Motion by Samuel

Puzzle explanation

Words after letter movement are shown in the table below. The letters moving in these spelt “Ayes to the right; noes to the left”. Accordingly, answers containing “aye” (vilayets, Ayer, E-layer, Bayeux, payees) were entered with the “aye” moved to the right and the answers containing “no” (canopy, donnot, snob, piano, gnome) with the “no” to the left. On entering 5dn (Division lobby), there were thus five ayes to the right of it, and five noes to the left. Entry of 19ac both gave a sixth NO to the left, and announced the result of the motion — that “the noes have it” (by a majority of six to five).

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Letter:
Correction		 Answer Explanation
Across
1 A: Nates CANOPY CAN + O (zero) PAY – A
7   EGRET (r)EGRET
10   ABIB AB + IB
11 Y: army VILAYETS V + I + LAY + ETS
12   DONNOT D + ON + NOT
13   ACHY ANARCHY – RAN <
16 E: there SLITHERED SLID about THERE
21   INS Hidden
22 S: kells HAIRNETS THE RAINS *
24 T: “buts” SNOB BUTS <, NO for TU
27 O: no AYER (32 = E-LAYER) – EL
28   CURRENTS C + UR + RENTS
30 T: minute MOT TO < after M
31   PIANO O(ink) after ((p)I(g) in PAN)
32 H: earth E-LAYER REEL * about (A + Y)
33 E: evil DISENDOWS DI + S(ense) + E(vil) + N(asty) + D(emands) + O(f) +
W(edding) + S(o)
37 R: Prince EMIR M(ovement) in EIRE – E
38 I: maim BAYEUX BUYS SEX * with A for SS
39 G: ogre MANITOBA MAN + (BOAT + I’) *
40 H: ash EARD EA + ARD – A(sh)
41 T: east GNOME MONG < + E
42   PAYEES (s)PAY + SEE <
Down
1 N: name NANA MAÑANA – MA (grandmother’s daughter)
2   OBOE BO in EO <
3   ABOUND (AROUND – R) about B
4 O: peons PONS PEONS – (Le)E(ds)
6 E: levers CLATHRATE C(unning) + L(evers) + A + THREAT *
7   ETCHANT (rav)E + T’ + CHANT
8 S: spine RAY R + A(wa)Y
9 T: trap TEND NET < + D
14   FEIS FEISTY – T(or)Y
15   MESS-UPS MES + SUPS
17   EVER EVE + R
18   RETAMAS RET + A + MAS
19 O: Rob TING STING – ’S
20 T: Tap EAVESDROP LEAVES + DROP – L
23 H: Shoot JETÉ JET + E; reference to ballet, via famous dancer
25   BRIE B + RIVE – V
26 E: are GRANITE (GR + ETTIN <) about A (are) – T’
28   COIF IF after CO
29 L: Alter CRUXES (CURSE + X) *
33 E: Deification DAMN D(eification) + MAN * & lit
34 F: aft SURE SUR + (obes)E
35   EYRY E(l)Y + RY
36 T: Hint CEDE C(omplexion) + REDE – R
37   ENG Hidden
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