Offhand Remark by Remus

Puzzle explanation

The letters unclued in wordplay spelt EPISODE V in the grid, referring to the 1980 Star Wars film The Empire Strikes Back. In a pivotal scene, during a battle between them, Darth Vader reveals “I am your father” to Luke Skywalker. The unclued entries were DARTH, VADER and ANAKIN (Vader was originally named Anakin Skywalker) and row 6 of the grid was changed from I AM YOUR FATHER to LUKE SKYWALKER. In the Star Wars universe, Darth is a title, not a name. The character’s name was chosen to suggest “dark father” — Vader means “father” in Dutch. The puzzle’s title refers to Vader disarming Luke by cutting off the hand holding his lightsabre.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer (unclued letter) Explanation
Across
1 CASH COW CA + SHOW around C
6 DAMAGE MAD < + AGE
10 ESTRADE DARTS < in EE
15 ARETTED A + ROSETTE − OS + D
16 TREND R in TEND
17 ANTLIATE (A TALENT I) *
18 AMATI (dr)AMATI(sation)
20 CHAL CHAL(k)
22 OUR (fav)OUR(ite)
23 FATHER (ART HE) * after F
24 ASSAIL WASSAIL − W
25 RU(E)DAS RU + SAD <
27 STARVE STAVE around R
28 NIE NINE − second N
31 N(I)DS N(u)D(i)S(t)
34 BRAINI(S)H (B + HAIR IN) *
37 ICENI ICE + NI
39 BEKNOWN WONK < in BEN
40 ENCLOSE SCENE * around (Othel)LO
41 DON(E) IN DIN around ON
42 E(V)ENTER E + ENTER
Down
1 CENTAI ((i)N (B)A(l)T(i)C (l)I(f)E) *
2 ÅSAR (t)ASAR
3 STREAMS STEAMS around R
4 CARDIO (I + O) after CARD
5 WEAN WAN around (bottl)E
7 AXEL AXE + L
8 ATTACH (TA + CH) after AT
9 ENDEAR END + EAR
11 RENT 2 meanings
12 STILT(E)R TILT in SR
13 WET LEASE WE + STEAL * + E(tihad)
14 MACULE MAC + ULE
19 MASTERE(D) STEAMER *
20 CRANS SCRAN with first letter moved to the end
21 YARNING YEARNING − E
23 FRIGHT FAR RIGHT − AR
26 DIDEROT REDID < + OT
27 SUBBED BB in SUED(e)
29 EVINCE EV + IN + CE
30 (P)RIMER R(obert) after RIME
32 DIWAN DIAN around W
33 ACOL COL after A
35 NORI NOR I
36 (S)NEE NÉE
38 N(O)SE (a)N(i)S(e)E(d)
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