Seven clues contain a redundant word, each defining one unclued light. These seven unclued lights all undergo partial 1 across (in Collins) before entry, in a consistent manner. Resulting grid entries are not real words. Unchecked and cross-checking letters in all eight unclued lights could give: NEWS — I’LL HINT THIS: CRUX’S LATIN
Across
12 Physicist’s drole gibe cracking up virgin (9, two words)
13 Love time off to produce plant sheaths (6)
16 Decide crazy American quits US city (6)
17 Old claim Reading’s awful (7)
20 Male’s arms twirling (4)
22 A hero, one up to revel in high spirits (8)
24 Points taken by genius director (10)
27 Looker modelling with a cap, evening wear (10, two words)
28 Odd nature of church abandoning happy state (8)
30 English bishop’s sins (4)
35 Poet’s dropping marks, lacking in purpose (6)
36 Medic knocking front off comedian’s car (8)
38 Massive bird, cuckoo, caught mammal (7)
39 Webbing a priest put on patio initially (6)
40 Uselessness of 11 nuttily arranged (9)
Down
1 Like a bone, unknown and round, covered in skin mostly (5)
2 Roman quartet in old island disposing of waste (9)
3 Instrument, untrustworthy one on radio (4)
4 Eel is swimming round Australian palms (6)
5 Welshman’s current article about Brussels (5)
7 Bard’s combed fox holding snake’s skin (5)
8 Oil spilt on politician’s herb (7)
9 Irish boy back home with everyone (5)
10 Turns TV on hearing philosopher (9)
11 People curiously eager to eat one lot of animals (9)
18 Lookout from state university stops that lady (4)
19 So jelly’s off, saying why without pleasure (9)
21 Pillager’s greed destroyed sprinkler (9)
25 Somewhat acute strain? Examine tendon (4)
26 Receptacle for party or rave carried by US boy (7, two words)
29 Country with struggle to lift foreign drama (6)
31 Maharaja in Amritsar...
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