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Thanks Hotelwhiskey7. I spotted the relevant personnel in 17, but dismissed this because the clue would not work without them. However, I have now re-read the preamble and there is no requirement for the clues to work without these thematic definitions. I should have read it more carefully in the first place! Thanks again.

chrisremo @ 88, Hope I can help, as I struggled but got there!
16a see previous posts that helped me, but the 3 letter governor is very obscure, Hungarian as mentioned, followed by modern speak slang for obsessive (4) plus the 'and'.
2d is a straight clue but tough. unusual word for store or hoard. Two unusual synonyms make it up.
30d clue is for a (6, 5) answer. 7 for crazy, one for Liberal within 3 for a slang bed.
11a has a one letter change before entry, I'm not totally clear why. The new word is defined in a down clue. There are earlier hints on 'let out' a rope which gave it to me.

Lumen,

Okay, I had a very strong suspicion about a word substitution that seemed like it might relate to 16ac and 30d and your post suggests I was on the right track, although I still don't know what the song title that explains this is! But hopefully I can at least finish off the grid and try to reverse engineer some more clues.

2d I think I must have already been on the right track, it was simply obscure enough that I wasn't very confident.

Thanks much for the nudge! At least my instincts were basically pointing me in the right direction, even if I'm not sure what to make of it all!

There is a hidden definition for 16a late on in the down clues.

11a is thematic, so although only one letter changes between the answer and the gird entry, it's because of a larger substitution from one 3-letter string to another 3-letter string (that just happen to share 2 letters). The song title should explain the change.

"grid" entry, even (where's that edit button)?

So that I can finish and get on with my life, please can anyone help me with 26a and 36a. I have the answer to 26a but can't parse it. I have 3 letters of 36a but can't pin that down either.

26, usual abbreviation for book in "one" (think of the playing card) followed by last letter of storE. Lost indicates an archaic word

36, 6 letter word for denunciation, with the usual 2-letter "concerning" removed.

Thanks, Buddy. How did I not see those! I guess I got myself convinced that one of them was thematic. Back to normal life now.

I think I have stumbled over the line. And very amusing too. However for the life of me I cannot parse 4 down despite the lucid help given here. I can see how the eventual entry has its definition in one of the across clues and I have given a lot of thought to the transitive verb that is a synonym and rhymes with rabble and should contain a backward word for fall and leave a word for conflict but i am still scratching my head. If it's possible to give another nudge I could sleep peacefully. Its Wedneday for goodness sake!