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Thanks to Paul for a challenging and unusually funny Prize this week.

Much like last week, I thought it was very difficult while solving, but upon finishing the clock showed only slightly more than the median Prize solving time. Still, there are enough tough and mind-bending clues to rate it solidly on the hard side. But not as beastly as Harpo's (aka Monk) effort on Friday. 😉

I suspect a theme, or perhaps a number of mini-themes, that I'm missing...some related solutions but I can't see where they lead.

FOI 18a (groan).
LOI 13, which parses neatly but required Google...no doubt easier for UK residents. 14 also required Google, though the general idea was clear.

Co-COD must be the couplet (10 and 22)! Lots to enjoy: (2,24), 20, 28, 6a, (3,26), 11 and 7 all came into consideration. There is a Pauline entry this week.

Curious about others' opinions, particularly re. humo(u)r, difficulty and possible theme.

Hi Geeker, I didn't notice a theme (when do I ever!) but did notice a couple of actors and one allusion to an actor/pop star, coupled with 3,26 and 22a - is that what you meant?

This week's Prize is by Paul and, quite honestly, had me pulling my hair out. 🤬

Of course, all the problems were of my own making - I'd stupidly put the homophone rather than the definition as my answer to 9a, which had me wondering why Froch/Groves was a nemesis to a Scottish PM (this won't make any sense unless you make the same mistake as me and follow it on down the rabbit hole!)

Anyway, meltdown aside, i managed to get through the rest of it fairly quickly and pain free so am guessing it's at the easier end of the scale but, as Geeker brilliantly put it last week, YMMV (your mileage may vary). 😂

Actually, there are still 2 answers I haven't yet parsed, namely Geeker's COD 10a (I can see another actor's name along with 5d in it but nothing about rejection) and 23d with the bug, flower and mountain.

If you do get stuck there is a hidden in the acrosses (I know some of you had trouble spotting the one last week - it was in 26a) and a long anagram in the downs.

I'm not surprised Geeker had a bit of trouble with 13a as I'm not sure he's that well known outside these shores.

COD - A clear winner with 2,24 - Noble gong for little flapper? (7)

Thanks to Paul for a great start to the weekend:-)

Stay safe:-)

.. aahhh, "flower" over mountain - now I see it!

Brendan, in 10a "rejection" is the definition. Parses as 3, 5. The actor is a crossword favo(u)rite who's been a theme in at least a couple of puzzles I recall.

Regarding themes and associated solutions, I may be overthinking. Probably nothing adds up to a theme.

But after Googling 13, I thought (based on Wiki) that clue, 7, 8 and perhaps 29 could be related to it. Not familiar with the world of 3, 26 and 22 but guessed there might be a further relationship.

The neighbo(u)ring 11 and 13 are amusing, at least. 😉
Same for 25 and 14, which come from the same field in some sense.

Thanks Geeker, I saw "never" as in 'never'!! and failed to look passed that as the definition - I think I was still frazzled from the 9a Froch/Groves fiasco:-)

Talking about chess...two across clues pertain. 😊

I would vote for the definition of 10a being "never", since the first three letters are the rejection of the last four, something he has rarely experienced, one of Paul's many jokes this week. But I would have to make 16,4 the COD. Perhaps not the smoothest of surfaces, but the way each element of the clue produces a coherent summary of recent events and the answer resembles the juvenile excuses used to justify them, is quite brilliant.

Well spotted, rainman. I missed that (not being from UK), but agree on COD. You could even throw in (7,21), (6d,27), 11, 6a and possibly 23 to make a mini-theme of sorts.

I think you're right. I hadn't spotted the (7,21) connection, but they definitely fit together.