Crossword Help Forum
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Rocky and Polly re 23, it’s a very odd theme word, but strange though they look, your letters are almost certainly correct. Stick with it.

Thanks Jono. I have the themes which means they should be simple anagrams to solve. But so far only two. Friends arriving soon so finish later I think.

4 down is really good misdirection, given the theme! Enjoying this immensely - I realise this kind of puzzle is not everyone's favourite but...!

Congratulations Chrise , enjoy your special day!
Had friends staying this week so haven’t started yet. I always looked forward to and enjoyed Araucaria’s bank holiday specials , the master is an impossible act to follow but Maskarade comes quite close.
Happy Bank Holiday everyone.

[Thanks for all the good wishes. In between meals at the moment!]

23a. Most of the unnumbered are reasonably contemporary but not this one. The unusual ending actually gave it away to me. Go back 50 years! The only unnumbered one I'm stuck on is the second in the list

yep I went down the ‘ when will I be famous ‘ route for 4 down, also had to look up 5 down to get the tunnel and 12 across, neither of which I had heard before. Bad start using wikipedia so early. Oh well head down.
Congratulations Chrise enjoy some nice bubbly

wow, that was a stinker! Thought I would have to give up because I know nothing of the theme, and even the ones I got early refused to slot in. But after much googling I'm relieved it's over. Puzzledpom, for the second one, think of tragedy in Manchester. Thanks again, jono, for the grid!

I have finally solved five of the unnumbered clues and so think I have the theme. Does, e.g., a ten-letter word have to be fitted into a ten-space blank or can it be split six, four?

Oh dear I'm not getting anywhere with this! I have answers for 21d and 8d which I assume unlock the themes but I am none the wiser! Can anyone give me a hint as to what I should be looking for?