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Many thanks Meursault. I wasn’t looking for a clash as I thought IRIS would form part of THE BIRDS.
All done. Thanks again to all here and see you next week!

Finally across the line. Would have had no chance without help here so thanks as ever. A few I can’t parse totally but I’ll settle for an explanation of the feral rats in 18. I was thrown for quite some time by Bradford’s having TAR under FIGHT (scrap) and it also missing some of the birds. Not to mention taking the first city preamble to mean the clashes were actually in the city name.

Hi rrRobbo.
Taivers is a Scottish word for shreds. This gives 'diver' in the clash cell.

This really is a bugger!! Am seriously struggling to complete the grid although I have the cities and, for once, understand the preamble. All help graciously wanted.
1ac. Fairy about in El Salvador's forest PERI**
12ac. Area to stop horses and carriages *BASED
1ac. Old dear's acting for a Liberal making a call in Washington
24ac. Betel lacking sun treatment pertinent to a plant ***AL
4dn. Met locally to welcome dame in fostering environment
36dn.Oars Wan left for Charlie in Amble. A multitude of thanks in advance.

Hi Bazotto, some parts of the puzzle were certainly a tad detailed, and I think quite a few people, here and elsewhere, have noted that finishing up the puzzle seemed to take almost as long as 'cracking' it. But that's enough of my opinion. Your questions :
1 Definition 'forests'. Yes, you are right, Peri is the fairy. Goes around 'in', tack on ES. You've got a clash there but I'm sure you'll sort it out.
12 Definition 'carriages'. Horses (as in classic breeding - were there really just 3 original racehorses ? I don't know because I dislike gambling, but the word also denotes desert dwellers).
17 American spelling of dialling. Clash in 2nd cell.
26 300=B, then 'women', but shuffling the 'w' along a tad. Clash in 3rd cell.
4 Met locally is 'seed', welcoming 'Dame of the British Empire' (and god bless all who sail in her). Clash in 2nd cell.
36 Extra word is 'Oars'. Definition is 'Wan' : substitute L for C in a synonym for walk.

Sorry, I gave you 26 instead of 24. Siri is a word for betel. Take 'S' (sun) off that, then add on adjectival ending which also can mean 'treatment'. So you're looking for words beginning IRI. Clash in cell 1, don't write it in too firmly, you may find that you want to delete it later...

Meursault, as per usual you've pointed me firmly in the right direction and I'm almost done - hoovering awaits as dog moulting everywhere, although that's probably jealousy on my part, in that he has enough hair to moult... I still can't get 1ac even though I have all the grid replacements in the right eh, place. I think. Also the intersection of 13dn and 6ac (ACHAAR and BOWMEN) leaves me with a clash of w,m,e,r, which makes no bird that I can think of, nor does it contribute towards THE BIRDS. I'm guessing from your earlier comment that the clash at 24/24 would be the S but that it becomes vacant, just as I feel atm. I've just reread the preamble and 24/24 can't be the S so I must've phucked up somewhere. Again.

bazotto - 13D Achars - (one -fish-seven). That should solve all your problems

Crates thanks sooo much. Indeed everything has now fallen into place after lots of scowling and growling. Again I was almost there so I must be improving with age. You guys and girls are seriously helpful to those of us who are less quick witted. Dog can have his late night walkies now.

More than welcome - I presume you fathomed 1A - P(IN)ERI+ES