Cryptic crossword No 230

That was a DNF for me because I didn't know (and a wordfinder didn't give) the obscure answer to 15D. I don't fully understand how 18D works even with the explanation. Having said which, this puzzle is a tour de force. Every single clue cross referring to one other clue is something I have never seen before, and, having wormed my way in via 21A and 2D, presented a challenge which was just about solvable. You wouldn't want these on a regular basis, but an enjoyable one-off. Thanks, Xavier.

I can only imagine the time and thought and ingenuity that went into this. A complete DNF for me. In fact it was almost a DNS :-). Way beyond my pay grade and can only congratulate you for this. It felt rather like trying to untangle a massive ball of knotted wool, completely unable to find where to get started. Great crossword. I might come back to this when I'm a bit more experienced.