| Fault-finding (9) | Puzzler | 27 Oct 2025 | 
          
            | Negative comment | The Times Concise | 13 Oct 2025 | 
          
            | Fault-finding or censure (9) |  |  | 
          
            | Pulitzer category since 1970 | LA Times Daily | 13 Dec 2024 | 
          
            | Harsh judgement (9) |  |  | 
          
            | It can be constructive |  |  | 
          
            | Jerk is decked by felon's stick |  |  | 
          
            | Assessment that is constructive ideally |  |  | 
          
            | Fault-finding or reasoned judgment |  |  | 
          
            | 'I can take any amount of _________ so long as it is unqualified praise': Noel Coward (9) |  |  | 
          
            | Panning chapter on organised crime -- it is lacking energy | The Telegraph Cryptic | 30 Jan 2024 | 
          
            | Examination and judgment of something | Irish Times Simplex | 15 Jan 2022 | 
          
            | Analysis and judgement of an artistic work | Irish Times Simplex | 17 Oct 2020 | 
          
            | Twitch is part of villain's complaint |  |  | 
          
            | 'You did it all wrong!,' e.g | New York Times | 12 Oct 2020 | 
          
            | Disapproval | The Telegraph Quick | 20 Aug 2020 | 
          
            | Disapproval; review | The Times Concise | 19 Nov 2018 | 
          
            | Assessment: habitual response is blocking a lot of offending |  |  | 
          
            | Examination and judgment of something | Irish Times Simplex | 10 Mar 2018 | 
          
            | Condemnation | The Telegraph Quick | 07 Sep 2017 | 
          
            | Finding fault | The Telegraph Quick | 10 Nov 2015 | 
          
            | "Prejudice made plausible," according to H.L. Mencken |  |  | 
          
            | Pulitzer Prize category since 1970 |  |  | 
          
            | Pulitzer Prize category since 1970 |  |  | 
          
            | See 31-Across |  |  | 
          
            | Essay on __ (source of stepquote) |  |  | 
          
            | Trilling's forte. |  |  |