2527: The main dilemma

Three unclued lights together form an eight-word question from a well-known song. The song’s protagonist suggests the other five unclued lights (including one hyphened), which are anagrams of words of a kind (including one of two words), all confirmed by Chambers.

Across

1 Spectre behind paper awning (8)

8 Fellow enters Washington Democratic Party (4)

13 Poet suitable for everyone in a study (5)

14 They succeed with shots in archery (7)

15 Admiral one’s seen on the water (5)

16 English with last word about evacuation procedure (5)

21 After some years, new church shows moral decline (9)

24 Once saw a lot of sea cucumber (6)

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Douglas Murray

What real justice would look like for grooming gang victims

25 Ass losing energy by a group of plants (6)

27 One in lush orgy cavorting playfully (9)

31 One will cut duty on a lot of food (6, hyphened)

32 Fish was malodorous (5)

33 Viscous substance on books is fragrant stuff (5)

35 Best to follow bully – it’s a bit of a shock (7)

36 Cups great for barbecue in Cape Town (5)

38 Spring having an extra day? (4)

Down

1 Silver and green section around Indian paradise (6)

2 Heartlessly, yes becomes no (4, hyphened)

3 Glaswegian assesses wine on board (6)

4 Abroad, he ran for Prime Minister (5)

5 Captain in sea – he’d ordered boats (10)

6 Put off one tucking into fresh neat ale (8)

7 Car buyer’s grim time moving dead flower (11, hyphened)

8 Like a cyst: flipping novel and extremely nasty (5)

9 Kind of plastic train tracks in colony (9)

12 Saw welcoming leaders, on time, getting bonus (9)

15 Dividing up spartan home, coming in mine (11)

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