Extra English by Raffles

Puzzle explanation

The extra letters from clues spelt “Non Angli sed Angeli; Gregory I”, referring to the former pope’s description of some English slaves in Rome, “Not Angles but Angels”. The answers for 7dn and 30dn clashed with every crossing answer, with letter choices that allowed either a word for a British person or an angel: 7dn BRITON or CHERUB, 30dn POMMIE or AZRAEL; in line with the quotation, the angels were used (the alternative spelling AZRAIL was ruled out because the only crossing answer it changed was 44ac, leading to a total of only three changed entries, or five counting 7dn and 30dn, not an even number as specified in the preamble). Finally, the unclued ROOINEK and LIMEY were replaced by RAPHAEL and ARIEL to form new crossing words (including “agria” = “a significant eruption of pustules” from Collins English Dictionary). The title refers to the difference between the spellings of “Angeli” and “Angli”.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra letter Answer Explanation
Across
1 pa(N)ts MISHAPT (PATS + HIM) *
7   BOYISH (BISHOP − OP) around (O + (drudger)Y)
12   FAR RAF <
13 s(O)on TESLA TA around EL around S
14 Mi(N)xes STAIRS STIRS around A
15   ENSOUL EN + U in SOL
16 (A)verse ARY VARY − V
17   TIBER RE-BIT <
20   UNEDGE (heartach)E after (NUDE * + G)
21 see(N) PUNCTA AT < after (PUN + C)
23   BÊTE BET + E(gg)
24 (G)love HITS ON (IT + S) in HON
25 (L)edgers ATTORN A(countan)T + TORN
29   LAMA LLAMA − L
31 ol(I)d ON HOLD ON + HOLD
32   QUARTZ QUIZ with ART for I
33   SEA BELT SET around ABEL
37   RETRO RET + RO
39   AIM (A + M) around I
40   ANTHEA AN + THE + A
41   DEAR ME ARM in DEE
42 dart(S) SCOOT SCOT around O’
43   IAN I + AN
44   HYPHAE homophone of HIGH FEE
45   MISSAYS MISS + AYS
Down
1 ar(E) MESARCH (ho)MES AR CH(eap)
2   INTRO IN + T(he) R(ange) O(rchestrated)
3   STAY OUT YOU in STAT
4   HAITI AIT in HI
5   AGRIN R in (A + GIN)
6 (D)angle TAKE 3 meanings
7   CHITON ON after CHIT
8 b(A)y YEST S(hip) in YET
9 A(N)y ISOLDE (I + OLD + E) around S
10 (G)ear SLUGGARD DRAGS < around LUG
11 res(E)ts HALTER 2 meanings
18 chuck(L)ed UNETH UNETHICAL − (I + CAL)
19   KAGOS SOAK < around G(rumble)
21 wa(I)ter PIQUANCY (a)QUA in PIN + CY
22   COMTÉ OM in (CUTE − U)
26 (G)one OLEARIA O LEAR + I + A
27 ge(R)ms NUTMEGS NUT + GEMS *
28 h(E)ard SQUASH (SQUAWKS + H) − WK
29 (G)round LAPTOP LAP + POT <
30   POMMEL (ME around M) in POL(ice)
34 Go(O)d AREAS ARES around A
35 Ca(R)ts BOAKS B(earing) + OAKS
36 word(Y) PHOH HO in PH
38 fin(I)als EXAM (E + AM) around X
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