Eight unclued entries, 27 clues with an extra letter and someone to find in the final grid. Sounds like fun.
THE HIDDEN PAW
NAPOLEON OF CRIME
Links to MACAVITY and a poem by T S Eliot.
The unclued entries proved to be those hunting him (half)
Top row FOREIGN OFFICE
Bottom row SECRET SERVICE
Left hand column SCOTLAND YARD
Right hand column THE ADMIRALTY
And what he was after (other half)
TREATY; Drawings; MILK and PLANS.
Where was he diagonally from the square starting 21 across
In keeping with the first stanza of the poem:
Macavity’s a Mystery Cat: he’s called the Hidden Paw—
For he’s the master criminal who can defy the Law.
He’s the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad’s despair:
For when they reach the scene of crime—Macavity’s not there!
He needs to be removed from the final grid
Thanks Gaston pleasing puzzle and lovely poem too.
Key * anagram; underline definition; DD double definition; Rev. reversed
Across
11 Attractive girl has a factotum (5)
doll (attractive girl) around a = DO-ALL
12 Deter diver on the rocks beside cape (6)
T 12 Deer diver on the rocks beside cape (6)
(diver)* after c(cape) = CERVID
13 Row concerning sex is reviewed (4)
Rev. Re (concerning) + it (sex) = TIER
14 Hold letter when Roosevelt’s wife drops it (3)
H 14 Old letter when Roosevelt’s wife drops it (3)
edith (Roosevelt’s wife) – it = EDH
15 Leader shifted back in bloody wild party (4)
gory(bloody) moving g (leader) = ORGY
16 Need information concealed by Eastern Church (6)
gen(information) in e (eastern) + ce (church) = EGENCE
18 Runs to gnaw a lasso (5)
r(runs) + eat(gnaw) + a = REATA
19 Cape flaps around new organs (5)
E 19 Cap flaps around new organs (5)
lugs(cap flaps) around n (new) = LUNGS
21 Gaston’s hair rejected by school – it has lots of tiny legs! (8)
H 21 Gaston’s air rejected by school – it has lots of tiny legs! (8)
my (gaston’s) + rev. air + pod (school) = MYRIAPOD
24 Baits airmen to stay put (6)
I 24 Bats airmen to stay put (6)
(airmen)* = REMAIN
26 Dance avoiding bad drink (4)
D 26 Dance avoiding ba drink (4)
Rhumba(dance) – ba = RHUM
28 Scent when announcing seeds (4)
D 28 Scent when announcing sees (4)
knows(sees) homophone = NOSE
29 Native American losing half of coat sleeve (6)
Comanche (native American) – co (half of coat) = MANCHE
32 Military mound protected by sage Germans (5)
E 32 Military mound protected by sag Germans (5)
hidden sAG GERmans = AGGER
33 Sing unknown poem in front of lake (5)
y(unknown) + ode (poem) + l (front of lake) = YODEL
35 Prayers not available after first half of month (6)
November (month) – mber + na(not available) = NOVENA
37 Prison the Spanish made of metal (6)
nick(prison) + el (the Spanish) = NICKEL
39 Daily overlooking newer face (4)
N 39 Daily overlooking ewer face (4)
diurnal(daily) – urn (ewer) = DIAL
40 Pouting, shedding the first tear (3)
P 40 Outing, shedding the first tear (3)
trip(outing) – t (first) = RIP
41 Anatomical openings found in bronchia, largely (4)
A 41 Anatomical openings found in bronchi, largely (4)
Hidden broncHI LArgely = HILA
42 English blocking tax, historically, for Anglo-Saxon coin (6)
e(English) in Scatt (tax – old) = SCEATT
43 Walter names stars (5)
W 43 Alter names stars (5)
(names)* = MENSA
Down
1 Snubbed public rule none of the French transgress (7)
N 1 Snubbed public rule one of the French transgress (7)
overt(public) – t + r (rule) + un (one of the French) = OVERRUN
2 Discontent when messenger loses nail (4)
A 2 Discontent when messenger loses nil (4)
Envoy(messenger) – o (nil) = ENVY
3 Pass personal documents and current books (5)
P 3 Ass personal documents and current books (5)
id(personal documents) + I (current) + ot (books) = IDIOT
4 Pious when changing direction – having no point, perhaps (5, two words)
O 4 Pious when changing direction – having no pint, perhaps (5, two words)
godly(pious) changing l(left) to r(right) = GO DRY
5 Bum in past bets regularly (5)
iN pAsT bEtS = NATES
6 Having reduced peel and oil liquid, I cover up opening in crock (8)
L 6 Having reduced pee and oil liquid, I cover up opening in crock (8)
(oil)* + OLIGURIC
7 Planet following Earth focus of Copernicus (4)
E 7 Plant following Earth focus of Copernicus (4)
f(following) + e (earth) + rn (focus of copeRNicus) = FERN
8 In command, stride up cold part of mountain (6)
ic (in command) + Rev. pace (stride) = ICE-CAP
9 Moan about Department of Education trainee (5)
O 9 Man about Department of Education trainee (5)
cat(man) around de(department of education) = CADET
10 Lots of antique silver is oddly strange! (7)
(strange)* = ARGENTS
17 Never disheartened in Ireland, according to poet (4)
N 17 Ever disheartened in Ireland, according to poet (4)
er(ever disheartened) + in + ERIN
20 King George you and I recalled as cultivated (4)
gr(king George) +Rev. we (you and I) = GREW
22 Goan developed yen to climb tree (4)
O 22 Gan developed yen to climb tree (4)
(gan)* after y(yen) = YANG
23 100m2 having good shifting dunes (4)
are(100m2) + g(good) = AREG
25 19th century cloak somehow felt meant (8)
F 25 19th century cloak somehow elt meant (8)
(elt meant)* = MANTELET
27 Concerned about health of pigs with no cover hyena distressed (7)
(ig + hyena)* = HYGEIAN
30 Hunting tube ticket torn in half (7)
vena(tube) + ticket – ket = VENATIC
31 Publicity photograph hides one of fact (6)
C 31 Publicity photograph hides one of fat (6)
ad(publicity) + pic(photograph) around I(one) = ADIPIC
34 Postponed being at rink (5, two words)
DD ON ICE
35 No friend, Scandinavian goblin in Bergen is seditious (5)
R 35 No fiend, Scandinavian goblin in Bergen is seditious (5)
Hidden bergeN IS SEditious = NISSE
36 Cobras trained, but no basis for award (5)
I 36 Cobras trained, but no bass for award (5)
(cobras – b)* = OSCAR
38 Odd job team (4)
M 38 Odd job tea (4)
DD CHAR
39 Fuel of every primary colour on the counter (4)
E 39 Fuel of very primary colour on the counter (4)
Rev. v(very) + red(primary colour) = DERV