Here’s the solutions grid

The NINA is colored in Yellow.  It is the first names of the two setters – MONA and SUPRIYA

The pseudonym “SAMURAI PONY” is an anagram of these two names.

Here are the Annotations:

Across: 7 IMP+(-F)ORTUNE, 8 Telescopic, 9 CAT+LOG+U+E(-xcept), 10 (-y)OGURT*, 12 LEOPAR(-D)*, 13 T+ALI+S+MAN, 16 N(LOVE*)+LA, 19 Spoonerism – BEAU WROTE / ROW BOAT, 22 PA {NOR(A)MA(-L)}, 25 Rev. Acrostic, 27 SPIT (fir)E(arm), 28 Reversal – B= First letter of Born, 29 (-f)AC(-e)(-p)RID(-e), 30 QUEE(-r)+N+DO+M(-uster)S.

Down: 1 IMPAL(-e)+A, 2 MATESCOO*, 3 GOESTO*, 4 AUNTYIN*, 5 HP FLAIRS, 6 LA+CU+NA, 11 Acrostic, 14 Rev. T, 15 DD, 16 PA (-I)N, 17 Telescopic, 18 LEA+P, 20 BU(S)Y BO(D)Y, 21 SAVOURI*, 23 SPACE*+T, 24 OUT+F+IT, 25 DI SP(-I)EL , 26 H{ARE wo(-M)en}S.

Here’s the link to the “Hall of Fame”

Thanks to “Samurai Pony” (Mona and Supriya) for this enjoyable puzzle and to all of you who participated.