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This has been a slog and the thread might have gone cold by now but, having put the puzzle away last night, I retrieved it this morning and have completed the grid. I have grasped most of the instructions but need some reassurance both for the final step (which seems to involve letter 21 in the alphabet if I have got 37d correct which seems an unusual word without an additional UL). I suspect the letter is indicating the cell above the final letter of the path from the across omissions and presume I need to insert two letters (one of which has not been used in any answers) to denote the resident.

It sounds like you're providing guidelines for two different types of puzzles. The first is a puzzle that involves solving clues to find an answer with a specific number of letters. For these types of requests for help, it's important to provide the clue itself, the number of letters in the answer, and any relevant information you already have.

The second type of puzzle involves a theme, and requests for help should be more gentle, providing pointers or nudges in the right direction without giving away too much information that could spoil the puzzle for others. As for me, whenever I have difficult questions,

Ricky 37d are common things on lower ski slopes. I don't think adding UL to them would work.

Thanks Granama. I’ve found my five letter answer as an alternative adjective in chambers but have yet to find it in connection with a lift! Hope I’ve got it right. The parsing seems right.

Aha. I was slightly wrong but I have now found the correct word.

Which has now given me a much more sensible final letter omission.

Satisfied! Very!

Excellent! 🙂

The Down instruction seems straightforward, But still awaiting final inspiration for “tracing” the Across instruction. Does “tracing” mean erasing the content of some cells to leave a clear path?

Jack, the across instruction tells you where to start and how to trace the path thereafter. If you start from the place described you should see a path via cells whose letters tell you what to do. Try it and see☺