One-man Band by Emu

Puzzle explanation

The extra letters in clues spelt out “And simple faith than Norman blood” and “circle one vowel”. The former is the line that follows “Kind hearts are more than coronets” in Tennyson’s poem Lady Clara Vere de Vere. In the 1949 film Kind Hearts and Coronets, Louis Mazzini murders eight members of the d’Ascoyne family in order to inherit a title and ultimately faces hanging for murder. The victims were all played in the film by Alec Guinness, the “one-man band” of the title, and represented in the filled grid by name or description. Crossing out each such “obstacle” formed a Hangman-style gibbet and hanged man, with the first A of 13dn circled for the head.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Removed letter Answer Explanation
Across
1 (A)dele AD-MASS AMASS around D
6 di(N)ed HIVES (DIVES − D) after H
10 (C)losing FIASCO IF < + (A SCOT) − T
11 note(D) NEVI (I’VE + N) <
12 A(I)m TAMABLE AM in TABLE
14 be(S)et CHARD (or)CHARD
15 fa(I)r ASHEN AS + HEN
17 (M)orally RYE homophone of WRY
18 cha(P) TAY 2 meanings
19 Ma(R)ine MASKER (ME + R(eserve)) around (A + S(chmuc)K)
21 p(L)ain STABS (T + BASS) *
22 Hat(E) TEEPEE TOPEE with (E + E) for O
23 tru(C)e BEG OFF BEF around (GO + F)
24 c(L)ash KRONE (Denmar)K + NOR < + E
26 (F)arm RADIUS RADIS(h) around U
29 (A)gnostic EON (insid)E ON(eself)
30 cron(I)es TOT TROT − R
32 ran(T) IDLED (I MUDDLED) − MUD
34 (H)air FRIAR FR around AIR <
35 Me(T)al LASAGNA SAG in LANA
36 Paris(H) GÊNE GENESIS − SIS
37 b(E)aker ALFRED A + L + FIRED − I
38 (A)more ADDED AD + DAWDLED − AWDL
39 (O)micron MUTEST MU + TEST
Down
2 ca(N)tering DISHWATER (WITHERS + A(n)D) *
3 a(N)d MALADY (opti)MAL AD Y(et)
4 Sho(O)t ASTRAL BODIES DIE in ALBATROSS *
5 me(N) SOME SO + ME
6 five(R) HYADES (HYDE + ’S) around A
7 l(E)ast VELURE V + (inventiv)E + LURE
8 nav(V)y EVERY RY after (EVEN − N)
9 Rome(O) SIAMESE SÌ + JAMES − J + E(ngland)
10 (M)angles FACETS FACTS around (y)E(ar)
13 re(A)ctor BANKER’S DRAFT BANKER + ’S + (DAFT around R)
16 (W)hat HATFUL HAT(e)FUL
20 (N)early RENOVATES (E(arly) + S) after (ONER < + VAT)
23 arti(E)st BOTTEGA (TOTE BAG) *
25 b(L)ack ENURED (DER + UNE) <
27 (B)reach AT HAND AT + HAND
28 start(L)ing ID CARD I(mages) D(epicting) C(hurchill) A(nd) R(oosevelt) D(ancing)
29 go(O)d ÉMIGRÉ E + MIG + RE
31 b(O)y OILED O + I + LED
33 (D)on OGAM AM after (O’ + G(iovanni))
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