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Geeker, I presume that any Americans, who haven't learned to spot the UK reference in 18d, will have given up on UK crosswords a long time ago. I'm always impressed you have so little trouble with them.

Rainman, I had great difficulty with 18, which was LOI by a wide margin.

To be honest, I ultimately guessed the solution based on the crossers and then deduced how the "alias" fit in, which had particularly baffled me (kept looking for anagrams of "alias", which seemed plausible from crossers). The UK usage I got last, via process of elimination after the other parts became clear.

I only learned that usage through participating in this forum the past couple of years!

I've been solving cryptics for well over 20 years and have gradually built up a decent toolkit of UK-based terms, though rhyming slang remains a formidable obstacle.

thinking of putting this aside. paul is my least favourite setter, and multi crossreferencing my least favourite type of crossword.
hints have given me 11, so i'll carry on a little longer.

In the words of the late great Graham Taylor, "now this is a test isn't it!"

Got the theme and associated circular refs and thought it would be plain sailing hereonin. Not so.

Could anyone give me a hint on 15d and it might get me going again. I have rain's ending and a type of light aircraft and an answer that sort of incorporates it partially. But I think I may be wrong.

hi rocky
i think (?) the light aircraft is a trade name

well i've completed it, but haven't parsed 16a, 26a (apart from sheep noise), 8d, or 9d.

yes, a couple of awful "homophones"!

cod 5a

Rocky
Have you noted the "turning its back"?

I thought this was good. It felt like a prize puzzle, unlike last week. I ignored all the cross-referenced clues on first pass and the found I had enough crossers to guess 26 and back into 10,27.

There’s something about 3d and 10a which I feel would have made a much better clue for 3d, though I won’t say what it is as that would be a spoiler.

On a note of trivia, Paul is getting close to Araucaria’s record of 317 prize puzzles. Including today, Paul is now on 305 (data thanks to xteddy!).

i don't see what you mean about 3d, jono. have you got the right 10?

Hi Jono,

3d - is your alternative clue something to do with hair?

I believe so Chris, in fact I have a tick from the app so must have it correct. Look at the letters which comprise both words.