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some clues contain an extra word , but I know what they are so have omitted them in the clues I can't solve:
Letter counts not known cos there are clashes:
18a ancient city is in France, timeless .... in the grid i have T?ES. Thebes is an ancient city but i can't link theb to the clue ...es could be es(t) from French is
19a Women bury friend something that will flower next spring. Grid answer has a B in it ...possibly ....bulb??
23d Like a ferocious animal upsetting e.g.Christian bairn
2d Supports curtains with chains

18, 19 and 23 are thematic. I don't want to give too much away, but the answers to the clues are all longer words...and then there are clashes.

2D is normal. I've got an answer meaning 'chains', but I'm not sure of the rest.

Hi Bunty

18A is a 'modern'French city, 6 letters, 3 of which are last letters of an absent guest
19A is two words (6,3) ith the 6 forming first half of 'guest'
23D is 7 letters
2D, think of theatre curtains

For 2 D, I've just checked my 'chains' word in Chambers and it also fits 'supports curtains'

23d ends ...ROID (from christian Dior reversed)

Yes, it does... did you see Muraria's hint?

Thanks muraria and Malone ... all sorted now ... worked backwards to find some answers .....never heard of the sketch though?

I'm glad you've finished it off, Bunty. I HAD heard of the sketch, so that made things a lot easier!