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plutocrat

25th July 2026, 04:55
Thought I'd step up and start the thread.
Finding the parsing of several clues particularly hard today!
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geeker

25th July 2026, 05:00
I started this very late at night when tired, just now finished and found it very tough.

Thanks to Paul, who's back in the Prize saddle after an unusually long absence.

FOI 23 (indicating struggle), LOI jointly 24/25.

Not certain of parsing of 21.
28 elicited a loud groan.
A couple of clues depended on dodgy (IMO) homophones.

COD 1 (naturally for me) over 14 and 4. Also liked 22, 5, 10 and 20.
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rocky7

25th July 2026, 05:56
Yes where has the elusive Paul been on Saturdays? Also finding this tough from a parsing perspective but a bit jet lagged so brain fog is taking over. I can parse 9d up to the last word which could be two things neither of which I can make fit 'corner'. 28a like geeker was a real 'really?' moment.

About half done so not yet up there with two weeks ago.
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geeker

25th July 2026, 06:03
I wrote in 9 and forgot to parse it because the solution was clear. Seems to parse as 3, 3, 4, 3 with the final 3 (verb) as "corner".
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rocky7

25th July 2026, 06:13
Aah. Verb corner. Yes that's quite a clever use of that word. Thanks geeker. Can't believe 23a was your FOI geeker and I've never heard of it. From Googling it I think a slightly different form of it is more common in Europe.
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geting

25th July 2026, 06:16
I think 21d parses as 1,2,2,1,1
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brendan

25th July 2026, 06:49
I think 21d is quite clever in the way it uses the correct Cockney rhyming slang term for "mouth" as the definition, only to then use "mouth" to indicate the position of a letter - very cunning of Paul.
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redpete

25th July 2026, 07:26
Apparently there is a 32 page Summerr Puzzles supplement in today's printed edition, not much use fot non-UK contributers! This was announced in yesterdays Special No 4 by Brassica, available online.
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chrise

25th July 2026, 07:48
After 10 minutes I've just got 23a. Think I'll give up!
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jono

25th July 2026, 07:51
Also making slow progress. My FOI was 14a.
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