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All done. Thanks everyone and thanks Brendan. Some clever clues and I like the way he disguises some of the anagrams.

COD unusual for me being an anagram but was 5d.

Hi everyone

Later than ever following domestic disaster. Waiting for a plumber to come and fix sudden major leak which poured water through house. Now no water!!!!

I've managed to do SW corner and one or two other bits, but I'm baffled by many including 8a and 11 ac. I'm not sure of so many. I think a hint for 6d and 26ac might help. I'm not sure of the theme yet, though it appears to be something to do with publishing.

I hope to be back, perhaps even with water

Hi, roof. Good luck with your water crisis. For 6d the helping is a commonly used clue in crytpics - 6 letters; think helping of food. I think 26a was my LOI - really tricky. It parses 4,4 with a reversal of "words" as a verb followed by "lazily."

Do bother with Shakespeare! But maybe see a play at the theatre rather than reading them. My COD, 7d.

Roof. Having no water where we live just now could be a blessing. 8a is difficult. See the hint earlier to me. I got it from that.

Hi Rocky

Plumber came and took about five minutes to replace the valve that was leaking. Our British Gas plumber never turned up so we'll be cancelling that contract. Lots of clearing up to do as leak was on top floor of our three storey house and came down the light fittings through my husband's study to the dining room where we were eating lunch at the time and doing the quick crossword.

We haven't had all the rain I was expecting - just the one thunder storm. I put the weed and feed on the lawn this morning before the rain.

It has all left me in a tizz and no wonder I am struggling. I don't think I'm going to finish somehow. I'll try and get reposed.

So sorry to hear about your problems, roof. Hope you can easily get sorted.

Soon after we were married (mid 70s), the flat we were in had water coming down the light fitting over our bed. It was hot, even though the light was turned off; the switch wasn't in the the live circuit. We weren't even on the top floor!

The landlord's electrics were done by Ernie the plumber - I spent a summer painting for the landlord, so got to know these people. Ernie's electrical skills were limited. In our first flat, in a house needing development (!), he wired our cooker by pushing the wires into a 3 pin socket, saying "it'll be alright as long as you don't use more than two rings or the oven at once". He earthed the electrics in another house to a cistern in such a way that when you flushed it, the fuses blew...

Hi Chris

At least our plumber knew what to do straight away. I found him via the internet. What a wonderful tool.

Anyway, I may have finished, though I'm doubtful about a lot of my answers. I put circles round the clue numbers in the newspaper when I'm not sure I've got them right. I have circles round 17ac (not sure what Brendan's misdirection has to do with it), 26ac (not sure about first four letters despite hint above), 3d (not sure where first letter comes from), 6d (not sure about letters in the middle), 18d (can't parse), 22d (can't parse) and 24d (again can't parse).

In conclusion, I don't find Brendan easy and don't enjoy solving his crosswords.

FOI 9ac, LOI 18d and COD 20ac - though the clue annoyed me. No laughs this week.

Glad to hear you are sorted, roof.

I had some doubts about most of those too:
17a ?
26a the first 4 letters backwards could be "expresses", or "words". Not convinced
3d 1st 2 letters and last are a word around 3 from "answer"
6d middle letters are "helping" as a noun
18d I think might be just a weak cryptic definition, but not convinced again
22d second definition as in snooker
24d ?

17a is 4 letters ‘soon’, then 1 letter ‘succeeded’ after a reversal of 2 letters for “Brendan’s”