The clue answers, in order, are ELVIS, RIPEN, SHANE, FOILS, IRATE, OVENS, OLIVE, SNARK, OLEAN, STENO, IRENE, IDIOT, SHEEP, COROT, LOIRE, SEGER, TENSE, TINGE, LANCE, GIRLS, RIDGE, LEMMA, VIRAL, ASTIR, TAMER, LOGAN, TAUNT, UNTIE, BOLTS, STING, RETRO, OPRAH, SELES, DUSTS, INNER.
The word squares begin with the letters A through G in the upper left corner, so use this to sort them:
ASTIR SHANE TAUNT INNER RETRO BOLTS OLEAN LEMMA TAMER SNARK COROT OLIVE RIPEN OVENS TENSE DUSTS UNTIE STING TINGE SEGER ELVIS LOIRE VIRAL IRATE SELES FOILS OPRAH IRENE LANCE SHEEP GIRLS IDIOT RIDGE LOGAN STENO
The letters on the center "free" spaces spell the answer, UMPIRED.