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Happy for you to have them removed, lumen (maybe keep the more gentle one from h1982 in play?).

No I don't mind! Still struggling with NE corner 10a/3d...
Does anyone else think the poem is dreadful?! Schoolboy stuff.

NW corner.

(from earlier) 10a The 'key' grows on something, and the final five words of the clue adapt the word immediately before them.
3d - 2 letters (slang) 'one'/me + abbrev reversed inside.

I agree that the poem is pretty dire but it served to provide a notable title later in the century. It took a while for all the pennies to drop but it proved to be an excellent challenge and a tour de force of construction from Ifor, to whom fulsome thanks.

Thanks Drxx for 3d. For 10a do you mean final SIX words acting on the one before? I think we have an empty cell in this area, adding to the mystery.

Lumen, I'm not drxx, but No to your question, five is correct.

No, lumen, it is the final five - ''to... opening'' (your other assumption is right).

Thanks I have it. And full grid.
Wow. I am imagining explaining the clue for 10a to my friends who don't do crosswords...even the definition is impenetrable!

Can anyone give a hint for the parsing of 12dn? I think I know the definition and thus one of two possible entries but the wp eludes me entirely