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I found this a bit annoying rather than satisfying - especially NW corner. I also took ages to parse 5 and had an R as the first letter for 3 (which I agree works better SMOT). This held me up with 1a. I have to also admit my ignorance of 1d but my hubby knew him so helped out there.

I only know of 13 from the steeped cherries Loubylou10.

Rather straightforward even for Everyman I thought. FOI was 6a which was perhaps unsurprising as only a few hours before I had been at the after-party for the Canadian Opera's post plague opening night. A slightly furrowed brow at 1d as I think of him as a novelist rather than a dramatist. But strait is the gate as they say. COD would be 20a. Definitely expecting something more edible.

Can anyone help with the parsing of 18 please?

Hi Gasmanjack,

18d - I love this clue because, although it's just a straight double-definition, the first one is so well hidden - it's at the very start:-)

Not me I’m afraid - I’m just glad you asked. I’ve an irritated husband here who can’t let it lie. Hopefully help will arrive soon.

Thank you, Brendan; very clever.

Thanks GJ,

it took me a while to see it because "had" fits so seamlessly on to the second definition that it's easy to overlook it, which I did - several times:-)

I too would like to know how 2 dn works.
And 19 dn.
Also 17 ac. What does Queen have to do with the second word?
And what is "a little sound" adding to 9 ac?

2, sounds like APPS
19, extremely= SO + Tense + Hot +ERE (before)
17 Queen of (second word)?
9, it provides the S at the end of the answer