Question Author Thank you all for your helpful replies - but not quite helpful enough for this dimwit on his return from a hard day at the office.
Four of the unclued lights have(?!) to be diviner, after, symbol and analyse but I'm blowed if I can make the connection. Another little clue before I admit defeat and ask outright!
In Bradfords, the most straightforward word that fits 1 d is listed as possibly "indicating an anagram". think 8 d is clip as a synonym of 40 a. But I'm stumped on 12 d (?U?RT? - quartz, quarto??) and I'm blowed if I can make that connection.
Cheers
Thanks all. I think you're right pj with CLIP as the answer for 8dn but not for the reason you give. Clip is a synonym of pare which is another anagram of the shaded light referred to. Hence 12dn is QUARTZ(PRASE is the anagram).
Presumably you mean 'Distracted' for 1dn - your explanation seems plausible but I can't make a connection with10 dn as the preamble seems to suggest.
Cruciverbalist's posts seem to have vanished.
I can only sign in to the beta AB site so not sure if this will get through.
For 8d I have COIN.
PARES (plural) I thought went with the name of the crossword.