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Lumen
You will be struggling to find the solution to 36a if you're looking in Chambers. The preamble says it is in Collins English Dictionary (accessible on the web).

lumen - 26d: 1st 4 words are the def.; 3-letter word for "race" + Erin + middle letter of "met". Charlie (C) is omitted from the start.

36a is as granama1 says. NB, this is the clue where we're referred to Collins.

Thanks to all four!
I think I have them both, the three letter 'race' synonym I can't check as I am without my Chambers temporarily, I think maybe it's a carpentry term or something.

Full grid now. But as my MO has been to find any word that fits, with a suitable definition in the clue, I have fourteen unparsed, without extra letters, so still a lot to do!

I for one enjoyed this puzzle - it was about the right level of challenge for me. Again I learned something about a new area.

I couldn't parse 1 across and 40 across - has this been a focus of discussion previously? If not can someone help?

Thanks

Williamseal, glad you have enjoyed this. 1 Across is discussed from post 34...

William - 40a goes like this

First word of clue needs letter change and gives the first three letters of the answer

Letters 4,5 and 6 are an obsolete three letter word for "took"

Letter 7 is obvious

Thanks Jordan and (as ever) Malone. All done now: the obsolete 'took' threw me!

Nearly finished, just can't see the first three letters of the profession. I have first letter as A, (which looks dodgy) then can't see the next two. So any help to parse 15a and 18a would be very welcome. I have both answers.

lumen - the misprints are the last letter of 15a and in the penult word of 18a