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Jack - look at the various definitions of 'archangel' in the BRB. The clue's definition is the first 3 words. Wordplay is 1 + 6; the 6 missing the last letter; all reversed

Hi Jack, like you, I've solved all the clues (with a few queries about some of the wordplay) but no idea (yet) about the end game.

Re 8, the last two words of the clue are often used in crosswords to indicate something. Bigger nudge if needed.

Thanks, JB and Simon. All clear now - and I do feel dumb!

Well, I've got the three 16-letter entries and, using them, completed the four 3-letter entries so I'm pretty sure I understand how they're derived. From the three 16-letter entries, I can only see one other possible candidate for the fifth 3-letter entry to be derived but it doesn't occur in my grid. Hmm.....?

The four three letter entries are not thematic but the fifth is.
They merely share the same positional characteristics.

Thanks, upsetter. I'm still not seeing it. Can I just check what you meant please? When you say 'they share the same positional characteristics', do you mean that all 5 are derived from the 16-letter entries in the same way (that's what I'm assuming) but that the 5th is thematic, unlike the first four?

That is exactly what I'm saying.

One has to be somewhat circumspect on this forum.

The nudges from JB and Simon not only unlocked 8 but also gave the “reveal” to the first unclued entry; and the second and third quickly followed. So I owe them even greater thanks. The next couple of stages of the endgame will need to wait until after I cook - and eat - dinner.

Hmm....... thanks again. Deriving a fifth 3-letter word from the 16-letter entries, using the same derivation method as the first four, only seems to throw up one possible candidate, which I can see could be deemed 'thematic'. Unfortunately, it's not in my grid. Ah, unless it's slightly different from the first four (I don't want to be explicit to avoid a spoiler), in which case, I can see a possibility in the grid. Failing that, I must have an error somewhere in my grid.

I think I'll follow Jack's lead and have some dinner before continuing.

0pt0, 16a. def. is the last 6 words, but Mars is not the planet.
Wordplay uses a homophone of a synonym for 2 different words.