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Was my reply any help Lumen?

Yes thanks Brendan sorry.
I'd already finished really. Always good to tidy up and understand everything!

No problem Lumen, glad you got it all done. I struggled at the start with this one and was pleased and not a little surprised that I managed to finish:-)

Given the Christmas post and PO strikes delays, I think I've left it a bit late to put this one to bed and submit an entry.
At the moment I have 10 omitted letters, rather than 9. I suspect the culprit is 26ac as I can't properly parse the answer I have.
Will some kind soul please put me out of my misery (compounded by just having tested positive for COVID-19, despite having received a full complement of jabs...

No omitted letter in 26a, jif73. One letter from the inside of Aga, plus a four letter word for outside, skin. Mill is definition.

There are 5 omitted in the acrosses (clue numbers sum to 73), and 4 in the downs (clue numbers sum to 32)

Get well soon!

Thanks, quisling.
I worked out the parsing a short while after posting – always the way! I had chosen the wrong vowel.
Now I'm not clear how to draw the lines "row by row", since we have established that there are only 5 unclued letters in across clues.
Designating them a to e, do I put a line thru a and b, then another thru b and c, etcetera?
After doing this there are already more than three areas!

Yes, you do that. From grid edge of a to b, b to c, c to d, d to grid edge of e splits off one area. Likewise for the other four divides the other two. If that doesn’t work check your clue sums tally with what I gave.

Thanks again, mate!
I was extending each straight line to the edges of the grid, not the first and last. And I was looking in a completely different part of this country, but I've cracked it now!

Happy to help. Glad you’ve sorted it. Get well!