Answers to the definition clues are all palindromic. Extra letters from wordplay spelt out “As I pee, Sir, I see Eiffel”, a failed attempt at a palindrome, which would be fixed by changing Eiffel to Pisa. PISA appears as a “leaning tower” in the grid.
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation [extra letter] |
|---|---|---|
| Definitions | ||
| a | REVIVER | |
| b | STATS | |
| c | DEIFIED | |
| d | MALAYALAM | |
| e | ROTAVATOR | |
| f | TENET | |
| Across | ||
| 6 | STRAP | SATRAP − A |
| 9 | ECHO | E[A]CH + O |
| 10 | OLIVE OIL | homophone of OLIVE OYL |
| 11 | CERULEAN | U in CLEANER * |
| 12 | R.E.M. | RE + M[S] |
| 13 | ALPS | L[I]P in AS |
| 15 | PEATY | PEA + TY[P](e) |
| 19 | POLSKA | LOP < + SKA |
| 20 | REPAID | REPAIR[E]D − R |
| 21 | IMARET | [E]MIRATE * |
| 22 | AVATAR | AVA[S]T + AR |
| 24 | MEATY | TEA * in MY |
| 26 | EWER | SEWER − S |
| 27 | RAI | (a)R(t) [I](s) A (h)I(p) |
| 28 | ACTIVIST | ACT I + VIST(a) |
| 30 | ANATHEMA | (P)ANAMA around THE |
| 31 | BATE | B[R]EAT(h) * |
| 32 | TEMSE | (i)TEMS E(xchanged) |
| Down | ||
| 1 | DECREPIT | CITED * around P[I]ER < |
| 2 | ECCE HOMO | HOME * in (EC + CO) |
| 3 | FORAY | FORTY with A for T |
| 4 | IOU | [S]IOU(x) |
| 5 | DIES IRAE | DIES + A in [E]IRE |
| 7 | AIRT | IRAT[E] * |
| 8 | PLAY | P[E] + LAY |
| 14 | LIKELY | LIKE + Y[I]L(l) < |
| 15 | PREVUE | P + REV + (n)U(d)E |
| 16 | CATHETER | THE[F]T in RACE * |
| 17 | CIABATTE | CIA + BAT + T(h)E |
| 18 | ADROITER | ([F]LORA TRIED) * − L |
| 23 | ORIBI | BIRO < + I |
| 24 | MOAT | TOM[E] < around A |
| 25 | ERNE | [L]ERNE |
| 29 | VAV | A in (V V) |