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Hi Suzannahj

As an example, in 1A what's the US equivalent 4-letter word for theEnglish/British word that forms the first 6 letters of the solution?
There are similar swaps in 7 other answers....

Thanks Muraria! I was assuming it was something along those lines - and as well as your example of one across, I can now make sense of my 24 down. If anything, I was expecting it to be a little more complicated than that.

Aah! After many hours of grit-toothed clawing I am close to finishing this. Got basically everything, with only an E and A (and maybe this mysterious missing I) to slot in.

Any help with the last couple?

BRUSSELS INFORMATION ESSENTIALLY DELETED. MAD! (6)

CLEAR OF ALL UNDESIRABLES EXCEPT GROUP OF FIVE NO LONGER ACTIVE (4)

DIVER'S CON NOT BELIEVED FROM THE OUTSET? THAT'S NEWS TO JOCK (4)

thank you in advance

Thom, I think the Brussels clue is defined on the last (misprinted) word. First four words are sequential wordplay, with “essentially” denoting the centre.

Thom, the “diver’s con” clue has misprint in first word. Not 100% sure what the correction is, but the clue works if you omit first word completely. Definition is last four words. It’s in Bradfords.

Muraria, thanks for the hint. I was really struggling even though I had the theme. Thought the “treatment” had to apply to the whole word, and a real word should result. You can see how that would flummox anyone!
But I wonder if you could have been a little more subtle? You did give the theme away, which some readers might still have been decoding!

Thanks Graham! Still can't see either of them - I'll return fresh in the morn. Are either of these two thematically altered?

And I just got them both. Had a typo in 9D! Thanks gang!

DIVER'S CON NOT BELIEVED FROM THE OUTSET? THAT'S NEWS TO JOCK (4)
The I in DIVER'S should become O giving DOVER'S indicating an American word.
You need a US 5 letter for con minus its initial letter (NOT (B)ELIEVED FROM THE OUTSET?). There used to be a segment on the Paul Daniels magic show called
the "????? Booth".

Thom, for 19d I can get a word that could fit the wordplay “Clear of all undesirables except group” and could fit misprinted definition “of five no longer active”. The specific meanings required do not seem to be in chambers, but seem reasonable. Evidence in my favour is that a thematic treatment is possible ( and fairly obvious) and gives an unchecked letter that eliminates the outstanding letter in OCTET…