Without Bars by Elgin

Puzzle explanation

Across answers that were jumbled and partially entered were 5 afar off, 14 hymning, 31 federal, 38 hamlets. Their unused letters gave “herald” and “angels” which were two of the unclued entries. LINE FIVE (asterisked letters) of “Hark! the herald-angels sing” is “Joyful all ye nations rise” and seven unclued entries are countries entered upwards: China, Israel, Senegal, Yemen, Estonia, Laos, Cameroon. The partial entries could then be completed to give “My chains fell off, my heart was free” which are the two “actions” referred to in the preamble. This is from the hymn “And can it be”, where they are followed by the “subsequent actions”: “I rose, went forth, and followed thee”. The final column, initially empty, was to be completed with the name of the hymn writer thus returning to the state after “I rose” and before “(I) went forth”. This made new words in the grid. Although the “herald-angels” line was an alteration to Wesley’s original by George Whitefield, it served to lead to the thematic authentic Wesleyan line.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer Explanation
Clues
1 SPRING-CLEANER SPRING + CLEAR about NE(w)
2 OPAHS (SHOP + A) *
3 PONYTAIL (ON + Y(oungster)) in PLAIT *
4 SOLI First letters
5 AFAR OFF A + RAF < + OFF
5 FRONTAGER FOR AGENT * + R
6 OFFAL OFF + AL
7 FIORD FORD about I
8 FRUMPED RUMP in FED
9 PHONE PHONE(y)
10 SEA FIR (AS FEAR IS RIFE) * (giving answer twice)
11 RANI R AND I – D
12 LOTA LOT + A (it)
13 FOU FOUR – R
14 HYMNING HYMEN – E + I(s) + NG
14 MOI MO + I; reference setter
15 REARM REAR + M(en)
16 NOTELET T after (NO + TELE)
17 OVERPAINT PAIN in OVERT
18 GIARDIA GARDA about II (separated); “beast” is slang for policeman, surprisingly not marked as “offensive” in Chambers
19 VIENNE VINE about EN
20 CRIB Two definitions; reference Christmas story
21 RAGWORM (M’ + ROW + GAR) <
22 POD Two definitions; reference school of seals
23 ALLICE ALL ICE
24 CASSIA C(innamon) + ’S in ASIA & lit
25 RIBBON BON after RIN
26 BEFANA (BEF + N + A) about A
27 NAE NAME – M
28 STEPH STEP + H
29 PLEURA (PUR(e) + LEA(d)) *
30 AWETOS (SO + TEW) < after A
31 FEDERAL LAD FREE *
32 REEN GREEN – G
33 NOME OMEN, N (= knight) moved
34 SKIO SKIP – P + O
35 EME E + ME
36 EREPSIN E + REPS + IN
37 NEAT NET if A removed
38 HAMLETS LET in HAMS
39 LANCE LACE about N
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