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For the first it's a means of communication.
For the second it's a slightly loose definition (I think) but I've gone for something to do with height - ending in 'n'.

...the more usual height definition relates to difficulty in this case.

Because you appear to be missing the letters in the first and last columns, you could have missed the major hint to the theme.

Thanks, drxx. Something to ponder ...

I'm assuming you're a UK resident, pendragon (and of a certain vintage) but if not I can give a hint to the phrase.

Thanks, but I now have it all (I hope). I assumed there were lots of missing letters throughout the across clues, but it's only marginal, it seems. I shall spend a few days trying to make it all fit! Thanks, again.

I must agree that this Genius has been the hardest for a while but finally finished!
However, the one answer I can't parse is 4d. I can see the definition but how does the wordplay work for the first two letters? It has me stumped....

vandergraaf - 4, I took it to be the initial from Kilmarnock taken from a 3-letter Scots word for range - as in Beyond our .... only someone as old as I would remember the radio series.

Thanks Prospero, had a vague idea it was something to do with that but didn't really pursue it.

Prospero@29 - "17: last letter is the back to basics, then (going up) next 5 just about = those following (tho Chambers doesn't give it), then do .... "

This isn't quite right: it's the back to basics, then the next four letters are "those following do". The rest of the solution is part of the theme and so omitted from the wordplay.