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). [Want to see some hints?]

1. Offer retro color screen
2. Stranger eating last of ham and beetroot for nourishment
3. Antelopes turned around and vocalized
4. Nautical airmen on the move
5. Poke holes in puzzle
6. Guys with skill getting fur from animal
7. Outer coverings of mobile insectivore
8. Corrupt passage
9. Tender love returned
10. Dismiss last of office staff
11. Writes a letter about trade
12. Dee, unfortunately, brought back a dish of mixed greens
13. Accompanying double tempo in andante movement
14. Environment trapped Caesar, e.g.
15. Target at end of line in small mesa
16. Change zero to one, in part to annoy
17. In France, you all finished work
18. Wanting company, Nelly madly grabs ring
19. Hidden in the French shelter
20. Wicked Deirdre doesn't have a right to ridicule
21. Skeleton found back in Grenoble
22. Trans-Atlantic ship has small draft
23. Tell of it running amok in New York
24. Parsee's worn blanket
25. Pay attention to initially low impact gun

1. Working in steel that's stretchable
2. Inspired some prayer
3. Guy's failure getting engine started
4. Concern about wrong tone in pigment
5. Start to signal and terminate dispatch
6. Papa's lawyer died
7. Superior's error made one resentful
8. Dale's leg buckled before noon
9. Aged Scotch
10. Bar a meal featuring seaweed
11. Condition of fleet improved around start of training
12. A spicy stew containing a sausage
13. Single singer keeping time is someone with a very loud voice
14. Rails twisted around pipe to form a coil
15. I need an upgraded base
16. Slush in Miami removed
17. Texas town's odd ordeal
18. Spartan is leaving ailing sentinel
19. Showing signs of age with lines around end
20. Mutineer carries a prong
21. Lost my footing, mainly
22. Bob is troubled about a place serving wine
23. Confuse Bolero's composer
24. Usually weaken after the start