Quads III by Shark

Puzzle explanation

The misprints in clues (incorrect characters, including the dash) gave “fourth letter in words — standard clues”. Taking the fourth letter from each word (of four or more letters) in the normal clues spelt out “each grid corner’s four by four region taken en masse”. The 4×4 corner squares (marked by blue dotted lines here) were cut out and arranged into an 8×8 grid with GREEK CROSS hidden in it diagonally. The remaining piece, in the shape of a Greek cross, was then quartered (along the pink dotted lines shown) and reassembled to form a tilted square containing TETRAMERAL (four-parted) reading down and up the middle columns.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Modified words Answer Explanation
Across
1   PARTON PAR + TON(e)
5   STOOK STO(p) + OK
11 (R)iver allying RUHR RU + HR
12   ALOE ALONE − N
13 S(N)ake pee ELAPID P in IDEAL *
14 sit comfor(T)s EASES EASE(l) + S(it)
15 choose s(L)ight NEGLECT ELECT with GEN < for first E
16   SED (Mor)SE D(ifferently)
18 at (B)ack RETRAL (US + RETRAL) * = (RULERS AT) *
19 onc(E) um PERSUE ER in (P + SUE)
21   ERRANT RE < + RANT
23 cur(S)e merging ECOD ECO + (re)D
24 h(A)m uttered MEAT homophone of MEET
26 Might(Y) weed POTENT POT + RENT − R
28 (B)owels old ENTERO- O after ENTER
30 chi (A)ffluent QUI-HYE HYE after (U in QI)
32 to(E) us SEG ’S + EG
33   BEGORRA BEG + ORRA
34 Transm(U)te lectorship MORPH ((lectors)H(ip) + PROM) <
36 India (M)alady AMELIA LAME with letters cycled + (A after I)
37   EYRE EYE around R
38   LURE LOURE − O(rbison’s)
39 (D)itch craft CANAL CRAFT with ANAL for RAFT
40 Man(I)fest ate ATTEST (ATE around T) + ST
Down
1 re (M)an PIERRE PIE + R(epechage) + RE
2 sell swee(T) ALL SERENE (RANEE SELL) *
3 Cheer(Y) Iberian RIANT (Ibe)RIAN T(eam)
4 wet her(B) ORIGANE O + RIG + AN + (w)E(t)
5 work(E)r over SHEEPO O after (SHE + EP)
6 run sa(V)our TRACE T + RACE
7 Cook(E)r at OAST (AT SO) *
8 whoo(P) line OLÉ L in (E O) <
9 mus cle(A)red WEEDED WE + MUSED − MUS + MUSED − MUS
10   OPERATE OPE(n) + RATE
17 bar(K)s king EUONYMINS (MY REUNIONS − R) *
20 po(S)t er RETIREE ER < + TIRE + E
22 Food(I)e faced GOURMET MET after GOURA − A
24 issu(E) cess MESTEE (c)ES(s) after M’ + TEE
25 liberal (D)ynasty MOGHUL MOG + HULL − L
27   TEWART (federa)TE WAR T(own)
29 S(E)pta sty REPLA (PLAYER’S + T) * − STY *
31 Di(V)ide alt HALVE (a)L(t) in HAVE
33   BREN BEN around R
35 (M)ouths topping ORA (f)ORA
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