Quads II by Shark

Puzzle explanation

The grid letters omitted from wordplay in clues spelt out FOURTH DIMENSION. After blacking out cells to form the second grid with 90-degree symmetry, it is divided into its four quadrants, each a self-contained crossword grid. Changing two letters in each quadrant then produces WIDTH, HEIGHT, LENGTH and TIME running inward from the corners.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer (omitted letters) Explanation
Across
1 FASTED F + WASTED − W
6 SNI(T)C(H) SNIC(k)
10 SUIT SQUIT − Q
11 SHAY YAHS’ <
12 (F)ADERS READS *
13 AVAIL AVA + IL
14 TRAT TART <
15 SC(R)AGGED SCAG + AGED − A
16 H(O)NSH(U) HH around NS
18 JOHN JOHN + NY = JOHNNY
21 STOSSES S + TOSES around S
24 MISSI(S)H (HISS + I’M) <
28 TING TIN + G(ong)
31 ETALON LATE < + ON
32 (D)E(MEN)T(I)A ATE <
33 GOBO GOB + O
35 SPOOT PO in SOT
36 SIG(N)ET SIT − T + GET
37 L(I)EN LENDL − (D + L)
38 ETHE (t)ETHE(r)
39 SERVER SEVER around R
40 S(O)RELY (cros)S + R + ELY
Down
1 FI(F)THS SHIFT *
2 AGAR A(sda’s) + GR around A
3 SEDANS SANS around ED
4 TSETSES SESTET < around S
5 DISC(U)S(S) DISCS
6 STA(R)R STAR
7 NAVAJOS (SON around JAVA) <
8 (T)HIGHS S after HIGH
9 (H)YADES (SE(e) + DAY) <
11 SAGO SAGOIN − IN
17 (O)BIT B(u)I(l)T
19 NEMO OMEN <
20 SIG(N)ORE ORGIES *
22 THE(I)STS THESS around (eigh)T
23 STAGGER STAG + GER(e)
24 MO(D)ELS MOLES with L moved down
25 SI(M)PER ’S + I + PER
26 BLO(N)DE B + LODE
27 KNOTTY KNOTTY ASH − (AS + H)
29 N(E)ON NO + N
30 OTTER (trainsp)OTTER(s)
34 BELL 2 meanings; ref. “clear as a bell”
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