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Thanks to Philistine for this week's Prize, which I found very difficult but a great challenge!

Seriously feared a DNF. FOI 5a, which is very easy, but then things got far more complicated.
LOI 10, which I am uncertain about (don't use the app). My tentative solution is not the obvious one from crossers, but a foreign (or obsolete English) word.

Still can't parse (3,2), though the solution is obvious once an easier linked clue is solved.

Had to Google to verify (13,18) and get the solution to 23, though the required GK may be more accessible for those in the UK.

Lots of brilliant (though complex) clues. COD is 11 by a narrow margin over 5d. Other contenders 8, 12, and 25. Too tired from the ordeal to say more.

H Geeker,

I found this week's Prize by Philistine to be quite difficult in places and I've still to work out the wordplay in a few.

Things started off well with the easy 5a but then things started to slow from there.

If you do get stuck, there is at least one long anagram and at least one hidden, both in the downs.

The two clues I'm having trouble parsing are 10a and 21d, although I am confident of my answers.

23a and. 25a were both new to me but Google confirmed so no complaints.

Also, the second part of 8d seems a bit clunky - either that or I've misunderstood the wordplay and the apostrophe s in 7d isba tad unfortunate.

COD - Clear winner for me this week with the sublime 11a.

Thanks to Philistine for a real workout.

How did you get on? Let us know in the comments and, as always, if you do get stuck, just post your query on here.

Stay safe:-)

Ps. Apologies if there are more typos than usual, but I spilt tea on my keyboard and now none of the top row of letters work so I'm having to use an on screen keyboard.

Gk,

3/2 is an anagram.

I see you had problems with the same clues as me.

10a is the obvious one, I think. Look closely at what the last word in the clue contains. It was my LOI as it took me ages before the PDM.
3,2 - apply ‘wrong’ to everything that goes before it. As you have the solution it should fall into place.

21d - the parsing is 4,2 minus one leading letter.

Oh wow Rogissimo,

That is a brilliant piece of parsing:-)

I hadn’t noticed that the ‘s in 7d mars the clue - well spotted, Brendan.
As to 8d, I agree with you, Brendan. I don’t think you’re missing anything…

My last post was referring to 10a but I'll also include 21d - I fell into the elephant trap that is the meaning of "sport ":-)

brendan - yes re 21d: I spent ages trying to think of a sport that might fit, before realising what was going on.

Thanks Rogissimo,

8d - if it was 11 letters with the final one being an N then I think it would work but, as it is, it just sounds wrong.