The wrong letters in wordplay spelt out “highlight your achievement”. The grid letters omitted in wordplay were EINEG (GENIE reading backwards), around which NEBUCHADNEZZAR formed a bottle shape. So, by restoring the omitted letters, the solver’s achievement was to “put the genie back in the bottle”.
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer (omitted letters) | Explanation [wrong letter] |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 1 | ESTOP | E(xcavate) + S[H]OP |
| 5 | BONDAGER | B[I]ER around (AND * + (ni)G(ht)) |
| 11 | NAB | NABOB − OB |
| 12 | DOIT | (I + T(alk)) after DO |
| 13 | ROOTY | [G]O + TO < + Y |
| 14 | GRILL ROOM | ROOM after [H]ILL after G |
| 16 | NURS | ((player)S RUN(ning)) < |
| 17 | TIAN | TAHITIAN − (A + HIT) |
| 18 | LEST | LT around (witness)ES |
| 21 | ÉCURIE | (E + IE) around CUR |
| 23 | INN | IN[L](and) |
| 24 | ZEBU | (h)[I](d)E (a)B(o)U(t) |
| 25 | CHANAS | CHA + [G]AS |
| 26 | DON(E IN), def. in 20dn | DON |
| 27 | (EG)DON, def. in 5dn | DON |
| 29 | DUMB | M(ajority) in [H]UB |
| 31 | RAZZ | [T]AZZ(a) |
| 32 | ENROL | (Hel)EN ROL(lason) |
| 34 | RIO | RIALTO − ALT |
| 35 | STEANE | SET * + AN[Y] |
| 36 | ATOKAL | A + TO[O]L around K |
| 37 | NIGH ON | NIGH(t) + O’ + N |
| 38 | MAYTIME | (I + MY TEAM) * |
| 41 | WIND | WIN + (roun)D |
| 42 | INDENT | [U]N + DEN + T |
| 43 | LEAD | LEA[R] |
| 44 | CAMESE | CAME + [A]S < |
| 45 | DEHISCE | HIS in ([C](as)E + C(as)E) |
| Down | ||
| 1 | ENANTIODROMIC | (MAO IN DOCTRINE) * |
| 2 | SAGUIN | [H]A + GUIN(ea), ie 2/3 of 21 shillings |
| 3 | ODIST | ([I]D + ST) around I |
| 4 | POLT | PORT with L for R |
| 5 | BILIMB(I), def. in 25dn | B(rier) + I + LIMB |
| 6 | NO ONE | N[É]E around OO; ref. Macbeth |
| 7 | DROICH | [V]OIC(e) in DH |
| 8 | GOVERNORSHIPS | PIGS * around (OVER + NOSH around R) |
| 9 | ETESIAN | (EI + AN) around TES |
| 10 | RYOT | RY[E] + T(oran) |
| 15 | RAPU(N)ZEL, def. in 27ac | RA + PUZEL |
| 19 | ENOMOTY | (TOM[M]Y ON) * |
| 20 | DE(E)RSKINS, def. in 28dn | KIN in DRESS * |
| 22 | ESCLANDRE | ES + CLAN + [E]RE |
| 25 | C(É)ZANNE, def. in 15dn | Z in CANNE(s) |
| 28 | (G)ENIZAH, def. in 26ac | (IN in HAZE) < |
| 30 | BOOTEE | BO[N] + TEE |
| 33 | OZONIC | ON after OZ + I/C |
| 39 | ANA | (S)A[T]A(n) |
| 40 | ELD | (T)E(a) L(a)D(y) |