Violin Wire by The Ace of Hearts

Puzzle explanation

The extra letters in the radial clues spelt out “circular pattern with radiating lines”, a definition of the innermost ring entry, the embroidery pattern SPIDER WHEEL. The answers in rings 1 and 3 were all types of stitch. The puzzle’s title alluded to “violin spider” and “wire wheel”.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra letter Answer Explanation
Rings
7   BUTTONHOLE BUTT + ON + HOLE
17   STEEK TEE in SK
22   STEM (ab)STEM(ious)
26   CROSS C + ROSSER − ER
31   LAZY DAISY LAZY + DAISY
34   TENT TEND with T for D
35   HONEYCOMB HONE + Y + COMB
36   BASKET homophone of BASQUE + (cont)E(sted) (elec)T(ions)
37   CHAIN CHA + IN
38   GROS POINT GROS(s) + POINT
Radials
1 (C)lad BOYISH BISH around O(nl)Y
2 fin(I)al SUSSED SUSSEX with D for the last letter
3 ca(R)t AMPS UP PS in PUMA <
4 (C)lashing OUPING (aggr)O UP IN G(reenock)
5 spo(U)ts PUGILS GI in PULS
6 (L)one YANQUI (AN + QU + I) after Y
7 Palm(A) BURITI (BUT + I) around (RIDE − DE)
8 c(R)eased UPTIED (UP + D) around TIE
9 (P)rat DESERT 2 meanings
10 De(A)n TENSED (DEN SET) *
11 cas(T)ing DUETTO DUE TO around T
12 (T)end UNHELE (Q)U(eene) + ’N’ + HELE(n)
13 on(E) HOOPOE HOOP + O’ + (mor)E
14 Gen(R)es OPERON OR < in OPEN
15 (N)otary ROSEAL R(odrig)O + SEAL
16 (W)here CHEERY CY around HERE *
17 (I)rises SOCCER S(how) O(bserves) C(ountry) C(ousins) E(ating) R(ises)
18 (T)error WAY-OUT WAY + OUT
19 got(H) MAWMET MET after MAW
20 Quake(R) WAMBLE W + AMBLE
21 rot(A) KEBLAH KE(y) + BLAH
22 Hen(D)ry HALALS HAL + ALS(o)
23 su(I)tor TUSSAH ((Uria)H AS SUT(or)) <
24 Kore(A)’s ESKERS (Kor)E + SKERS
25 join(T)s ESTEEM E + MEETS <
26 ho(I)st COTISE (CO + E) around SIT <
27 Se(N)t DIRECT (I + RED) * + CT
28 a(G)round THE WHO THE + HOW *
29 pa(L) SPAHEE SHE around PA + E
30 tax(I)es LEVIES VI in SEEL <
31 do(N)or LINTEL (LET + NIL) <
32 pop(E) ALIGHT ALI G + (wit)H (tha)T
33 (S)wine SHIRAZ SHIR + ZA <
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