Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Smellyharry -
look at the Chambers definitions of w**** (2); and of p****** :
both are explicitly stated as absences of the n-word.

That's what I find paradoxical.

Fair enough. The n word has 2 related meanings, which could be thought of as quasi opposites. But the fact that the restored title words can mean lack of n doesn't mean the title doesn't work as a cryptic representation of the song title.

There are many contronyms in the language and I think the one under discussion is quite apt thematically (and I think the quote from 'Lear' illustrates the point reasonably well) but I agree with smellyharry, Chambers clearly gives the synonyms required to represent the puzzle's title, so no other justification is required.
I enjoyed the puzzle, Awinger - thank you.