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Gitto, et al - since we could effectively ignore "in name only" to complete the puzzle, why was it mentioned at all ? Well, if like me you had solved the "thematic context" before the "thematic word" you might have started to follow a red herring round the coasts of Britain and (for the two exceptions) tried to find a certain promontory in north-east Kent or a place in the Cambridgeshire fens. Just a hunch ...

It occurred to me that there are in fact two French composers whose names would have served for 30 down. I suppose we may never know (nor perhaps care?) which of them Hedge-sparrow had in mind.

-iaen for the composer, definitely.

Look him up to see why.

Why not -ager?

Marbles, consider the the setter’s name, the theme and the scientific categorisation of two of the thematic objects despite their still current common names. Not essential to know in order to solve the puzzle but satisfyingly complete once it’s done.

Will, likewise consider the setter’s name and the theme and ask which of the two composers had a catalogue and also a group of “exotiques”. Likewise, not essential to know in order to solve the puzzle but also a neat and elegant touch.

Or maybe I’m just being an irritating old thematic item……😄

Agree it's likely -iaen, though -ager wrote a ballet (possibly his best known work) in 1886 which is also in the thematic ballpark!

Accepted, Loge. Although I confess that I spend a lot of time chasing his ballparks away in order that true thematics can get a look in…..

I came late to this, having started it last night. In general, I found it easier than most other Listeners, but it was still enjoyable.

I agree with the comments already made re the (non)importance of the pairs of adjacent letters.

Pedantically, am I the only person to find fault with "...which solvers must highlight (46 cells)". There are 2 overlaps - which makes the total number of highlighted cells 44, not 46.

Tiomateo1, I definitely highlighted 46 cells (from the entries having a total of 48).

Hi Malone. Immediately after making my post, I started to think I might just be trying to be too clever by half, and so it turns out to be. The longest of the 8 theme examples that I highlighted had eight letters, and I realised that I needed to highlight two additional letters at the end of this example. So without changing anything else in the grid I now have 8 examples, totalling 48 letters, with 2 overlaps, so that 46 cells have been highlighted.

I'm lucky that I hadn't actually posted it when I realised my mistake.

Serves me right for trying to be a smartass!

Thanks for your contribution.