King by Rebel

Puzzle explanation

The grid is a 3-D representation of The Castle by Franz Kafka, with words occupying as many as five levels, including the ground level, in the central area, the title alluding to its central character K. Extra letters in wordplay spelt “Author and two other of his novels” (referring to America and The Trial). Extra letters in clues gave “Enter the topmost letters”, indicating the final grid was the view from above. See below for answers not readable in the final grid.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra letter Answer Explanation
GROUND EAST
1   AURA AULA, with L(eft) to R(ight)
4   MERICARP RAP CRIME*
9   REPOT DEPOT with D changed to R
10   UNESCO OUNCES*
13   TUCK Two definitions
14   HOLMIUM I’M < in (HO + LUM); reference element No 67
15   SHRIEK I in SHREK; reference ogre in series of films
20   TEASE Initial letters: table – East
22   PTOSIS Composite anagram: OPTICIAN’S LISTS → CAITLIN’S + PTOSIS
25   DIOPSIDE (ac)ID DEPOSI(ts)*
28   ESTIMATE Hidden
34   TARSAL RAT < + SAL
36   YULAN Alternative letters: YoU’lL pAiNt
41   TERRAN T(hat) + ERR + A(dam) + N
44   ILLEGAL ILL about GALE*
45   SPAN S + PAN
46   ASIDES AS + IDES; reference Roman date
47   LEAST SLATE*
48   LAMPREYS LAMS about PREY
49   FEET FEE + T
GROUND SOUTH
1 A ANTITHET A + NAT about TITHE
2 U URUSES URU + URES
3 T RECHART RETCH + ART
4 H MONIED M + (HE about (ON + I)) + D
5 O ETHERIAL EA about (OTHER + I) + L
6 R INLET RINGLET – G
7 A ASIA A + A + SI + A; reference South Island (SI) is part of NZ
8 N POME P + OMEN
11 D EMBOSS MOSS BED*
12 T CUPID CUT + I’D about P
22 W POT-BELLY POLLY about (WT + BE)
23 O SEINE NET NONE SEE IT*
24 O RISPED PERIODS*
27 T ILLAPSE TILL + APSE
29 H SAILS HAIL in SS
31 E EYRIES EYE + RISE*
33 R LANATE L(lam)A + (o)RNATE
35 O ANGER ORANGE*
37 F RIAL FRI before AL (man)
38 H SLIM I’M + H after S(trol)L
CENTRAL REGION
GU16 I ROILED I LIED OR*
GU19 S BROCHÉ BROOCHES – O
GU39 N PAUNCH PANCAKE LUNCH – (CAKE + L)
GU43 O RONDEL ROON + DEL
GUSE16 V RUEFUL VULTURE: about F – T
GUSW19 E BREACH (som)BRE + ACHE
GUNE39 L POUNCE PO + UNCLE
GUNW43 S RONALD LORD SAN*; reference meaning of the name Ronald
1E16 S(e)wing OCULI (f)OIL CU(t)*
1E40 He(n) HELLO HE’LL + O
1S19 (t)at RATED AT in RED
1S21 (e)very VESTA V + ES + TA
2E24 rescue(r)s FREEZE Homophone frees
2E30 ro(t)und SKUNKS (SUNK about K) + S
2S17 (H)is SMEUSE S + MEUSE
2S18 D(e)rive AVENUE A + VENUE
3SE16 bel(t) LEAFED LEA + FED; reference BEL tree
3NE39 (o)n NEANIC (ACNE + N + I)*
4E16 (p)rice ERIC RICE*
4E41 ga(m)e GAZE GAE about Z
4S19 B(o)eing’s HUMA HUMA(n)
4S24 Plod(s) FLIC L + IC after F
4D17 s(t)eed ISSUE IS + SUE
4D18 bo(l)d CHALK CHAL + K
4D24 fir(e) FIFER FIFE + (fi)R; reference native of Fife
4D26 mean(t) MEETS ME(an) + (ass)ETS
4D30 i(t) LASSI LASS + I
4D32 cut(e) ASSES ASSES(s)
4D41 (R)egret GREET EGRET*
4D42 anoint(s) ANELE Hidden
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