Cryptic crossword No 55

I'm new to the setting game although I've been solving puzzles for as long as I can remember. This is the first puzzle I have ever created and would be delighted to get some feedback. I think it might take a bit of time to find my own style...

Thanks plumbwizard! For a first puzzle that was an excellent effort! There are some really good clues including 12a, 18a, 26a, 2d, 7d, 8d, 13d, 15d, 19d and 22d. SPOILERS to follow in reply...

Very good for a first effort PW, a few niggles some of which have already been pointed out by abw, but on the whole encouraging. I'll pick out 13d for especial mention, not only for the ingenious wordplay but also..... (SPOILERS BELOW) cont.

Thanks Plumbwizard for creating this puzzle. I’d say this is pretty good going if it really is your first effort. Lots of good ideas to admire. To reiterate what ABW said - the main feedback from me would be to work harder on the cryptic grammar of each clue until every word has a clear function. ‘Took’ in 22d, say, suggests containment - ‘on’ would work better while maintaining a natural surface.

As others have said, if this is your first effort it’s superb. 6a, 14d, 15a and 20a were good and 13d quite brilliant. I don’t get 4d and as others have said, 5d, 9a and 25a don’t quite work. 16a puzzled me until I googled the nickname! I thought 17d was unsound until I read the explanation, which makes it clear that it’s actually very clever. More please!