Oh Yes It Does! by BeRo

Puzzle explanation

Corrected words in clues are shown in the table below. The letters variously derived from clues spelt out “an intolerable wrestle with words and meanings”, an approximation of a phrase from East Coker, one of T. S. Eliot’s Four Quartets, which is followed by “The poetry does not matter”, a possible comment on the format of the clues. The previous line begins with “A periphrastic study”, suggesting periphrasis, hence the “roundabout EXPRESSION” (see The Chambers Dictionary) highlighted in the grid. An abbreviated version of the poem”s title was hidden in the grid and did not require highlighting. The use of four devices in the clues reflected the origin of the verse.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Special
Letters		 Answer Explanation
Across
1 A: F(a)ll SHUT IN HUT in (S + IN)
6 N: Dam(–n) BEAVER BEAR about ’VE
11 I: normal PANOCHA PAN + O’ + CHA
12 N: thi(n) TULLE UT < + ’LL + (b)E
13 T: normal ETHEREAL THE * + E + REAL
14 O: normal ECOMAP E + C + O’ + AMP *
15 L: (–L)east OSSI (I’ + SS) < after (v)O(uch)
16 E: P(+E)T CHOU OUCH *
18 R: Cha(r)ge AERATE A for C in CERATE; ref old symbol for Argon
20 A: normal HESPERIS PERI in (Myra) HESS
24 B: (–B)less NON-STICK NICK ON ST *
27 L: (L)eader HONCHO HO + NICESHOW – (W + I + S + E)
28 E: fin(–e) VANE AV < + NE [obs not]
30 W: (w)ant ITCH GLITCH – (G + L)
32 R: Ha(–r)t BRETON B + RE + TON
34 E: com(e) RE-EMERGE RE + EME + REG *
35 S: (+s)haft ARBOR BRA < + OR [archaic before]
36 T: normal OSTIOLE (IS + TOO + L(ittl)E) *
37 L: normal ZYDECO Hidden
38 E: typ(e)’s KERNED KERNEL, L [= 50] to D [= 500]
Down
1 W: S(–w)ay SPEECH (C after PEE) in SH
2 I: H(+I)P HANCH HAH about NC
3 T: (+t)ether UNLOOSEN UN + LOO + SEN
4 H: normal TOOM t [= 160] + O’ + O’ + M
5 W: sno(w) ICE AXE I/C + EA + EX <
6 O: normal BAHRAINI ARAB IN HI(s) *
7 R: statu(+r)e ETEN (Rodi)N after ÉTÉ [French, summer]
8 D: (+D)awn AURORA First letters
9 S: (–s)able ELASTIC CASTILE *; “hunting” as in bell-ringing changes
10 A: (+A)Id RELIEF (IE + F) after REL.
17 N: (–n)eat GROO-GROO (GR(ubs) + OO) × 2; “one” refers back to grub
19 D: (–D)art AVIATION A + VIA + (NOT I) *
21 M: normal ESOTERY MESOTHERAPY – (M + H + AP)
22 E: win(+e) SHIRAZ SHIR + A + Z
23 A: o(+a)f SCHMOE HOME * after (’S + C)
25 N: normal SÛRETÉ RUSE * + T(h)E
26 I: D(i)tch KENTED KEN + TED
29 N: Ac(–n)e NOBLE ON < + BALE – A(ims)
31 G: (G)erman’s MERC (E(ntries) + R(acing)) in MC
33 S: De(+s)cent EMIR EMI + R(oadshow)
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