5 (hyphened) and 14 are types of 37. Remaining unclued lights are other types of 37, given in a form that is either 5 or 14. Unchecked and cross-checking letters in all unclued answers could give: GAPES INDECENTLY— A GOOEY MEAL. Ignore two accents in the completed grid.
Across
1 Check’s omitted in alcohol range (8)
8 Paint base on pen (4)
11 Man’s roughly northern (5)
13 250 farm animals in poem (7)
15 Battle about university sell-off (7)
17 A princess in opera? (4)
18 Why Doctor Who’s ordinary (5, two words)
19 Reserve fish, bagging pounds from the freezer? (7, hyphened)
23 Reasons I amended rubbings out (8)
24 Restrained son did agricultural work (7)
25 Reportedly lie level (6)
28 British monarch with career in US TV (7)
30 Neck tie initially gets reduction (8)
34 Stubborn Norway leaves alliance with English (7)
35 Rector wearing hooligan’s anoraks (5)
36 Lessen on-line bill, on reflection (4)
38 Nurture vagrant that’s less trustworthy (7)
39 Make dirty marks with char coming round (5)
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