Cryptic crossword No 2,829

Squint for a hint! 😆

Thanks Henri, good stuff - podium (in no particular order): 26a, 10d, 23d ... needed a prompt for the "squinting" element but very obvious now. Congratulations 😁

Lovely as ever Henri, favourites were 7a, 14a, 26a, 3d, 4d, 5d, 13d, 20d and 25d. Missed the theme until I discovered there was one, then got it almost immediately, congrats 🙂

Thanks Henri, that was great! My top picks included 7a, 23a, 28a, 4d, 7d, 8d, 20d, & 31d. Excellent surfaces as usual. More in reply.

I remember watching a solve of your 100th and thinking I'd never get there, and now here I am! Many thanks for hours of fun between then and now. But how to pick faves from this? Here goes: 7a,9a,18a,23a,31a and 1d,6d,8d,19d,25d,30d. Such a fun workout when so much is not exactly as it seems. Bravo, bravo!

Very enjoyable challenge. Too many faves to mention but 26a and 20d particularly appealed

A really enjoyable crossword even before the extra fun and games were pointed out! Great work! Faves: 26a, 28a, 3d, 4d, 8d, 13d, 20d

Nicely done, Henri, and I had noticed the Thing as I solved. Indeed, it helped in landing LOI 26a. Which is one of my podium along with 13d and 18a. Lots of fun. Thanks. PM

Great stuff Henri, and congrats! I had to squint particularly hard to see it, such is the extent of my theme-blindness. Favourites: 7a, 14a, 26a, 8d, 10d, 13d and 17d.

Lovely work. 28a my favourite but many nice ones

Sorry to be late, Henri, but delighted I stopped by. Firstly many congrats on the milestone. You use smoke and mirrors with such ease and to such great effect that PDMs abound. I could probably outdo Kateh's list of likes, but 26a, 25d and 31d were my podium. Just one spoiler...