Waste Recycling

a cryptic puzzle by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

Puzzle grid
Every clue answer disposes of one letter before entry into the diagram. These 36 cast-off letters are not wasted, however; takin in order, with Acrosses preceding Downs, they combine to form a complete cryptic clue for the (otherwise unclued) word in the center of the diagram. Answers include six proper nouns.

Across

  • 1.
    Waste put together in a new way? (REFUSE)
  • 6.
    Ray's rounding up true rodeo cowboys (LASSOERS)
  • 11.
    Lecher gets in by swaggering (BLUSTERY)
  • 12.
    Season's first TV show is a big hit (SMASH)
  • 13.
    Drink in court with soldier-to-be (CADET)
  • 14.
    Red baseball team turns in roster (LENINIST)
  • 16.
    Chopping a tree in road will make you tire (RETREAD)
  • 17.
    Cool cats in street getting delivery (SHIPMENT)
  • 19.
    Theban involved in massacre once (CREON)
  • 21.
    Better judge, sometimes (FINER)
  • 22.
    Big people will get heartless when in bunches (hyph.) (GROWNUPS)
  • 24.
    City in a Mailer novel (LARAMIE)
  • 29.
    Dad throws dirt on artists (PAINTERS)
  • 30.
    Name traced initially in stone slab (TITLE)
  • 31.
    Drive train after kid (IMPEL)
  • 32.
    Striking a jerk after drink of liquor (DRAMATIC)
  • 33.
    Ugly sneer in male cow (GUERNSEY)
  • 34.
    Spanish corn shoots (SPEARS)

Down

  • 2.
    Run with happiness to a member of the family (RELATION)
  • 3.
    G-men covering school disputes (FEUDS)
  • 4.
    Most excited energy in dog buyer (CUSTOMER)
  • 5.
    Pen article in French with elegance (STYLE)
  • 6.
    Auto seen losing its front in lurch (CAREEN)
  • 7.
    Knife landed the wrong way during fight (STILETTO)
  • 8.
    Tree rings—that is right (OSIER)
  • 9.
    Each small magazine employee is relieved (EASED)
  • 10.
    Polish ship carries paper item for sneaky character (SHADINESS)
  • 15.
    Object found around brook causing great excitement (THRILLING)
  • 18.
    Acts of marring pastry (2 words) (TEA RINGS)
  • 19.
    Monument renovating—not cheap (CENOTAPH)
  • 20.
    Pears lie fallen from tree (ESPALIER)
  • 23.
    Look in corner, you mean (ORNERY)
  • 25.
    Mourning dress—clothing with red lining (CRAPE)
  • 26.
    Children's author left in big hole (MILNE)
  • 27.
    Bring back fashionable public transportation (TRAMS)
  • 28.
    Measure a famous boat (PINTA)