Spectator 1851

[Lezapping]

Well...well, I'm not out of the woods yet, Shaneystar2
15A: ?W?OO = SWOOP?
16A: ?ARI?
29A:R??FT
30A: ?AS?ER
41A: D???L?R?T?Y

DOWN
2D: O?E?E?R?
26D: ???R?M?
A hint for 7D & 7A?

Many thanks again!

[bathtub]

15a SPOON (it's a synonym of woo, it doesn't incorporate that word) and it's a double meaning for court + an old name for a type of golf club
16a. That would be telling! It's one of the themed, unclued lights and I think you should try to crack those from the broad hints already dropped. You can do it!
29a is ERNST. The answer is contained in those for 9dn (WYV ERN) + 21a (ST EER)
30a Think bacon, the letter 'r' and the surname of a celebrity cakemaker (who is, by happy coincidence, a redhead)
41a I can tell you that the first letter is I, not D... and again, it's a themed clue. It's three words, if that helps a bit more.
2d You've got the letters spot on here. Another themed clue, two words, which has to be read with 40ac and 8dn to make sense (making a four-word answer in all)
26d TRIREME
Hints for 7dn and 7ac: The answer to 7ac is a rune. You want like = AS + the fourth letter of futhork.
7dn is the definite article + a name for a boxing contest. The answer isn't, in this case, as approximate as you might think!

I hope that's helpful and gives away enough but not too much. I really think you should have a stab at unravelling the theme, which relates to 'Somewhere' but requires a little sideways thinking (not too obscure, we're in the realms of popular culture here, not the esoteric).

Also, have you got the full edition of Chambers (2003 edition at least, 2006 for preference)? This and most of the serious puzzles we discuss only make sense in the context of that dictionary, so it's a must buy.

[BigMac]

Just on the hint for 7d (apologies, bathtub, it's the INdefinite article...

[Lezapping]

Thanks for all these hints and clues...I have something to reflect upon now. How interesting!