"Round Robin Xiv": Second Capital...

[Matakari]

Good morning, I’m done with the Spectator( “Shorties”) and “Valuable letters” by Alchemi for this week and am back to Round Robin XIV…I am seeking answers for the last four down clues with parsing, please. Thanks in advance!

8(D) Think old well's empty (5) : STEE?
25(D) Brief introduces client’s final character witness (5) : ?ES??
26(D) Legendary king’s followers eliminating inferior knight (5) : ?IN??
29(D) Greenlit a network of housing support for Greystoke (5) : L?AN?

http://www.crossword.org.uk/RR14.html
Across clues are normal. The wordplay in all but one down clue leads to an extra letter not entered in the grid. The number of the plain down clue needs inserting at some point into the message given by the extra down letters. The message should then lead solvers to a location represented in the grid.
One row must be changed to show the location and highlighted, along with six separate features, one of them unusual. (40 cells highlighted in total.)

All entries in the final grid are real words. The Chambers 13th edition is the primary reference

[Neveracrossword]

Were these asked already, it looks familiar?

[1ozzy]

Surely a good character witness would be a besty

[Matakari]

NACB, yes, these were asked earlier but I got no response. Thanks, 1ozzy, for 25(D)!

[bobbinwales]

are 8d letters definitely right...there seems alot of crossers next to each other (4 crossers together is unusual IMO?)

[bobbinwales]

Can you explain how besty works.... i can maybe see the B for Brief intro

[1ozzy]

It works best with your tongue in your cheek Bobbin

[bobbinwales]

29 Grant?

[bobbinwales]

Agree'd but Matakari seemed to like it!

[1ozzy]

Who knows?

[bobbinwales]

29- cant get my head round these due to the extra letter complication... but Greystoke could be lord greystoke- ie Tarzan

[bobbinwales]

greenlit could be Ok'd but that dont help me yet

[Neveracrossword]

29. Liana, backward in the clue(with a letter removed).

[bobbinwales]

8d DWELL is hidden in clue but that would mean some are wrong

[bobbinwales]

You mean LIANE?

[Neveracrossword]

Bobbinwales, thanks - yes!
Matakari, sorry to hear you didn't get on at all well with this one

[bobbinwales]

I can just see how LIANE works... although its forwards not backwards hidden in clue (minus a letter)

[Neveracrossword]

Bobbinwales, thanks again - yes, forwards....I think I need more caffeine!

[bobbinwales]

are you able to put upa grid with your answers fille din please matakari so I can see how the special surplus letter instruction works.... or can you give an example of a down clue and your answer

[Matakari]

Bobbinwales, here's how I arrived at 8(D) -STEE?

5 (A) Judge of old is officer when in court (6) : D?CA?T (DICAST)
12 (A) COVID-19 often is so fast around centre of Bath (6) : LA?EN? ( LATENT )
14 (A) Colours featured in painting essentials (6) : T?NG?S (TINGES)
15 (A) Buffet items regularly ignored are sandwiches (7) : BU?TI?S (BUTTIES)

[bobbinwales]

Ta... all look okay ...
Although I can see AT in LENT I cant see why covid19 is the definition
And BUTTIES is sort of in there but two letters is wrong way round?