The Band by The Ace of Hearts

Puzzle explanation

The letters omitted in grid entries spelt out “letters of radio communication code words”. The letters in clashing cells formed the six radio code words that are personal names: Romeo, Victor, Mike, Oscar, Charlie and Juliet (using the Chambers spelling). In each clashing cell the code word was replaced by the letter that it represents (the preamble said “one such item”, ie the single “letter” for each word). The puzzle’s title referred obliquely to the band of frequencies used for radio communications and the “band” of people constituted by the names.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer (omitted letters) Explanation
Across
1 PATRO(L)MAN PAT + ROMAN
5 (E)VICTIONS V + FICTIONS − F
9 ME(T)ALLISING (’LL + IS) in ENIGMA *
11 LODES(T)ARS (RASED in SOL) <
13 MID-L(E)NT (D + L) in MINT
14 (R)ELATES ELATE + S
15 (S)ENU(SS)I EN(n)UI
17 S(O)RTED SR + TED
18 NOISE(F)UL NO + IS + E(motiona)L around U
20 OSTIA(R)IES (SEI + AITS + O) <
22 OUTL(A)W OUT + LBW − B
27 (D)AUBE U in ABE
28 L(I)KE A CHARM L + KEA + CHARM
29 (O)BJURED B + J + U(nder) + RED
30 (C)LERISIES RISE * in LIES
31 CANT(O)NMENTS CAN + TENTS around NM
32 TSUNA(M)I TAI around SUN
33 SYSTE(M)S SETS < after STAY − TA
Down
1 (U)PMAKERS (SPARK ME) *
2 TABLETI(N)G TABLE + GIT <
3 ÉOL(I)ENNE (D)E (Nir)O + LEN’ + NE(w)
4 NI(C)OTINE (IN NO TIME) * − M
5 TORS(A)DES TO + DRESS *
6 INS(T)A(T)E IN + SAE
7 (I)NCREDUL(I)T(I)ES (RESULTED with S and D switched) after C after N
8 SESSP(OO)L (u)SES SPL(ashboards)
10 U(N)DERTAKERS RUDE * + TAKERS
12 EL(C)HI (rep)EL HI(ndu)
16 HETER(O)C(O)NT ET in TRENCH *
19 O(DD)S AN(D) EN(D)S SANE in (O + (bi)N (liner)S)
20 CARP(E)LLAT(E) CAR + ALL < in PT
21 (W)ILLIES (f)ILLIES
23 (O)UBLIETTES BUTTERFLIES * − RF
24 WA(R)D(R)ESS WAS around (a)D(vance) (h)E(r) (e)S(teem)
25 MAI(D)AN A in MAIN
26 (S)AMITI homophone of AMITY
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