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Lumen, 'Empty' is (3-3), the old books are biblical. 'Bearer' is hidden (4)

Thanks, that is really helpful. Got both now.
I'm amazed to see Chambers give the exact definition of ' empty' for that 3-3 phrase.
But those give me a way in.

If I have finished this (and it is a question that I am not sure I can be bothered to answer), I am rather disappointed by the whole thing. I fail to see what the absence of clue numbers adds to the puzzle; I found a lot of the clues too smug for their own good; and I spent a lot of time blindly trying to bash anything that might be an anagram into shape. The title, and the endgame's dependence on it, were steps too far.
Humbug!

If I have finished this (and it is a question that I am not sure I can be bothered to answer), I am rather disappointed by the whole thing. I fail to see what the absence of clue numbers adds to the puzzle; I found a lot of the clues too smug for their own good; and I spent a lot of time blindly trying to bash anything that might be an anagram into shape. The title, and the endgame's dependence on it, were steps too far.
Humbug!

Finished ok - but see I have ? for answer/parse of 'increasingly bloody ...' - If is is possible to help without giving too much away would be appreciated ...

Oh, Pink has just been twice affronted!
I have the nine letter word but I'm still plugging away with the middle rows. So many clues so little space.
Help with 'Increasingly bloody duke'...would really help.

Re: increasingly bloody …
Change the last letter of a word meaning that, in colour terms, from king to duke to give a past tense of a word meaning separate by fighting. It’s unusual but in Chambers.

Thanks Quisling - Answer I entered but couldn't parse. Using Chambers - for that entry - didn't read past 'tidy' (a meaning I knew) ... must be more thorough ...

Is it 9 letters?

Lumen, it’s 6 letters. And as it’s the tenth clue from the end of the acrosses, symmetry tells you that the tenth across clue, Charlie enjoying success … must be 6 letters. But I’m sure you knew that.