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If you fancy a slightly early start the pdf is already available…

https://cdn.observer.co.uk/media/documents/obs.everyman.20250817.pdf

Good fun and I spotted a rhyming pair so, you know, win win 😀

As I think is the case with many of us on here, I don't consider a puzzle finished until I've not only solved all the clues but also parsed them. To that end, I could have pressed the submit button a good 15 minutes before I actually did because, for the life of me, I couldn't see how the 2nd word in 22a came from 'part of a revolution'. When it finally dawned on me I felt like a right dweeb (hmm, not exactly sure what that is but I'll leave it in) for not having seen it earlier.

Thanks to Everyman for yet another in an increasingly long line of excellent puzzles:.

Stay safe:-)

Ha, apparently it's slang from across the pond so Geeker's neck of the woods and means a fool or nerd - are they the same thing, aren't nerds generally very clever?

Google's "AI Overview" says

While both "dweeb" and "nerd" can refer to someone socially awkward and overly focused on specific interests, "dweeb" generally carries a more derogatory and belittling tone, often implying a lack of intelligence or competence, whereas "nerd" can be neutral or even positive, particularly when reclaimed by those who identify with it.

I generally agree with this. "Dweeb" is more derogatory. "Geek" and "nerd" seem more positive than "dweeb" or "dork". A term that was popular in my youth is "doofus" (generally foolish or physically clumsy), but that seems to have gone out of fashion.

Does UK "anorak" correspond to any of these?

For many years I thought "doofus" was spelled "dufus" until I actually saw it in print, ironically in a chess book by the late Jeremy Silman.

Yes there were some tricky ones this week. 16a was new to me, you live and learn!

Thanks for that in-depth analysis Geeker, I feel much better now 😂

I remember the term "doofus" from Things To Do in Denver When You're Dead - it's a disturbing scene and, SPOILER ALERT, he ends up getting whacked by Jimmy the Saint.

I'm pretty sure anorak and geek mean pretty much the same thing.

Reminds me of a line from Luther where he thanks a computer expert for help who replies .. "beware geeks bearing gifts" (well, I thought it was funny).

Same here Bowergirl, but I quite like it - God, I'm easily pleased:-)

This was a fun one, thanks to Everyman.
Not super easy, but gentler than many of his recent efforts.
FOI 1a, LOI 18.

COD goes to the "Everyman" feature 6 (which is really witty this week), followed by 18 and 2.

Sorry, I meant "15 and 2" for the COD runners-up. Poor handwriting.

Good day all.

I don't get the wit of 6d but I can live with that. I enjoyed 2d. Lots of others were fun as well. 4d for instance.

So my CoD is 2d.

Cannot parse 7d and 17d.

All in all an enjoyable Everyman, tricky, at the harder end of the spectrum

Nice start to the season for those who dare to do.