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Full grid ...highlighting done...just can't see how this clue works...

The clue contains an extra word...
14d Useless animal's fault ultimately painted out by Stubbs? (6)

I didn't seem to need the first/last letter combinations from the extras....am i missing something?

Extra first letters are grouped thematically. Last ones give a relevant thematic name. In 14d, first word is extra. Actress replaces last of a four letter word

Thanks quisling ...sorted!

I had a couple of the extra words wrong ...but it all makes sense now.

I thought this was fabulous - very tough to start, but a speedy and satisfying finish once the penny dropped. I have one query, probably showing up my own ineptitude - I seem to have an unnecessary repeated letter in the 'message' from 5d/6d? Sorry if I'm missing something obvious!

This was a subtlety I took a while to appreciate, cranberryboat. You’ll note the preamble says “the first and last characters of these words”. It didn’t say “letters” for a reason …

Thanks Quisling! That's perfect (not that I'd have got it anyway, but I'd obscured that character with some scribbled workings out, d'oh) Absolute genius, this may well top my year-end list (hmmm I may have said that about one or two already ... will be a tough choice!)

Happy to help, cranberryboat. Certainly a fine puzzle, though it took me too long to see the point of the first characters. Re 5d/6d, this reflects a point made on the Listener thread. One has to resist the temptation to assume setter’s error. They do very occasionally slip through, but 9 times out of 10, probably 98 times out of 100, it’s solver error

Yes, I agree, a fine puzzle that took me some time to get into as it wasn't obvious what was the extra word in many clues, whilst trying to work out the significance of the first and last characters. Immacuate, fair clueing and a real challenge, thanks Serpent

Just to add to the other comments. Thoroughly enjoyed this. Took a little while to get going but the momentum built nicely.