Cryptic crossword No 848

This is deliberately untested. Those who know me will know I've been getting more strictly Xim (perhaps overly so) with every clue written. This is an experimental (for me) stretch of some of my interpretations of 'the rules'. I'd like to know how stretchy you find it, so the quibbbliest moan will be welcomed and expect debate on said quibbles. Cheers!

Thanks Blah, most enjoyable, favourites include 4a, 12a (though strictly that spelling needs archaic indicator?), 17a, 22a, 26a (chestnut?), 2d, 5d, 8d, 16d & 20d. So ... you're looking for quibbles? Well, OK ... spoilers ...

Hi Blah, not been doing much solving but eyes lit up to see you had posted a puzzle, so I thought I’d make a start. Most of this fell quickly and enjoyably thanks to your very neat, concise clues. 1a lol 8d lovely clean surface 12a was nice 16d v well disguised with neat surface, loved 18d as you might imagine. Really good fun! Thanks. Spoilers…

Great to see a rare Blah puzzle here - and very enjoyable too. An interesting mix of clues, including some that I thought were excellent: 4A, 10A (COTD), 27A, 8D (great spot) and 16D in particular. Happy to oblige with quibbles since you ask so nicely. For fun, I won’t read Fez’s comments first....

Twas worth the wait for another Blah puzzle, that was a fun solve. I had a similar experience to Coot, with the SE last to fall, but an approachable mix of difficulties everywhere else. I particularly liked 1a (put a smile on my face), 4a(smooth use of the mechanism), 9a (nice surface, when it clicked this worked for me), 10a (nice assembly), 22a (neat), 25a (I enjoyed the def), 26a (neat), 6d (very smooth), 8d (clean), 16d (neat but I got the def at the wrong end and I wonder if the wordplay...

Great stuff - you should definitely continue ‘loosening up’ on the Xim in this solver’s opinion 😁 Difficulty-wise I found it 3/4 quiptic and 1/4 toughie! Although looking back at the last ones to fall, they were mostly fairly clued (mostly!). I also appreciated how remarkably concise a lot of the clues were. As you openly invited quibbles, to the Reply!

Thanks everyone will engage more fully with the quibbles later on. Might need a spreadsheet to see who agreed on which quibbles. But first ☕

Hi, Blah. Thanks for this - some nice tight stuff here (possibly too tight in some cases, but others have already highlighted this). Just a couple of quibbles to add. 1A - not just the anatomy, but I'm not sure the homophone really works (and it doesn't work at all if you pronounce the author in the French way). Fez mentions reading an alternative answer for 16A; I did the same with 16D, and I think that answer would have been equally valid.

Hi & thanks Blah - nice to see you here. Favourites were 1a, 6d, 8d, 23d, among others. Several quibbles overlap with others', and others are probably personal preference, but for posterity/your spreadsheet, see below...

Well done, Blah - if “loosening up” means actually finishing a puzzle and hitting the publish button, you can definitely afford to loosen up a bit. You’ll get more useful feedback than you’ll ever get on a perfect-but-unpublished puzzle. Some very nice ideas here. Favourites were 10a, 22a, 6d, 8d, 18d. I won’t repeat everyone else’s observations but a few spoilery comments in reply…