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Many thanks to up-and-coming Prize favo(u)rite Brockwell for a brilliant entertainment this week.

I think I've spotted a trademark theme, but need more time to consider subtleties.

Solving time around Prize norm, but plenty of wit and challenging clues to make the puzzle enjoyable.

FOI 1d, LOI 27 (which greatly extended solving time and required Google assistance given crossers).

Too many delightful clues to rank a COD. The long list is (in rough order of solving) 11, 4, 8, 7, 14, 25, 21, 17 (nice surface), 18 and 27. I slightly prefer 8 and 11 due to personal interests but can't "objectively" rank them above the rest.

Well done, Brockwell.

At first I thought this was going to be a real struggle, but after a slowish start it all slotted nicely into place, with a nice range of devices and a couple of unfamiliar/GK solutions which were eventually gettable from the fodder and/or crossers.
FOI 17, LOI 1d, even though I’d got 18 long before.
COD? Stiff competition, but I liked 27 a lot.
Thanks to Brockwell for the entertainment.

Gosh, geeker, your FOI was my LOI (just couldn’t see it), whereas your LOI was about my third one in, even though I didn’t know the word! I think my brain must be working a bit oddly at the moment…

roger, 27 was a totally new word for me...I spent a lot of time musing about solutions along the lines of (perhaps urban legend) Michael Rockefeller. Also 3, though the solution is obvious from parsing and it's likely common on your side of the pond.

I wouldn’t say that 3 is exactly common on this side of the Pond, but it’s certainly in my vocabulary (though I doubt I will ever use it outside crosswordland!)

27a was well and truly my downfall this time, taking up over half of the solving time. A term I will try to remember for future crosswords but not for general conversation. A clever puzzle overall, and well suited to the Prize slot.

Thanks to the ever-reliable Brockwell, who is fast becoming a favourite among us solvers.

I didn't find this easy at all but the clueing is fair, so no complaints.

I still haven't been able to parse 2d, where I can see a "big bird's upset" but can't get the outer letters from "bottom of Sesame Street".

Brockwell usually (always?) includes a theme, so when I saw 1d and 14d I immediately thought A-ha! But that soon fizzled out. However, in the absence of anything else I revisited and, hey presto, there it was. Thus far I can see about 10 or so but no doubt there are more.

COD:- I'll go for 8a, if only because it prompted me to play the Miles masterpiece that is Kind of Blue.

Stay safe:-)

Ah, is it just "bottom" with "Sesame Street" being an American indicator?

Brendan, I think you're right about the American indicator! Good catch.

I wrote in the solution without fully parsing, but was somewhat uneasy about the S letters matching up.

Brockwell, thanks.

Good puzzle.

Gaps in my GK and an unknown made this harder.
I am not sure of the theme, as I see only three linked answers.

Had to correct 7d, to get 19a LOI, great clue.

Also liked 4d, 18d, 21a, 16a, and 23d