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Smellyharry, the thematic entries can be divided into two groups, each covered by a general description.

That should be "most of the thematic entries ..."

Triceratops @38, at every annual dinner for setters and all-correct solvers the Ascot Gold Cup is awarded to the creator of the puzzle voted that year’s best by that gathering. This link lists them going back to 1987. You could do worse than choose some of those.

https://www.listenercrossword.com/List_Awards.html

Unless I'm missing something, the Notes & Themes of past puzzles reveal the solution but do not illustrate the blank grid or the completed grid, so it's difficult to reconstruct old puzzles.

Raggedy

Assuming you get The Times online, you can access most of the last few years' Listeners there.

The link provided by our colleague enables you to select the classics from the archive

The Listener archive at The Times Crossword Club goes back around twenty years - one or two of the earlier are missing. I use it frequently. At my age I often have no recollection of having seen them before!