Crovvword by Pointer

Puzzle explanation

Three of the unclued entries are vertical “columns” showing CORINTHIAN, DORIC and IONIC, the three main orders of Greek architecture, whose capitals are characterised by acanthus, echinus and volute, respectively (as given in Chambers). The first two of these are seen resting on top of their columns. The Ionic volute is illustrated as a scroll emanating from the top corner of its column (the top-right corner of the cell containing the initial I). The capital letters in the clues spelt out the instruction “construct eight quadrant arcs starting at the top corner of column”. The letters at the ends of the arcs spell out VOLUTION. Some latitude was allowed in the precision of the curve, as long as there were exactly eight roughly circular arcs, each representing an angle of 90 degrees. The title represents “Crossword” in the same way that “volution” is the solution.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer Explanation
Across
1 VACANT CAN in VAT
5 HUSTINGS HASTINGS with U for A
10 COW-LEECH COW + L + (b)EECH
11 IN USE (m)INUSE(s)
12 NODDY ODD in NY
13 LEMONS LENS around MO
14 RED-TOP RED + TOP
16 ALOE ALONE − N
17 DISCOVER DISCO + V + ER
18 TUTOR TUT + O’ + R(ead)
19 INTRO (I + NOT + R(egarded)) *
21 IDENTIKIT TIKI in IDENT
22 DEMOB DEMO + B
24 ESSENCE (ACES SEEN) * − A
27 CHICO CHIC + O
28 LACET LANCET − N
30 SICILIANA (NAIL + I’ + C + IS) < + A
32 HYMEN HYMN around E
33 PYCNOMETERS (COMPANY − A + RESET) *
34 SNEERY SN + EERY
35 TORPEDO ((th)E (to)P (corne(R)) < in TO-DO
36 PILSNER SLIP < + REN <
Down
1 VANADIC NADI(r) in VAC
2 CODIST (D + IS) in COT
3 AWDL (d)AWDL(e)
4 TELE T’ + EEL with the first letter at the end
5 HEEDED DEED * after HE
6 SHOOT SOOT around H
7 INSATIETY (I + EATS TINY) *
8 NULL PULL with N for P
9 SEVENTEENS SNEE < after (S(ynod) + EVENT)
11 INPUTS IN + PUTS
14 ROOM ROO + M
15 TREE AINTREE − (A + IN)
20 RECIPE RE + EPIC <
22 DICKER KICKER with D for K
23 BLANCO BLA(h) + NCO
25 SCAMPI (SCAMPI + MEAL) * = (A + M(ussels) + CLAM PIES) *
26 NEMEAN (NAE + MEN) <
29 MERLE MERE around L
30 SIST RESIST − RE
31 LYRE ERYL <
32 HEIL H + LIE <
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