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A fun and fairly gentle affair this week from the ever popular Philistine.

I know difficulty level is very much a personal and subjective thing but I think this is one of the easiest Prize puzzles I've ever encountered.

If you do get stuck there are several anagrams and at least one hidden.

The only clue I'm still puzzled over is 18a - okay, I get it now.

COD - A tie this week between 14d and 16d.

Thanks to Philistine for a most enjoyable crossword.

Leave a comment letting us know how you got on - did you find it as gentle as me or were you just not on Philistine's wavelength?

Stat safe:-)

Brendan, I found about 2/3 of the puzzle incredibly easy, with low-hanging fruit and even some banal clues.

But then I slowed down due to a few tricky and clever items. Because of those, my net rating is slightly easier than the norm. But it's very uneven.

There seems to be a theme based on malfeasance or misbehavio(u)r, but I have no idea of specifics (perhaps UK current events?).

FOI 1a.
LOI 10; that and 5d (which intersect) took ages.

COD (7,17); guessed a plausible answer from crossers, only parsed after the grid was complete but laughed when the penny dropped.
Also liked (4,23d), 18a, 18d and 25.

Sorry, I meant to add ....

13a is a clue device I've never encountered before and was surprised to learn the 24a connection to the Scottish language, but Chambers confirms it

Brendan, agreed on both!
I wrote in 13 so quickly that I didn't bother to parse and didn't notice, but it is indeed witty. Also 24: I initially wrote in the other type of column, and was surprised when correction of the error became necessary!

Hi Geeker,

I agree with you there are a few tricky clues, and it took me an age to understand 18a, but the amount of easier clues give plenty of crossers to help out with those.

7,17 - A good clue using a device we've seen used a few times before in the Prize puzzles.

Also, philistine that I am (not the setter!), I didn't know either 15a or 25a.

Yes, I had to ponder 18a and think outside the box before it sunk in.

The (7,17) device often escapes me, this instance was no exception. 🤣

15 luckily was a write-in: either yesterday or earlier today I solved a puzzle containing a philosophy clue, which must have implanted the idea.

Needed the crossers to deduce 25, then kicked myself...

Geeker, I had the same response. I sailed through a number of clues, and thought it was more like a Quiptic, but then got stuck for a while. I'm not sure there was any political theme, although the 'allegedly' in 6d carries a sting. I thought the clues were either highly inventive (7d, 18a) or very elegantly written (4d, 9a, 15a); I get caught out by the trick in 8d every time. 5a caused a nostalgic smile. All in all, highly enjoyable.

Rainman, I had a feeling that the solutions to 11, 23a and (27,28) point to something unknown to me...perhaps also 5a and 20, but it's vague.

I see what you mean, but I'm not sure how it's connected to current events. Politicians always fall back on (27,28), are prone to 20d, and several are 11a, but I don't think it's anything new. Perhaps Philistine is just a bit grumpy.

I'm not sure it constitutes a theme but it does seem like Philistine had something on his mind when setting this:-)