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Another week, another Everyman.

I didn't find this too difficult, but there are a couple of clues that had me scratching my head, namely 16a where the answer can only be one thing but "clothing" - really?

The only clue that really stood out was 4d, which, in terms of smooth flow, looks liked it's been hacked to pieces in editing!

COD 26a.

Thank you Everyman.

Stay safe:-)

16a: ‘clothing’ can be plural. ‘Essentials’ would have been better here, I think.
4a: yes, the clue is quite messy, since the setter wanted to bring in many cricketing terms somehow.

Hi Mathi,

16a It was the word itself that I was referring to, I didn't think that the answer on it's own was ever used to describe clothes or clothing, only as part of a longer two-word term or phrase, as in ".... shirt" - but I've checked in chambers (which I probably should have done first!) and it's there as an informal term for the longer version - I stand corrected:-)

Everyman feels like it’s a job share at the moment! After last week’s quite loose fun, with some lovely parsings, this one felt really rigid and mechanical. If next week is more reminiscent of last week, I’ll be even more convinced we’re dealing with two setters.

4ac being a case in point, also 22d, 29ac and numerous others. They’re like very specific recipes to follow.

This week’s Salieri to last week’s Mozart?

This week’s techno to last week’s Miles Davis?

Maybe it’s just me feeling a bit 25ac due to the shabby weather today!

I found this one pretty straightforward except for 22 and 23 down, which took a bit of time. My google search for “the” in German initially gave me the wrong three letters but I got there in the end.

Parsing 22d was enjoyable once I got the answer. Convoluted but fun.

The answer to 16a is pretty commonly used down-under.

4a was my COD by some margin. Will say no more so as not to spoil it for others.

Hi Richard,

You summarise the feeling of myself, and I'm sure many others, perfectly.

4a is a case in point - an "re" was needed, therefore stick in "concerning", never mind that it makes absolutely no grammatical sense! A clue should be a set of instructions disguised within a coherent, free flowing sentence - when has "concerning" ever been used to end a sentence?

I wonder if aspiring setters are being allowed to hone their craft on the Everyman and that's why the quality varies so wildly from week to week. If that is the case I really don't mind, people have to learn somehow, but surely the crossword editor should intervene to stop such clunky clues appearing.

I don't know, maybe it is the weather, coupled with the lockdown - it's driving us all a bit crazy and "a kind of blue":-)

I found most of it easy, but am struggling to finish. I've no idea on the parsing for 4a. I don't see where the second word in 6d comes from, or what "Race" contributes. I've also not parsed 22d.

Hi Chris,

4a anagram of "cricket's" minus/yielded R(un) and K(eeper) missing + "on" (concering).

6d homophone of "feat" (achievement) not sure of it's relation to "boat race".

22d If you replace the two D(iamonds) in the answer with two H(earts) you get a word meaning "fuss".

thanks brendan. i must have got the second word in 6 wrong, then - mine isn't a homophone of anything, i think!

Not a fan of this grid pattern, 8 four letter words make it very bitty. Seem to get a ‘primarily’ clue every week now, though this one was quite good. Surface reading of 4a is painful. German philosophy clues were good, shame could not have made more of a theme there.
I assume ‘boat race’ is rhyming slang?? :-)