Cryptic crossword No 544

Much more my cup of tea (or glass of wine if you will) than Alice. Less setting for yourself (I also plead guilty) and more like this please PM. Groans (as you intended) for 5A, 7D and 14D. Ticks for many with 12A, 23A, 28A, 5D and 23D standing out for me

I really enjoyed this! Couple of references I didn't know (I am not a rhubarb person) but not enough to stop me solving it, and in particular the definitions were clever but unambiguous throughout. Really well done.

Bravo, PM! That was a wonderful puzzle, replete with cunningly misleading definitions and evocative surface constructions. 1a started off strong, loved the construction of 9a, 12a was neat, 13a held me up for a minute but a fun surface and PD combo, 15a a very neat example of that type, 25a is a wonderfully constructed clue, 28a is simple and witty, 1d stumped me making it a top example of that type, 2d a welcome groan, 3d was neat, 6d beautifully evocative and clever wordplay, 7d a very cunning

Nice one, PM, a clever, fun and friendly puzzle, sticky enough in spots to require extended thought or reliance on crossers. The trick in 5a is new to me. 9a is pretty fiendish.

Very nice, PM, thanks. Probably the most accessible of your puzzles that I can remember but no less fun for that. Some beautifully disguised definitions in particular - I’m looking at you 13A, 28A, 7D, 8D, 20D and 23D!

PM I'm not sure I've tried all of yours but this is the best so far. 12a, 7d, 14d, 18d were great and my two faves were 10a (very natural disguise) and 15a (neat surface). Unfortunately 23d with its fun surface isn't correct: more than one Andy = Andys not Andies. The y-plural grammar rule doesn't apply to proper nouns - eg Sean Connery's family is the Connerys; there are two Germanys etc. Annoying but not pedantry - an editor would veto it, so worth bearing in mind if you want to use it again.

Good puzzle, that, though it took me two shifts. First pass yielded little, second pass everything steadily clicked into place. I found the downs generally easier than the acrosses, oddly. Loved 9a (clever!), 2d, 6d and 8d. More slightly spoilery comments in Reply. Nice work!

Thanks PostMark, a very enjoyable puzzle. Really good difficulty level with a few lay-ups to provide help for the more challenging clues. In particular I liked 11a, 13a (Quite a brave choice of mechanism! Well executed though), 15a, 6d (my favourite, very good) and 20d (it is satisfying when a clue looks complex on first pass but resolves to be quite straightforward).