Quick crossword No 217

A quick walkthrough of the answers is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbcIXpGBqxE

Thanks tpgrammar, that was fun. I liked 17a (!), 22a, and 7d. A few notes in reply.

One to delight the den of nerds, I think! 8 was first in, for nerdy reasons, and I smiled once I grasped your special instruction. Needed wiki to get me over the line for one or two where general knowledge failed me. 2d new to me, I wonder if I’ll ever need it again?

Very clever, but from a Quick Cryptic solver's perspective this is a million miles from being a Quick Cryptic - I understand that to mean a crossword that a neophyte solver can try and solve to develop the skills to solve a typical 15x15. What does it mean to you? And even for an experienced solver like me there are a number of problems... Your special instructions mean absolutely nothing to me even after solving all the clues. What do you mean? ...