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I have managed 5 clues.

Anybody out there with hints/tips?

I had a very slow start with this one, but once a few were in, the rest went quite quickly.

Any specific ones you would like a hint for?

btw are you familiar with the fifteensquared blog? It gives answers and explains them - a great aid to new solvers.
https://www.fifteensquared.net/

Where do we start?! (I try to avoid 225 until I’m completely spent - even then I struggle with quite a few explanations)

Across - 1/10/12/17/22/23/24/26/27

Down - 1/2/15/16/1820/21

This is the kind of idiotic novice you’re dealing with.

1a def a group of chemical elements. "doing" without the g, then julius caesar's dire warning

1d anagram ""deal" followed by an italian from a particular city without the o, def official.

____NIDES

Yes.

I thought 16d was rather good, though I couldn’t go so far as to say favourite ;-)

yes, 16d was rather clever

I meant to say ‘favorite’ but it autocorrected!