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Judy, it might help to think of profession as "something that is professed" and remove a synonym for "like". 27ac is a type 4 and "crop" is a misdirection (if I've got it right).

JudyK...type 3...root crop (6 letters) and grain (4 letters) so remove 5 letters.

Ah thank you, both! I see the profession now and the root crop! The same one that is 'reported' in 21A, in fact. Now I just need to justify 2 more clues...

Thanks again, ixion. Much better.

The other two I'm having trouble parsing are: 20,14 - I believe it's a type 2, defined by 9A. The word Trains gives all but the last letter of the answer, and the rest of the clue defines that last letter? Is that right - I can't make sense of it. Or is it in fact a type 4 after all. But I thought it had to be a type 2 due to lack of definition...

My other problem one is 17D - a type 4, I think, (doubly?) defined by the first two words - but I don't understand the rest of the clue - not in this place? Is the letter in question missing or superfluous??

Thanks for your help by the way. I often come on here and read up on the Genius if I get stuck but this time my questions hadn't (yet) been answered!

JudyK....for 20,14 you need to remove "organised diversion"...

Yes Judy K, words for organised diversion will leave you with just the last letter. I've finally cracked 23 - thanks to peterm, by realising I had the wrong answer to 25 - though one which also fitted the parsing as in my earlier post. And that also sorted out 20 for me too.

...for 17D "positions against the party line" needs to have a four letter word removed and a type 4 insertion

Ah super - got the 17D - I'd been halfway there. Still not seeing the organised diversion in 20/14 though. Will keep looking at it! It's being removed from a word for transport, I take it?

no...transport itself!