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First stage all done after solving some very tricky clues. Got the eponymous shape and the empty line of cells. I lack the RHS, which I’m guessing is one word in the appropriate language. And that’s where I’m stuck. I think I know - it’s an apt date - what the members of the set are, but I can’t locate any of them. Oh dear.

The "set of objects" is just the 9 letter word on the RHS, and you remove 8 of those 9 letters. A bit misleading IMO.

Thanks, buddy. Do we then assume that, with the five blanks ignored, as there are real words - then there are five blanks in the final grid?

no, fill in the 5 blanks to make a 6 letter word (including the letter retained on the RHS). Real words remain (note that if you only removed the 8, there would be non-words).

Gosh. Thanks.