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I normally download this crossword from the i Newspaper website, but today, the most recent issue of the paper available is yesterday's, Friday 21st's. Is anyone else having this problem?

Didn't know that it was available online -- what site exactly? (I tried independent.co.uk to no avail)

It's not the Independent, it's the "i" newspaper - https://inews.co.uk
see " https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_(newspaper) "
At the point that the Independent went online only, the IQ moved to the confusingly similarly-named different newspaper.
A subscription is required for the crossword. I subscribe because I live in Romania, but I only subscribe for the Inquisitor.

I have the i newspaper app for the iPad which is very reasonably priced at £50 a year. The crossword page can then be printed from a screenshot. This gives excellent results.

The Saturday edition has now appeared - I can get started!

Can anyone help with the final part of the endgame please ?
I can see the thematic word omissions. Is it just a question of adding up each of the three types and placing the results in the boxes ?
If so why ? I can't see their relevance as a time or date.

The range suggested by the total number of affected clue answers and the puzzle's number?

Look at the number of the puzzle, which ties in (traditionally) with the spelt out phrase. The removed X, Y and Z represent "the amount to go" as per preamble. I'll leave it at that for the moment.

Thank you. I assume then that the title is a cryptic representation of that phrase too?

That's how I saw it, Tony.