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Many thanks djawhufc.

But if we fill in the blanks we are left with non-words in the across entries. How does that fit in with the preamble that all entries are real words?

I didn't fill in the blanks. I left them and just read the word alterations in the left and right hand column

Ingenious puzzle, but I think the title was unhelpful, even misleading. Where were the "rules"? And the two different "thematic " means of entering the answers seem to me to have no common rationale. But I'm pleased that I completed it; at one point that looked unlikely!

The common rationale is the identical spelling of the word and the phrase. What still puzzles me is what is meant by the phrase "if removed" in the preamble in relation to the blanks. As I said before, if the blanks are filled in it leads to non words across.

I have followed this discussion with awe. I am learning all the time but have such a long way to go. I thank you all for joining in - the camaraderie is great.