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I don't think it would be giving too much away to say that 9dn & 22dn will help point the way (apologies if I've miscounted the clues)

How I hate these carte blanches where there is so much cold solving required. I've solved nearly half the clues cold but am at a loss to know whence and how the source of the modifications will become evident. Is it the 9th and 22nd down clues which lead us on our way to Heaven? If so I am none the wiser (they are both clues I haven't solved yet). I am always loth to ask for nudges but sometimes, as now, I just have to stifle my qualms.

Dylan, the second down answer is EONS

Escuan, bear with me, I'm a Sunday starter this week, and have now got to a point described by previous contributors : entry of 1A and 1D, with a few other entries pencilled in across and down. Unless I have a blinding insight, my guess is that this needs to be resolved by cold-solving most of the clues, so that the method of entry for the 3 groups of 4 becomes obvious. I think that at least one of the groups is anagrammed, and that TRISTAN belongs in that category. Possibly there are other cryptic entry forms, for example L for LITRE, and part anagrams for the answers which include OUT etc.

Meantime, any ideas on the 5th, 6th, 10th and 11th across clues would be welcome.

Does the 12th down clue also hold a clue to the theme?

Meursault, I think the French painter in 5ac is Tissot, otherwise I am still struggling in the foothills of this one.

Thanks, Barretter.

I've cold-solved about 75% of the clues now, but entering the answers is another thing. Various ideas spring to mind, eg. in the top row, changing just one letter might reveal the word 'FORTUNE.' Would also partially solve my TRISTAN problem...

I'm none the wiser, nor further ahead, than most seem to be, but have noticed the roundness of the series number 4400: is that significant?

Thanks Mersault for that. However, I cannot see how EONS fits in wth what I have on the top row. Neither can I see where SOT might go, presumably on row 3. Keep nudging!!

Dylan, assuming that Across answers 3 & 4 fit into the second row, Down answers 1, 3, 4, 6 & 8 can all start in the top row without clashes. I must be overlooking something straightforward, or maybe it is a sphere of knowledge unknown to me, but either way I'll need to park this soon, perhaps to be revisited tomorrow.

Meanwhile if you have queries on individual clues, I can help with most. (I'm missing just 8 answers) - just list the ones you want. To have solved so many clues and yet not to be able to proceed with filling the grid indicates either a weakness in the solver or a weakness in the puzzle. Probably both !

Meursault, I would welcome a nudge on the Cornish festivals clue. Like most people I am making very slow progress with this and no source, as per the preamble, is becoming evident to me at all. Back out into the garden to enjoy some rare fine weather I think.