Heads and Tails by JFD

Puzzle explanation

The clue misprints’ wrong letters spelt out “She that in wisdom never was so frail; Othello”, from Act 2, scene 1 of the play. The next line is “To change the cod’s head for the salmon’s tail”, so all instances of C(od) in the grid were changed to (salmo)N, and vice versa. The extra words in the remaining clues gave “colour three characters and dropped cloth connecting them”, so CASSIO, IAGO, DESDEMONA and HANDKERCHIEF were highlighted.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Misprint/extra word Answer Explanation
Across
1 colour SELF-PORTRAIT STRAIT around (OF PE(a)RL) *
10 cur(S)ed: V KUKRI (IRK + UK) <
11 (H)and: L SEA LAW SEAL + A + W
13 three MINAS MIN + AS
15 Wad(E): I or Y RIA AIR <
16 s(T)eaks: P YATTERS (RET in STAY) <
17 peac(H): E TREATY TREAT-Y, ref. “trick or treat”
19 M(A)ggie: O PET-SIT STEP < + I + T
21 Flu(T)y: K SEI (IS around E) <
23 IC(I): E THAW WHAT *
25 (N)utters: C SHIVS S + (HS around IV)
27 s(W)oops: C LADES DEAL + S
29 characters DEMO (ma)DE MO(del)
30 and CAB 2 meanings
32 so(I)l: U ARETHA A + EARTH *
34 ta(S)k: L BABBLE BB in BALE
36 Wor(D): T POT HERB OTHER in PB
39 m(O)ss: I GAL LAG <
41 dropped TITIS 2 meanings
42 (M)uff: T TERRAS (TR + EARS) *
43 (N)eed: D ISSUE IS + SUE
Down
1 Se(E): A SKARTS S(har)K + ARTS
2 wi(V)es: N EUOI (f)EU(d) + (t)OI(l)
3 nav(E): Y FRIGATE FR + I + GATE
4 wi(R)e: N PINOT PINT around O
5 (W)ine: L OMAYYAD O + MAYDAY with DAY <
6 go(A)lies: O TESTES TESTS around E
7 (S)et: W RAIT RAIT(a)
8 plan(S): T ALOE A + LO + E
9 co(O)ling: I TWISTS (WITS after T) around S
12 New(F)ie: B ARRIVAL A + R + RIVAL
14 late(R): X SAP PA’S <
18 t(A)p: O REAROSE ROSE after ((radiato)R + EA)
20 Th(I)s: U SIC 2 meanings
22 c(L)ub: H IDE I’D + (spad)E
24 b(O)g: I WEBBIER WE + B + BIER
26 (T)ester: J HOBBISH OB after H + BISH
27 s(H)uffled: C LAPITH LA + PITH
28 cloth SHE-OAK (H + E(nvironment)) in SOAK
31 tr(E)e: U BELIEF BEL + I’ + E + F
33 Wil(L): E ART A(chaeans) + R + T
35 connecting ACTIN (Robeso)N after ACT I
37 (L)and: B TORC TORC(h); ref. 9dn
38 F(O)rm: I HARD AR in HD
40 them AGUE PLAGUE − (P + L)
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