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Thank you, DRXX and S-Pugh. I keep forgetting those damned unclued letters!

There has been some griping about the preamble, in particular regarding the word "zigzag". Can't see the problem; the entries do zigzag, ie "move forward making an alternation of short, sharp turns" (Chambers). As it is made clear that none are entered moving upwards, it doesn't take long to understand how answers are to be entered.
However, the penultimate sentence of the preamble is barely English, and I suspect written by an editor, not the setter. Anyway, it's the best Listener for ages. The clueing was eminently fair (despite traps for the unwary, of whom I am one) and the endgame was brilliantly executed. It was a pleasure to have a proper challenge after some very weak puzzles recently. Strange, though, that the same writer should reappear again so soon. I had hardly heard of him before he turned up in April.

In fact saw it at once; clear as day, as you said, thanks again.

I would greatly appreciate a hint for:
24 First half lost from inopportune foul
25 Alight from vessel getting into Jag briefly and
1 Girona town etc.
I know there has already been a hint for 1, but I still can't get it!
Also, is it correct that no answers move diagonally ?
Thank you.

24 The lost first half is INCOMM
1 name of a town in Catalonia 2 letter abbreviation for a US town (city) 3 letter past tense verb meaning tore inside abbreviation for football club. One of the first two consonants is unclued.

25 Definition is ALIGHT
3 letter word for vessel (often at funerals) inside shortened 5 letter term for a blow-out, often used with drinking or watching box sets. Usual 3 letter ending for present participle is used.

Thank you very much, Turast. With luck I can make a bit of progress now !

Forgot to ask again about Diagonals.

I feel a bit of a fraud coming into this discussion, since I am floundering badly and have more or less decided to give it up as an unrewarding grind. But I was grateful to Turast for the explanation of the very first, and very unreasonable in my opinion, clue. Just one query though, Turast. Isn’t it “the local” that leads to the beginning of the answer, not “town”, which is part of the definition?

Turast's explanation is not correct. A US city doesn't come into it. 'The local' in the clue refers to the Spanish for 'the', the feminine form, 'la'.