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Brendan mentioned last week (iirc) that he'd be unavailable this evening; starting the thread in his absence.
Thanks to Picaroon, one of my favorite setters, for a challenging Prize puzzle which took longer than usual to (tentatively*) complete. Definitely themed, there may be one or two subthemes.
FOI (8,10), LOI 25d.
Co-COD 30 and 28, both brilliant, can't rank one above the other. Also impressed by 2, 21, 23, 7, 17, 9, 6, 26 and 25d, implying a high level of cluing.

*Still uncertain about 12, will continue to ponder.

Only sour note for me is (18, 16a), which I consider somewhat schlocky and non-thematic, though many will disagree. :-)
The last two Prizes generated much discussion, and I think this one will also go over well.

Not satisfied with my guess for 12, so I don't consider the puzzle solved yet. (Not a smartphone user, so don't have the app.)

I am unable to find a suitable answer for the first half of the clue but the last bit suggests only one possibility.
18/16 is as much within the genre as 29a.
Lots of fun definitions here and lots to like.

Sorry geeked - the first part of my post referred to 12a.

Thanks, I arrived a solution to 12 in the meantime, seems like what you suggested.

Edit: ...arrived [at] a solution to 12.... My guess is that the 2nd part of the clue (post comma) serves double duty: homophone indicator and half of a dd. But still not confident.

12 Accross . Think IOW Trying to give an obscure hint

Thank you Chrisxx - you are right,

Very obscure to me in the US, Chrisxxx, but I found it on the map, so now I know what you meant.

Very clever construction interweaving the themes. 18, 16 was actually one of my favorites and it connects nicely with 27, 22. Took me way too long to get 26, my LOI. For one thing, I kept thinking special should be “sp” until I had the rest of the grid filled, and then there was no way.