Guardian Prize Crossword 27699 Saturday December 22Nd 2018

[plutocrat]

Haven't enjoyed this one much. The weird way in which 4 of the unthemed clues were given the wrong letter count (but 3 of them weren't!) slowed me down for a while. Anyway, a few left in the middle left, and I can't figure them out ...
21 Note plump buttock outside (9) B??T????M
Bacterium is what fits, but I think this is probably a themed B clue, i.e. B ??T????M. So yeah, reached an impasse.

20 Stentorian player (7) ???C???
Again, I think this is a themed one. I can fit V NECKED in there, but can't figure out why it might be that.

Well lets try those for now, and I should be able to get the rest.

Also, why would 45 Supplies troughs of sweet-smelling flowers (6), be STOCKS. I have ?T?C?S

[Davemano]

45 Stocks are supplies as well as being garden flowers. Night scented and Virginia stocks.

[Lie-in King]

21d B rotundum (note; music) - 'bum' (outside) 'rotund'
20d F-factor - 'ff' (loud; stentorian) + 'actor'

45d Yes - Stocks - triple meaning

[Lie-in King]

Sorry - Stocks = supplies; troughs; flowers

[Davemano]

Yes, I overlooked the troughs.

[plutocrat]

Thanks. Even knowing those answers didn't bring much satisfaction! Anyway, all done now. I can get on with my life.

[vetuste_ennemi]

...and an alternative "Why bother?" question.