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34d might it be connected with tennis assuming letter s is missing?

Aha! Got the last word in the omitted letters. The magic of posting!

Steps 2,3 and 4 done. Nice! Does step 1 fill the blanks in top and bottom rows?

Please may I have a clue for step four? TIA

I join in the praise for an excellent debut. Thank you, Check. (And, yes, I also spent ages fruitlessly trying to parse 8d before looking in the BRB!)

There is an earlier hint involving a synonym for the word and it’s transformation. I need a hint for step 1!

I guess I’m looking for something in the grid in which to put the item in step 1

Rickye. I think you may have made a mistake. If you have completed steps 2, 3 and 4 you should not have gaps on the top AND bottom rows. Don’t want to be more specific at this stage. Step 1 results in a thematically relevant word.

Sorry - my mistake. Yes ther are gaps in both rows. I was confusing the last action in the presmble with step 4z.

Ace puzzle. Hard but fair. The endgame took quite a while but everything dropped nicely into place. Thank you Check!