I thought this was a very entertaining puzzle from Paul whose style of clueing is certainly unique among(st) his fellow setters. I didn’t quite finish it despite its perceived simplicity but this was mainly due to lack of attention. I usually start the puzzle on a Saturday, remember on Tue/Wed that I’ve not finished it and then solve a few more clues sporadically. Suddenly it was Saturday so it remained unfinished and I’d had a golgotha of a day.

As has already been said, the TMNT clue was a brilliant anagram and brings Paul further into the role of saucerer’s apprentice. LEFTOVERS was also brilliant.

I cannot agree with Martin P on themed crosswords. To me they make the puzzle far more interesting and give a bonehead such as myself, more of a chance of completement (I hope that’s a word Eileen). I find 27 or so unrelated clues quite boring sometimes. Thanks Paul.

I did have a moment’s pride in rumbling “Stoke City”, though.

Many thanks to all

I’m ashamed to say I needed help with 15ac

Shirley @13. Me, too. Fastest solve ever for a prize.

Of course, we were also a bit puzzled by the easiness of TIRANA and CASTRO. Very un-Paulian, we thought, but probably he had these two clues still lying around somewhere and didn’t want to bin them – in our opinion, rightly so as they are well-written as such.

But the long anagram was exceptional and fully worth my ecstasy.
Michelangelo’s Dave and the great surfaces of 5d, 7d and 17d, wow.
These clues just made our day.
I know that a few good clues don’t make a good crossword [just like a few bad ones don't make a bad puzzle], but given the quality of the rest, this was – I have to repeat – Paul in optima forma. One may disagree, of course.
I don’t know anymore whether we found it as easy as some others, but when you’re really enjoying yourself (like we did) you can’t be bothered that much about it.

Shirley, I don’t have an opinion on Brendan’s crossword yet [and will not say anything about it here anyway], but the simple fact thát he was chosen for the Saturday spot is – not just for me – something that he fully deserved at last!

tupu @8: your COD gives a definition for “at” with the word ‘position’ in it, so something static. I’m not a linguist and certainly not an expert on English, but “towards” suggests a ‘movement’. On the other hand, in the expression “to aim at …” one can see “at” as “towards”. Still, I/we didn’t feel comfortable with it, especially as it was our last word to go in. Paul, though at times laddish in his clueing (my PinC’s words!), is always very precise too – so it felt a bit like a false note at the end of a smashing performance.

And Carrots @14, me grumpy …. ?

Last but not least, many many thanks to you bridgesong.

Thematic with four subsidiary clues, one of which was a long anagram with a splendidly misleading surface (I am still chuckling over it 7 days later). And no less than 4 &lits to boot.

Bliss.

Thanks bridgesong for a good blog. Like Sil, I thought TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES was a classic, especially after the misleading reference to Leonardo.

But this was a lovely puzzle and a real delight throughout: Many thanks Paul & Bridgesong for such a memorable-even classic-puzzle.