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Yes, lovely puzzle. Unfortunately I submitted my entry without the highlighting.

Throck

From the Crossword Centre FAQs

Q: After submitting, I noticed a mistake in my entry. What should I do?

Simply resubmit the corrected entry. If you submit multiple entries in a month, the one submitted most recently will be considered your definitive entry.

Well, after recommendations from Malone and Ginge, I've just finished drawing out the grid.

On first glance it looks pretty difficult, not just the clues but also the multi-letter clashes and occassional letter pair removals. In fact, on first read through I got about 6 answers, and four of those were too long for their grid slots - I hope I haven't bitten off more than I can chew 😯

I may well be back...

Hmm, this is rather puzzling.

I've completed the grid, got the 8 'unfortunate victims', the song and both the name of the performers and the 'perpetrator'.

But here's my problem, the preamble says to use the initial letters of the unfortunate victims and colour the cells appropriately, so for the one beginning K, for example, how does that equate to a colour, or the 2 initials of the lady who says "good gracious"?

I've tried looking at the individual letters in Chambers and also grouping them together to see if they are an anagam of a colour, but with no luck. I also tried adding the initial letters to the rest of their answers, but again, nothing.

Usually when I'm stuck it's because, although I know what I'm supposed to do, I'm just not sdmart enough to work it out. But, in this instance, I truly have absolutely no idea how single or paired letters lead to a colour?

I assumed it was the color (sic) of what hit them

Hi Buddy, that actually crossed my mind bit I dismissed it because of seemed a bit 'samey'. Is there really nothing more to it?

Thanks anyway Buddy, always appreciated.

Having reread my previous post I realise I come across as a bit of a grouch, so sorry for that. All in all in was a very enjoyable puzzle, so thanks to Hedge-Sparrow for that.

There are 2 clues I still haven't been able to parse...

6d- Goofs saying curtly “Toilets must be vacated” (6)

My answer means "goofs" as a noun and I've been working on the assumption it's a homophone, but if that''s the case I can't work out what the terms are supposed to be. I also noted that 4 of the letters in the answer appear in a word in the clue, but again, it doesn't lead me anywhere.

17d - Wanting credit, unfeelingly emit rising fog for writer (5)

My answer is a literary term for "fog", so "for writers", and it should be noted that 2 letters are removed from a word in this clue prior to solving and that leads us to the final 2 letters of the answer when reversed/'rising'. That leaves the first 3 to come from "wanting credit, unfeelingly" which I took to mean a term for "unfeeling" minus "cr" but that doesn't even come close to working.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Brendan, 6d. is "saying", noun (5) minus last letter + T(oilet)S

In 17d. "credit" can be "tally"

That's fantastic, thank you again Mattrom.

I always like to post queries in the wee small hours because I know there's a high chance, given your time zone, that you will respond.

Thanks, Brendan. I'm always pleased to see a Hedge-sparrow puzzle.