Twenty clues contain a superfluous word which must be removed before solving.

In clue order, the words, when one letter is changed in each (not necessarily forming another word), spell the six members of a theme group that are each cryptically hinted at in the clockwise perimeter.

The wordplay in each of the 15 remaining clues leads to the answer plus an extra letter.

In order, these letters indicate what, in relation to a seventh thematic item, solvers must highlight in the final grid.

Unchecked perimeter letters reveal WACKO TIG’S WORST PLAYER.

Across

8 Land allotted this old Greek church after suffering cruel blip (7)

11 Let out from awfully emotional screening process (5)

12 Player’s tender ultimately to dean, thus gypsies returning (7)

13 Pedantic nymphs finally switching sculpture (9)

14 So-so stuff, then exciting unique occurrences (8)

16 James Dean playing mad parts with a forgotten cut (4)

17 Malaysian winger playing in London, with international behind him (5)

18 Traps fixed fields at Wetherby? (6)

19 One retired grandparent’s hot stuff! (4)

20 Host’s snubbed aged uncle (3)

21 Milky-white polar bear in the end missing wild ass (4)

22 Doppelganger in dress on the pull? (6)

23 Ed’s ninth dish: fricasséed beans (5)

24 Email Times to report what we have (4)

25 NYC receiver’s purring perhaps, plenty to do in pass (8, 2 words)

27 Superficial dicky for Louis to pin onto Victor (9)

29 Wrong to head west through the majority of rustic avian populations (7)

30 Regularly shocking Eton merrymaking after dropping lithium (5)

31 Keg porter’s not cold – tip for one Spanish transporter (7)

Down

1 Perhaps copper beech’s kernel dropping out of tree (5)

2 Carriage must finish off lamb and take its soul (7)

3 Cohort disillusioned with international tax (6)

4 Catch chap up with unrestrained Easter greeting (7)

5 Dull labourer rounds Feds up in it (9)

6 Daughter aims to take plough over Scottish soil (4)

7 Luck fails schoolgirls (6)

9 Texan’s attempting to dismiss court, stalling promise to leave wife (11)

10 Some teenagers go and open up freely in northern city dock (11, 2 words)

15 It being stuck in ring of Uncle Sam is personal problem (9)

20 Perpetual drunk needs shilling to maintain loose living at Crown (7)

21 Bone’s newly set: I do no wrong protecting it (7)

22 Tower viewed when soaring from helicopter past Rutland (6)

23 Are you finally presented with bill for lifting plant? (6) 26 Letter theta not allowed in transcribing “saltpetre” (5)

28 Instrument volume starts to increase before eightsome reel (4)