Mixed Doubles by Shackleton

Puzzle explanation

The initially-filled grid is shown here.

The last letters of across clues spelt “fully extend each block N,S,E,W”, which separated the grid into four quadrants. The first letters of down clues gave “the animals went in two by two”. Drawing circles through ELEPHANT and KANGAROO in the NE and SW quadrants, and lines through ANT/WASP/BEE (NW) and BEHE/MOTH (SE) formed large letters for a 2×2 crossword with ZO at 1ac and 1dn, and OX at 2dn and 3ac. Definitions for these were the extra words (ZO = hybrid/cross, OX = steer/buffalo) in the clues that gave the symbols for the corresponding entry numbers in the new grid.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra word Answer Explanation
0   ERECT E + homophone of WRECKED
  ESKAR S in RAKE <
0   HYE H + YE
  HIN BEHIND − (B(ought) E(veryone) D(rinks))
1 hybrid TONELESS (E + LESSON) *
cross MONEYMEN MEN around (ONE + Y + M)
1   PARTAN (s)PARTAN
  CUMMER CUER around MM
1   CORCASS (C + SS) around ORCA
  POMFRET FRET after MOP <
2   CYAN Y(acht) in CAN
  PLAN (AP < around L) + N
2   ’TWAS TWA + S
  APED PED after A’
2   APOLLO A + POLL + O
  BEEGAH (A(nd) H(ealthy)) after (BEE + G)
2   FOETAL (F(i)L(l) A(r)T (d)E(c)O) *
  CREOLE C + E in ROLE
3   AMNIA ((Angli)A IN MA(il)) <
  LENIS LENS around I
3   MEDIAE (EA + IDEM) <
  CANDOR COR around AND
3   AUMBRY AU + (MY around BR)
  CARBON (R + BO) in CAN
4   EIDOGRAPH H after (PAR + GO + DIE) <
  BABIRUSSA ((BIS around RU) after BA’) + SA
4   BEASTIE BEE around ASTI
  ESTATED E + STATE + D
5   TREND T’ + RED around N
  SILER ((obscu)RE LIS(tener)) <
6   BREEDS ’RE in BEDS
  DIAPER REPAID <
6 steer THREE-DECK (THE CREEK + D(ec)) *
Buffalo TWOSOME T + WOESOME − E
6   SEEMLIER (MIRE EELS) *
  SASHAYED (HEADS SAY) *
7   ALPHA LA < + HP < + A
  EPHOD EPH + OD
7   EPOS POSE with last letter moved to the front
  NAAM A(dopted) in NAM
8   RENGA ENG in AR <
  GABLE 2 meanings
10   SHAHDOM HAS * + H(er) + DOM
  APPOINT OINT after APP
11   SOAK (OK + AS) *
  PHOH PHO(tos) + H
12   ADMIRER MARRIED *
  HAS-BEEN BASH * + E’EN
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