I am finding this tough.
Preamble is long. But here it goes:
The grid should be considered to consist of three zones, each containing the same number of cells but with shapes and locations to be deduced. Thirteen answers are too long for the space available so some letters (dependant on the zone in which
they would have been located had there been sufficient space for the entry) must be removed to make them fit. A single letter must be removed from eighteen other
clues before solving. In clue order,these letters give an instruction which solvers must follow in the context of the deleted letters.
Help with:
24 Giving power to revenue ultimately can counter conspicuous wealth (8)
34 Lacking grace, inane gent beginning to look stupid (9)
4 Olid hospital pet still mostly lousy (7)
23 Freshly put down lawn died abruptly. Ridiculous! (6)
Thanks NAC.
I got enabling and parsed it with C extra.
I should have seen how to solve 23d.
It seems in most of the longer answers, one vowel stands out.
But my 4a is 7 letters long. Not sure how to enter it yet.
There are 3 different letters to drop, hankir - 2 vowels and a consonant (sometimes they're paired as in 4ac with 2x 'o'). They all occur within rectangular blocks.
Thanks ProfessorM.
But I am completely confused about how to make three zones.
Right now,I am just trying to solve the clues.
Only half way through.
Some clues do not make any sense with the letters I have.
How long are 22a and 26d?
Yes, the consonant x2 is dropped from 1d and the answer to 22 is a phrase normally associated with the end of a film shoot (the US slang for 'toilet' is the last word)
The (free) online Chambers doesn't provide the def for the mining lease, qesue but it does give the paving block.
If you don't have a hard copy of the 13th edition here's the relevant part from p1427 -
''a mining lease or area worked (Cornwall, etc)''