14a Big city linked to French and harmonised (4) WEN_ . E is extra wordplay letter. Between B-N-W and 'sad coincidence' I can only surmise DALLAS and NARNIA .Grid is complete (exc.14a) but surely 39 letters refers to number of clues with extra letter and NOT letters to be highlighted (highlit?)Perhaps a reference to Buchan's book? So near yet so far away as usual!
There ARE 39 letters to be highlighted. Dallas and Narnia are correct - they are the second and third items, the first has 13 letters 5,3,5 (a title of a book written by an author with intials AH. Then this author, the connection with Dallas and the connection with Narnia has a "sad coincidence" - those two words also to be highlighted. Think there are enough clues there without actually giving you the complete answer.
I should add that it is the actual sad coincidence that has to be highlighted (39 letters). The 39 missing letters in clues spell out the three connections plus SAD COINCIDENCE.
If it's any more help, the letters in the title HKL are a clue - the first letters of the surnames ot three people who share a sad coincidence. Think of the author who wrote 5,3,5, think who is connected with Dallas, think of who is connected with Narnia and then ONE date.
That's right! Usually they are quite good on matching the puzzles to specific dates. By the way trastevere, 14A is WENT (which incidentally is part of one of the words to be highlighted). If you can't get it, ask again.
Did you manage it? The 39 letters to be highlighted refer to what happened to the three people and a specific date. 7 words on 6 lines. It is not the same 39 missing letters in wordplay. Nothing to do with Buchanan. Dallas does not refer to the TV programme. I did not realise the sad coincidence until I did this puzzle and looked up details of the three people.
Thanks very much for your help. When the penny dropped I had a 'doh' moment. Yes, I had been preoccupied with the eponymous tv program and JFK, being non literary, never entered my head. Now for #102.
Some of these puzzles are downright impossible. The 39 letters one took me a while to get going, then it clicked. But some I can't even start. 102 I'm having difficulty with, others no doubt have finished it. Whoever devises these puzzles are very clever. Nothing wrong in asking for a couple of answers of clues to crosswords or hints. What I object to is when someone asks for the complete answer (as in Where Was I? competition), then send it in as if it were all their own work.