Thanks for another entertaining cryptic.
3D A wry smile from UK solvers!
9A OC = original content. I couldn't find this in my lists and would like to add it if it is an acceptable abbreviation. Do you have a link?
10A Masterful!
5D Sneaky!
27D Lovely!
14D "Pip, perhaps"; allusion to "Great Expectations"? Herbert Pocket?
7D Clever! I liked this one.
6A Nice definition!
15A I liked this one.
20A Had me scratching my head for a while. Would "large reward" improve the surface?
29A Never heard of it! I thought "lab's assistant" was too general.
25A Another head-scratcher! I havn't use the "odd" indicator in my crosswords so find it difficult to spot it.
Thanks for the feedback! OC being original content is a pretty common internet abbreviation, I'm afraid that's more of me sneaking young people slang into cryptics :) I like your suggestion for 20D, makes the surface a bit cleaner!
merlinnimue 🤓22:28 · 2023-10-22T16:57:35.966Z
So much good stuff, its hard to touch on it all, but if I had to narrow down one favorite, I'd say 29a... I didn't get the parse at first, but when I did, wow
Nits:
does 1d need a homophone indicator?
is SEA really the same as ocean?
slightly disheartening to see the same "are almost/nearly" indicator in 7d and 16d
Thanks for the feedback! For some reason I thought that "volume" was an appropriate homophone indicator in 1D, but can't find it in any lists now so not sure why I did. For 17D, you're right I probably could have been a bit more creative there, "Reported on view of the Adriatic, for example," maybe?
Fair critique on 7d and 16d, no defense for that one except that it was midterms week this week and I was really tired while writing this puzzle haha
merlinnimue 🤓22:28 · 2023-10-22T23:01:19.646Z
No worries, very minor things I pointed out, all in all superb puzzle. Gl on midterms... I couldn't have ever imagined writing puzzles on top of coursework... I can't even imagine writing puzzles now that I've long left school... i am in such awe of you amazing geniuses