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Barretter, 33 : letters 3&4 are an abbreviation for front page. 39 is a botanical term for a shiny spot on a cactus. Anagram Harol & H, but 2 changes.

The words in brackets aren't anagrammatic. Just split the jumbled segments of unclued entries into portions matching in meaning...

Thanks very much Meursault : I hadn't come across that abbreviation for "front page" before. The same goes for the abbreviation which means "the same as" too!

I have solved all the clues and have a nearly completed grid and know what the code is; but I can't match the decoded letters into 10 words. Some are obvious, but the down answer in column 4 makes no sense at all and the one in column 11 has 5 letters at the end which also make no sense. I know 3 words are jumbled but I have identified one of them at 1 across and one at the end of the final column. I can make no sense of the words in brackets (showing girl etc) .A hint towards making sense of it all would be helpful.

Escuan - column 4 should make sense, and it's part of the location - more than one word. A bit of googling round 1a should get you there. The five letters you mention are one of the jumbles - and again, a bit of googling round 1a should point you in the right direction.

To be honest, I'd ignore the words in brackets - they're not necessary to solve the puzzle and I only managed to work out their significance after I'd finished. And even then, it took me a while (though some of the hints in the above head are v helpful, especially Mersault's).

I hope it's not breaking any rules to do this but I'm really stuck with 25 across. Initially I thought it would be a Shakespeare word meaning jeopardised and tried to make the italic bit into the wordplay but got nowhere. Now I think it's an anagram of GEARDBSE using the substitutions but can't make a word out of that and have no idea what the definition could be. Would appreciate some help because I'm very close now!

DANGERED - jeopardised

MandyRob, it makes me angry that people are intimidated to either ask for, or give, information. 25 is DANG(J)ERE(H)D

I see my answer collided with KG's, though neither of us gave an explanation. Dan = title, then anag HERD + J

Over 24 hours since my own question, but can someone please confirm that it is 'CALAIS' that needs to be highlighted. If so, it has only a tenuous connection to the theme, so it's not as if I'm 'giving away the game'. ('Disingenuous', call it what you will...)

mersault, yes, I'm sure that's right.