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Sorry - that should have said 4 down clues (missed one of my asterisks!)

I can only find 3 downs - unless 17 could be one but for me it works without ... If 15 is one, I have a total of 14 - is 12 the 15th?

17 isn’t one, nor is 15. I don’t think 12 can be one as it’s unclued. My 4 in the Downs all contain a thematic word in the clue and, so far as I can see, they are the only ones that do.

20 has alcohol but for me it works without being thematic ...

Oh, I think 20 has to have a thematic replacement to work.

I see it as A+unstarted word for beer (container)+3 first letters - def first word.

If you make the thematic replacement, you can use the last word all the way along. I think the 3rd word is just there to provide a letter in the answer.

ah - of course that's it - though my construction worked really well, I thought! still only 14 though - unless 12 is one, or one can interpret fine as alcohol ....

Fine is brandy. Third definition in Chambers.

Bingo.... you’ve got it! Fine it is, makes perfect sense in the context of the thematic substitution and the answer itself. Thanks, I can relax now.