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Dylan

1 ac is M but 10 ac is not one of the extra letter clues.

5 D is a surname.

17a hands as in 'all hands on deck', from a time when no deckhands were women.

Meursaut, I confess I missed 'show' as a link because it's unusual to have a plural verb form as a link even after a multi-part charade, though it's not wrong. There's less justification for 'like' because its adverbial use to mean 'such as' is non-standard English surely.

re 'like' we must be missing something. It does nothing for the clue before or after the extra word is removed.

Yes, Dryden, I don't really like it, though find myself doing it from time to time. Seems to be an informal habit that has crept in...

I'm not sure it was intended to do anything for the clue, Woodlouse. My guess is that the setter deliberately introduced redundant words in order to draw attention away from the real extra word, which being the 'remaining' extra word, has an important role.

Hang on a minute Meursault.

Is it permissible for setters to deliberately introduce a completely redundant word for the purpose you suggest? It sounds like a dangerous departure to me. We know that clues often contain words that are dispensable, but redundancy is something different?

I think the setter was probably trying to exploit the parenthetical "something sacred" in the definition given for 'desecrate' but there's no 'eg' in that parenthesis. 'Show' plus 'let' was probably an attempt to link his chosen charade with a definition in a surface that makes some sort of sens, though I think it's one of the weaker surface.

Apologies for the delay in reply, Woodlouse. Though there's little I can add. I've already given my suggestions for the justification of including 'show' and 'like', but I'm sure that this isn't the first time for deliberate pleonasm by a setter. Take two example clues : 1) Part of neck and primate (4); 2) Part of neck and steal base (4). In 1) the 'and' is used for 'n' but in 2) the 'and' is used for a purpose for which no word was used in 1)

Thanks M

The example you give does not make 'and'' redundant in (2). I absolutely see that (2) could work with or without and', meaning the same thing either way.

When 'and' is used it has a use and a meaning, particularly in the surface.

'like' seems to be different in that I can see no legitimate role for it.

I have seen your suggestion for 'like', which is better than I could do. I was asking you if you find this explanation satisfying.

As presently advised, I am not convinced. So I wondered if we are all barking up the wrong tree.

I can't parse 20 at all. I assume it's an American lake, with a redundant I contributing to the statement, but none of the clue elements seems to justify that. It must be obvious as no one else has asked for help with it.

How doers it work please?