Solution to Dressing Down by Hedge-sparrow

 Dressing Down by Hedge-sparrow - SOLUTION

 Perpetrator:  WALTER HODGKINS

The theme is the 1974 / 75 song “FLING IT HERE, FLING IT THERE” sung by (The) YETTIES (to be highlighted).  It tells the story of WALTER HODGKINS (name unjumbled from contents of greyed cells and written below the grid), whose MUCKSPREADER (unclued entry) developed a mechanical fault, causing it to spray liquid manure on all and sundry.  The named victims – CATS, DOGS, KIDDIES, OPEN CAR, MISS PRINGLE, MINISTER’S WIFE, VICAR and POLICEMAN – all appear at clashes in the grid (to be indicated by initial letters and cells coloured brown).  The two letters IT must be “flung” (as per the song’s title) from each of eight clues (matching the number of victims).

No.	Clue	Derivation	Entry	Removed Letters
	Across
1	Hot and anxious, stripped layers	H (t)ENS(e)	HENS
4	Bit of log insect cut down	MANTIS SA(d)	MANTISSA
10	Sure graduate returned antique first reader	(YES BA)<	ABSEY
12	Squandering penny, cease wanting pounds	MISSING around (P END)	MISSPENDING
13	Roster of gunners protecting returning Tito	RA around TO<	ROTA	IT
14	Tail leading edge of torrential downpour	T(orrential) RAIN	TRAIN
15	Seized smashed stones, including primarily industrial diamonds	KNAPPED around (I(ndustrial) D)	KIDNAPPED
16	Decline to admit pursuing idol	GOD OWN	GO DOWN
18	Conference prescribed choice of food	DIET (double def.)	DIET
20	Mysteries of ear canal uncovered	(e)AR CANA(l)	ARCANA
21	Younger pens recognize patrons of letters	LESS around SEE	LESSEES
22	Unclued
26	Little monkeys scratching children?  Little monkeys!	CHIMPS - CH	IMPS
27	Female winner Verity French hosted by Victoria State’s leader	(VIC S(tate)) around TRES	VICTRESS	IT
28	Special checks identified revolutionary Russian native in the water	NAMED< around S	DESMAN
30	Bearded man’s a junior scout	BEAVER (double def.)	BEAVER
31	Abbeys receiving one knowing the latest status of clerics	(MINSTERS around I) HIP	MINISTERSHIP
33	Those seeking votes toil vigorously to gain access to selectors	TOIL* in PICKERS	POLITICKERS
36	Do a ref it sporting felt hat	(DO A REF)*	FEDORA	IT
38	Worry about collecting wicked old French King’s tax	EAT< around ILL	TAILLE
39	Rare type – bird that’s pitied in the Highlands	TYPE*	PYET	IT
40	Secures settlement to safeguard struggling side	TOWN around SIDE*	TIES DOWN
41	Duck feather hidden in grass exposed once more	(O PEN) in REED	REOPENED
42	Ensnared by communist, American priest raged	(AM P) in RED	RAMPED
	Down
1	Most resolute, tumbling headfirst after cutting foot	(HEADFIRST _ F)*	HARDIEST
2	Bite back regarding rare hardwood	BE< ON	EBON	IT
3	Perennial plants – variety of pea found in cesspools	PEA* in SINKS	SEA PINKS
4	Cor!  Operation with AI reversed shortsightedness	MY OP AI<	MYOPIA
5	In control, lovely Amy’s avoided turning more geeky	((DREAMY – AMY) in REIN)<	NERDIER
6	Goofs saying curtly “Toilets must be vacated”	IDIO(m) T(oilet)S	IDIOTS
7	Informs on Government involved in malpractices	G in SINS	SINGS
8	North American birds these days move faster, following sun south-east	(S NOW GEE) SE	SNOW GEESE
9	Maybe CIA waits, dispatching women to gather info on Thailand	(WAS – W) around (GEN T)	AGENTS	IT
11	Launches ship with caustic on board	SS around TART	STARTS
12	Barber finally sorting idle gent having curly hair	(barbe)R (IDLE GENT)*	RINGLETED
17	Wanting credit, unfeelingly emit rising fog for writer	(BRUTALLY – TALLY) EM<	BRUME	IT
19	Further elaborate on diamonds cut to enthral First Lady	(RE D LOP) around EVE	REDEVELOP
22	One helping with deliveries in potential time of crisis, heart becoming weak	MIDLIFE with W replacing L (middle letter)	MIDWIFE
23	Captain Kirk, perhaps – one originally meant to occupy bridge	(ACE M(eant)) in SPAN	SPACEMAN
24	Flier’s drink trouble	PINT AIL	PINTAIL
25	Vessel containing drop of astonishingly alcoholic liquor	ARK around A(stonishingly)	ARAK
27	Arrived possessing means for boring English judge	ARR around (BIT E)	ARBITER
29	Hurries over drinking Idaho’s cocktail	RACES< around ID	SIDECAR
32	Poke local bard whose time’s up	POET with T going up	POTE
34	Star ejected from libertine’s Italian mansion	CASANOVA - NOVA	CASA
35	Finishes cycling relay	ENDS “cycling”	SEND
37	Observe headless deity on base	(d)EY E	EYE	IT