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I have completed the grid and have the down clues instruction and think that I can see the 5 letters in a line from which four need to be changed. (In the sixth column?). But in spite of a forensic analysis of the hints on this site I am stuck. I can see that the tenth column has "letters" as the bottom part and think that the down clue above it might change to match the theme. Perhaps this is wrong. Am I looking for a number in the theme language? Can you help me to locate the grid entry referred to in the last instruction. I enjoyed the clues but this final hurdle is leaving me feeing annoyed.

Hello Catkin. You're right about 4 letters to be changed in column 6, causing a country to appear. I'm wondering, with your forensic analysis, where the crime was, but that's digressing. You're also right to focus on column 10 as the object of the instruction given by the first letters of normal clues. Maybe you're over-thinking this, and perhaps quite a few of us did. If you carefully work out the numbering, you'll see that the entry you refer to is 21 Down. If you write in 21 above the first letter, then you have '21 Letters'. Which is the number of letters in the Italian alphabet. Z is included unless you want to go without pizza. 8D, the entry above, doesn't need to be changed in any way.

Thank you Meursault. As always your explanations are clear and helpful. I am afraid that I had focused on entirely the wrong language, one much closer to home. Now finished, thank goodness.

Hi all. Have been hammering away at this since last night and am approaching the final stages. I'm a novice and found this pretty tough, though satisfying. Took ages for the penny to drop regarding the theme. Anyhow, can anyone confirm if the answer to 'Not dispassionate, begin short note'. is a 6-letter word starting e which, I believe, has two diacritics. It's not in my Chambers, (it's not the 2016 version). Thanks!

You seem to have the correct answer, but it is in Chambers.

Thanks gem. Have checked again and you're right of course. Many thanks