Clothes-line by The Ace of Hearts

Puzzle explanation

The letters omitted from radial answers spelt out “circular building for public entertainment”, a definition of “circus”. The quotation in ring 3 was “Clowns are the pegs on which the circus is hung”, from showman P. T. Barnum (highlighted in ring 5). The perimeter words were clowns.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer (omitted letters) Explanation
Perimeter
6 IDIOT IOT(A) around DI
11 AUGUST A + U + GUST
17 PIERROT PIER + ROT
24 ANTIC ATTIC with N for T
29 BUMPKIN B + PUMPKIN − P
36 COMEDIAN CO + MAIDEN *
Ring 3
39 HUNG HUN + (settlin)G
40 CLOWNS (OWN + S) after (C + L)
41 PEGS BEGS with P for B
42 WHICH homophone of WITCH
43 CIRCUS ((Su)SU CRIC(keter)) <
Radial
1 ABS(C)ISE SIS in ABE
2 NA(I)ADES A in SEDAN <
3 GA(R)NISH DANISH with G for D
4 (C)ADU(C)EAN A + DEAN around U
5 R(U)NNING RING around (N + N)
6 (L)ARDING A + RD + ING(ate)
7 (A)DDUCER DUCE in DR
8 I(R)ELAND ALE < in IND
9 SORO(B)AN SO + NORA *
10 (U)NSTOWS SNOW * around ST
11 AC(I)NOUS (C(ultivated) N(ear) O(xley)) in AUS
12 UNSOU(L)S (US + US + ON) *
13 GLA(D)IUS GI around LA + U/S
14 T(I)RAM(I)SU (U + SMART) <
15 SCE(N)EMA(N) (EMBRACES − BR) *
16 TA(G)MATA TA-TA around MA
17 HAL(F)-APE (A + LAP) in HE
18 ALVE(O)LI (c)ALVE(s) + L + I’
19 (R)EAPPLY APP in ELY
20 (P)RO(P)ERLY ER in ROLY(-poly)
21 YO(U)NGER (PROGENY − P) *
22 (B)OWSHOT O + W + SHOT
23 BOTT(L)E-O (TO BET + O) *
24 S(I)NC(I)P(I)TA S(weat) N(on-stop) ’C(os) P(unka’s) T(aken) A(part)
25 SNOW(C)AP NOW in SAP
26 H(E)RP(E)ST(E)S H(a)RP(i)STS
27 OSIRIA(N) (AIR + IS + O) <
28 CA(T)CH ON CACH(e) + ON
29 N(E)OPHOB(E) NOB around PHO
30 NUTTIE(R) NUT + TIE
31 MO(T)HIER MOUTHIER − UT
32 (A)PPE(A)SER PER around PES
33 CLARK(I)A CA around LARK
34 A(N)OI(N)TI(N)G (GIT + IO) < after A
35 GA(MM)ONER ONE in RAG <
36 CABOC(EE)R C + COBRA *
37 CUI BO(N)O CU + I + BOO
38 MAS(T)ABA SAMBA * + A
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