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The first word is 7 letters, cockie - but it's a proper name, not a common word (I'd say it's pretty well known as a location).
The first word completes on the bottom row (hope that's not too much information).

Thanks again drxx. And I now finally have all 20 in. Attempt 8 was the charm. Last letter of last answer is an S in row 3, column 10?

If that's right I can now get on to what sounds like the hard bit.

10a is l(a)y for 'poem' [remove '(a)dvanced'].

It's only the 'n' of 'name' that arises.

Yes to that 's' - you're ready for the trip!

Isn't the letter in row 3 column 10 an 'O' - the first letter of 13d?

O in grid 1
S in grid 2

That's a relief, I thought I'd gone horribly wrong for a moment!

Thanks Tatters.

Thanks, drxx. Your first hint about the first 3 letters was enough. All done now. In damn nearly 50 years (with some interruptions) of doing the Listener I think this one is close to being the most unremitting unrewarding slog I can remember. Which takes nothing from my awe at Harribobs for its construction, but the solving process was tedious in the extreme.

Hi Cockie, I started the listener in the late seventies, and I do agree that the endgame did not provide any reward. Firstly, because the final grid reveals nothing. Secondly, because the final two answers in the second grid were simply a tedious and lengthy exercise in trial an error and finally because the first phase was not too taxing. Harribobs is a setter to be respected, but in this instance he drove me up the bloody wall!

Definitely designed to reduce the all-correct list...John Green will have 'fun' checking these....

I am amazed at the construction...Harribobs had to devise a long list of words and places to fill 144 spaces with no collisions. Incredible!