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Another stinker! I can only do 2 clues, 12 and 16 and I don't really understand the stuff about incorrect replacements.

Any tips welcome eg 1ac, 1 dn?

Thanks

I am also making slow progress. If I'm correct, 1ac is one of the 11 clues without alteration and the def is a famous C&W singer with conspicuous attributes.

I rarely visit before finishing the puzzle unless I'm stuck on the endgame, here I'm not even that far. I think the 'incorrect replacements' is a clumsy way of saying use the letter in the clue definition that is changed, not the replacement letter. That way at least my first few incorrect replacements at least appear to be spelling something as the replacements do not.

What I do take issue with here is that some of the clues are dire, with definitions that are frankly tenuous at best (7dn for example), and one (14ac) which I still can't fathom even given a limited number of possible replacement letters!

I rather think this will end up on the 'life is too short' pile. It is a very short pile. Good luck all.

I'm with you Steve, it's bright and sunny - the garden beckons. Maybe I'll wrestle with this later - or maybe not.

I agree with planks about 1ac being normal - and easy, by Listener thought, which was a nice way of letting us into what sounds a tortuous puzzle, as does the Inquisitor this week.

I’ve only solved about half of the clues so far, but I agree with the suggestions made here. The message is formed by the incorrect letters, or characters, in the clues, as in last Sunday’s EV.

S Pugh: In 14ac the last 8 letters of the clue give a synonym of the answer.

I don’t really understand about the letter and space changes. Does one have to replace one letter with another (as in a misprint) and move it together with a space? I don’t suppose it’s possible to give me an example...but if someone could help me I’d be most grateful, otherwise I think I too will head for the garden !
Thanks.

Oh FFS! Thanks Rad. I could see what it must be but was focused purely on the last 5 letters, hence why I was stumped! Maybe I will be able to parse 4dn now which is the other one eluding me thus far.

Samovar - one letter (or perhaps character) changes in the definition part to make the actual definition, but it is the original letter that is taken to build the 33-character instruction. The spacing changes may be single or multiple, are also in the definition but may or may not be adjacent to the letter. Hope that makes sense.

S_pugh. The parsing is Oscar = o, + a word for "to cook" (cheat), +an + wet "skinned.
The dash is replaced by a letter.