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My solving of this was pretty much a tale of two halves, there are the usual anagrams, hiddens, initial letters etc. but, in addition, there a few clues that really took some working out.

COD - A three-way tie this week with 9a, 13d and 19d all worthy winners.

I didn't notice any theme or rhyming pairs but that doesn't mean there aren't any!

Thanks to Everyman for a fun puzzle.

As always, please feel free to leave a comment and ask for a hint if you get stuck.

Stay safe:-)

Hi Brendan,
I liked it, but rather a quick solve. Thanks, Everyman.
A rhyming pair in 2 long acrosses, I believe. One alliterative down solution, but I saw no partner. Agreed on no theme, I don't see any obvious other exotica. ;-)
FOI 1d, LOI 14.
No blockbuster clues IMO, but let's call 14 COD over 19a and 5. Also liked 1a, 9a, 21, 6 and 17. Two weakish clues in 2 and 25.

Hi Geeker,

Honestly, I think there must be something wrong with me! I looked at every clue and didn't notice that rhyming pair, oh well:-)

My LOI was the long 11a which I think might cause a few problems, not least because, as far as I can see, it doesn't show up in any crossword solvers.

I really liked 19d and got a real kick out of imagining Spooner saying his "imperial desire" and I love that word for "malfunctioning" in 13d
😂

I can think of obvious answers for 21 & 22 but can't parse them.

I have a german boy for 10 but that leaves me with A?T ?I?T??? for 7 which I have no idea on.

I have 19A starting with O and that would mean a spelling I am sure is wrong for body of work...

That starter for 19 is correct. The unrelated 21 contains a hint there.

Hi PS,

21d - If you add abbr. for "France" to your answer you'll get "intestinal discomfort"

22d - Single letter "Everyman" + single letter "sits finally" goes around/absorbing 2 x "news" - definition is "bars"

7d - 3 letter "the old are" + 3 letter "that man's" + 4 letter "Conservative" - definition is "thing to study" - your letters are correct.

I haven't parsed 21 either, I have what cockneys mean when they say pork pies, it's probably wrong though.

Brendan,
On second thought, I'm not certain that sharing the same final 6 letters strictly qualifies as a rhyming pair...but I've done a lot of crossword solving this weekend and am getting punchy.
That Spoonerism is excellent and I should have rated it higher. But I seem to lack the Spoonerism-solving gene. 🤣
Spent a lot of time programming computers in the distant past, and I still frequently use that "malfunctioning" term in 13...

What I meant is that 19 is borrowed from the language referred to in 21.

Oh I don't know any french but it's the last one left, bedtime now then I think, I will look again in the morning.

I have O?U?R?S anyway