Traffic Jam
by Kegler

Nine of the Across and nine of the Down entries won’t fit until given special treatment.

Traffic Jam grid

Across
1Dupe in California starting to test bath water, initially
6Ghastly tailless parrot nearly bred
10Ultimately attempt to, in August, fish
12Stranger with a claim
13Drink in chocolate
14A tedious person's holding one drink for natives
15Half of jury to perform system of self-defense
17Slide downhill, risking heart
18Nigel constructed fireplace
19 I am old, colloquially, behind plant with 6.023*(1020) atoms
21Sings with a yodeler's first utterances
23Friendly city in France
25I'd returned to front of sofa
27Domineering young man has seconds
29Reach to pay crooked pharmacist
31He's guarding one of Maine's borders
33Brilliant person #1 in class
36Morning starting to bring us hint of hellish sneak attack
37Sow seed; man, it is bizarre
40Drowning in ale, I skip the dance (2 wds)
41High notes winding down
42Fawning famous friar holding bit of raw fish
43Audibly passes out tricks
Down
1Desert flora beginning to complicate opening of play
2A redundant statement is tense, no, groggy
3Father swallowing last of the vegetable
4Recording of “Al, Man on the Street”
5Court initially determines building material
6Damages about one thousand old flowers
7Biblical character's maintaining second-rate housing
8Smell from three kumquats
9Stored linseed, absurdly
10Village tradespeople initially have...
11...nerve; terrible czar must eventually roam
16Fighter with money, dropping last of bundle, makes payment for a previous mistake?
20Enjoy bite of lunch with Eisenhower
21Stuck around a long time with pair of trousers, wanting to be in pictures
22Leaves Al and Tipper, heartlessly
24Search through America with time to burn
26Charged elements of Border Patrol agency with obstruction at the outset
28Frighten Mark with tip of lance
30Upon reflection, sometimes oyster holds a natural wonder?
31Asian capital one starting to offer in Hawaii
32Gets rid of lean-tos
34Bad lie returning with trace of venom
35Old curtain material is half felt?
38Tag players sit awkwardly
39One northern lady's name

Solution