Two unclued entries and a mainfestation of this in a number of entries. All words, phrases or proper nouns in the final grid.
It became apparent fairly quickly that some entries were too short and some too long. The top right corner got me onto the sheep theme and the two unclued enries fell into place soon afterwards.
Top row LITTLE BO PEEP
Bottom row LOST HER SHEEP
5 terms for sheep move from one grid entry to another:
EWE; LAMB; TUP; TEG and RAM being the terms to move
And that was that – relatively straight forward but thoroughly good fun
Thanks Kruger
Key underline definition; * anagram; Rev. reverse; DD double definition;
Across
9 It lights up Venus (7)
DD LUCIFER
10 Area in town for large public building (6)
a (area) in place (town) = PALACE
12 Derivatives of pungent gas since found in pit? On the contrary (6)
mine (pit) found in as (since) = AMINES
13 Starts to stitch unfinished top using rayon and last of thread (7)
Starts to Stitch Unfinished Top Using Rayon And Last = SUTURAL
15 Pole – it’s of oak, perhaps (7)
DD MAST enter MAE WEST (EWE added)
17 Rarely dumbfounded priest on middle of pew to be introduced to dwarf (4)
p(priest) + e (middle of pew) in stunt (dwarf) = STUPENT enter SENT remove TUP
18 Helps with Air Staff departing stays in Edinburgh (5)
assists (helps) – as(air staff) = SISTS
20 Whaler‘s a hard sailor (4)
a + h(hard) + ab (sailor) = AHAB
21 Absent Scotsman’s afraid to return in part of February and March (4)
a (absent) + Rev. rad (Scotsman’s afraid) = ADAR
22 Limited festival no longer broadcast (7)
Homophone of tide (festival no longer) = TIED enter TITUPED (TUP added)
26 Thai people right to feed wild snake (6)
(snakwe)* around r (right) = KARENS
27 Nice Protestant church set to welcome leader of major power (6)
tele(set) around mp(leader of major power) = TEMPLE
29 Male Democrat held by former Republican American in room (7)
he(male) + d (dempocrat) in ex (former) + ra (republican american) = EXHEDRA
32 Very small adult cat? (4)
a(adult) + tom (cat?) = ATOM
33 With a dense and iridescent glaze damaged – blamed fire on both sides (4)
(blamed + fe)* = FLAMBEED enter FEED remove LAMB
36 Country still hosts historic cattle-fair (5)
Hidden counTRY STill = TRYST
39 Heartlessly steal gate pillar (4)
pilfer(steal) – lf (heartlessly) = PIER
40 Artisan carved Empress (7)
(artisan)* = TSARINA
41 Shift sample of rock (7)
DD CORE enter CORTEGE (TEG added)
42 One Italian regularly adjusted interferometer (6)
(ONE iTaLiAn )* = ETALON
43 Poets do insist on moving after losing home (6)
(so insist -in)* = ODISTS
44 Nuke just over half of coral island before adjustment of dispute (7)
atoll (coral island) – ll + mise (adjustment of dispute) = ATOMISE
Down
1 About to finish off quick puzzle – ultimately, a piece of it’s easy (8)
ca (about) ke (finish off quick puzzle) = CAKE enter CLAM BAKE (LAMB added)
2 Here, in France, base beside river’s more distant (5)
ici (here in Paris) + e (base) + r (river) = ICIER
3 Without struggle, Mac’s to lose metallic articles (7)
tine (to lose) around war (struggle) = TINWARE
4 Group of composers fewer than nine (6, two words)
less (fewer than) + ix(nine) = LES SIX
5 Rest disrupted at first (4)
(rest)* = ERST
6 Explorer heard musical pipes (5)
Homophone of oats(musical pipes) = OATES
7 Where we live, 50 per cent of them are unfit (5)
(them – em + are)* = EARTH
8 Money beginning to profit mischievous child (4)
p(beginning to profit) + elf (mischevious child) = PELF
11 Colt (thoroughbred) eating first of mash before Jose’s surprised expression (4)
c (colt) + arab (thoroughbred) around mb (first of mash before) = CARAMBA remove RAM enter CABA
14 Discovered in Peru, an unidentified climbing sloth (4)
Rev. hidden perU AN Unidentified = UNAU
16 Say more about unknown antelope (5)
add (say more) a (about) + x (unknown) = ADDAX
18 Strengthened out-dated security without getting on top of it (4)
wed (security) after sine (without) = SINEWED remove EWE enter SEND
19 Long-term plan to confine renegade, say, in pen (5)
rat(renegade) + eg(say) in sty (pen) = STRATEGY
23 In the Cairngorms, take notice of camp (4)
DD TENT
24 Separate and remove old lion injured below top of ear (5)
(e + lion)* = ELOIN
25 Conducted end of battle – men dead unfortunately (8)
(e men dead)* = DEMEANED
28 Marcel hands out potential means of quelling riot (7)
marcel – rl = MACE enter MACRAME (RAM added)
30 Correct to overturn lost opportunity (4)
Rev. tide (opportunity) = EDIT
31 Agrees to withdrawing new things worth having (6)
assents (agrees) – n(new) = ASSETS
34 Green director’s mild oath forgotten (4)
eco(green) + d (director) = ECOD
35 Nancy’s captivated by crooked spire (5)
(spire)* = EPRIS
36 Support most of the force (5)
tee (support) + th (most of the) = TEETH
37 Trouble extremely irate Irish girl (5)
ail(trouble) + ie (extremely irate) = AILIE
38 System used in game locally upheld (4)
Rev. hidden LOCAlly = ACOL
40 Dictator’s row of guns in cavity (4)
Homophone of tier(row) = TEAR