Ringtone by Trev

Puzzle explanation

The message from the extra/missing letters in the wordplay read “sum of atomic numbers of answers treated as title could be”. The title is an anagram of NITROGEN. Nine answers could also be formed into chemical elements (as shown below), the sum of whose atomic numbers, 489, was to be written beneath the grid.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer Letter Explanation
Across
1 MUSCADIN (scandium) −S CADI in MUN
7 CARACT +U CUT after (CAR + A)
12 OSMIDROSIS −M (DOCTOR’S − CT + IS IS) *
13 ANOA −O (c)ANA(l)
14 DEID +F DEF + ID
15 INHUMER (rhenium) +A INHUMA(n) + ER
16 ERMINE +T MINT in ERE
18 UNIONIST −O (UN + IST) around NI
20 ARTAL +M A + (MAT < in RL)
21 SENLAC +I (IS CLEAN) *
23 EVANESCE −C E(xam) + (A in SEVEN *)
26 PIGMEAT +N GAME * in PINT
28 NOCTULE −U ((f)ELT CON(fident)) <
31 TANAISTE (astatine) +M TAN + AI + STEM
33 CECITY +B CBE + CITY
35 ANENT −E ANT with N doubled
36 SHRADDHA −R SH + ADD + HA
39 ADIEUX +S IS in (A DEUX)
41 LINDANE +O (ONLINE AD) *
42 SOAK +F SOFA + K(ing)
43 ECRU +A (SAUCER − S) *
44 SANCTITUDE −N ACT in SUITED *
45 ROOTED +S ROOSTED
46 TEETERED +W TREE * in TWEED
Down
1 MODIUS (sodium) +E MOUSE around DI
2 USER −R U(l)S(t)E(r)
3 SMILING −S MI + LING
4 ADORN (radon) +T ROD < in TAN
5 DROMICAL −R COMICAL with C moved to next letter in alphabet
6 IONISER −E (pollut)ION IS R(emoved)
7 CINEMA −A MINCE *
8 ASHTANGA −T A’ + S + HANG + A
9 AN MO +E A + OMEN <
10 COELACANTH +D COED + LAC + AN + TH(at)
11 TARTLETS −A T(u)RTLE + T(he) + S
17 UREMIC (cerium) +S SURE + M + I/C
19 NERO-ANTICO −T (OR IN OCEAN) *
22 LITANY −I L(is)T + ANY
24 ENTAILER −T (LINEAR E) *
25 SUITCASE +L (CLUE AS IT’S) *
27 INCREATE −E CERTAIN *
29 DEHISCE −C (t)HIS in DEE
30 MID-HOUR (rhodium) −O DIM < + HUR(t)
32 SEANAD +U SUE + AN AD
34 YANKED +L ANKLE in YD
37 AUDIT −D (n)A(t)U(r)I(s)T
38 INRO (iron) +B IN + ROB
40 LADE (lead) −E LAD
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