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Since I cannot see any posts I assume everyone has completed this. Any help re how to start would be most welcome.
Joycie

Look for some easy anagrams to start.

or ...5a if you google Aldershot born novelist ...he's 1st up...then for the letter to lose...look at the wordplay...
to strengthen = man
with ce Inside......

1d Clare refers to a nun ...so you need a synonym
2d cardinal refers to a number
4d the wordplay is an anagram of serialtobe...try adding random extra letter (it only occurs the once) to get a synonym for simple
I got quite a few answers by working backwards from the definitions...look for a synonym then look what the wordplay might be if you lose a letter(s) from the synonym
17a the underwear are for men ...the usual 5, 6 ...then lose a letter

Kirky

Many thanks that is really helpful.
Joycie

Sorry, The Ace of Hearts; I’m not a fan of this puzzle. A grid of mostly non-words is not my cup of tea; and, for whatever reason, the theme, message and the to-be-highlighted word became blindingly obvious early on. So it was a bit of a write in, occasionally held up by trying to wring the known necessary extra letter out of the clue.

Oh dear, what a grumpy old git I have become!