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Thanks, malone.

Cloverjo, glad it made sense - I originally gave the answer then noticed you wanted only a hint! Just in case there's any confusion, the thematic element goes inside the rest.

cloverjo - GOLIARD is one of the 3 types of thematic entries. It relates to the second type (S..... O..). The answer to the clue is GLAD, and then it is ...

... that should be - answer to the definition for the clue, not the wordplay, which does give GOLIARD as you say.

Thanks, drxx. I haven't got all three phrases yet, but I'm slowly starting to see what's going on. I think!

Cloverjo, I had the phrases for a while before I could do anything with them! One, the first one, seems harder work than the other two.

18d Country's upper crust chasing rampant embarrassment (7) ?E??G??
i can see a few countries that would fit the letters but not the wordplay?

14a Celebrations taking over Edinburgh lawyers' homes (7) ?O??E??

26a Ideas turned into sounds with exciting alternatives (7) ???IO??

SENEGAL DOOKETS NOTIONS

Thank you drxx

18d the other spelling of the Earth's crust around French word for embarrassment 'rampant' = raised SEAL gene/ENEG