Unlucky for Some by Fer-de-lance

Puzzle explanation

The letters in each clash cell formed ACORN. The extra letters in clues’ wordplay spelt out “draw clashes; colour motto; vert, semée of acorns, a horseshoe or”. To represent the flag of the county of Rutland, the whole grid was therefore shaded green, except for a drawing of an acorn in each clash cell and a yellow horseshoe shape in the centre that contained Rutland’s motto, “Multum in Parvo”. The puzzle’s title referred to associations of the number 13 and an inverted horseshoe.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer Explanation [extra letter]
Across
1 SCRAM [D]R in SCAM
5 ABHORRENT ERRO[R] < in (N + BATH) *
13 EARCON CON in ARE[A] *
14 CONCORD (O[W]N + COR) in C(ha)D
15 TRANCE [C]T + RAN + CE
16 ASWIRL AS + R in WIL[L]
17 MANDATES MEANS * around DAT[A]
19 GROOM (MOOR[S] + G) <
20 INFANTS INF + [H]ANTS
22 ELKHOUND ([E]EL + HOUND) around K(angaroo)
23 PSEUDO (DUES in [S]OP) <
24 CARNET [C]ANCER * + (treatmen)T
26 STANZAS ((Berlio)Z + S[O]NATAS) *
28 BLANCO B + [L]LANO around C(opper)
29 TOL-LOL LO[O] in TOLL
31 STRICKEN SICKEN around R[U]T <
34 MACAQUE MA[R]QUE around (A + C)
36 VICAR VIC(e) + AR[M]
39 PET NAMES P[O]ET’S around NAME
41 OMENTA (fr)OM [T]ENTA(cle)
42 CLARET [T]ALC < + RET
43 PLONK LO[O]N in PK
44 TOOTHLESS (SOLE T[V] HOST) *
45 LETTS LETT[E]RS − R; ref. the three Rs
Down
1 SEAT ST around A[R]E <
2 CONSUL CONSUL[T]
3 ANIGH [S]HA(r)ING *
4 MARCAN ARCAN[E] after M
6 BOOM (MOB around [M]O) <
7 HARM H[E]AR + M
8 ORANT RA in TON[E] *
9 RED CROSS RED[O] + CROSS
10 ÉTAT [F]ETA + T(oast)
11 TOREADOR (TORE + RO[A]D <) around A
12 FESTOON FE + [C]OTS < + ON
14 CLOUT LO[O] in CU + (un)T(il)
18 SKELM (M[R]S around LEK) <
20 IDOCRASE CO[N]SIDER * around A
21 SULKY SKY around UL[S](ter)
22 ECTYPAL (PALE + C[A]T + Y) with letters cycled
25 CO-OPERANT (P[H]ONE ACTOR) *
26 SONORANT SO[O]N + O + RANT
27 ARIOT ART around [R]IO
30 QUELL QUEL + [S](canda)L
32 CRÊPE C(henill)[E] R(eplac)E P(iqu)É
33 EXTRACT [S]EX + R in TACT
35 ANNO [H]AN + N + (wh)O
36 VIES M[O]VIES − M(arvel)
37 NORMAL NO[E]L around ((g)RA(n) around M)
38 OAKS OS around (A + [O]K); ref. ACORN in clash cells
40 SCONE CO[R]N in S(pong)E
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