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13a is not quite as 'European' as it used to be.

26a is I word I usually associate with people who are far from letters 3 - 5.

Thank you AbiCoop! I can now get on with my day.

Usually try the prize puzzle with my son using WhatsApp between us can usually finish by Sunday afternoon. Today I completed it before lunch. Gratifying for me but also disappointing. Only just joined the forum and by no means an expert. Started doing Guardian cryptic crosswords aged 16 in my first job.

Hi Katnw,

Welcome to the Forum.

Usually I don’t mind too much if the Saturday crossword is on the easy side - life is hard enough at the moment! - but I think this one edges towards the over- simple. More of a Monday crossword than a Saturday prize. FOI: 8a, LOI 18d ( not hard but the word was new to me), COD 26a.

Completed it on a Saturday for the first time ever. Usually I start it on Saturday night and now and again finish it. I knew about the Shetland festival which was helpful.

Hi Jimbo, hi Barbs,

Yes, definitely on the easy side - as evidenced by the unusually small the number of queries. It would be a good one for first-timers and those new to cryptics to try.

Agreed it was not hard but I think some folk are being a bit harsh. 10a, 20a, 15d made me grin.

I too did not know of the Shetland Fetival - loks a gas though (but chilly...)!

I felt that the first five letters of 9a were a bit close to the overall solution - in fac Collins says the sort word is just a shortened form derived from the longer on, which I thought was a no-no in cryptics.

I have trouble explaining the card in 24 - can anybody enlighten me?

Take "special" as 2 letters rather than 1

24a - Had me confused for a while as well, but all becomes clear if you take the first 2 letters as "special" rather than just the first.