The modes of entry were Fat (extra letter in middle); Thin (middle letter missing); Tall (extra letter at end); Short (last letter missing); Disruptive (jumbled); Average (no change). Potential ambiguities were fixed by realising that the thematic letters were the same in each pair fat/thin and tall/short. Answers that are jumbled or have elided letters are listed in the table below. Misprinted words in definitions are also shown there.
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Clue type | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SET ONE | |||
| 22a | misprint: S(A)y | STATE | TAT in (S + E) |
| 34a | fat | LAND | LA + ND (North Dakota) |
| 35a | short | LUNGE | (EG + NUL(l)) < |
| 19d | disruptive | STANES | TANE in SS |
| 23d | tall | AVESTA | AV + EST + A |
| 25d | thin | TONSURE | TO + NURSE* |
| SET TWO | |||
| 6a | disruptive | TENTER | NT in TEER |
| 14a | tall | GEM | MEG < |
| 17a | fat | EMURED | ME < + U + RED |
| 37a | thin | EPOCH | EP + O + CH |
| 2d | misprint: (C)over | EYELID | EYE + LID |
| 9d | short | ÉCARTÉ | EC + ARE about T |
| SET THREE | |||
| 11a | fat | EYEING | EYE + IN + G |
| 24a | tall | STUD | T in SUD |
| 1d | short | REHEARSAL | SHARE* in REAL |
| 28d | thin | AUTOCUE | AUTO + CU + E |
| 32d | disruptive | HELMS | HS about ELM |
| 36d | misprint: (C)reek | GIO | G + IO |
| SET FOUR | |||
| 18a | short | RESET | STEER* |
| 40a | disruptive | ROSTER | STORE* + R |
| 5d | misprint: nos(E) | SNEERS | S + N + REES* |
| 13d | tall | LURED | LUR + ED |
| 29d | thin | CANNERS | CRS about ANNE |
| 30d | fat | SMIT | TIM’S < |
| SET FIVE | |||
| 16a | fat | ELUL | E + LUL(l) |
| 31a | misprint: banne(D) | TABU | TAB + U |
| 38a | disruptive | RICIN | RI + C + IN |
| 3d | short | DEXTROUS | D + SEX ROUT* |
| 7d | tall | EMEUS | MEUSE, E to start |
| 26d | thin | LATTENS | NEST* after LAT |
| SET SIX | |||
| 1a | thin | REDOWAS | DOWAGERS* – G |
| 21a | disruptive | DOGGERS | DOERS about GG |
| 33a | tall | INMATE | IN + TEAM* |
| 39a | fat | JUMARS | J(ewellery) + U(pon) + MARS |
| 4d | short | AIGLET | GET ALI* |
| 8d | misprint: spo(I)l | RET | RE + T(urning) |
| SET SEVEN | |||
| 12a | fat | MEAL | A in MEL |
| 15a | short | TASSE | TASSE + E |
| 27a | disruptive | ENCLAVE | L in EN + CAVE |
| 41a | tall | ESSES | Built using geographical directions |
| 10d | thin | NASCENT | NA + SCENT |
| 20d | misprint: tu(N)es | MELODISE | MISE about ELO + D |