Heart by Phi

Puzzle explanation

The extra words in clues were synonyms of “plate”. In the initial grid, the right-hand side (starting with LEAF BEET) was one row higher than the left side, and “tectonics” could be read in the central column. Applying the principles of plate tectonics to that grid, the left and right sides had to be shifted to align the rows for the final grid. The sums of letter pairs in central cells formed FAULT LINE vertically and MERCALLI SCALE horizontally.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra word Answer Explanation
1   LEAF BEET LEA + FEET around B
2 timber KAABA K + A + ABA
3   POT-VALOROUS POROUS around (A LOT) * around V
4 mould ORMOLU OR + MOUL(d) *
5   PERTER PETER around R
6 denture URGE (p)URGE
7   OUPA OUP + A
8   EPACRIS CAPE < + RIS(e)
9   TENSENESS TEN + SENSES *
10   PADDLE-BOX BOX after PADDLE
11   BENZOIN BENIN around ZO
12 engraving LVIV (skilfu)L VIV(idly)
13   ELEA EL + EA
14   MELIKS ME + LIKES − E
15   FREELY FY around REEL
16   ROMANS A CLEF (NORMAL FACES) *
17 armour ERROR ER + R + OR
18 race EYEBATHS E + YES around BATH
19 tableware EAT IN SEATING − S − G
20   ALES A + LES(s)
21   FORCE FOR + CE
22   EORL (palac)E OR L(ords)
23   EUGE (th)E + (h)UGE
24   TSETSE SETS in T(re)E
25 collection ARUM A + RUM
26   AMPED (d)AMPED
27   BOARDS 2 meanings
28 cup ALEC C after ALE
29   PUPAE PA around UP + (som)E
30 Silver OPAL O + PAL
31   ANGLER ANGER around L
32   SPHERE SP + HERE
33   SNIFF (F + FINS) <
34   ELVER ELVES − S + R
35   LEMNA LEMAN with AN reversed
36   BELAH E in BLAH
37   NOSE TENSE with NO SE becomes TEN
38 dish IN RE I + N + RE(cipe)
39   FILO FIL(l) + O’
40 horseshoe CLOY C + L + O’ + Y
41 anode HEME (t)HE ME(rely)
42 sheet BEST BED − ’D + ST
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