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This week's puzzle is by my more illustrious namesake.

It has a theme that is not overly difficult to figure out and really does help with solving the rest of the clues.

If you do get stuck, there's a long hidden clue in the downs and two equally long anagrams in the acrosses.

FOI was 5d and that was quickly followed by 7d and 4a, although I had to double-check in Chambers that "last-gasp touchdown" was indeed one of the definitions......it is:-)

COD - there are several excellent clues, 1d with the witty "follower of Sun" and 22a with the wry "home of midweek team", but I'm going with 19a and "item's aim framed by a mouthpiece" that made me LOL.

I have outstanding queries with 18d where I can't see what part "initially" plays and with 24a and 3d but the answers are clear and hopefully I'll have a PDM (Penny Drop Moment) before too long.

Thanks to Brendan for a fun crossword.

Please feel free to join in our friendly discussion thread and don't hesitate to ask for a hint if you get stuck.

Stay safe:-)

......add 26a to my list of outstanding queries where, again, the answer is clear but the wordplay eludes me.

Hi Brendan.

I think “initially” in 18d means it is not an adult fish, but it seems a clumsy way to say it.
3D seems to me to be an anagram and around it a word meaning state with one letter abbreviations for two other words.
26a - the succeeding seems to mean the first letters of three words after another abbreviation for a religious person.
24a - not sure either.

Hi Mysogre,

Thanks for that.

For 26a you could be right but it could also be the last two letters are A + "river" after/"succeeding" an abbreviation/"in short" of when a "monk" might eat fish? (Not allowed to eat meat on that day)

Hi Brendan,
I struggled with this. I pretty much agree with all your COD and parsing issues! Thanks to your namesake. I have a parsing for 3, but it's a bit clumsy/tortured.

Hi Geeker,

3d I think Mystogre has it right and D for "date in "state" is fine but I can't find any justification for A = "appointed". also, where is the anagram indicator? - Is that what you've got?

24a Our "fighter" did use a "stone" to beat the "heavyweight" but, other than the Roman numeral, I'm at a loss to explain the rest.

Hi Brendan, the fighter took five stones with him, apparently.

Re 3d. Chambers has 2 letter abbreviation for 'without appointed date'.

That's brilliant, many thanks Mattrom.

3d - I got fixated on A for "appointed" - didn't think to look for a Latin abbreviation.

Thanks again Mattrom.