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1. id. "merits to be cherished as the heart so deems"
2 words 4 & 6 letters
?O?E ?A?U?S something values ???
2 .23d. "take the point, macduff!"
2 words 4 & 2 letters
L?E? ?? possibly lead on
3. 29a. "oops... in other words."
2 words 2 2 letters
?? O?
maybe OH OH

First one looks like CORE VALIES

Second one "

Second one "LEAD ON"?

Sorry, I meant "CORE VALUES" for the first one

I think the LEAD bit can also be LEAD (led) as in
a pencil.