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Thanks to Picaroon for this week's prize. Great fun, up to his usual high standards!

Not sure about the difficulty level. Got off to a slow start, thought it was consistently tough while solving...but looked at the clock after finishing, and the solving time was right around the Prize median, perhaps slightly longer. So midrange?

FOI 3, which was auspicious, but then slowed down. LOI 8, which took by far the longest of any clue.

COD definitely 14, because I like a word central to the parsing, plus the solution came quickly due to familiarity with the work of John Cage (sufficiently obscure that there's little spoiler risk 🤣). Runner-up 21 only because it's a term I used in a recent (dud) Peer Review entry.

Many fine clues IMO. Long COD list also included 13, 6, (18,19), 12, 4, 7, 5 and 26.

Curious about others' opinions...hoped someone else would start the thread, but it's late here and quiet in crossword land.

I didn’t want to leave you all alone, geeker. For the most part I agree that this was about the middle in difficulty, but I found a few of the clues very tricky. In fact there are a couple where I’m still not sure of the parsing. I’m going to sleep on it though. I share your enjoyment of the word you reference in 14. Not familiar with the John Cage side of it though.

Maybe it's the heat, but I've only solved three and can't go on!

Now twelve solved and I really can't go on!!!

Seemingly impenetrable. Just one answer so far for me (15a) after half an hour of struggling… any hints would be most welcome!

I'm assuming this gets easier once you get a few more clues solved. But one hour in and I have four solved. It's going to be a tough ride.

i;m finding it hard to get into as well.

i don't fully understand one i have got - how does Ben fit in with 1a?

I think 1a is a quadruple definition. Ben is new to me but it’s in Chambers

Thanks jono. Yes, I've found it in Chambers. I've never heard of it, nor has the first page of Google (though it does find Benjamin...)

Got a few more now. Hints for 4d and 4a would help at this point pls