EV seven six two

[ulysses100]

Sorry about the title above but my keyboard has decided to play up. I cannot get the figures five and six, nor the plus sign or underscore; nor will the capital key on the left side make capitals. Anybody any ideas ? (the capital key works on the right side !)
Anyway, as to this crossword. I have completed the grid bar two squares :
20dn Author's priest E ? I L
twentysix dn answer is C or F or G CLEF
Some letters are missing from the clues which leads to a train of gobbledygook e.g. ? leal?rraef?r?mhcdalty etc etc. which (?) leads to a quotation ; and the title of the crossword is Twice Nightly Once.
Any hints or clues will be greatly appreciated

[GetOverIt]

Richard Whiteley's nickname was Twice Nightly Whiteley, if that has any relevance whatsoever !

[ulysses100]

Thank you GetOverIt, I did know that reference but I cannot find his name or that of Countdown in the grid. I somehow do not think that he would also be referred to in a quotation in the ODQ !!

[GetOverIt]

No- I've just looked for any memorable quotations, and there's nothing worthy of `being recorded for future generations !

[slaney]

You are far more likely to be right than me , ulysses , but I have for 20d ELIA.
Still looking at the ODQ !

[Quizmonkey]

One thing I noticed was that the missing letters were consistent in across AND down entries - except one (in DARNS if I remember correctly).

[pinkflamingo]

For your keyboard problem, you may have hit the number lock key .

[novalis]

20d is Elia ( a unclued ) Can't decide on clef either ( could be the key if you'll pardon the pun ) which will provide yet another unclued and unchecked letter. I'm trying all manner and means of anagrams on TWICE NIGHTLY ONCE which I suspect may lead to the person responsible for the quote.
I've photocopied the grid and highlighted the unclued lettters. They make no sense whatsoever reading either across or down. I'm going back to look at all rows, columns and diagonals to see if I can find any relevant chains of words ( overlapping across answers ) which might make sense.

[ulysses100]

slaney you are correct ; it is Elia as 31ac is scraper
............and pinkflamingo my number lock key was "on", but having released it , it makes no difference. I cannot use the delete key either ....which is a pain in the proverbial !!!!!!


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[ulysses100]

novalis the title is an anagram of CONNECTING WHITELEY if that's any help

[novalis]

Thanks for that. I'll explore that avenue and see if anything emerges. It's frustrating when the clues are solved and the theme stil won't emerge.
Unfortunately, due to work commitments over the next four weeks or so ( starting Wednesday ) this may be the last EV I can look at for a while and I'm determined I won't be beaten.

[cruciverbali]

This is nothing to do with Countdown whatsoever.

Quizmonkey's observation that 'missing letters' are consistent in all entries is significant. The 'missing letters' can be strung together in a specific manner (beloved of thematic setters) to reveal two (hence 'twice') separate but thematically related literary quotations.

Cruciverbalist

PS 26d is G Clef

[crofter]

I'm getting there ~ slowly but surely!

Is 28a DEKKOED or DECKOED?

[cruciverbali]

Dekkoed ( that 'missing' K is possibly the most important letter in the grid, thematically speaking !)

Cruciverbalist