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I’m a civil engineer and it took me ages to get this. Thanks for the clues. Still trying 21 and 22 downs and that will be me.

Mathi - they do, but I still can't parse it, unless "about" is doing double duty. Even then the cryptic grammar is suspect - "up about"?

Should have said that my last post referred to 18 dn and mathi's explanation.

Hi quocunque,

I came to this puzzle late today (NZ time), but 18d is first four letters = blemish then "about and 1" in reverse.

I thought 21 and 22 were really clever - seriously groaned when I got 22. I found it really hard to pick a COD because I liked so many of them, but I'll go for 12a and 24a with a highly commended for 26a.

Re 19d, I managed to guess the playwright from the crossers once I had the PDM on 24a - I too love the split clues.

I also had to research 23 across because I could work out the lake from the clue but had no idea there was a tribe named after it.

I also had never heard of the second def for 17a.

Toughest one for me was 1d because although I'd heard the abbreviation before, I'd never heard the clue reference to it before - and I'm ashamed to say I lived in London for 7 years so should have heard it along the way somewhere.

Hi quocunque, ’about’ = re and this goes ’up’ in 18d. Sorry I didn't see this comment earlier.

Good morning each from the ever late yours truly here. I don't start the puzzle till day is done and finish Monday am, just! Very helpful reading this week's post but still had to go to Quick solve for 21d! 19d, funnily enough was one of my earliest in thanks to a classic line from I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue - I think the much missed Tim Brooke Taylor. His idea for the shortest play ever was 'Hello Godot, you're early."

Yes!! Sure about 24a and like it. Brilliant clue. Have a solution, therefore, for 22d but don't understand the parsing. ?r?a Can't see what my solution has to do with 'topic' though can see what it has to do with 'moustaches'.

As for 21 d, ??? ?v?a

And now have 21a, thanks to quick solve. New word for me.

I've just started a new thread calling for help on the FT Weekend xword - not the Polymath, the other one. Surprised no forum posts...Anyone do it in this neck of the woods?