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I obviously can't type fast enough!

Ptobes, 1a is an obscure word for a tower - made up of 3 letter obscure spelling of an obscure 'ball on a tree'. (Why do we put ourselves through this!)
Followed by 'hard', then not so obscure commander with final letter missing.

1a is slightly naughty, in my view. The wordplay is clear enough, but the grid entry is not in Chambers or any of the main dictionaries, as far as I can see, though it's an alternative spelling in a couple. The main Chambers spelling is the grid entry with an E on the end, while an alternative six-letter spelling starts with the same three letters and then cycles the last three of the grid entry.

Lumen, I thought the same for a long time, but it makes 4d impossible. I think you need to move your "hard" to the end to make it work, as explained in my previous post

Actually, the grid entry is in the Oxford Dictionary of English

5a anyone? Pint taken in by Oriental swimmers (6) there is a letter missing from wordplay. A or O? And thanks for 19. I had that answer but didn’t believe in myself. ‘‘Twas ever thus.

5a is thematic without definition, jogamel. And it’s the O that is missing

Thanks quisling, agreed. Now that I have 4d!
I have an old Greek at 5d, sounds like a bird, am I wrong?

5d sounds good to me, lumen

Can't justify the penultimate letter being O.