“Clues are presented in alphabetical order of their answers, which must be entered where they will fit. Seven clues consist of wordplay only; on entry, their answers must be replaced with MORE. However, only six of these expansions fit in the grid; the seventh must be highlighted. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended; one answer is in Collins.”
The seven ‘wordplay only’ clues lead to seven animals, which are to be replaced in the grid by their respective collective nouns. The exception is STARLING, as MURMURATION is to be highlighted.
I thought that CAT was COOT for a while, and was trying to fit COVERT into the grid, but once I found CLOWDER in the grid I figured out my error. L-PLATES had me convinced I’d made a mistake, but I figured out it and T-CELL together.
NOTES
1 Apparently Paddington is known for staring at people who occur his disapproval.
2 Note that the clues for STOOL and STRIATE are given in the wrong order.
Notation
(xxx) = definition
[xxx] = (anagram/homophone/container/etc.) indicator
XXX* = anagram
< = reversal
Please post a comment if the explanations are not clear.
| AIDE | Assistant of |
|
| ALIDAD | Index, [possibly] LA-DI-DA* | |
| AUTOVACS | AU (Gold) COAST* [in turmoil], [accepting] V ([initially] VALUABLE) means to raise fuel? | |
| CETE | BADGER | BADGE (Mark) R (runs) |
| CALGON | [CLAN GO]* [out] to find detergent | |
| CLOWDER | CAT | SCAT (Go away), [abandoning S (son)] |
| DISCERN | DISC (Record) RN (sailors) [kidnapping] E (English) judge | |
| DISHONOR | Shame DISH (attractive person) ON (just after) OR (men) | |
| EANS | SANE* [criminal] gives birth | |
| EARTHA | Kitt perhaps |
|
| EDDIE | [“EDDY” Reportedly, one might go round] ‘The Eagle’? | |
| EERIE | EER (Always)? IE (That is) strange | |
| ELO | [Somewhat] < viOLEnt [over] band | |
| ETOILE | Star in OIL (work of art) [during] ETE (summer in Paris) | |
| EVOLUE | < LOVE (Affection) [returned] by UE ([occasionally] |
|
| L-PLATES | Signs of green motorist? | |
| MATADOR | Killer‘s MAT |
|
| TROOP | MONKEY | Short start of the working week? Crucial! |
| OBIT | Final notice as R (Republican) [leaves] O |
|
| ONER | Story NE (of Geordie maybe) [covered in] OR (gold) | |
| ORDEAL | Test DE (of French) [in] ORAL (test) | |
| PARSE | Make sense of [endless] PARSE |
|
| MUSTER | PEACOCK | PEAC [“PEEK” (Spy), we hear], [facing] OK (fine) [to tour} C (clubs) |
| PIES | Dishes that, [cooked with RIND, could be] INSPIRED* | |
| REEVES | REEVE (Kent actor) S ([finally HITS) stewards | |
| RELATE | [Embroiled in] quarREL, A TEst for couple | |
| DOPPING | SHELDRAKE | SH |
| SPAS | [Cycling], PASS (leave behind) more than one spring | |
| DRAY | SQUIRREL | SQUIRE (Gentleman), R (right) [to go inside], L (left) |
| MURMURATION | STARLING | STARING (Looking like Paddington – see note one above) [in] L (Lima)? [Quite the opposite] |
| See note { | STRIATE | Make a groove having [remixed] ARTISTE* |
| 2 above { | STOOL | S (Second) TOOL (design that’s impressed) throne |
| TERMOR | With M (millions) [being invested], [half-heartedly] TER |
|
| T-CELL | TELL (Mention) [about] C (compliance) that’s an aid to immunity | |
| THERETO | TT (Races) O (over), [will take in] HERE (these parts) as well | |
| TOMMY | Who’s musical? A soldier! | |
| UEY | Turn |
| M | A | T | A | D | O | R | C | E | T | E |
| U | U | E | Y | R | R | E | L | A | T | E |
| S | T | R | I | A | T | E | O | N | E | R |
| T | O | M | M | Y | H | V | W | S | D | I |
| E | V | O | L | U | E | E | D | D | I | E |
| R | A | R | P | A | R | S | E | E | S | C |
| T | C | E | L | L | E | A | R | T | H | A |
| R | S | A | A | I | T | S | T | O | O | L |
| O | B | I | T | D | O | P | P | I | N | G |
| O | R | D | E | A | L | A | E | L | O | O |
| P | I | E | S | D | I | S | C | E | R | N |