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well, I have checked several times but can only find 11 clues in which the substitute can be made - 9 across and 2 down ... but a rather easier ride this month.

Do some of the themed clues need double substitutions?
i.e word in clue > theme word > synonym of theme word

I am having trouble finding them all too. I am starting to think you do need to make some substitutions in the clue and some of the answers are examples.

But, the website entry is a bit odd too - one down clue (4) is missing completely and another (21) has extras. You can do the whole thing from the PDF but that is missing the first letter of the instructions.

Still, it is easier to get started on than last month.

I hadn't (late at night) noticed 4d was missing on the form - hope they're not going to penalise us for that. That takes me up to 12. There is one double substitution but that's indicated. And it definitely says 15 clues, not 15 substitutions.

I am beginning to think 10 may be a double definition - one all the clue except the first two letters and the other the first word, with thematic wordplay on the last two words... If that's so - and maybe 15 is thematic - I only have to add 12 (though that seems to me a cheat ....)

sorry: first two words!

mattrom, I misread your post - lack of sleep. Yes, some answers require a synonym to get wordplay and some definitions are synonyms.

I'm happy that I've correctly completed this but......I can only identify 10 across clues and 3 down ones that satisfy the instructions. So maybe 12 and 27 are included??? Does Puck ever come on here to clarify instructions?

I’ve got 14 thematic clues, one of which needs two, so maybe stretches to 15? I’ve double-checked all the non-thematic clues and can’t see anywhere else a 15th might occur.

Tintin - I have 4 definites in the Down clues so 12 and 27 can’t be included.