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Cockie
Hang in there. The unclueds are all real words, some of them obscure. Try looking at 18A and 38A, both of which are reasonably familiar words, and look for inclusions which have something in common.

Thanks, buzzybee - but 18A is clued. Which light do you mean? It's encouraging to know that real words are to be discovered.

if I'm right about the thematic content (which does seem thin), I seem to have three (not two) the same - 1a, 38a and 22d .... and I can't see a theme word in the only word that fits 1d ... also stuck on several clued including 30d, 12d, and 14a (which seems to have an extraneous letter). Hardest for some time.

I believe 1a and 22d are the two with the same thematic content. The themer in 38a is similar but 6 letters.

The thematic content in 1d (and some others ) is rather obscure. It’s 4 letters.

Sorry Cockie meant 16A

Prospero,
30d nine letter word for lying minus two words from the clue. Def. is cobble.
12d an old word for band. Meat dish minus a word for taste (Russian origin per Chambers).
14a a word for sails + a word for outdo.

AHA! Wrong tree(s) no longer barked up - thanks.

well I finished this - I think correctly (and grateful for help here) but with no real pleasure or sense of joy in achievement. All a bit like pulling teeth really - and if 16 is what it seems, does it really fit the (very loose) rubric?

prospero, not sure what you mean about 16a. To me it clearly fits in with the theme.

I only have 40A remaining, “These birds might lead you to sard? (8)”

Am I correct in thinking we take the first half of the answer as a command so linking the second half to “sard?”