A Paper Construction by Zero

Puzzle explanation

The letters of down entries extending into the blank central area spelt Let’s Go Fly a Kite, from the film Mary Poppins. The extra words in across clues were synonyms of “kite”. The folds formed a close approximation of a kite shape (a convex quadrilateral that is symmetrical in only one diagonal). The extra words in down clues gave “aspect ratio of rectangle expressed as square root”. For the kite to be perfectly symmetrical, the grid’s long edge would need to be √2 times the short edge, as in the A series of ISO 216 paper sizes, to which the title referred.

There was no need to separate the grid from the address panel in order to make the folds; doing so caused problems for the marker.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra word Answer Explanation
Across
1   EILD LIE < + D(ark)
5   SCRAGGINESS (S + CRESS) around (AG + GIN)
14 aircraft SNOW-ON-THE-MOUNTAIN OWNS * + ON THE MOUNT + A + IN
17 Hawk SEROSA SE + ROSA
18 belly INEPTLY I + (ca)N + ELY around PT
20   RETAIL RE-TAIL; ref. “pin the tail on the donkey” game
21 Bushranger RULED RUED around L(ampreys)
22   ACUTE A + CUT + E
25 rise BLAND B + LAND
26   GUTTY (T + T) in GUY
30 frame SCUTA CUT in SA
31   GNARL RANG < + L
38   STAMEN ST + AMEN
40 rumour VENTURI UR- in VENTI; venti = 20 US fl. oz. serving of coffee
41 sail BORDER B(rigantine) + ORDER
42   BLOODY-NOSED BEETLE (OBSOLETE DYE BLONDE) *
43   ELBOW-GREASE EL + BOW + GREASE
44   UEY FLUEY − FL
Down
1   ESTRANGE REAGENTS *
2 aspect INFECT IN FACT with E for A
3   LOOT LOT around O
4   HOSIERY (purc)H(ased) + OSIERY
6   STROLL TROLL after S
7   CHOKEY C + HOKEY
8 ratio RESET RE + SE + T
9 of AMASS A + MA + S + S
10   GOING GONG around I
11   INERT INVERT − V
12   EAT LEAD EA + LATE * + D
13 rectangle SILEX LEX after IS <
15   UNDO FOUND * − F
16   RATE TART (TREAT RAT) *
19 expressed PUBLICAN (CLUB PAIN) *
23   ADVANCE ACE around (DV + AND − D)
24   ETHANOL (TH’ + A + NO) in EL
25   BESTREW BEST + REW
27   STEELY ST + EELY
28 as ANELE (p)ANEL E(xplained)
29   LUDO (MODULE − ME) <
32   FAKERY FREAKY *
33   ICING NOTICING − NOT
34   TABOR ABORT with T moved up
35 square EROSE (chocolat)E + ROSE
36   AREA (A + REAR) − R
37   ODDS DD in OS
39 root MATÉ M + ATE
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