That particular use is intended as delete P, the abbreviation for piano/quiet; I'm sure someone has done that before but I wasn't thinking of a particular setter when I wrote it. I do think indicating a silent letter for deletion would be fair game if clearly and non-ambiguously indicated.
Mad Dog 🤓10:14 · 2024-08-05T17:17:32.931Z
I actually liked the meta clue the most. 2D has great surface but getting that Z is the most challenging moment in the puzzle.
1D CU(ART)O[-p]*
2D H(A+Z*)ARD; *26[-00]=Z
3D OUT[-r]AGE
4A SUB+A+R+U<
5A ER(RAT)A[-s]
6A {dd}