For what it’s worth, I doubt I’d write 17 across like that now. But it’s not too horrible.
The ten ‘cases’ were portmanteau words. The true word was clued, while the entry was the complementary ‘word’ deducible from the unused letters of the portmanteau-ed words. Hence, SQUARSON at 7 across: SQU(IRE) & (P)ARSON, yielding PIRE.
ACROSS
1 DIARCHAL; arch in dial
7 SQUARSON; squar(e) son; PIRE
10 GNOMON; gnom(e) on
12 STAGFLATION; stag flat ion; INNANT
13 CEMENT; c(as)ement
14 LIGER; li(N)ger; TION
16 REATA; a ta(m)er (all rev.)
17 YENS; (do)yens
19 BRIAREAN; briar e an; many hands make l.w.
21 ORATOR; or(c)a to r
23 SLIT; til(l)s (rev.)
24 BRAT; t’ Ar(a)b (all rev.) & lit.
26 CHUNNEL; Hun n in cel(l); TANNEL
28 REGATHER; the in rager (rev.)
30 EASE; implied hidden
31 SLURB; slur B; SUBUM
33 MUMM; Mumm(y)
34 EMENDS; em ends
36 TRISTE; Trist(an) e
37 BIFFED; b if Fed
38 SMOG; GOM’s (rev.); FOKE
39 BRUNCH; anag. + ch; LEAKFAST
DOWN
1 DO-IT-YOURSELF; anag. & lit.
2 ANNONA; no in anna
3 ROAN; (g)roan
4 MOTEL; mot el; HOTOR
5 FRANGLAIS; rang LA in f I’s; ANCAIS
6 LEE; 2 mngs.
7 TANGELO; el(m) in tang (rev.) O; POMERINE
8 IDEA; cf. aide
9 ENTANGLEMENT; anag. & lit.
11 INTAKE; comp. anag. & lit.
15 E-BOAT; 0 in E bat
18 STRAUNGE; s + anag.
20 ALARM; alar m
22 RHEUMY; he in RU my!
25 THISBE; this be
27 NAUSEA; a use in NA
29 ENTIA; E + anag.
32 BEAK; Beak(er)
33 MIFF; m(a s t)iff
35 DAL; l for d in dad
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