Six unclued lights are 18 Down from the same source (five are entitled to appear; the sixth appears regularly). Six cells initially contain between two and six clashing letters; these must be resolved to display thematic 18. Elsewhere, ignore three accents and two apostrophes.
Across
10 A Republican politician maintains British dealt badly with defence material (12, hyphened)
12 Marsh tree (5)
13 In speech, lifts poet’s handles (7)
15 Awkwardly got up on camel bred to travel (9)
16 Crack plus heroin – a drug (6)
17 Protecting money, American wealthy mostly lacking heart? (8)
21 With musical backing, orator’s clipped style (8)
23 A test disheartened armed rank and file (7, two words)
26 Conservationists drilling rock pilaster (4)
28 Automaton reversing sledge, ditching goods for Norway (7)
29 Queen runs into trouble – cash reduced for carriages (8)
34 Cook’s crumby jar contains alcohol, not weak (8)
35 Draw one away from instrument (4)
38 Return of US novelist filled with rage — he succeeds (7)
39 Repealed requirement to carry gun (7)
40 Haystack’s support in street spoils atmosphere (12, two words)
41 Light grey seaweed on beach (6)
42 Nucleus’s density varying en route (8)
Down
1 Worker breaks into smoother port (9)
2 No druggy regularly refused binge (4)
3 Making fast work stopping cartel (6)
4 Nearly cut and mend Welsh dresser (7)
5 They fence in 250 animals — European one’s penned (8)
6 As some consonants following Anglo-Latin (7)
7 Stop Conservative with wealth (5)
8 Look to prevent reporter’s unbroken peeping here? (10, hyphened)
9 Bit of grass is also for plants (6)
11 10 god of war with time for marsh plant (9, hyphened)
14 Inferring siren may be doing it, topless (7)
19 Is a bonnet perhaps what penitents wore? (9)
20 American capital ready to acquire property (7)
22 Blush more than...
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