Instructions: Guess the words defined by the cryptic clues (answers vary in length from four to eleven letters, and six are capitalized) then enter them in the grid one after another in the same order as their clues, starting in the upper left corner. Across words that don't end at the right continue on the next row, and down words that don't end at the bottom continue in the next column. Eleven across words and ten down words won't fit in the grid unless one of their letters is omitted. Those twenty-one letters, taken in order as they occur in across and down words, spell a seven-word message related to the mystery entry. Thanks to Kevin Wald for test-solving and editing this puzzle. (If you are having trouble printing these puzzles, you can download an Adobe Acrobat version of the puzzle and grid).

1. Mystery entry
2. Unusual sin, usual brio, unhealthy
3. Food without topping is more unusual
4. Sordid, erotic, without a trace of taste
5. Consequence of Gore's ultimatum
6. Obstruct subversive, misty EAST
7. Middle of blue penny is luminous
8. Always severe at heart
9. Federal agency hit ends faction
10. Confusion in jewel terminology
11. East renewed in glut
12. Crown of chief tribesman in African Republic area
13. Sent part off
14. Heads of abbeys in Capri or Sardinia
15. Oddity of short test page
16. To err is holding on
17. England's Atlantic body of water
18. Copyright cures resolved difficult problems
19. Action to defeat German
20. Pastry with large layers
21. Bequeath Yale a venerable enclave
22. Initially curl osier in large spiral
23. Muscle of platypus
24. Extorted money from venerable dons

1. Divisive politics around union on elimination procedure
2. Foreign coin count is about 500 in transfer
3. Dog comes back with a normal gland
4. Confederate guard downwind
5. Swine's leg broken in enclave
6. Eggheads never evidence respectable decorum socially, at first
7. Phone locally except for Myrna
8. In violent eruption, brother made wife get sausage
9. Honor comedian
10. Medical specialty disposed to crib sets
11. A roentgen beam put in order
12. Calf partially revealed
13. Repel the inside blow
14. Messieurs on rough ride with low beam
15. Author adopts singular attitude
16. Sustain boy with you, right?
17. Furious, I score
18. Face soap
19. Most certain on French reconstructed set
20. Verify publicity not all finished
21. Simplicity of appeasement
22. Stagger back with malicious look
23. Trifle editor had desire for