Spectator N0 2639 -"Spelling The End" By Fieldfare

[Matakari]

Good morning, a deceptively good start with Fieldfare until
I got stuck with the following for which I would welcome
some help. Thanks in advance!

ACROSS:
12    Two ancients drinking a gallon in the shade (3,4) : ???G?L?

34    Lord, one after a sweetheart (6)  : ??O???

39    Half idle talk leads to minor stroke (6) : ??T???

40    Still bony, and without a hair-band? (10)  : ?N?I????E?

DOWN:

9    I rode off into deplorable street (4,4) : S??E???D

18    One not reacting as judge is lost in legal terminology (5)  ???O?

22    By the edges, plan to hold green sort of cracker (5)  : ?R???

[scorpiojo]

9d side road, anag I rode + sad (deplorable)

[Neveracrossword]

12 Two times the most common 3-letter word for 'ancient', with the abbreviation for Gallon inside.

40

[Neveracrossword]

22 Prawn, a sort of cracker - P(la)N with Raw, geen inside.

[Neveracrossword]

39 Tittle, minor stroke, from Tittle tattle, idle talk.

[Neveracrossword]

40 Unfilleted, double definition

18 Argon, a  non-reacting gas, from Jargon, legal terminology, losing the J.

[Matakari]

Many thanks, NACW, I did find 9d and 18d, but did not trust myself sufficiently. Now, for 34a, I have: U?O???
Thanks for shedding some light on this!

[Neveracrossword]

Thanks, Matakari. Have another look at 34 - your U is wrong.

 

 

[Matakari]

Thanks! After a pretty long break, I’m back. Some of the Unclueds are falling into place neatly. I’m seeking help with this lot to complete the theme.

34a    Lord, one after a sweetheart (6)  : ??O???

42a    Mule such a beast, of burden (5)  : ?R???

19d    Cut from the neck, born nuisance losing head — death! (4,3)  : ?EST???

31d    Say, purchase mushrooms for a bender (6)  : ???E??      ( BICEPS )

33d    Parking space at ends of large barrier (5)  : ?A?LE  ( GABLE )

[Neveracrossword]

Thamks, Matakari - I thought you'd sail through this, you're a Fieldfare fan!

34 Adonai

42 Cross, double definition

19 Best End 

[Neveracrossword]

33 Bayle - Bay + L(arg)E.

PS This month's Crossword Centre puzzle is VERY Matakari-friendly....

[Neveracrossword]

31 Yes - it sounds like Buy Ceps...

[quinol]

But why did he cast them into such faflung bodies of freshwater?

ps  is 24 across 'nebs' and why?

and 1 down an italian fruit (too)?

 

ps

[Matakari]

Thanks, NACW! I'm getting closer to unravelling the theme now.
A confirmation for these two would be appreciated:

1a    Once rush from county, as ire subsides (5): ?A?S? ( RAISE )
3d    Elects contralto: I’ve made a mistake about tenor (2-4) : SA??T? ( SA-NOTE)

[Neveracrossword]

Matakari, thanks.  I can confirm that you have wrong letters in both of those! The S in 1 A is incorrect, the S and A in 3 D are wrong too.

Glad you're getting closer to unravelling the theme now!

[Matakari]

Good morning, got an interesting read of Shakespeare, albeit
tempestuous and am left with three UNCLUEDS, to wit:
1d   ??M?N?
23d  B?I?SI?E
35d  A?L?S
I believe I’ve solved 3d, but am still bothered by 1a for which I now have:

?A?C?

An answer would be appreciated, thanks!

[Neveracrossword]

1 A. Lanch - take 'as ire' from Lancashire, county. Your Chambers will confirm the definition.

35 Atlas

Your 23 D has a couple of mistakes.

 

[Matakari]

Thanks, NACW! My couple of mistakes can only be in the following:

23A    In Ibsen role, book fast speaker (7) GABBLER instead of BABBLER?
36A    Over in Oban, with seaweed around (4) ?W?E  ( SWEE )  

[Neveracrossword]

Thanks, Matakari.

Yes,  23 is Gabbler - Ibsen's character was Gabler (not Babler!), add B for Book.

36 A - I expect you are simply misspelling the answer. The three letter seaweed  has the usual With inside, leading to the Scottish 'over'.

 

[Matakari]

Many thanks, NACW, I saw the Ibsen clueI, but went astray with the entry.
I am still intrigued by the title” Spelling the end” and while I’ve found that all of the UNCLUEDS
except 23d ( associated with magic ) seem to have a place in water. Lake, etc, I’m not so sure of this link. The last of the UNCLUEDS, 1d, now gives me L?M?N? and I am thinking LAMONT but without any real conviction. Thanks in advance for advising!