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That is correct, Gitto

Thanks Quisling, it's just the damn shape now - I'm sick of reading about the top row.

Gitto, it might help to know the final shape contains no right angles. My posts #18 and #27 might help

The problem is that the perimeter of that shape (as is the area of it) is the same as my highlighted cell, but the shape will not fit in the grid!

Yes it does!! (silly me)

Still awaiting the endgame torture. Can anyone nudge me with parsing of 24, 39, 49 across? Very close on each. Looking for the final misprints.

Barnacle
24a - usual abbrev of creditor outside 4-letter 'former' + usual 'new' - definition last word
39a - this parses as 1 + 3 + 2 +1. you need a dialect word for 'girl'. Definition, with misprint, at the end.
49a - You need a 4-letter 'shine' with the end missing; a 4-letter abbrev for 'pledges given'; with usual 'river' inside somewhere. (ie it parses 3 + 4 with a single letter inserted). Definition, at the end, has a misprint.

Thank you, JBird. I missed the misprint in 39a and, I realize, had the wrong misprint in 26a. Some enjoyable clues here.

One of several recent Listeners where I have just not got on the right wavelength and have accordingly shelved after a few hours. I’m sure that the problem is with me and not the puzzles or setters. Anyway, off to the Antarctic soon, so maybe a change of hemisphere will reorient my solving smarts.

All done. So much fun. Thanks, Mr Snaky.