More Collusion by The Magpie

Puzzle explanation

The unnecessary letters from clues were to be entered, in order, in the central 5x7 rectangle to give all new words. Finally, the letters of THIS PLAN had to be further changed to create eight new words and reveal the phrase “great minds think alike”.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra letter Answer Explanation
Across
1 mea(N)t GAME BAG GAME + BAG
7 (P)act SCAB SCARAB − AR
10 m(E)an FRIDAY (D after I) in FRAY
13 (A)mounts FORAGE OF < + RAGE
14 (T)his IDES I + (pierce)D + (Ca)ES(ar)
15 (A)back LATERAL COLLATERAL − COL
16 (S)low VERGES AVERAGES − all occurrences of A
18 colo(U)ration IKAT TAKI < (foxy = reddish brown)
20 inebriate(D) FULLING (rue)FUL LING(uist)
22 Do(O)n ROON (T)ROON
24 (S)mouldered ASHIER A + SHIER
26 tatt(I)er RENDING (tailo)R + ENDING
29 are(N)as BARE (Nami)B ARE(nas)
30 (D)one ALKENE KEN in ALE
31 (S)tripping SIN BIN (SING, BING) − all occurrences of G
32 l(A)ying DESK (du)DE’S K(eyboard)
33 gra(N)de RANKING RAN + KING
Down
2 lat(T)er ART DECO (RED COAT) *
3 ch(E)at MIXER 2 meanings
4 th(E) EDHS SHED *
5 s(T)eam BALL B + ALL
6 c(H)ords GLOTTIS (L + OTT) in GI’S
7 fa(I)r SEREIN SERE + IN
8 tree(N) CHARK CH + ARK
9 sea(L) ALGA A + LG + A
11 (T)roll WELTERED WELT + DEER *
12 h(A)unting RIVER-RAT R + I’ + ERR in VAT
17 wor(L)d ELOINER “ELO in ER” is wordplay for EELOR
19 (S)ought AVERTIN AVERTIN(g)
21 join(T)er’s UNDECK SUNDECK − S
23 p(A)laces ONKUS ONUS around K
25 f(L)eet IAMBI I AM BI
27 wa(I)ter ELBE (Heid)ELBE(rg)
28 t(H)reat GRIN ANYONE with “GR in” makes ANGRY ONE
29 ru(I)n BANK BLANK − L
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