Net Book Agreement by Charybdis

Puzzle explanation

Lynne Reid Banks (appearing in the grid in shape of an L) wrote The L-shaped Room. Characters following an L in the clues’ extra words spelt “draw net; total area is 34; wrap title to make walls”. If the net were folded to construct the L-shaped box, the letters of “dark screen” would form the ceiling, “press flats” the floor, and the novel’s title would read around the walls (with WO inverted to make the OM of ROOM).

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra word Answer Explanation
Across
1 chil(D)hood ILLS (p)ILLS
4 Wal(R)us ACCADIAN C in CANADIA(n) *
10 l(A)ckey HEL HE + (fel)L; ref. as = Norse god (Loki)
11 Dul(W)ich PEDRO DR in PEO(ple)
12 Mil(N)e ECTYPE (ECTYPE + HAS + O) * = (A COPY SHEET) *
13 fl(E)w SPAYAD DAY < after SPA
15 shel(T)er RUINERS INSURER *
19 faul(T)ed RIFLE PIT RI + FLEAPIT − A
20 Fl(O)yd TONEMES (O + SENT ME) *
22 steal(T)hy TAWSE TAWS + (felin)E
23 Engl(A)nd INFRA (Spa)IN FRA(nce)
24 gul(L) TWO-TIME TWO + EMIT <
26 del(A)ys VINEYARD RD after (NEY in VIA)
30 al(R)eady CERTAIN (RAIN ETC) *
31 topl(E)ss SANDRA SAND + RA
32 pl(A)nning CERISE CE + RISE
34 peddl(I)ng SCUBA S + CUBA
35 Wel(S)h HAJ HA + J
36 Köchel-(3)65 RESTLESS (w)RESTLES with last letter repeated
37 channel(4).com ODDS 2 meanings
Down
1 school(W)ork ITERATIVE ALLITERATIVE − ALL
2 chival(R)ous LET IN (NIL around TE) <
3 l(A)dy SLY SAGELY − AGE
4 pal(P)itating ASPER AS + PER
5 adul(T) CHERIE HER in CIE
6 l(I)fe CASS C(l)A(s)S(e)S
7 weal(T)hy APPALTO APP + (A LOT) *
8 Pol(L) IDYL IDLY with L moved to the end
9 unl(E)ss ARABISMS (BAR A MISS) *
14 Vaul(T)ing ANEATH AN + ’EATH
16 Pathol(O)gical STEEPNESS STEEP + NESS
17 Foul-(M)outhed BONIFACE BO + FIANCÉ *
18 fl(A)bby NEREID (D + IRENE) *
21 mil(K) MAYORAL MAY + ORAL
25 Castl(E) WRECKS homophone of REX
27 Steel(W)orker’s DRESS DURESS − U
28 L(A)ssie NAIAD DIANA *
29 Baden-Powel(L) ONUS (b)ONUS
30 bal(L) CANE CANINE − IN
33 pul(S)ejet RHO (powe)R HO(lds)
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