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Have not found clash yet, assuming it is a single cell?
18a ?I?TON (6) PISTON but can't see cryptic
16d A????? (6) ASHERY but can't see all of cryptic
but then this doesn't leave anything semsible for 19a ?N?ERT
Any hints appreciated

A piton is a peg but I can't see the word play in 16d. Altogether a frustrating set of clues this week, I think.

Your 19a doesn't make sense because the last letter is where the clash is.

Still can't find those three words. At 26 letters they must be about 8 letters each.

Thanks orson
This is enough to kick start me
Good luck

There are 2 words of 10 letters & 1 word of 6.

Do you think that there could me an A missing from the clue in 16d? '..a bottomless cast.... which would be A + SHE[D] + RY

Now I look at it again I think you are correct.

Have a full grid now.
While these clues were straightforward, I found some quite tricky and still don't fully understand all the cryptics.
Will take up Tony's hint and look for 3 related words (10,10, 6)

I've found the words and shaded in appropriately. They're not common words and the whole thing is something of an anticlimax. There's nothing in the title (though the shading reveals a related pattern) or the occasion (eg it's nothing to do with Easter) or anything about the crossword that might suggest the words.

Usual EV misprints - I agree there should be "a" in 16d, I think 13a should be two words or hyphentated, and in the proud tradition of EV they're now making mistakes in the solution to a previous puzzle - the wrong letters are made bold in the top row.

I take back that remark about nothing in the crossword suggesting the endgame. The construction means it is staring one in the face! Very clever.