I
EUROPOL (LOP + O + RUE) <
FAIR A in FIR
GAEA GAE + A
IAMBIST (IS A BIT) * around (poe)M
LINGAMS L + IN + GAMS
LOUPE (COUPLE − C) *
MESSRS MESS + SR <
NARY A ARYAN with last letter moved to the front
NINE-FOOT FINE * in (TO + O + N) <
ODESSA ODEA around SS
PONT POINT − I
PREONS PRS around (E + O’ + N)
REARM REAR + M(ozart)
RESETS REST around E + S(hore)
RISIBLE SIB in RILE
SNOOZLE (OOZE after SN) around L
SONATA (per)SON AT A(cademy)
SPARING S(chool) + PARING
TALLAT (AT LAST) * with L for S(ea)
TELE-AD (DELET(e) around A) <
TOGOLESE TOOL around G + SEE *
TOWNIE ZWITTERION * = (TOWNIE + RITZ) *
WESSI (o)WES SI(xty)
YBLENT BY < + LENT
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