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A most enjoyable puzzle by Tramp, with lots of clever and witty cluing.

FOI were the 1a/1d combination.

I didn't find it too difficult but there a couple of clues that I can't fully parse:-

13a - I can't find a source that gives a connection to "fingers".

20d - Similar to 13a in that I have my answer but does it really mean "matches"?

3d - I can see a possible parsing but it's a bit loose which isn't in keeping with the rest of the clues so I suspect there may be a better parse that I'm yet to see.

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

6d - I do wonder how those solvers from abroad and indeed those outside London might get on with this.

COD - As you may know, I'm a sucker for a clue with a good surface and so I was spoilt for choice this week. I was tempted to pick 20d but then I thought "how would Harry Kane know that feeling"? (I jest, of course😂) but in the end I went for the brilliant 2d not least because I've just returned from taking my friend's dog out for a walk.

Please feel free to leave a comment letting us know how you got on and, as always, if you get stuck - don't hesitate to ask for a hint.

Thanks to Tramp for a very enjoyable puzzle.

Stay safe:-)

Sorry, for COD I meant I was going to pick 15d not 20d.

Hi Brendan,
I agree - not too much to scare the horses here. But it all fitted together nicely.
I also looked sideways at 20d and wondered about “matches” - the only use I could come up with was mixing paints to get a colour.
With 9a I could only come up with a colloquial expression using fingers to do the adding.
3d was another I had to convince myself about as it didn’t seem to really fit.
In 10a, does the first word really mean “bar”? I suppose it does in terms of exclusion but I wasn’t happy.
6d wasn’t a problem here as I knew of it.
I liked 22a.

13ac - I think it’s ‘fingers’ as in ‘small amounts’ (of an alcoholic drink).
20dn struck me as a loose definition at best.
3dn - a bit loose, I agree. I have the first two words of the clue as definitions of the first and second part of the solution, but the first is a bit loose IMV.

Hi Brendan,

Thanks to Tramp for the Prize. I found it more difficult than the norm, had fun solving, many challenging and clever clues, but somehow it didn't bowl me over like a few recent (though admittedly exceptional) Prize standouts.
FOI 5, LOI 2.
Short COD list: 15, 17, 7, 5, 26 and 23, but can't pick a standout.
13: possible connection re. measure of spirits?
6: despite being American, this long clue was a write-in. ;-)
20: I see your point but thought it was OK, though a bit loose.
Agreed on 3, still not satisfied with my parsing.

On further review, will declare 15 and 17 co-COD because they share a Pauline component (the latter not part of parsing).

Hi Mystogre, hi Rogissimo,

10a - I too thought the synonym for "bar" was a bit of a stretch.

I'm sure your right about the possible meaning of "fingers" in 13a and your interpretation of 3d is the same as mine but, I agree, it's a bit loose.

Hi Geeker,

15d really brought a smile to my face for several reasons, not least the one you allude to, but as a "Happy Hammer" I thought it might appear a tad gratuitous if I singled it out - there's also the pot, kettle, black issue to take in to account:-)

A fine crossword . My imo very valid wrong answer to 16a held me up for ages to my loi 17d .Trying not to give too much away but anyone in same predicament look again at 16 a .
Wishing a good weekend to all

Hi Brendan and all

I think if you look at 20d from a paint context it works ok. Just.

Just one run through all the clues so far so early days but seems quite straightforward.

I was happy with 20d and the first part of 11a - you can do both to doors, for instance.

A couple of loose definitions - 8d and 17d.

Baffled by the wordplay in 5d and the definition in 12a.