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OMG! I knew the piece (who doesn't!) but never knew it by name.

15a - I'd ignore the "victim" part of the clue, IMHO it only serves to muddy the waters.

Hi Brendan and Jono

More help needed and tomorrow I will map the answers to see why I have repeats of the two thematic letters in some answers.

In the meantime I can confirm that I had already guessed at 33d. I just didn't know the sauce. Similarly, I thought 34ac might be a fabler, but the answer has messed up 24 for me. I can only see one answer for this and can't see why it is right. I've never heard of 60d. I don't do sport!! But I got it from googling.

I've also tackled 21ac, 5d and 6d and cannot solve them. I've identified a Scottish Island and a homophone for smashing Oz, but can't make a word with two more letters. I'm not sure how to spell the homophone for either the island or the smashing Oz.

Finally, I'm mystified by 43d. I have ?I?C?R Are my letters right.

Hi Roof,

24a - 4 letter "barrow" as in 'wheelbarrow' around 2 letter "exercise" - definition is "runner" as in a large strip of cloth (like a rug)

21a - the thematic pair are at the end and it makes the "isle" into a chemical/radical

5d - the initial answer is an alternate letters/regularly (no idea of the definition) and the themed answer is a little bird

6d - 3 letter "John" a slang word + single letter "knight" - initial definition is a bird and thematic definition a city.

43d - Your letters are correct. The "buttress" is one you might see at a seaside and the thematic definition is a type of claw that a crab might have.

Good luck Roof, see you tomorrow:-)

Still stuck on a few, and not too sure about some that I have in.
Any hints for 42d (N_M_O) and 78a (D_R_N_) would be much appreciated.

Hi Docrum,

42d - the initial answer is literally "half a minute" reversed with definition a "game" (an old Chinese game not well known here but in Chambers) - the thematic pair go at the end giving the name of late English actor, mainly light comedy) - Your letters are correct.

78a - the initial answer is Scottish word for "strike" or beat but more commonly it means a light bell sound - the thematic pair are the 2nd and 3rd letter giving a word meaning 'stunning' or 'bewildering' - Your R is wrong.

Thanks Brendan - I was thinking that he must be the answer, but had assumed that names were not permitted. How wrong I was!
Have worked out where I went wrong on 50d now too, so all done. Cheers!

Great stuff, thanks Docrum:-)

Wow what a mammoth! A brilliant creation, just about the right balance for me for a bank holiday giant - I'm definitely in Castafiore's camp rather than Chrise this week,

I think I've got there at last, working on the paper version with a printed figure to help me with the pairs of letters and their locations, and quite a few nudges from the lovely people here. I'll now have to fill it in on the guardian puzzles app and see if I get a tick (if it's still interactive there, it hasn't always ticked for the Prize puzzles let alone the giant grid)
Foi 16a, LOI 80a - delayed because I struggled with 67d, thinking the reference to 23 meant the answer on the grid rather than the 4-letter word clued. I think 61a just gets COD among several contenders. Word of the day (weekend) is definitely 'disambiguated'!

Roof, I'm so pleased your Simnel cake survived: I felt wierdly guilty at enjoying a puzzle that had apparently caused such damage. I hope your back recovers but obv you can't just scrape off the imperfect surface there!

Thanks to all the help and chat. At these Bank Holiday weekends I desperately miss my departed sister-out-law and mother-out-law, with whom I used to enjoy doing the big holiday puzzles. You guys are lovely - I'm afraid not really a substitute, but definitely the next best thing!

I might catch you all on Everyman, otherwise I hope I'll see you next week. Stay lucky!

What a lovely post, many thanks Luko:-)

Enjoying the challenge and grateful for all the help from you guys! Another dinosaur who usually looks forward to my Saturday paper and crossword . However I’m in Australia visiting my son , thought I would be able to access it online! However my son has managed to print copy from pdf , I think it may take me rest of week but am making progress. 21a was particularly apt. Hope you are all enjoying the bank holiday.