Cryptic crossword No 1,163

Thanks Avtaar, I really enjoyed this - particularly 1a and 19a, which are rarely the sort of clue that make my podium! Some nice clues for common crossword words as well. Spoilers...

Lovely clues Avtaar! Enjoyed solving.. so many fav clues hard to pick one.

Hi Avtaar and welcome to MyC. A very nice debut puzzle. I thought your surfaces were particularly smooth and you've done a great job of hiding your instructions in the middle of the clues, somewhat disguising the defs thereby. And everything was very crisply clued making for a really smooth ride through in numerical order with only one clue (with two nho elements) unparsed. Faves include 1a, 10a, 19a, 23a, 25a, 2d, 7d, 13d, 22d and 24d. Spoilers in reply. Thanks. PM

Welcome to MyC Avtaar and thanks for a most enjoyable puzzle. This unfolded in a very satisfying way although I struggled with 26a for the same reasons that PM did. I’d also echo PM’s comments about your surfaces and the disguise in the clues. The pick for me were 9a, 10a, 19a, 25a, 2d, 7d and 16d.

Thanks Avtaar, very enjoyable - by no means a write-in for me, but perhaps a touch easier than expected, being familiar with your excellently tricky offerings in The Hindu! As for others, both parts of 26a were beyond my GK. 11a I initially had a very slightly different word that I think matches definition just as well, but crossers sorted that out. Favourites include 9a (now that its been updated!), 15a, 19a, 23a, 3d, 4d, 7d & 16d. Thanks again!