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A themed Prize this week from regular setter Tramp.

I'm not quite sure if there is a reason for why it's this week as I haven't heard or read amuch about the subject, at least not recently.

In terms of difficulty, the high number of long anagrams places this firmly at the easier end of the scale, with the privoso that, yes I know, these things are very subjective.

The only clue I haven't yet parsed is 24a but the night is young.

Other points of note: Can't real;ly equate 4d with "guideline" but I suppose it is. Had to check Chambers to make sure 17a is a real word and would a woman really put a "file" in 6d?

Thanks to Tramp for a quick but enjoyable Prize crossword.

How did you get?

Stay safe:-)

With regards the parsing of 24a, my specific query is why those 2 letters refer to "fighting suit" rather than, say 'fighter' or similar - the part of the answer referring to "bar" is clear.

I found this about average Prize difficulty.
Noting the obvious theme, I feared it would be too UK-centric, but wound up handling it with minimal Google bailouts.
There were several very easy clues, but several that I struggled with. Needed lots of crossers for the long anagrams, which slowed progress.

I hear you on 24, brendan.
If my solution to 13 is correct (which it probably is, given 2 crossers for a 4-letter word), I found the usage unusual.

FOI 10, LOI 8.
COD tie between 27 and 17a; other contenders 6, 24, 20 and 15.

Thanks to Tramp.
There seems to be a second theme (if the acronym common to several clues means anything), though perhaps it pertains to the theme subject (about whom I know next to nothing).

Brendan: for 24a, not what you're thinking of, but judo!

Kudos to Tramp, very clever. Make it a 3-way tie for COD.

Hi Geeker,

With you 100% on 13a - I did originally make a note to mention it but decided to leave it in the interest of brevity.

I had also made a note of 7d where, if my parsing is correct, the "entrepreneur" is an abbreviation, trouble is I can't find anything to back that up. Added to that, the tense of the last 3 letters doesn't match
the past tense "caught" - what am i missing?

I only see one theme, which centres around MM and the misuse of PPE funds.

24a - brilliant find Geeker and yes, will make that my COD.

Thanks, Brendan. I had forgotten about the "misuse of PPE funds", which didn't get much publicity Stateside.

I'm also puzzled by 7. Solution seems obvious, but I agree with you on the parsing.

You're right Geeker, it is a very UK centric story.

On a wider scale, the BBC reported this week that "Much of the £10.9bn in taxpayer money lost to fraud and error in Covid support schemes is now "beyond recovery","

Brendan, as I suspected from "caught", 7d is a homophone. Perhaps slightly dubious.

In the USA, I'm sure the COVID fraud cost to taxpayers was absolutely staggering. And my political leaning is to the left.

7d - Another good catch Geeker. In my defence (here we go, this should be good... 😂) I don't pronounce them anything like the same, that said, I should have got it from "caught" and I obviously didn't:-(

The amount of fraud is staggering and, to be honest, I'm at a loss to understand why so much of it is not recoverable.

I used to run a leasing company in London in the 80's, and we used to make sure every single contract was backed up with a director's guarantee, usually meaning their house was on the line if they defaulted - what's changed?