3 columns of regular down clues that need treatment at the end. Regular across clues and down clues not in the 3 columns have an extra letter to remove before solving. The missing letters can then be rearranged to a name. This giving a clue to the rearrangement required in the three columns to see the entries in the columns rather than at the bottom of the grid
The rearranged extra letters yielded Nebuchadnezzar – allegedly infamous for throwing three people into a fiery furnace. SHADRACH, MESHACH and ABEDNEGO.
The three were protected by god and didn’t end AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GRID but instead were still standing at the end.
Rearranging the letters in the column give a bar BUD then SEAR then FOR
Thanks Ifor reminded me of old RE lessons delivered by a reverend who was certainly not without sin.
Across
1 Movement in dance should be muffled, barely moving (13)
(should be muffled)* = DOUBLE-SHUFFLE
10 It emits infrared, keeping uses flexible (6)
IR infrared around (uses)* = ISSUER
12 Acknowledgement of established usage leads to one verbally answering back (6)
Rev. law (established usage) + ova (leads to one verbally answering) = AVOWAL
14 Romantic derivation obscuring a large quantity (7)
der (derivation) around ream (large quantity) = DREAMER
15 Unprepared, with sailors on board reported (5)
Homophone of crewed (with sailors) = CRUDE
16 Little support without moving back West (3)
BRA
17 Prophetic state of Pope lacking a name (5)
Vatican (state of Pope) – a – n(name) = VATIC
18 Appropriate liturgy for Milton (5)
DD RIGHT
19 Plastic tag limiting ends of lace? (5)
(tag)* around le (ends of lace) = AGLET
21 Haggard character wears heavy chains (3)
Hidden wearS HEavy = SHE
23 Confused types, dopiest when external spot is taken (4)
dopiest – dot(spot) = PIES
24 Basic introduction taking pressure off former linesman? (5)
primer(basic introduction) – p(pressure) = RIMER
27 Part of column, complete and hollow inside (4)
do(complete) around ad (and hollow) = DADO
28 Dullard content to ease focus of crossword (3)
as (content to ease) + s (focus of crossword) = ASS
32 Willingly giving up old disciple (3)
soon (willingly) – o(old) = SON
34 Sophomore’s admitting right to frat house (3)
t(right to frat)+ ho (house) = THO
35 French lovers, missing Britain, cross water from Calais (3)
beaux (French lovers) – b(Britain) – x (cross) = EAU
37 Pedal extension in contact with hub of wheel (3)
to(in contact with) + e (hub of wheel) = TOE
38 Not one second class in Black Bob’s subtle disguises (6)
(blackbobs – all b)* = CLOAKS
39 Hang aslant, back to front (6)
angled(aslant) moving back to front = DANGLE
40 Literature drawn from alternative reality? 1984, say (4)
(reality – lit)* = YEAR
41 Get help hiding noble lady (5)
Hidden gET HELp = ETHEL
42 We are crammed together, disheartened and disoriented in jug (4)
(weare – a)* = EWER
Down
1 Variance of facts, namely within poorly prized headless whim (11)
Z 1 Variance of facts, namely within poorly pried headless whim (11)
sc(namely) in (pried)* + fancy (whim) – f = DISCREPANCY
2 God of old appears to be restricting agent (6)
A 2 God of old appears to be restricting gent (6)
o(old) + is (appears) around sir (gent) = OSIRIS
3 Religious icons start to develop odd heads now and again (7)
bud(start to develop) + oDd HeAdS = BUDDHAS
4 Beginning to hear enigmatic puzzle in underworld cavern (6)
H 4 Beginning to ear enigmatic puzzle in underworld cavern (6)
e(beginning to ear) + rebus (puzzle) = EREBUS
5 Synthetic cashmere? I’ve no idea (8, two words)
(cashmere) = SEARCH ME
6 Gruesome death outside in the morning, with a hook at the end (6)
D 6 Gruesome eath outside in the morning, with a hook at the end (6)
(eath)* around am (in the morning) = HAMATE
7 Plundered gold after following elderly (7)
f(following) + or (gold) + aged (elderly) = FORAGED
8 Women risk uncovering deal in emotion (6)
E 8 Women risk uncovering deal in motion (6)
((is) risk uncoverd + (deal))* = LADIES
9 Promote candidate in Exeter, ignoring vote and closing time around Reading (11)
C 9 Promote candidate in Exeter, ignoring vote and losing time around Reading (11)
(Exeter) – x (vote) – t(time) around lection (reading) = ELECTIONEER
11 Guests feel half-heartedly awkward in fistfight (8)
E 11 Gusts feel half-heartedly awkward in fistfight (8)
(gusts + feel – e (half heartedly))* = SLUGFEST
13 We constructed stable base providing hire of crew with plane (8, two words)
B 13 We constructed stale base providing hire of crew with plane (8, two words)
we + (stale)* + e (base) = WET LEASE
20 Idealistic poet gave away stocking ring… (6)
A 20 Idealistic poet gave way stocking ring… (6)
broke (gave way) around o (ring) = BROOKE
22… coarse, but really oddly, band… (6)
N 22… coarse, but really oddly, bad… (6)
(but + ReAlLy)* = BRUTAL
25 … that is suited to be twisted (5, two words)
U 25 … that is sited to be twisted (5, two words)
(sited)* = ID EST
26 Sturdy earth, directly holding tons up (5)
R 26 Study earth, directly holding tons up (5)
Rev. e (eart) + due (directly) around t (tons) = ETUDE
29 Uniform in holes, shivering after freezing hard (4)
Z 29 Uniform in holes, shivering after freeing hard (4)
(holes – h)* = SOLE
30 Cleaner seat I scrubbed (4)
chair(seat) – I = CHAR
31 Breadth over a single axis, say (4)
b(breadth) + one (a) = BONE
33 Stare impertinently, impressed by long legs (4)
N 33 Stare impertinently, impressed by log legs (4)
Hidden = lOG LEgs = OGLE
36 Bearer of keys has to have opening completely lowered (3)
has moving h to end = ASH