Cryptic crossword No 2,836

It would be helpful if you enabled annotated solutions; but for a first go, this is impressive. You appear to have avoided all of the standard traps; and I particularly liked 2d, 3d, 4d and 21d. There is some attractive mischievous humour in 3d and 21d. Some of your surfaces are a bit strained, for example 8a, 20a, 1d. The only technical flaw is that I think you are using the same device in the same language in 13a and 3d. A couple of minor observations, one of which is a spoiler, in reply.