The letters omitted from the across answers spelt “you win a few, you lose a few”. The extra letters in wordplay of the down clues were, in order, WUESONEWAFYEOFIAUOYW, so the one L = Left was the one left over.
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
No | Answer (missing letter) | Explanation [extra letter] |
---|---|---|
Across | ||
1 | GRA(Y)LAG | GALA(h) < after GR |
5 | B(O)GARDE | (her)B GARDE(n) |
10 | N(U)MERO (U)NO | NERO around M + NO |
11 | MO(W)RA | (a)MORA(l) |
12 | NAOM(I) | MOAN < |
13 | (N)OWADAYS | (A(fghan) D(issidents)) in (O + WAYS) |
14 | TERPSICHORE(A)L | (LITHE CORPS ARE − A) * |
15 | (F)LEES | LEES |
17 | LIV(E)-IN | (LAVINIA − A − A) * |
18 | RAG(W)EED | RAGED around E (commonest letter of speedwells) |
21 | MART(Y)RDOM | MR around ART + DOM |
24 | SEÑ(O)RAS | SEN + RAS |
26 | S(U)REST | RES in ST |
29 | USUA(L) | U in USA |
31 | ANN(O)UNCEMENTS | A + N + NUN + CEMENT + S |
32 | MACHI(S)MO | MAO around CHIM(p) |
33 | D(E)DUC(E) | D + DUC |
34 | (A)NNIE | NINE * |
35 | NI(F)LHEIM | (HELP MINI) * − P |
36 | STOOG(E)D | STOOD around G |
37 | (W)ASHERS | ASS around HER |
Down | ||
1 | GENTILES | GENT + [W]ILES |
2 | AMORT | AMO[U]R + T |
3 | ARISEN | ARI[E]S + (s)E(e)N |
4 | GOOIEST | (IT GOE[S] SO) * |
6 | GO-AHEAD | HE in AA in GO[O]D |
7 | ROARIE | ROA[N] + IE after R(ace) |
8 | DRY-EYED | ([E]DDY + R(ead) Y(our) E(ulogy) E(vidently)) * |
9 | EASLE | [W]EASLE(y) |
10 | NAEVI | [A]NI around VEA(l) < |
15 | LIARS | [F]RAIL < + (serie)S |
16 | AGORA | AA around GOR[Y] |
19 | DYTISCUS | DISCUS(s) around Y[E]T |
20 | REGNANT | (IGN[O]RANT + E) * − I |
22 | RAINING | RE[F]INING with A for (g)E(ls) |
23 | ROSEOLA | (ALOE [I]S OR(ganically)) < |
25 | NUNCIO | NUN + CI[A]O |
26 | SUMPHS | ([U]S + US) around (MP + H) |
27 | SHTUM | M(ime) after SH[O]UT * |
28 | DAMNS | (bir)DS around M[Y]NA * |
30 | INDIE | [W]INDIE(s) |