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I think that must be so, Ethik. Though very obscure for non-knitters...

Many thanks Planks. It leaves me a problem with 33, but I'll think about that while I'm out. I'm afraid I can't help with the symmetric devils yet...

My mistake Meursault, Ho not H

Meursault, the insertions for 29, 30 and 33 are in 'felon,' 'Tring'' and 'parade'.

I'm inclined to agree with you and s_pugh. Some of these clues are unsolvable without letters already in the grid. In the end it's often a case of using a computer or online program to see what will fit the letter pattern then struggle to fit one of the options into the clue. Not really my idea of fun. I know some enjoy PD clues but judging by comments I think they may be in the minority. To my mind they are best consigned to a museum of cruciverbal curiosities or reserved for clue competitions.

I don't wish to denigrate the setter as some of these clues are very clever, but on the whole I didn't enjoy the puzzle as much as thought I would mainly because it was a slow progression of trial and error.

Planks, all the items are in a straight line in rows or columns.

Thanks Dryden, got them now though I wasn't familiar with them. I assume the resulting pattern has some diabolic significance but I am quite happy to be in blissful ignorance. An ok puzzle, as ever I admire a mind that can set such a complex and clever thing and I was engaged enough to want to complete it.

Just accessed the puzzle and realising it was Printers Devilry have decided to forgo attempting it. I have never completed one of these puzzles and always avoided them. Could someone tell me if there is a way to recognise where the gaps in the letters/words occur or is it just all trial and error?

Unfortunately there is no shortcut that working out where the words are added back.

In some clues it's possible to see a part of the clue where the surface is strained or unnatural. 17 and 25 are examples, where the third, fourth and fifth letters read oddly. 11 also doesn't read like a normal clue because it makes little sense, and 'chat' or 'chat up' looks suspicious. Try to insert some letters into 'chat' so you have something to do with food or hunger. The beginning and/or end of the clue may provide a contextual hint to the undevilled surface.
But others are very well concealed and much harder to crack.

I shouldn't be put off by the PD Goshawk, while not everyone's cup of tea and sometimes hard to spot they are all 'fair' and make some sort of sense. As Dryden rightly says some are easier to spot than others due to the initial wording appearing a little strained. As an aside I had all 5 letters of the answer to 16ac and couldn't fathom it for ages, but when I did it made me smile as it scans brilliantly both before and after. The hardest ones by far for me were the final ones to mop up the grid, but although tough they are not unfair nor are they ambiguous.

Give it a try!

I'll endorse S_Pugh's recommendation. Give it a go.
To begin with I treated every clue as a potential misprint clue anyway, resulting in about 10 entries filled before I solved my first PD clue. Then, if you have difficulty with the PD clues, just ask. That's what the forum's for...