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0pt0,

12d, read A SQUAD as A TEAM
22d. Reported means one in school "sounds like" the answer.

Thanks Gitto. I see them now. I have the singer and the song, so all I have to do now is fill in the grid. What could possibly go wrong?

0pt0 - following the rubric..
a) clue answers are split into 2 fragments containing 1 to 6 letters
b) first fragment in each answer is entered at the numbered clue
c) all real words or names
SO
1) only one possible entry at 24a
2) column 1 and column 12 MUST be formed of 2 6-letter fragments which limits possibilities. One crosses with 24a; another likely contains the other part of 24a.
ALSO, most - but not all - of the 2-letter answers contain 2 fragments, one from the first answer and one from the second. Look at, eg, 5d, 22d, 13a, 25a.
Good luck!

I found that getting the clued answers to join and fit the grid was ok-ish without too much pain. Fitting the remnants into the unches was a different proposition altogether as they form quite a few unusual words.

I don't see why columns 1 and 12 have to be made from two fragments not three. Am I missing something?

Iratus - no, my error. I was typing very early NY time!. I should have said 'likely'. Both columns could have contained 3 fragments. But, of course, if they are 2 fragments they have to be 6+6.
I found that you had to make some assumptions to get into the grid fill, and most worked out.
Thanks for correction.

Now that I look, it seems that all the unnumbered entries are made from one or two fragments. Perhaps the rubric should have said so.

FWIW, Iratus, as soon as I read the rubric - and before starting the clues - I felt it likely that most grid entries would consist of 2 fragments. Why? Because I thought that the setter a) would want to minimize one fragment entries and b) I didn't think that it would be possible to create a puzzle with a unique solution if 3-fragment answers predominated. Whether that was a decent assumption or a 'wild guess' is a matter of opinion! Turned out OK.

A huge thank you to those who posted just the right sort of oblique hints on tis forum. Initially I wasn't going to attempt this as I have been quite poorly with RSV but as I was confined to barracks and rest I passed the time by giving it a go and now have a grid filled and the endgame completed.

The grid may well be like Eric Morecombe's piano playing - all the right letters but not necessarily in the right order, but who cares 'that'll do me!'.

Apologies to the late, great Eric for misspelling his name - Morecambe of course.