Resolution by Raich

Puzzle explanation

Omitted letters spelt out “Khrushchev, Castro, Kennedy“; extra letters in wordplay spelt out “Armageddon in late October“ as a possible outcome. These allude to the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962, the actual resolution of which was to be illustrated by MISSILES (in columns 4-5, rows 6-9) being removed back across the Atlantic Ocean to fill the eight empty cells.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer (omissions) Explanation [extra letter]
Across
1 GUARD AUG(ust) < + R[A]D
7 JAC(K)POT JOT around (AC + P(resident))
11 (H)ARD-(H)EARTED ARDEA + (RATED − A)
12 ODOR RO-[R]O < around D
14 (R)EUNITE (EU around TIN + E) <
16 (U)NISERIATE I in TRAINEES *
17 (S)ETTER-ON (TO ENTER) *
18 RISEN RI + S + [M]EN
19 COSMIST COST around (S + M[A] + I)
20 ENSURE [G]EN + SURE
21 BRASS BRA[E]S + S
23 DIE DIVI[D]E − VI
24 ELM (M + LE[D]) <
26 ASTI A + S[O]T + I(mbibe)
28 LACE C in LA[N]E
30 MAA MA[I](n) + A
31 CITES [N]ICEST *
33 FARCE FAR + C(herished) + E[L]
34 MIL [A]IM * + L
35 (H)EN-(H)USSY (SENSUALLY − ALL) *
36 NUO(C) MAM OM in (NU + AM)
38 STAB STA[T]E with B for E
39 AEST(H)ETE A + EST + ÉTÉ
40 TOT(E) BAG TOT + GAB <
41 RE(V)ERER REEFER with R for F
Down
1 GAUN [E]G + AUN(e)
2 (C)URSITOR SIT in (UR + OR)
3 ADA A + AD[O] <
4 REDEEM R + [C]EDE + EM
5 B(A)RRIOS BR + RIO + S(ubsidise)
6 ATLANTIC OCEAN (ALONE AC[T] + TACT IN) *
7 JE(SS)E TREE JE + E(nvy) + TR + EE
8 CONSIS(T) CON + SIS
9 (R)OOTLE (b)OOTLE(g)
10 TREP(O)NEMAS (PARENTS + ME) *
13 ORRIS (M)ORRIS[O](n); ref. Morrison shelter
15 ISSUE [B]IS + SUE
21 BAC(K) REST BAREST around C
22 ATT(E)NUAT(E) TAUNT < after (A + T)
23 DAIRYI(N)G D + AIRY + I(gnoring) + G
25 LAMI(N)ATE (MATERIAL − R) *
27 S(E)IC(E)NTO SIC + NOT *
29 (D)EFEN(D)ER E’ER around FEN
30 MUMMER(Y) MME in MUR
32 SASHA (Medu)SA’S H[E]A(d)
37 USE [R]UE around S
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