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Is there a typo with regard to the theme? Should the clue for 13 include (apart from 21)? I think 23 features in the answer to 13....
But I have got so much wrong tonight....

I don't think there's a misprint FrSteve.

The themed homophones appear in the order of the answer to 13a and can be the last syllable as well as the first (this held me up for a while), of the across answers. - so the 23a homophone, as well as already having appeared in 12a, would be out of sequence anyway.

Well that was fun!
The theme word was helpful in completing the rest of the puzzle even though I didn’t know the answer. So opposite to your experiences Brendan and Geeker!

Frsteve you take the elements in order, so even though the 23 one occurs in 13, it is also in 12 which puts them in the correct order. Confusing much...

Got it.....
Just not with it today

Hi FemmeNoire,

Kudos on not only having spotted the theme but also using it to solve other clues 😃

It was a very enjoyable and fun solve.

I think the first letter in 25a is pronounced as e, to fit the theme in 13a.

I’ve been looking at this thread and scratching my head for half an hour... wondering quite what it is you’re all in on...

I saw the homophones and wondered how 23a could be an exception seeing as it also has one... but the penny has finally dropped.

That’s a fantastic crossword!

Thanks Mathi for the explanation re 25ac as well.

Hi Richard, hi Mathi,

Definitely, the more you look at it the better it gets - so many great touches, not least that brilliant 13a which, naturally, went right over my head so thanks again to Geeker for spotting it.

Really enjoyed that. Excellent construction. Caught on to the central device early on and as a result had most of the across clues before attempting any downers. TILT 6a and the last part of 9a. Chambers suggests the first letter of 25a can be pronounced two ways so it works.

Can’t quite see why ‘initial’ is needed in 21a?