Cryptic crossword No 1,756

Thanks PM, a pleasant Saturday solve with some fine clues, including 17a, 23d, 25a, 8d, and 2d.

Enjoyed this a lot, PM. All but 23d which NHO. Enjoyed 5d, 6a, 14a, 19a, 19d, and others.

Thanks PostMark for an entertaining crossword. I found this at the gentler end of your range and I needed no 'outside help' to complete this. My top picks were 26a, 2d, 4d, 8d, 13d, 16d, and 19d. I did not have a problem with 'small' in 15a but the 'crypterati' seem to frown on that particular use of the word.

Some really nice constructions here PM, with a good mix of difficulty in the cluing. I particularly enjoyed 6a, 14a, 15a, 17a, 4d, 5d, 8d & 21d. Found the SE quadrant the last to fall, but it yielded eventually though I did have to check your explanations for some of the parsing of wordplay. Suited me well. One very minor query in reply, spoiler…

*sort of* spoiler that doesn't actually give anything significant away ...

Top stuff, thanks PM - and rather more straightforward than some of your recent puzzles (though still providing a good challenge!) Faves include 6a, 14a, 17a, 20a, 26a, 1d, 3d, 7d, 19d & 23d. Thanks again!

Great stuff, and like others I found this a tad more accessible than some of yours - I didn't need a mental rest halfway through 😆 Loved 25a, 27a, 3d, 5d, 7d and 8d. Thanks!

Great stuff, PM, thanks. As others have said, more approachable than normal - which, for me, is most welcome. I was only really held up by the 14a/14d combo. Favourites: 12a, 15a (as amended), 17a, 20a, 25a, 5d (great find), 8d, 13d and 19d.

Thanks PostMark, enjoyed this. I found it trickier than others I think with a few holding out at the end (1d, 22a, 23d). No idea why, all fair on seeing the parsing. Favourites were 17a, 25a (well hidden), 28a, 4d (really like this), 8d (nice def), 16d (great surface) and 19d (ditto).

Superb PM. Your surfaces are a thing of beauty, closely followed by some of your tricksy definitions. Perhaps it was more accessible as others have said, but perhaps too I am beginning to understand never to assume that anything PM writes is quite what it seems 😎. For anyone else, the podium would be the puzzle, but your bar is higher so I will restrict myself to just 1a,14a 20a, 26a, 2d, 7d, 14d, 21d. 👏👏👏

Very nice indeed PM, thanks for a thoroughly satisfying puzzle! I've been remiss in my solving of late but glad I made time for this gem, full of such delightful clues as 11a (very neat), 12a (smooth), 17a (neat), 22a (lovely surface), 25a (lovely), 27a (neat), 1d (smooth), 4d (cute), 7d (very neat), 16d (great surface) and 19d (very neat) - bravo!