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Lots of fun once I got my head round it. Now I've completed it I would love to read the instructions, just to see if they contain a hint of the theme.

There are only 2 words I can't parse : the one entered at 2 down (definition at 23, wordplay at 25?) and the thematic at 19 down (I know where the first four letters come from but I can't parse the last four)

I will need to have another look, but I think 19d is a homophone of faulty. Basil Fawlty was played by John Cleese, hence the “I say, I say”.

As I recall “mead” and “code” were both sorted by “drink” and “end of “desipere” in loco”, and “on the highway” and “hundred lines” respectively. That left “thus” and “lear”. The definitions appeared to be “as demonstrated” and “king”. So that left wordplay for the pair as “sage gave (a)” and “25 for”, somehow.

That was my recollection, anyway. It’s a while since I thought about it.

Thales was one of the Seven Sages, but I couldn’t quite make that work.

Maybe you can fill in some of my gaps

It’s coming back to me. Lear is thematic, so the only one requiring parsing is THUS, from “sage gave”. I think I decided it was ZaraTHUStra, the sage and founder of Zoroastrianism, gave THUS, because it was contained in his name.

Many thanks quisling. Can you hear the sound of my hand slapping my forehead? Big doh moment as I was looking for homophones of cles and dismissed Cleese as it was a proper noun and I was looking for an adjective.
And my name is Manuel. Not from Barcelona though.
No, really. Doh doh doh

Everything is easy in hindsight. I sometimes forget these puzzles are 20 years old, and Fawlty Towers was just 12 episodes and broadcast in the 1970s, for all its legendary status. I wouldn’t think it’s aged well

I was unaware of Fawlty Towers "in real time" back in the day. Bought a "complete" DVD set 10-15 years ago because of its reputation. Indeed the series hasn't aged well.

Aged well? Is it the car strikes 😁

M - women, funny creatures, knew one once, took her to see India.
F - did you Major?
M - yes, at the Oval….

Timeless

We recently went to a Fawlty Towers dining experience - 3 characters playing, Basil, Sybil, and Manuel interjecting during a 4 course meal - marvellous fun! I won a prize by asking Basil for a choc-ice.

Regarding Zarathustra : not only did he contain thus, but also : thus he spoke

Quite so, manu! I’m sure that must be it