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Finished this but I have superfluous words for all twelve unclued lights not just nine. What am I missing?

the "9" in the preamble doesn't refer to number nine - it refers to your answer for 9d - clear now??

That had me going as well, especially as there are 13 unclued, until 9D emerged.

As I tell others, "Always read the preamble 3 times."
I should try my own advice.

Btw, the title holds another hint.

Yep, dozy as usual, thanks Sudokulover.

Syzygy - I got the other hint right off but didn't read carefully enough.

Stuck on bottom left. Help with 35a please 'Provided priest around Italian town (6) and 36d.Arranged mantra upset game (5)

Amal fi

Mo rra

Thanks Tony. I'm still in the dark here. Could you explain them for me.

35 Provided = if , priest = lama, around = reverse it
Italian town - Amalfi.

36 Arranged = arr (abbreviation), mantra = om (the word/thing you chant) . Upset = reverse those bits, so mo rra. Morra is a game.

21 across looks unsatisfactory to me: "Soprano, a singer about old bar" (6). I have S?ERE
Singer is superfluous I think.
Have I gone wrong?
Thanks.

No, you're right: the old bar is SPERRE (in Chambers);s=soprano, a=per=each,re=about a subject in correspondence. "Singer" is indeed the superfluous word.