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Thanks again Useby. I am still not seeing it, so time for some more thinking, or should I be grid-staring?

Look in one of the usual places in the grid

Please may I have a hint to 16 across. I note the hint already given to 13 down, which didn’t help me! Is the definition to 13 down the last word? I have the puzzle otherwise happily finished and have spent the last two days worrying at these two. Thank you.

Phew. Almost done; this was a real challenge and took me a disgracefully long time to finally crack the theme. A very crafty puzzle. However, like annie44, I am stuck with 16ac.

Sorry, annie44: definition for 13d is the last word.

First word is DBE; set is (North American) Great X; one member reversed.

Got it now. Thank you. I've been very slow on this one.

Thank you, all done and understood now. Had 13 incorrect.

Rickye, many thanks. I have finally stumbled over the line!

Not enjoying this at all. Haven't read the rest of the thread as still trying to solve (largely) unaided.

Got about 2/3 done pretty quickly, then finding it a slog. Problem as I see it, is the thematic items. I now have 9 of them but unless I am missing something they are very generic, so there are hundreds of options for the remaining three. Normally in this type of crossword the thematic items would be from a limited group so you'd have a good chance of figuring out the others to help with the last few clues. Unless I'm missing something and there's a much narrower connection than I can see there's no chance of doing that. So 32d for example you have to solve with 2 letters out of 8 (and you don't know which 2) and no further help available. Which is bordering on unfair IMV.

Unless someone can tell me there is a narrower link between the thematic objects than the very, very generic one I can see?

Thanks