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Pretty much flew through this until I reached 18d where, although the answer is clear, the wordplay is less so.

I think regular solvers will find this fairly straightforward but, that said, this things are always very subjective so we will see 🤔

If you do get stuck there are at least two long anagrams in the acrosses.

I didn't notice any theme or rhyming pairs but that's par for the course for me!

COD - I really liked 10a but I'm going with the 25a for it's beautiful simplicity "honest type dated cameraman" (6,7)

Please feel free to leave a comment and, as always, if you get stuck - don't hesitate to ask for a hint.

Stay safe:-)

Brendan,

I found this quite tough for an Everyman but high quality. Alliteration rather than rhyming pair this week? Got the thespian early, suspected a related theme but found none (of any type).

COD 15 by a wide margin over 10, 1d, 11, 17 and 22 (subject to 2 unsolved). Many good anagrams. FOI 3, still struggling with 20 and the first part of 23 so will set the puzzle aside for a while.

Thanks to Everyman.

I thought 18 a clever misdirect, though the wordplay might be questioned by some. Had enough crossers to get it quickly...I vaguely recall a phrase related to the answer coming up on the forum.

Hi Geeker,

Did you mean 18d? I can only get it to work if "nephew" is an abbreviation.

I see what you mean about the alliteration - no surprise I missed it:-)

Brendan, that's also how I got 18 to work. But that abbrev. of "nephew" seems somewhat shaky.

Ok thanks, it's not in by Chambers but I think Everyman would probably have some justification for it.

Finally got 20, which uses a similar device but in reverse order.

Theme may be first elements of 11, 13, 23 .... But I've only just started.

Also mystified by first part of 23 - assuming second part is indeed the game. Why the italics?

Hi Neville,

23a - is an anagram - the definition is "game" (I think the italics are just there to confuse us)