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Terminado! I was scratching my head at the last stage because I thought I needed Spanish words. I found using a spreadsheet a great help.

I am just starting out on this, and as it is only the second "Carte Blanche" that I have attempted, can someone tell me if the numbering of the Across clues indicates the order the answers are to be entered ? For instance do 14, 16 and 17 Across all go in line 2 and so on ? Or are they all higgledy-piggledy all over the place ? I am rather presuming that the Down clues are not in any particular order, but would be very grateful for some guidance over-all.
Thank you.

Samovar - both across and down clues are in the normal crossword order.

It's not as fearful as you might think, Samovar. You're right about the 3 across entries and the downs are entered conventionally too. Even though numbers and bars aren't needed, inserting the bars in your working copy will help a lot. Thirteen down entries start on the top line and getting them will help you work out the top line.

Hi Caphrist. Also the 180 degree symmetry helps a good deal. As soon as you are confident about the placement of one entry, then bar(s) can be provided for the diametrically opposite entry. As you go on, you will also be able to identify the unsolved entry numbers.

Thank you so much, Unclued, Caphrist and Meursault. That is a great help. I'd better get going !

Quite a clever puzzle. I did not need to resort to cut and paste as I could print a fresh copy from the web site. Must be tricky for people who use the print version in the newspaper.
One question. Should 1a not be three rather than two words? My TCD only shows hyphenation for a few specific combinations of what I belive to be the second and third words - such as for descriptions of gramaphone records.

Feeling pretty chuffed to have completed my first “carte blanche”. I’m one of the poor souls using the print version... thank goodness I had the foresight to photocopy it this time! I’ve managed to complete this with one of the nine extra items missing from the across clues and would be grateful if someone could identify it for me. My five (from the across) start mwc1y. Where’s the missing one?

I flukily managed to assemble this first time with the ambiguity resolved. Took me a little while to identify that there could be an ambiguity and so reassure myself I’d done it right!

Now to copy this across to the original grid. Coffee first methinks to aid avoidance of transpositional error!

Thanks again to all you wonderful people on this site for all of your help.

Merenz

You want the second word of clue 40ac.

Like you I was lucky to get the “pact” version first time. But I still haven’t solved 8d or 20d. Could someone please offer gentle hints, rather than answers?

PS I second your vote of thanks to so many fellow-forumites.