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) |