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1a: kindle black piece of wood (4) (wordplay may lead to on incorrect letter)
1d: obscure plot linked with Arab over disreputable house (8)
Help, anyone?

1 D. Bedarken, obscure. Bed = plot, A = Arab and I don't know about the rest!
1 A. Blog - B+Log, but the parsing's beyond me.

These could both be wrong!

Ar for arab and ken is a disreputable house.

Thank you Malone. I had blog without knowing why really. I seem to have the top right hand done and the bottom left but am getting bogged down with the rest...

I think you'll find this is one of the 'eight'. Blog is the wordplay. You change the g to another letter for the definition 'kindle'.

Thanks for that, Shellraine.

Is 12a diploe?please

No. It is one of the ones that need changing before entry. I did all the others first and then by process of elimination realised this was a non word as it stands. The answer to the clue is six letter word meaning cut the marrow beginning with P.

Ah. Thank you

I had found the other non word, but now the grid is full with 2 letters in 8 cells that are baffling me. I will work on it because I know you are all quick to see the light.