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I’m trying to get started on what seems an incredibly difficult solve. Can someone help me with the first across clue please? Many thanks.

It's a very tough puzzle indeed. The first across answer is ROCK BASS, but that's not the entry.

Thanks Dryden. This one is going to take me at least a week! Lots of cold solving - how inappropriate considering the weather.

Is there a clash in the first cell as 1d is just an anagram?

What is the answer to the last across clue? Is there another clash there?

I’m now struggling to see how to fit in infantas against rock bass. I can reduce rock bass by a letter and put infantas with a letter missing down the first column. However that means the last across answer of seven letters has to fit into eight cells with a symmetrical grid. I’m confused!

The answers to clues with a misprint in the definition are entered normally. Thus a six-letter answer will fit six spaces. The answers to clues of the other type are entered missing a letter. Thus a six-letter answer occupies five spaces. And so on.

Foinaven - I am still not sure how to keep the correct symmetry for the first two and last two across answers.

The first clue has no misprint, so it loses a letter and occupies 7 spaces. I have not solved the last clue, but in indicates 7 letters so there is a misprint. The second clue has no misprint, so 5 spaces. The penultimate clue is 6 letters with no misprint, so we must lose a letter and occupy 5 spaces. There will be an extra letter in both rows.

Then how can rock bass and infantas go in? There are no common letters at the beginnings of the two words.

Sorry I’ve just seen how they work. Onwards and upwards.....