Dropping by Phi
Down clues and entries are normal. One letter drops from each row except the last, landing at a checked place in the row below (so every row except the first gains an intrusive letter). Where a row contains only one word, that word both gains a letter from the row above and loses one to the row below. Thus if 20 across were DROPPING, the entry might be DRPPINAG, losing an O to the row below, while gaining an A from the row above. In rows 4 and 9, one word gains a letter, the other loses a letter. Across clues define the original answer (i.e. DROPPING), while the wordplay gives the entry (DRPPINAG). Numbers in brackets give the lengths of grid entries.
The word to be clued was spelled out by the eleven letters that drop, in row order top to bottom.
ACROSS
1 Production involving a director’s constant companion (6)
5 Plan in France, I see, becoming swamped by corruption (6)
9 Fishing aid: gently knock twisted line with it (8)
11 Girls back aboard ferry and going topless for gem (11, 2 words)
12 Cargo is coming in behind time (5)
13 A story about soldier in Spanish city (7)
16 Company with gold rice dish (5)
17 Light ruffling of lion mane (8, 2 words)
20 Screen icon is deceiving, taking a fool aback (8, 2 words)
22 University that is initially radical in areas of conception? (5)
25 Muslim ruler dropping one in eggs and in group of leaves (7)
26 Affected with a flavouring suited to cheese? (5)
27 Scotsman, unwell, brought in scarcely sparkling (11)
28 Priest not receiving Church Channel? (8, 2 words)
29 Commercial activity subsequently keeping one back (6)
30 Little local man, no longer supple (6)
DOWN
1 Tyrant’s shame, imprisoning leader of left (6)
2 I work in a stand with girl failing to finish sentences (11)
3 Daughter is nurse? Swell (7)
4 Happy to avoid Government in the past (5)
5 Matériel transported, as it happens (8)
6 Mountains and Lake covered by law? (5)
7 Healing plant: one brought in a ton (8)
8 Little energy in rendition of muted hymn (6, 2 words)
10 Coolness shown in occasion involving court appearance in India (11)
14 Not so good? Doctor about to bring in oxygen (8)
15 Lavish cover for coffin containing a Roman aunt (8)
18 Copy insect resting on four feet? (7)
19 Impediments over a staple of education for Kiwi student (6)
21 Cactus American certainly raised – water-lily’s left out (6)
23 Pulled thread, one circling a woollen cloak (5)
24 I may have to kill for a source of whisky (5)
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