Across entries have a missing letter each time it occurs (indicated by wordplay) and 5 down clues need to be altered before entry to make new words. Well not quite – only the downs make new words. The missing letters from the across entries spelling out how to amend the 5 down answers. Relatively straight forward.
And it generally was once I realised the preamble contained an inaccuracy – the across answers are not real words.
The missing letters in the across answers spelled out:
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
Not a necessity that seems to exist in democratic politics these days.
The 5 down answers then needed to be adjusted to remove a synonym of knowledge and replace with a P for power
And that was that – always a little disappointed when the final grid does not reveal anything but a pleasurable Sunday afternoon certainly. Thanks proXimal.
Key: Underline definition; * anagram; DD double definition; Rev. Reverse
Across
1 Muslim leaders from island welcomed by Persian monarchs (7)
Shahs (Persian monarchs) around I (island) = SHAIKHS
6 Almost completely saturate old tea leaves (7)
Immerse (saturate) – e = NIMMERS
11 Head on writer for candour (8)
Ness (head) after Pen (writer) = OPENNESS
12 A juvenile, mostly unconventional (6)
A youth (juvenile) = WAYOUT
13 Help to empty waste blocking humble coastal structure (14, two words)
Back (help) + to + we (empty waster) in poor (humble) = BLACKPOOL TOWER
14 New parts from the East to secure Luxembourg compound (8)
Rev. (N (new) + bits (parts) around L (Luxembourg)) = STILBENE
16 Sailor that is aboard vessel tried to gain someone’s friendship (8, two words)
Os (sailor) + ie (that is) in Cup (vessel) = COSIED UP
17 Tests gun parts (8)
DD Triers(test) = TRIGGERS
22 Imaginary creature of Carroll poem that’s unfinished, two verses (7)
Snark (Imaginary creature of Carroll) – k + ii (two) = SENARII
24 Once more gain answer in chat after reflection (8)
A (answer) in Rev. natter (chat) = REATTAIN
27 The Spanish fish in demand (7)
El (The Spanish) + ling (fish) = SELLING
28 Private alcohol recovery group gathered in dilapidated tin trailer (13)
AA (alcohol recovery group) in (tin trailer)* = INTRAPARIETAL
29 Cut in any way (6)
DD Sever (cut) = SOEVER
30 Evangelist branch is half-hearted (8)
Luke (evangelist) + arm (branch) = LUKEWARM
31 Fabulous swimmers attempt loch on edges of moor (9)
Pop (attempt) + l (loch) after mr (edges of moor) = MERPEOPLE
32 Express disgust at deputy allowed to disappear regularly (7)
Dep (deputy) + aLlOwEd = DEPLORE
Down
2 US playhouse losing top conductor (6)
Theater(US playhouse) – t = HEATER
3 Two-edged and flattened lilac plant I ordered, spending two pounds (9)
(lilac plant I – p – l(two pounds))* = ANCIPITAL
4 Old tape of phone calls removed from case (5)
Tinkles (phone calls) – ts = INKLE
5 Try spell to limit onset of bad indigestion (7)
Hear (try) turn (spell) around b (onset of bad) = HEARTBURN swap ART for P = HEPBURN
6 Woodlice, perhaps, well hidden in music devices (7)
So (well) in ipods (music devices) = ISOPODS
7 Join half-cut sailors (4)
Matelots (sailors) – lots = MATE
8 Oscar in gym with nice flexing happening spontaneously in muscles (6)
O (Oscar) in (gym)* + (nice)* = MYOGENIC swap GEN for P = MYOPIC
9 Heard why marsupial’s not eating and melancholy (6)
Homonym Roo (marsupial) + full = RUEFUL
10 Disparaging about excursion that’s source of illumination (9)
Slighting (disparaging) around trip (excursion) = STRIPLIGHTING swap LIGHT for P = STRIPPING
14 Male supporting star in US treated for lead-poisoning (9)
(star in US + m)* = SATURNISM
15 Renewed supply from vineyard filling retail complex (9)
(retail)* around cru (supply from vineyard) = RECRUITAL
18 Defence against surges from bull, say, spanning most of path (7, two words)
Seal (bull say) around walk (path) – k = SEA WALL
19 A lecturer wearing posh sports brand is different (7)
A + l (lecturer) in u(posh) + nike (sports brand) = UNALIKE
20 Note offer to get number for date (6)
Tender (offer) swapping n (number) for d(date) = TENNER
21 Player is quiet before over (6)
St (quiet) + ere (before) + o (over) = STEREO
23 Ill-educated person signs card, not just internally (6)
Internally sIGNs + cARd + nOt = IGNARO
25 Smooth vegetable bake finally put in tin (5)
Sn (tin) around leek (vegetable) + e (bake finally) = SLEEKEN swap KEN for P = SLEEP
26 Bones of stegosaur selflessly reassembled (4)
(stegosaur – ego)* = TARSUS swapping SUS for P = TARP