Raj by Llig

Puzzle explanation

Extra letters in wordplay — see the table below — spelt “A pair of star-cross’d lovers” from the Prologue to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Their names were to be highlighted in the grid appropriately crossed by two “stars”, Castor and comet, the latter included as a star in The Chambers Dictionary.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra
Letter		 Answer Explanation
Across
1 A TALA LAT < + AA ; reference latrine
5   ACCUSTOM A + C + CUSTOM
10 P DESIGN SPENDING * – (inhibitio)N
11   OSIERY (h)OSIERY
13 A AIRT A TIARA * – A
14 I RACHE I + RACE about H(unt)
16   JEWELRY JEEL about W+ R(ub)Y
17   LERNA HERCULEAN * – CUE * – H & lit
19 R TRUANCY A TURN * + CRY
21   CELTIC CIRCLE *, R(ugby) replaced by ’T
22   TOROID TO + I in ROD
25 O SINAPISMS PAIN * in (OS + IS + MS)
28 F SAICES (FACE about I) in SS
30 S SEMEIA SE(t) + ME + IAS
31   CANTATA CAN + TA TA
34   MILER Hidden reversed
36 T SRADDHA STRAD + HAD *
37   EMMET ME < + MET; reference ant
38 A ICON A1 + CON
39 R IGNITE RETIRING * – R
40   SEISIN Hidden
41 C DUODENAL (COULD END + A) *
42   TREE Hidden
Down
1 R TRAJECTS CART JETS * about R
2   ADIEU A + DIE + U
3 O ASTER A + STERO(l)
4   SIRLOIN SIR(i) + L(ime) + (her)OIN
5   AGARIC A CIGAR *
6 S COHORT CO + SHORT
7   SIDEARM SM about (I + DEAR)
8 S TEAR TASER *
9 D MYNA MY + DNA
12   RANCID RAN + CID
15 L CYTOPLASM Composite anagram: answer + E (+ L) → MAY STOP CELL
18   ELSIN Hidden
20 O NOSER (SNOOPER – P) *
23   DIAMANTÉ MAN in (I in DATE)
24 V BAAING AVA in BING(e)
26 E ICTERID (RECITED + I(liad)) *
27   SEMATIC SIC about MATE *
29   STAMEN ANTS * about ME
30 R STREEL STEEL about RR
32   ODIST Hidden
33 S OHONE OH + SONE
34   MAID MAD about I
35   LENO Hidden
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