Forgotten Middle Rows by Encota

Puzzle explanation

Adopting the middle name Menzies (which his father had forgotten to register at his birth), Iain Banks wrote science fiction novels as Iain M. Banks. The across clues needed an M added before solving and the across thematic entries were the titles of three of his Iain M. Banks novels. The down clues needed an M removed before solving and the down thematic entries were the only (non-sci-fi) titles by Iain Banks that contain an M, Stonemouth, Complicity and Canal Dreams, all entered without the M.

The title refers to the forgotten middle name, and “rows” = “banks”. The puzzle was published a few days before what would have been Banks’ 63rd birthday.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Added/removed M Answer Explanation
Across
1 See-M EMERSED (SEEM RED) *
6 M-Archer’s MATTER M(archer) + AT + TER
10 a ra-M-ble ROAM MAOR(idom) <
11 M-ark XIAN XI + AN’
12 M-ating SEX 2 meanings
14 M-ass SURFACE DETAIL FACE in SURD + RETAIL − R
16 A-M-id IVO (m)OVI(e) <
18 M-other OKAYAMA OKAY + A + MA
19 A da-M-askeen INLAY IN + LAY
20 fresh-M-en PENN PEN + N
21 s-M-elling SENSA SENS + A
22 ho-M-e EINA EA around IN
23 a-M-bit LEACH REACH with L for R
25 M-ate COPAL CO + PAL
26 stor-M-y IT’LL LILT *
27 aS-M-ara’s AISHA ISH in A(smar)A
28 pro-M-’s UPDO UP + DO
29 M-Ed CADIZ CAD + homophone of IS
31 for-M SALTERN SAL + TERN
33 M-Aiden RAE EAR <
35 balsa-M THE ALGEBRAIST (TRAPPIST − PP) around (HEAL + (B + EG) <)
38 tor-M-ent MAL (Fe)MAL(e)
39 Ad-M-en LOGO LOGO(n)
40 Ga-M-ble’s ANTE ETNA <
41 M-astiff OSSIAN (Mol)OSSIAN
42 M-angling SLEIGHT (THIS LEG) *
Down
1 E(m)prise ERS E(p)R(i)S(e)
2 grim( M)ace MOUE MOUSE − S
3 (M)organ’s EAR EA + R
4 Ha(M)s SHABASH (HAS * + HAS *) around B
5 (M)an EXCIMER EX + CRIME *
6 (M)end MADOC (fil)M + CODA <
7 a(M) ANEMIA (I A MEAN) *
8 pal(M) TEA CLIPPER (PAL RECEIPT) *
9 (M)IT EXIT EX- + IT
13 (M)itch PLAY ALONG LONG after PLAYA
15 (M)anger SYNCLINAL homophone of SIN + CLINAL
17 (M’)lady VANESSA 2 meanings
24 ho(M)e CHAEBOL (BACK HOE) * with L for K
25 (M)are CALORIE (ARE + COIL) *
27 (M)allow AZOLLA (m)AZ(y) + ALLOW < − W
30 ar(M) ARGON Ar is symbol for ARGON
32 (M)uttered OHMS homophone of ’OMES
34 the(M) ESTH S in THE *
36 Far(M)ing ING FARING − FAR
37 Tote(M) TET (To)TE T(aken)
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