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I've finished this except for 25a, 31a, 18d, and 21d. (I'm from the US, so what do I know about Arbroath?) I have STUCK for 33a. Is that wrong?

I had the IE (that is) for 31a and just realized that the answer must be (G)REEK IE. Rather obscure (across the pond, at least).

And I have WHERRET. What an odd language you have!

I have 18d as WHIRRET... (THREW)* around (PA)IR...

Ah! My dictionary has "wherret." I had thought that the letters must come from "pair," but then figured that the "half of pair missing" must refer to an extra RE in "threw." Thanks!

I finished the puzzle with 21d, but though I know it's the right answer I don't understand the clue.

Segolene Royal was the Socialist candidate in the French presidential election in 2007...

My interpetation of the clue was neo = new or not old, ne is a variation of neo, so not old departing means take NE out of SEGOLENE...

Now read it backwards and you get ELOGES, which has the same meaning as encomia...

Bill - STUCK is right for 33a

Stick means to stab and the German word for a piece is stuck, with the u having an umlaut, hence the removal of the accent...

Thanks again, Rusty. I know German and STUCK came immediately to mind and of course made sense, but I questioned it because it seemed to be causing problems. I knew that ELOGES meant encomia, but I had no idea about the Socialist candidate. Now I do! By the way, have you ever tried the Atlantic Monthly crossword? Pure genius; the pattern is always completely different. Several years ago there was one that featured unclued genetic terms that formed a double helix through the grid. The makers just retired, but the puzzles are archived at www.theatlantic.com. How I miss them! Now I have to look to the UK.

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/index/the_puzzler