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I seem to have completed the grid but without finding all the 25 extra letters, so I’m floundering. Can anyone help me parse 2a for a start, and perhaps indicate what kind of ascent I am looking for.

Jogamel, I got as far as the first two words of 2 A being the definition, and didn't do any more. Sorry!

There's a useful clump of letters straddling the last of the Across clues and the first few of the Downs - that helps enormously with the middle stage. The theme has appeared in quite a few crosswords over the years.

Thanks Malone. I saw the word starting at the sixth letter of 23a because it is my grandsons name….I am an idiot

Hi Jogamel, I can't help with the parsing of 2a (other than the first two words are the def) but you are looking for the tale of an ascent from a hot place to a nicer one, made by two companions in a story of 3 parts.
(Hope that's not too much info).

Ah. Sorry, you seem to have got things sorted.

2 across is (I think) a word for "show in favourable light" (first 6 letters) + obsolete word for "trimmings" (the rest). Both defs are in Chambers.

Can I get a parse for ...

9d - Ex-drug dealer shot training senior nurses?

My answer is an obsolete "drug-dealer" and I think there is an extra P in the wordplay.

Okay, I've got:-)

Hello!

Like Brendan, I got to the point where I'd done everything but parse 9d - 'Ex-drug dealer shot training senior nurses?' Unlike Brendan, I'm still waiting for the penny to drop on this one, so please could I get a hint?

Thanks,
Suzannah

9 down is a three-letter word for shot (as in photo) plus the usual two-letter abbreviation for training/gym/exercise inside (nursed by) abbreviation for senior. The extra letter comes from the training bit. This one had me head-scratching for ages!