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I have most of the answers and the quotation and am now filling the grid (I hope!). The three 12-letter across answers must, I think. all commence in the first column if they are to fit the grid. But the horizontal coordinates are A(Y), A(I) and N(D). Does this mean that the first letter of the horizontal coordinate is either A or N? Or am I missing a trick (as usual). Thanks for any clarity injection.

Notrab, the first letter of the x-axis index is A, the ND (12) clue is irregular. The x-axis index is as I guessed on the previous page of this thread. But ignore my speculation about the y-axis index. PKD gives the correct details (also on page 2 of the thread).

I assume 'characters of the author' doesn't just mean the letters of his name? If so I think I'll throw in the towel. Too obscure for me I'm afraid.

Can anyone help with hints for the last 3 I need? Across AU, down AN and EI. I know what AN must be, but I can't parse the wordplay. Is there any significance in the letters not used in crossing words where there is a clash?

Down AN took me ages until I saw the link between 'metal' and 'rolling pin or'. The first four letters of the answer form a synonym of the first word of the clue.

Can't help with any of the others: I say 'any' rather than 'either' as there are two AU across clues and I'm stumped by both of them.

With nine clues still to cold-solve I'm still in the dark about fitting things together. Does knowing the quotation, and experimenting with the indexes (which the preamble, the letters used, and the big four-words-from-six-letters give-away combine to reduce to the correct four) actually do any good?

No sooner had I posted than the penny dropped on the 2 downs, and the mystery of the discarded letters became clear. Very clever, Sabre! I still don't see why the final across is what it must be. In answer to ionacarr, yes, knowing the quotation and getting the x and y axes right is vital. And knowing the folk in the story is too. One of the AU is a well-concealed hidden word. Now for the last hurdle.

IonaCarr, the first AU, as Scatterbox indicated, is an inclusion. The second is (to me) an obscure synonym for 'wants' with an equally obscure synonym for 'make out' followed by TS.

As to the finishing off, I needed to research a little of the book, which you say you have, for the main characters. It helped me to know these in order to make the changes required (I'm not convinced I got everything right, but that doesn't really matter).

Researching the book revealed that the author was in some manner an intermediary between John Locke and Arthur Schopenhauer. Fascinating !

I've got a full grid but cannot yet fathom the principle on which letters are omitted or spot exactly the 6 clashes and so identify the characters from the book although I know what I must be looking for

aspria - jumble all the letters forming the clash to create a character from the thematic work. Then replace this by a letter from his surname creating new words.

Yeees. Many thanks. It only remains to reveal the second half of the quotation (first wordch begins with D?) and what about that odd cell hanging at the bottom? Ornamental?