This is a cryptic crossword-style puzzle by Alex Churchill. For an easier crossword puzzle, see here.

1..2...3..4....5.6...7..8.
........
9.........10.........
........
..11.12......13....
14....15...16.....
.17....18.19......
20.........21....22.
...23..........
......
.24..25......26..27..
28.........29.....
.30.....31......
32.......33....34.
..35..36....37..38...
........
39.........40.........
........
41......42.....43......

How to Play

The clues to this semi-cryptic crossword all have three words. But they've been scrambled up in groups of three or four! You know that the first word of the clue to 1A is "item", "blue" or "watches", and its second word is "or", "which" or "with", and it ends with "underlines", "attracts" or "objects". But how they match up - well, that's what you need to figure out! Can you work out how the clues go together, and fill the answers into the grid?

Interface notes: You can rearrange the words of the clues by clicking on green cells. This will swap the word you clicked with the word below it. When you think you've got one clue row within a box solved, you can check the box at the side, which locks that line and turns it blue.
Because it can be hard to find the clue numbers as they're not in numerical order, there's a guide for each clue by the side of each row of the grid, telling you which box that clue is in. You can also click those box numbers; that will scroll your browser to the clue you're after, as well as making it flash briefly.
There are text boxes by the side that you can keep notes in.

If you're finding the puzzle too difficult, you can click the following link to add an extra column to the clue boxes, containing the first letter of the answers. If you want to hide the letters again, you can do that by clicking this link again. Show me the first letters of the clues

Clues

Box 1:  1A (6):itemorunderlines
4A (5):bluewhichattracts
42A (5):watcheswithobjects
Box 2:  1D (6):activelyphysicalaviator
27D (9):briefcarryingout
31A (5):humanlivednature
Box 3:  2D (9):delightedbybit
19D (7):continuedquiteremain
43A (6):bittomagically
Box 4:  3D (5):coveringormore
5D (5):stringandbash
14A (5):decadeorentangle
Box 5:  4D (5):ratherforstrong
12D (5):lendbeinnocent
13D (5):couldtoomoney
Box 6:  6A (6):outwardplotcreatures
22D (5):surprisingmountainapertures
38D (5):mythicalleadingelements
Box 7:  6D (5):mostofproximity
16D (9):positionindough
18D (7):nutoncemore
Box 8:  7D (9):printthatthrills
19A (5):huntandsuspense
25D (5):flairthat'sblue
Box 9:  8D (6):agreequiteverbally
26D (5):examinationsbutlaterally
37D (5):approachesconductedcondescendingly
Box 10:  9A (9):hearts'ultimatevictory
33A (5):rejoicedeepsacrament
34D (3,3):singleholydesires
35A (9)couple'sinconclusion
Box 11:  10A (9):daredfutureidentify
25A (7):labelswhichbelieve
28A (5):promisedtopartner
Box 12:  11A (9):lovescompleteattention
30A (5):demandhisof
35D (5):absorbsyieldingstuff
Box 13:  15D (9):endeavoursforbedroom
20D (5):notwithoutSpock
24D (9):cottonslikefailure
Box 14:  16A (5):getsrequirementfrom
29A (5):hasbuildingfor
40A (9):hintdataanticipation
Box 15:  17A (5):workersdefyingThanatos
21A (5):becomplainingoutward
23A (7):boldlysenttogether
Box 16:  20A (5):lightstretchypastry
32D (6):creamypinksweet
41A (6):chewychocolateflower
Box 17:  32A (5):bearsroundsci-fi
36D (5):spinagun
39A (9):excellentnotgracefully