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Cypherhouse - sure but the middle of the relevant string of letters felt the most appropriate to me

Sounds like we are on the same page, except I chose just to the side of the center.

A fun puzzle overall. Thanks Lionheart!

Actually there are an infinite number of ways to do the first word of the instruction since no matter how you cut the pa*ic parts the result will be the same as long as they match each other.

What to do with the left hand column in the endgame? Real words everwhere else - I can see the word I want to make, but doing that ruins the second surname. Can anyone please nudge me in the right direction?

This held me up too (#5), but the first word of the instruction is an imperative verb, unadorned with quite how or where. Don't do the obvious!

Cockie, I am still struggling with this. How many times is the imperative verb exercised? And is the pa*ic bit the same as in the thematic clues as there are longer identical alternatives within the grid.

gitto - the bit to remove is the same length throughout. I used the imperative verb twice, but I had to turn the scissors on each occasion. Mind you, I could be completely wrong but my end result had only real words. Have a look at the possibilities for a word at 1D - that's how I got there.

I can find cuts that work for Column 1 while also finding the second (shorter) name. The approach seems consistent with the theme.
All well and good, except that the resultant grid entry containing the second name has an extra letter at the end. As far as I know, the entry is thus not a word - and it is not (just) the surname.
Is this OK because it's still somehow a "thematic entry"?
All others are words or the other surname.
I hope this makes sense and means that I've got there!

Finished relatively speedily ... like others spent a while working out final move to get the required LH side sorted ... One blind spot parsing 27D having the new wording and answer ... gentle hint only if can be done without spoiling for others ...

Making good progress with the grid and extra letters. Spotted the theme. I suspect the clues which I am struggling to parse are some of the 14 so won't seek any nudges until I've had a chance to look at them more closely.

However, I would welcome a nudge on

27d ( Boat and film must clue titanic - nothing for it) and

45a Guess Tatary is soundly beat.

Both of which have completely defeated me!