Thanks for the links Syzygy,
I found the reading really interesting, certainly some great pointers, advice and guidance for future clue writing.
I must say though, when reading the second link about Ximenean rules to crossword compilation, I didn't see the 3 problems with the Wisdom clue to be Norman, I only spotted the unfair use of the missing capital letter and for it to appear at the beginning of the clue.
I feel that with the Joint Effort crossword, if I adopted this strict set of rules for each clue's construction (which I probably wouldn't spot anyway knowing me), it would create an abundance of extra feedback emails which in turn would make the whole thing more of a chore than an enthusiastic labour of love for me and maybe deter new or novice setters from taking part in the "Just for fun" concept of the puzzle.
I try my best to feedback and tweak clues wherever possible to make them more fair for the solver, however, I do realise that the odd few do slip through the net and do cause some controversy with the site members.
The adding of "The question mark" to a small number of clues is a good thing I think, because it gives the setters of those clues a benchmark for their learning curve of clue construction, and being alerted to these can only be a good thing for the lesson of "Learn by your mistakes"
The few clues that could be deemed as maybe not as fluid or sharp as the rest is (in my opinion) greatly outweighed by the opposite end of the grid's spectrum, with the truly magnificent skill shown with clues that gain "A star rating" from the forum members.
On a whole, I feel that as the months have passed by with the Joint Effort, the standard or bar has been raised immeasurably with all the setters that are involved with the clue writing, with some superb inventive craft and skill.
My original plan envisaged with the idea of the Joint Effort was to observe a crossword that promoted difference in styles of construction.
I feel we have achieved this with the development of certain characteristics from most of the setters.
For example, AB and his style of brevity, pastille being risque, perterm with his clever concealment of the definition, aristophanes, ixion and yourself with their cunning misdirections, and many more with shrewd and witty anagrams and deftness of hidden meanings. Not to mention the emergence of the whole and part &lit clue and the vast improvement in surface reading.
I sense that all who are involved in or solving the Joint Effort are learning new skills from each other (I certainly am). Which, I think you may agree can only be a good thing.
Feedback welcome.
Les40