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Well that was very enjoyable. Probably on the slightly easier side for me but none the worse for it. Slowish start this morning. Put it down to take my friend to Bari airport whereupon I got a speeding ticket from the Italian police for doing 67kmh in a 50kmh dual carriageway on the approach to the airport. It was like shooting fish in a barrel. Thought when he saw I was a Brit he might wave me on but no such luck. A fair cop nonetheless. €120 lighter I returned and was mightily cheered up by finishing this. Thanks Fed for some brilliant clueing and fiendish misdirection.

FOI 3d. LOI unparsed for now 19a. COD hard to get past 18d but I still like 4d.

@ Rocky, 19a solution is an eight letter synonym for "founders" (think foundations rather than finances) containing a single letter - little (bit of) investment.

Delightful misdirection. The comic refers to someone from the same era as Mr. Morecambe but not as mainstream.

Hi Nodrog

Yes that makes sense now.

A good clue in fact.

Thank you nodrog! That was the nudge I needed for 19ac, LOI. Tripped up by not seeing "founders" as a verb again.

Agreed with the praise for the misdirection in 18d and 19d but my CoD may be 16ac for the clever "West."

Thanks Fed and all the commenters!

I have spent two hours puzzling over Fed's clues. I do not find him easy - possibly falling for the misdirections.

I have solved a few, but need to go away and consider the hints on this thread. I had hoped to check my answer for 12/9 on Danword, but he's disappeared this week.

Jono, I did notice that the 30,000th crossword will be on Thursday. I'll have to look out for it as I rarely do a crossword mid week. Is Fed a doctor?

I hope to be back

Hi Roof,
“ Is Fed a doctor? “ , no he’s a comedian!
Philistine is the doctor.

Ah, so Fed is Dave Gorman.

I knew he was a setter of cryptics but never bothered to uncover his pseudonym.

Well much to my surprise I think I've finished. Many thanks for all the hints. There are, of course some I cannot parse fully, namely:
5ac, 21ac, 28ac and 20d.

I was relieved to get all the crossers for 9d and the hint about the 5 in the clue.

FOI 12/9, LOI 21ac and COD is 12/9 and 13ac (thanks for the hint for that one - I was way off on that one).

I hope to be back next week.

Finished without resorting to CrosswrdSolver or reading the forum. But although I'm confident of 20d from crossers and definition, I don't see the wordplay at all. Could some kindly illuminate?
Foi: 5a
Loi: 18d
Cod: 3d is very neat, but 10a was ingenious