Got some pretty straightforward clues from Doc, but am stuck on the following for which I would like to have answers/hints, please! I am determined then to discover the unclueds and the theme on my own! Many thanks in advance!
ACROSS:
16 Service of diplomat in Serbia (6) : ?AT??? ( MATINS? )
40 Dutch city where ginger nut’s first on order (9): ????????N
DOWN:
1 Rode in a crosscountry motorbike race, having urges for snack
(13, two wds):
??R???L?D??P?
4 Rock he sculpted on head of Hercules first (6): S???I??
23 Rare rain storm about end of contract
payments (8, two wds):
I?A??A??
30 Garden game take-away to carry on
Northumbrian river (6): ???O?T
32 Aid to climbing in ostentatiously good
fashion (5) : ??E??
36 22 rush and streak (4): ?R??
You might not have heard of the Northumbrian river in 30 - it isn't very well known - but the 'garden game' is the obvious one (there's a Q in the word).
36 is just a triple definition clue (22 is a word like 'ancestry').
Two short synonyms constitute the wordplay in 36 (2 letters and 3 letters).
... by the way, the wordplay in 30 makes more sense when the punctuation changes to -
'...take away to carry' (so, carry away the 1 letter abbrev for 'take' from the game).
My thanks to the generous nature of all you kind people for your help! I've got the unclueds and have completed another interesting one! Have a great week-end!