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thanks so much!

I have just completed this after a six hour slog. If I hadn't spotted the name and resorted to wiki I would never have finished it. Still can't parse a couple of answers, but the biggest problem was the profusion of strange words for some of the answers - for instance 26a, and when I reluctantly reached for Chambers convinced that I was wasting my time, it was there!!!

I found this very tricky mostly because I started with 5d- Rope wound in later (7). ‘Ratline’ I thought worked as an answer to the clue unchanged. Discovering 5d was part of the 2nd set, I thought a change from “in later” to “in pater” would give ‘Painter’, another rope! Turns out I needed a 3rd rope. I wonder if this was deliberate?

Hi gang; have nearly everything. A little hint needed on one (or both!) of my last couple of clues -

FELLOW DONS THIS ITEM: CLOTHING INDIVIDUALLY CUT (8)

and

CHARGE SET, MULTIPLY BUSY, SHORT OF TIME (7, 2 words)

Both need an adjustment of some sort!

@eider I also confidently banged in RATLINE first thing!

Thom, the misprint in the first one is in the second word. You haven't said what letters you have, so I don't know how much help you need!
There's a four word 'individually', which loses it last letter, inside a five-letter 'item', general term.

Charge set...
The split is 4, 3 - and is a common term for the charge (cost) set. The 'busy' is slang, for the boys (and girls) in blue...

Sorry, Thom - and the 'busy' loses its last letter,'short of time'.

Thanks Malone! I have all the crossers etc so really this is the end. Didn't know the police slang, thought i was looking at an anagram. Will dig into it!

Thanks, Thom. I've just checked Chambers - which lists the word as 'derogatory'!

Got em! turns out I had two incorrect crossers (doh). All done now though!