INQUISITOR

No 1848

Inappropriate by Ploy

Some clues contain an extra word, to be removed before solving. From each word, take the letter in the same position as the word’s position in the clue. In clue order, they lead to the first and third words of a three-word activity. Each indicates a process by which an affected clue’s answer must be entered in the grid, and has itself undergone the same process.

In the completed grid, a pair of characters familiar with the activity each appear in a straight line, as will a third character (seven letters) when two letters are changed. Three letters must then be changed in one of the pair, to complete an inappropriate two-word spoken phrase, which must be highlighted. All letter changes give real-word grid entries.

Extra words in two clues give definitions (also inappropriate) to the two unclued grid entries.

ACROSS

1 Permeability is up, so dosage sensor reset (10)

7 Jenny, possibly a girl to lose her head (3)

12 I’m to replace centilitre of wine in a Turkish inn (6)

13 Curry ingredient, according to Art Garfunkel, with a touch of genius (4)

14 Inclination to serve stale nuts now and then (4)

15 Examination of substance like rock, but not containing cocaine (4)

16 Wooded country – conifer that is well-nigh 50% cleared (5) 17 Before document signed, the old indwellers plough Moravian soils (5)

20 A perennial plant, as sesame is to some locals (7)

22 Special grill device transforms bony structures (13, 2 words) 24 Explosive compounds blasted somewhat stridently, letting loose awful din (7)

26 Foremost in avoiding sun, woman is very pale (5)

27 More counterfeit degrees about to rebound (5)

30 Rare felt pen mount discarded (4)

32 Inky blotch on correction of typo restricting English, in a nutshell (9, 2 words)

34 Nettle bread in Malta no longer changing hands (4)

35 In time, agree factious tycoons too divided to be ignored (4) 36 Feel acute shame, resistance going west in decline (6)

37 His sporting win seemed wrongly judged to Ed (9) 38 Critically examine terms of last reviewed linear identity (3)

39 Are our gigs in resort sociable? (10)

DOWN

1 Rest of AFL players finally amass, a short time before kick-off (5)

2 Starting late, suspect planners to be beset with problems (7) 3 Ian’s guileless, helps me to adjust when out of hospital (6) 4 A ready collapse for ailing Israeli currency (6)

5 Limitless financial resources for essential oil (4)

6 Hermit crabs settled around tent on Sabbath (8)

7 Mites turned up in Madeira cake (5)

8 In a beanery, greedily devour a joint (5)

9 Transfers of land on Skye function amid rising tides (7) 10 One’s to read up erudite article giving minute detail (4)

11 Alfred Askew’s dropped anything cumbersome (6) 16 Demobbed soldiers returning home initially express relief, perhaps (4)

18 Scottish swimmers will scrap over five unopened German beers (8)

19 Cake decorator is creatively embellishing ratafias – toppings only (4)

21 Busy person facing tumult, missing bus in scurry (6)

22 Amy’s carefully checking Will’s reputation and character (7) 23 With a flourish, rangers attempt to capture owl circling island (7) 25 Regularly drinking hard, got up clutching cask (6)

26 Can the roots harbour a pollen source? I don’t believe it! (6) 27 Barony abandoned by knight errant and former aristocrat (5) 28 Faded first-fruit? Not the first in erstwhile military district (5) 29 Decay, of timber – time to replace maple primarily in my pleasure dome (4)

31 More than one wrinkle appears pronounced (5)

33 Slice of advertised reward enticed miscreants (4)