Spectator 2620 - Lavatch: The Right Name?

[Matakari]

Good morning, the Spectator is no walk in the park this week with Mr Lavatch! But an fascinating quest for the right name for which I think I’ve got some interesting leads. Some clues are impeding my progress for which I would appreciate your help. Many thanks in advance!

34a Better leave cycling (5) : O??GO
35a Auditor’s perceived incident (5) : S?E??
38a Child by the Spanish fence (5) : ?A???
40a It precedes the final house (4) : S??O
41a Yes, cinema’s lead star could be this? (8) : ?S??L???
20d Like dry fruit, not dates, in liquid doses, oddly (9) : ?ILI??O??
28d Cheers very softly, given jewels to hide (7) : I?P???? ( IMPEARL )
33d Against some Bohemian enticement (5) : A??N?

(PREAMBLE:Paired unclued lights are an author and his eponymous characters. Crossing letters in 7D suggest the name in the title; solvers must correct this, entering the character’s real name by changing the contents of four cells, always making real words. )

[JJ109]

You havebeen given the correct answer at 8.32 for 28d

7d Look up his three "eponymous" books. 7d with the crossers is the surname in the title of one book....... but that is not the character's real name. You must change the last few letters, to that of the real name. This will change the answers to the crossers but will always leave real words.

[johnpiper]

ah yes -got it!
should have checked first!
thanks everyone..A good puzzle and yes some new words

[JJ109]

Hi John - Tess's real name is not as in the title of the book

Simply change the last 6 letters to her real name. The I & L of the title name are still I & L for her real name. Therefore you just need to change 4 letters.

When you change these the crossers remain real words but obviously now bear no relation to the clue which was needed to solve them.

Just google the book and look at the main character's surname!

[Matakari]

Many thanks for the very comprehensive and clear explanations, JJ109.
Answers to these last two clues before I get to the discovery of the names:

22a Woman’s caught current successor (4) : HEIR
27a Like bendy twig, small and magical? (7) : S??T?H?

[JJ109]

22 Correct = her around I (current) = heir (successor)
S(mall) + witchy (magical)= switchy

[Matakari]

Thanks again, this is the last clue that's bothering me.
24 Struggles keeping new plants (5) ???E? ( VINES )
The end game looks gripping!

[Neveracrossword]

Vies, struggles, with N, new inside. Most of the endgame work has been covered in this thread.

[Boethius]

I’m stuck with 9D At sea, I bash head in boats D????IEH?
Help, please? And can 14 A be Airbags?

[JJ109]

Dahabiehs

Kirbehs

I hadn't heard of them either

[JJ109]

both were anagrams

[Matakari]

Reading and trying to parse the following, thanks!
10d Endless Asian festival (6) : ??ST?R ( EASTER, East for Asian… )
8d One derides shy monarch (5) ?IB?? ( GIBES )
21a Keeper raced in clothing for soccer (6) : S?ORE? ( SCORED )

[Floko]

Easter(n)
Jib er
Storer

[JJ109]

The parsing of "storer" is as follows

Storer (keeper) = tore (raced) (in the clothing/outside letters of) s(occe)r

In crossword parlance Matakari, clothing is the outside letters and "naked" relates to the inside letters!

[Matakari]

Thanks, Floko. my 8a falls neatly into place with the theme, so my 16a seems to be way out! I have:
16 Invested wager about Serbia’s banks (5 ) : ?E?AT ( BEGAT )

[JJ109]

Be S(erbi)a t

[JJ109]

PS Don't forget Matakari that you need to change the last letter of "storer" to comply with the preamble.

[Matakari]

Thanks, JJ109, for the update in parsing! For 16a, I see "bet" (wager ) with the SA inside. Great! Juggling with 7d now looks quite simple! Going for a short walk before I finish this one.

[Neveracrossword]

Matakari, sorry this was another toughie for you. I know most of my recommendations have fallen flat, but this month's Crossword Centre puzzle is an absolute gem. Give it a try!

[Cloverjo]

Speaking of the Spectator, I’ve just received my winner’s cheque!
Nice.

[Neveracrossword]

Well done, cloverjo - spend it unwisely!