(5,3,1,4)

I am probably more proud than I should be to say: for the first time in my life, I have finished the Guardian Cryptic Crossword! And it's the prize crossword too!

It has passed largely without fanfare, but for a long time, somewhere in the back of mind has been the wish to complete a cryptic crossword. It's just one of those things I've long had an ambition to be able to do - mostly, I guess, because I'm crap at chess and know I always be, so cryptics seem like a good second prize.

Here's the crossword for those who'd like to share in my conceit. Once I'd got 12a, several others followed. 2d and 7d I had to look up as I'd never heard of the answers. 21d was the last man standing, but eventually worked it out. And the sharpest, funniest most concise clue is this:

5a. Couple with little on credit (4,3,3)