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Wow! That was difficult. I knew I was in trouble when, after 30 minutes, I still hadn't got a single answer.

However, once I'd figured the wordplay in the 15 clues, together with 21d, I made steady progress.

That said, I'm still not 100% sure how 5a is parsed. I know it's one of the 15 but am struggling to see how the rest works.

Congrats to Puck on an absolutely first rate puzzle:-)

Hi Brendan, for 5a, perhaps the letter C is written as a 3 letters, according to one of its dictionary definitions. (There are 2)

Agreed, thanks to Puck. I haven't been able to parse 5, either. Still stuck on 11, which would be LOI.

Brilliant, many thanks Mattrom, that makes sense, and I've just checked in Chamber and it's there, as you say, under the 3 letter spelling. Thanks again.

Hi Geeker, 11d was my LOI also. If you need a hint just let me know.

Once I'd twigged the theme, I found this fairly straightforward - until 11d. I assume that I'm not alone in being stymied far too often by 4-letter words, for which I already have 2 of the letters. Not helped this time by never having heard of it.
As for 5a, I seem to have written it in without wondering how or why - a new category of answer: the TFD - "That'll freakin' do." But I agree with your analysis.

11d was ok, once you get the theme. But I got stuck near bottom left area with a wrong entry for 15d, and had to sweat it out. Yes, a difficult puzzle, till you realise the underlying theme with the missing letter.

11d was tough, I think Puck could have been fairer there with the clueing.

Is 18a spelled correctly? Should the second letter not be different?

23d a little weak.

Otherwise a good puzzle.

18a is also spelled with an e for the second letter, as in Chambers. Yes, for 11d, we need to realise that it is an extinct bird, and look up the dictionary.

Is 11d a thematic? I seem to have only 14 otherwise, though I may have miscounted!