Enigmatic Variations 1413 Not on the Level by Kcit

Alphabetically ordered across clues, normal downs apart from one and then an unknown twist, which affects one of the downs and some of the acrosses.

The down that needed amendment is 4dn – this became PATERNOSTERS. The acrosses being entered normally up to 4dn then continuing from another point in 4dn to completion. And that was that. As to Paternoster – Chambers gives this as “a lift for goods or passengers, consisting of a series of cars moving on a continuous belt, the floors remaining horizontal at the top and bottom of travel“.

The title also referred to changing the level of the answer as it passed through the central column.

Not really my cup of tea, though a novel concept and some pleasant clues. The lack of any hidden treasure in the completed grid being my main gripe.

Many thanks Kcit and a Happy new decade to everyone.

Key:

DD double definition; rev. Reversed; * anagram; underline definition

Across
* ‘Tis preacher, possibly, with no end of harangue
(tispreacher – e)* = ARCHPRIEST row 1 continue at row 11
* Out to lunch, ignoring first host
barmy (out to lunch) – b = ARMY (row 7 first entry)
* More than one publican eyes not opening after report of gun
bark (rport of gun) + peepers(eyes) – p (not opening) = BARKEEPERS row 10 continue at row 4
* Observes pieces hoarded by French aristocrats, not English
comtes(French aristocrats) – e (not english) around men (pieces) = COMMENTS row 4 continue at row 6
* M, once head of espionage, married old woman
e (head of espionage) + m (married) + ma (old woman) = EMMA (row 5 first entry)
* Relative decay in gear and bait
(gear)* + taunt(bait) = GREATAUNT row 2 continue at row 9
* Cry of joy about succeeding being at full length (two words)
next(succeeding) + ens(being) in Io (cry of joy) = IN EXTENSO row 9 continue at row 10
* Chemical surface, in short, may be penetrated by phosphorus – that’s it!
in ters(short) around p (phosphorous) + ha (that’s it) = INTERPHASE row 11 continue at row 1
* Place and time to catch a group of grasshoppers
locus(place) + tide (time) + a = LOCUSTIDAE row 8 continue at row 3
* Is returning to occupy opera heroine’s houses
Rev. (Is) in Manons(opera heroine) = MANSIONS row 6 continue at row 8
* A monarch getting behind public? That’s surprising
overt(public) + a king (monarch) = OVERTAKING row 3 continue at row 2
* Fruit, meaning starvation no longer
DD PINE row 7 second entry
* Wit bound for the history books
DD SALT row 5 second entry

Down
1 Wading bird picked up drink around inlet, mostly (6)
Rev. tea (drink) around cove (inlet) – e = AVOCET
2 By reason of death, about to be kept in here? (4)
am (by reason of) around re. (about) = CREM
3 Head home, escaping that woman’s strength (5)
her (that woman’s) + main (strength) – in (home) = HERMA
4 Writer retorts, upset about American invaders? (11)
pen (writer) + (retorts)* = PENETRATORS – entered as PATER NOSTER
5 Advisor’s plan, latest to be given boost (4)
idea(plan) moving a to top = AIDE
6 Poet’s to sound surly, cutting creature from poem (4)
Snark (creature from poem) – k = SNAR
7 Discharge for one on awareness program (5)
eg (for one) + est (awareness program) = EGEST
8 City’s run down in period of sacrifice (4)
Rome (city) moving r (run) down = OMER
9 No longer capable of ignoring a claim on one’s attention (3)
past (no longer capable) – a = PST
10 After bit of elastic goes, underclothes fall (4)
linen (underclothes) – e (bit of elastic) = LINN
11 Papyrus regularly revealing fish (3)
pApYrUs (rgularly) = AYU
12 Chamber group: Ravel’s is engaged in dance movements (6)
est (Ravel’s is) in set (dance movements) = SESTET
13 Line in excellent book, one feature of detective story (5)
l (line) in ai (excellent) + b (book) + i (one) = ALIBI
14 Quiet passages? Page two contains a number (5)
p (page) + ii (two) around a + n (number) = PIANI
15 Infamous Biblical character, described as small when standing up? (4)
Rev. nano (small) = ONAN
16 Rector with time to support church? You can bet on it (4)
ce (church) + r (rector) + t (time) = CERT
17 Water bird avoiding lake or river (4)
ousel (water bird) – l (lake) = OUSE