Tip-top Condition by Twin

Puzzle explanation

All clues to down entries crossing row three of the grid were ambiguous, with the definition allowing either I or O in that position and the wordplay giving a wrong letter there. The wrong letters filled row three as “even clues’ ends”. The last letters of the even-numbered clues spelt out “odd clues’ opening letters” and the initials of the odd-numbered clues spelt “Listener no. in binary”, so in row three Is and Os were chosen to form IOOIOOOOIOIIO, the binary representation of the puzzle number, 4630.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer Explanation [wrong letter]
Across
1 CARESSED CARD around ESSE
8 SEKT TAKES < − A(maretto)
12 TROMINO MONITOR *
15 NORN N(ation) OR (natio)N
16 CEE E in CE
17 ECHE EE around CH
18 ETNA (CHAI SET + ETNA) * = ANAESTHETIC
20 SUES (thi)S EU S(hortfall) <
21 HOLD DOWN HOEDOWN with LD for E
23 OIL DRUMS (IS OLD) * around RUM
26 SEAM SEA MAT − TA <
28 PLEA PLEA(t)
30 AXIS 2 meanings
32 RIG PRIG − P
36 LOGO L + O’ + GO
37 RITUALS SPIRITUALS − S − PI
38 PLUG 2 meanings
39 YOKELISH YOKE + LIS + H
Down
1 CLIP-CLOP or CLOP-CLOP CL[E](g) + PC + LOP
2 ABIDES or ABODES BASE * around [V]D
3 RHINE or RHÔNE (N + [E]H + R) < + (Switz)E(rland)
4 SHIRTS or SHORTS S(wiss) H(otel) [C](ustomer’s) R(eady) T(o) S(ki)
5 SHINE or SHONE S(elfis)H + [L]INE − I
6 DRIP or DROP P[E]RD(u) <
7 FOILED or FOOLED FLED around (O + (cop)[S])
8 SMITE or SMOTE M[E]TES with last letter moved to start
9 KNIT or KNOT KIN[D] − I + T
10 TOIL or TOOL (TO[S]CA − CA) + L
11 RIOTED or ROOTED RED around [N]OT
13 INCOMING or ONCOMING [U]NCO + MING
14 ONTO or INTO [N](o)N(e) T(o)O
19 ANAGLYPH ((c)HANG(e) + PLAY) *
22 DENGUE E after (N in DEGU)
24 LEVA (po)LE VA(ult)
25 RAGBAG BRAGGA(rt) *
26 STOOGE GETS * around (r)OO(k)
27 MILLES ILL in MES(s)
29 ALMUG AL(l) + MUG; ref. 1 Kings 10:11-12
31 SLUNK L in SUNK
32 RÖSTI ROTI around S(ugar)
33 BURP RUB < + P
34 ANIL (m)ANIL(a)
35 LILY SLILY − S
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