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Maybe I'm a little bit evil. I've combined a couple of puzzle types in a novel way (to me, at least). I'll lay down some rules. The solution to the sudoku works exactly the way a normal 9x9 sudoku does, with every cell getting a number. With me so far? Good - here comes the evil part. There is a cryptic crossword that fits on top of it. I have not laid out the crossword grid, nor have I listed the orientations (across/down) of each word. The object of the puzzle is for you, the solver, to figure out where the words fit.

To not be completely evil, I've listed the clues with the number of the sudoku solution in the starting cell of the word. To reiterate, each word will begin in a cell that contains the same number to the left of the clue. the words will overlap just like you'd expect a crossword to.

SUDOKUUUU

{1} Void sets fruit (7)
{3} Gas in the hangar! Go now! (5)
{5} Epic cephalopod lacks technical direction? (4)
{7} Unfinished password makes a confused coworker tender? (6)
{7} Turn a corner within adjustment dispute (9)
{9} Unending month with me or the young one (6)
{9} Accrued attention (8)

As far as I can tell, there is a single solution to this madness. I hope that assertion passes your tests, as well. I'm also curious as to how, graphically speaking, the solution will be presented.

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3 Answers 3

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The sudoku itself

has 2 solutions:
sudoku solution

The cryptic clues have been solved mostly by Silenus, with some help from Sconibulus, Techidiot and myself, see their answers for detailed explanations:

{1} Void sets fruit (7) - ORANGES
{3} Gas in the hangar! Go now! (5) - ARGON
{5} Epic cephalopod lacks technical direction? (4) - OPUS
{7} Unfinished password makes a confused coworker tender? (6) - KEEPER
{7} Turn a corner within adjustment dispute (9) - CHALLENGE
{9} Unending month with me or the young one (6) - JUNIOR
{9} Accrued attention (8) - INTEREST

The only way the words can be organised on top of the sudoku seems to be this one:

enter image description here

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Void sets fruit (7)

ORANGES (O [void] + RANGES [sets]; [def] fruit)

Gas in the hangar! Go now! (5)

ARGON ([def] Gas; in the hangar! go now!)

Unfinished password makes a confused coworker tender? (6)

KEEPER (KE(y) [unfinished password] + PEER* (confused coworker); [def] tender?)

Note that this clue involves an indirect anagram.

Given the possible positions on the grid (see elias's answer), I deduced that

Epic cephalopod lacks technical direction? (4)

is OPUS ([def] epic (n.); OCTOPUS [cephalopod] - CTO [technical direction?])

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    $\begingroup$ technical direction is CTO (as in Chief Technology Officer), I guess. nice answers! $\endgroup$
    – elias
    Feb 23, 2017 at 16:30
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The Sudoku, mostly solved

Sudoku

And one of the highlighted nines is the word

Interest (Double Def for {9} Accrued attention (8))

One of the highlighted sevens is

Challenge

And in the comments, @Silenus pointed out that a three is

Argon

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  • $\begingroup$ 3 is ARGON (Gas in the hangar! Go now!) $\endgroup$
    – DyingIsFun
    Feb 23, 2017 at 15:04

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