Blurred Lines by Skylark

Puzzle explanation

The extra letters in clues spelt out “Bs, E and second D are flat; erase unthematic cells”. The final grid shows only Concert by the Sea, the title of the bestselling album by jazz pianist Erroll Garner (born on 15 June 1921), and the opening notes of his best-known composition, Misty, to which Johnny Mercer wrote the lyrics “Look at me, I’m as helpless as a kitten up a tree”. The notes are arranged in the grid acording to pitch, from A on the bottom row to C at the top. The full grid before erasure is shown here.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra letter Answer Explanation
Across
1 (B)racing ANERGIC E in RACING *
9 (S)take UNDÉ URDÉ with (iro)N for R
12 h(E)ard GUNYAH (GUN + H) around (Y + A)
13 s(A)ting ABHOR (H in ROB + A) <
14 ba(N)d’s BILL B + ILL
15 dodge(D) SCAPES SCAPE + S
16 hag(S) AGALLOCH (LOCAL HAG) *
17 spit(E) TURGID (DIG + RUT) <
18 (C)rate CHI CHIDE − D(rambui)E
19 b(O)y CONCERT CERT around (ON + C)
23 tee(N) BY THE BY (BY + BY) around (T + HE)
25 (D)oor NEO (Colog)NE O(or)
26 awe(D) MODRED MO + DREAD − A
28 Ar(A)gon SEA RAVEN SEEN around (A + RAV)
30 spo(R)t SOCIAL C in SOIL around A
31 cr(E)am MARC CRAM <
32 (F)are AROBA A + ROB + A
33 Rave(L) PRAISE RAISE after P
34 Fred(A) DSOS (Fre)D + SOS
35 (T)hugs UNHEEDY H in (U + NEEDY)
Down
1 f(E)ather ABBACY Y after (ABBA + C)
2 b(R)ook NEIGHBOURS N + EIGH(t) + B + OURS
3 de(A)n ÉCLAIR CE < + LAIR
4 (S)lump GULL GUL(e) + L(ump)
5 (E)at INCONY IN + CONY
6 Co(U)ld CACHE C + A + CHE
7 coze(N) CHAT CH(e)AT
8 Do(T)’s CAPUT CAP + UT
9 (H)ut UBERTY (BYRE + UT) *
10 (E)yes DOMINEERED DOMINIE − I + ERE + D
11 10(M) ERED (domine)ERED; ref. 10dn
19 O(A)f CAROBS CARBS around O’
20 (T)rouble REAGIN R + (GIN after EA)
21 sort(I)ed INVADE (AND + VIE(d)) * or (AN(d) + VIED) *
22 Lan(C)e PONCEY PLAY with ONCE for LA
23 (C)all BECAP BEC(k) + A(ll) + P
24 dens(E) TSARS TARS around (den)S
26 (L)one MEAD ME + (b)A(r)D(s)
27 s(L)aw DIPS SPIED < − E
29 (S)prang RASH (c)RASH
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