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I've done most of the clues, apart from those involving gaps, or overshooting. I think I have all (8) of the extra words in the Down clues, which make a sensible message.

It would be helpful to know how many spaces are left in total and also 3d is a puzzle, together with 5ac and 23d.

All suggestions welcome!

Happy Christmas to everyone

Hi

Just having a go at this one.

3D is loot- lot surrounding o(ld)

5a has a space at the beginning cress is foodplant in wordplay

23dhas a space at bottom sub prime is a loan so a synonym for that.

Ace is expert in wordplay.

By my reckoning there are 4 spaces in grid. I’ve given you two.

I think prime is an extra word in 23d.

You might be right smarter but doesn’t it make message confused?

Or maybe not!

I think the clue parses perfectly with the word prime omitted.

It does smartie- I’m just considering prime in the message and whether that helps or not.

I'm getting flashbacks to the darned Golden Hare again ;¬(

I have a full grid, the song title, and I've even carefully cut out the grid and folded it to produce a clear resemblance of the thematic article in the song title, but haven't a clue where the 'quantity' is supposed to come from or what the symbols are. Anyone else got any idea? It seems very vague!

I don't think prime is an extra word incidentally - it is surely needed as an indicator that the expert needs to be 'primed' with the other two parts. I make it 8 extras in the across clues being synonyms or alternative words for the thematic item, and 8 in the down clues spelling out A-R-O-R-E-A-S-R.