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This week's puzzle is by that favoured of setters, Paul, and I think that, possibly for the first time ever, I really appreciate it what it is to be on the setter's wavelength.

My FOI (First One In) was 11a and that was quickly followed by 4d and I was on my way.

I'm not sure if this constitutes a theme, but there are several film references.

I know Paul is known for his sometimes risque clues, the so-called "Paulines" but I didn't notice any, of course that's not to say there aren't any!

Anyone having trouble getting started just go to 15a - the answer was also in last week's crossword! The fact that he's appeared two weeks in a row did make me wonder if he'd passed away recently but no - he's alive and well:-) Also, the two long across answers are both anagrams, which should help a lot, although I'd never heard of the first one. There's also an easy "hidden" clue in the bottom half of the downs.

I am still puzzled by 12a - At first I thought the answer must be the "movie" (by Scorsese) but it can't be because I have it ending in a D - to get the middle letter for 8d? Also, the parsing for 25a still has me baffled but hopefully I'll have a PDM (Penny Drop Moment).

COD (Clue Of the Day) - lots of contenders, as one would expect from Paul, with 2d and 19a both excellent and 17d reminded me of Latin lessons in school, but I'm going with the witty 27a.

It's really great that more and more new solvers are joining our friendly discussion thread each week. So please feel free to leave your thoughts about the crossword and/or ask for a hint if you get stuck, or answer other people's queries if you can.

Thanks to Paul for a most enjoyable puzzle.

Stay safe:-)

....and the PDM for 25a has duly arrived - "something with hole" - very clever:-)

Hi Brendan,

I agree, no "Pauline" clues today. Strange, the puzzle was challenging (especially the SW quadrant), and many clues were tough to parse, but I didn't find it as enjoyable as many of the recent Prizes (which, granted, have been at a high level). Maybe I'm just tired after a long work week. Thanks to Paul. 12 took me a while, but it parses cleanly as A plus a synonym for "film" + a slang abbrev for "trailer". Spielberg directed iirc (though I never saw it). I'll put my C(s)OD in the tough SW quadrant: 25 (really clever wordplay), 27 (LOI), 18d, 22.

Our posts crossed as I was analyzing 25 and concluding that it had to rank as COD!

Hi Geeker,

Thanks for the parsing of 12a, I got fixated on Aviator and couldn't see past it - even though I knew it had to end in a D.

Now that I've fully parsed 25a it could easily be a COD - oh well, too late now.

Snap 👍

12a: I also got fixated on the same wrong answer, till I saw this comment! Incidentally, Chambers defines viator as a wayfarer or traveller and this caused the confusion. I didn’t have much difficulty in parsing 25a, though I got the answer from the crossers.

Hi Mathi,

It seems we both went down the same "wayfarer, traveller" rabbit-hole for 12a - I kept trying to make it fit the definition, which of course it doesn't - didn't stop me trying though! Thankfully Geeker parsed it perfectly and put me out of my misery.

25a I wish my PDM had come a bit sooner - it would have been my COD.

I think we all got confused with 12 across. Re 13 across, the term might be new to you but translate it to French and it will be very familiar.

Hi Chris,

Well spotted on 13a - it's odd that it's more commonly known by its French name and I always associate it with New Orleans.