Cryptic crossword No 2,639

Fri 15 Aug 2025, set byJohno

4

Special Instructions: Fifteen of the eighteen down clues contain an extra word (of at least length five) that does not contribute to the solution. From those words, take the letter in the same position as the extra word is in the clue (i.e. if the third word of the clue is extra, take its third letter) to spell a category in clue order. Ten across answers are last words in entries in that category. From those answers' clues, take the letter in the same position as the entry is in the category (in release order).