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geeker wrote: "I'm American and the "overblown" nuance of 1a is not unfamiliar. Back in the day, it would often be used ironically in reference to, for instance, films produced/directed by Cecil B. DeMille."

Yes, I remember that well. But I did not interpret that word as meaning "overblown" (even if you did manage to find a quotation on the Internet that called de Mille's movies by that adjective).

(Rather I took it to mean "very large" or "stupdendous".)

In support, here are the three definitions in American Heritage dictionary:
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1. Of, constituting, having to do with, or suggestive of a literary ____
2. Surpassing the usual or ordinary, particularly in scope or size
3. Heroic and impressive in quality
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Can I please ask for some guidance on 1a?

I have read the previous entries but I am none the wiser.

Is the definition OVERBLOWN?

Selfie after selfie…SS?

Yes the definition is overblown, but selfie after selfie is not SS. It is the abbreviated description of what a selfie is, coming after the last letter of selfie. Though if you classed it as 1,3 rather than 4 letters, the definition could be selfie, at a pinch.

It parses as 1,3. The definition is "overblown", but earlier comments have complained about whether that's fair. Perhaps it's safer to say that it's really big.

Overblown in the sense of "Your anecdote was so overblown it was "like a type of poem or film that is best described with a word of four letters""

Thank you Geeker. I'd guessed 4a wrongly, which out me out for 5d.

Very late to this. Had a 45 minute wait at Reading station for a train home this morning. Finished the whole puzzle before I boarded. So not a tough Everyman this week but I thought possibly the best I can remember. Clues like 3d are what the Everyman is all about notwithstanding the usual regulars.

Something for everyone here.

I agree that it was a great Spoonerism, even if a bit opaque to American friends. Does any one know whether or not it is original?

Interestingly there’s a George Gershwin song called (the answer) from 1927 which was then taken by the Gerry Mulligan quartet in 1956 who turned it into a ‘contrafact’ piece called (the Spoonerism). You’ll find them both on YouTube.

Whether this has been used in crosswords before I do not know.

I think it refers to gestation in the uterus.