A Puzzle By Phibs

[Matakari]

A Puzzle by Phibs
( I wanted to include eight pairs of similarly linked items in the grid, but two of the sixteen had to be hidden slightly differently from the rest. Which are they? )

Good evening, I am stuck on the last three and would appreciate answers, thanks in advance!

21 ( A ) Paint sample from possible Manet sent back (6) : ?N?L??
31 ( A ) Gather Prince consented to embracing American (5) : P???E ( PAINE )
22 ( D ) Honour Luxembourg international, one breaking into French XI (7) : ??P?I?I

[elliemay1]

21 enamel, backwards in clue

[jollyroger66]

21 Enamel - back in clue

[elliemay1]

31 plate?

[elliemay1]

31 pleat? p(prince) let (consented)+ A (American)

[elliemay1]

^ to pleat something means to gather it together

[Matakari]

Many thanks, all! 22( D ) is somewhat elusive, but now reads:

22 ( D ) Honour Luxembourg international, one breaking into French XI (7):
L?P?I?E

Thanks in advance!

[Neveracrossword]

22 Lionize, honour.

[Neveracrossword]

Matakari, I wish you'd said this was a Big Dave's puzzle - I tend not to help with those!

[Matakari]

Good morning, the last one that has me really puzzled from Phibs .
An answer would be appreciated, thanks!

6 ( A ) Great work as far as Phibs is concerned? ( 4 )

[emmie]

opus??

[1ozzy]

21a enamel

[Neveracrossword]

Iozzy, yes, it's still Enamel...

Matakari, did Lionize work (or was your P correct?)

[Matakari]

Like Emmie, I got OPUS for 26 (A)
( Great work as far as Phibs is concerned? ( 4 )
So, "lionize" does not seem to work. I now have instead:
L?P?I?E

[Toorak]

26 tome

[Neveracrossword]

Lionize seems perfect! L, Luxembourg, Onze, eleven, XI in French + I, one+I, international.

[Matakari]

Yes, NACW, it's perfect, and "tome" replaces "opus", many thanks Toorak and Emmie! Now on to the brain teaser of the preamble for this Sunday morning!

( I wanted to include eight pairs of similarly linked items in the grid, but two of the sixteen had to be hidden slightly differently from the rest. Which are they? )

[Neveracrossword]

Thanks, Matakari. Good luck with the thematic bit, we can't help with that!