Two clues are without definitions; their answers form the name of a person with a leading part in four works whose titles read clockwise round the perimeter. The title of another work involving the person, concealed in one row, must be highlighted. Letters in corner squares and those adjacent to them could make A FAB FIERY FAD. Two titles consist of three words each, and two consist of two words each; ignore an apostrophe.
Across
11 Season wrong without jay (5)
12 Maximum droop (4)
13 Run in country, missing a lemur (5)
14 Book of parallel texts necessary to concoct a plan (7)
15 Low wrecker ruined embroidery (10)
17 Chance to turn in very big fishes (5)
20 Symphony involved specific terms (8)
21 Difficulty in work reflected in song (6)
23 Turn back on monster (4)
26 Accumulate money when protected by god (5)
27 Silly confusion in wood (5)
28 Gear designed for desert areas (4)
30 Second sign in Montana (6)
31 Neat article about yen for orchid (8)
36 Portion of regiment opted to move (5)
38 Rearrange reservation with cold hotel and escape westward (10)
39 Make good prop with mineral (7)
40 Nymph in time independent (5)
41 Account book incorrect (4)
42 Delay abandoning good ship (5)
Down
2 Hotheads delete cases, disrupting plans (7)
3 Hours I’d wasted in quite ancient galleries (10, hyphened)
4 Take in poet almost unknown (6)
5 Current revolutionary keeping king annoyed (5)
6 Wound cord, standard (8)
7 Suitably tense going into a bend (5)
8 Marsupial all right after yelp (5)
10 Sudden energy around noon (4)
16 Revel in wild riots (5)
18 Addict’s heartless conduct...

Get Britain's best politics newsletters
Register to get The Spectator's insight and opinion straight to your inbox. You can then read two free articles each week.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in