You may be right, Pandora. If "half-baked" means to anagram "half" and "with unknowns" means to add "Ys" as in the plural of "Y" which is an unknown in a math equation, you have the letters for "flashy". Not sure if it equates to outstanding, but it's better than anything I've come up with - which is nothing.

I took it as if something is flashy it stands out, hence outstanding. Is it a true synonym of flashy? No, buts it’s clever.

Agreed. In the Garden of Puzzling Delights I think clever should always reign supreme.

Great solve, Sue, and apologies for pitching such a teaser and getting you and Jimbo confused with the hints: using outstanding to mean standing out was perhaps a twist too far, although apparently grammatically correct, if unusual.

Unknown + s = y + s, and I think that is a permissible trick.

I would like to think it was almost worthy of Denis, and I will happily take Cheryl's comment as I do not often feel all that clever these days...!

Here is the well-earned Belt ===[**CDM**]===

Thank you, Lex. You are ever clever.

A supply of pastry put up in layers (6)

I sure hope this is right so I can unclench my fists.

Strata

A + tarts (reversed by "put up") and "in layers" as definition.

This one had me grinding my teeth, Pandora. It took me forever to think of "put up" in terms of a crossword.

Jimbo, you got it!

===[**CDM**]===

Woo hoo! Also, whew.

Awkward, quiet lad declines last drink. (7)

Tequila

Anagram of "quiet lad" with the "d" removed ("declines last")

If I had some tequila, I'd toast your excellent solve, UW.

Take it away. ===[***CDM***]===

Thanks, Jimbo

Writer one has weapon around for emperor, say (7)

penguin (direct)

writer (pen), one(i) wrapped in gun (weapon)

Rats! I thought "say" would be taken as a homophone indicator

Nice solve, Sue - to the victor, the spoils: ===[***CDM***]===

Thank you, Rog. That was indeed very sneaky and I fell for it at first.

Curse around celebrity (4)

Ha, can't imagine what inspired this one, Pandora.

Rats

That's why Rog was laughing. Good solve, Jimbo! ===[***CDM***]===

I think it's an interesting question about how we get inspired when we write these clues - I'd love to hear how you all do it.
Do you come up with a word you want to clue for and write the clue around it?
Or do you think of a clever indicator for a chunk of letters and then find a word that contains them?
I do both, but more often the latter. If I try to start with the word, every answer will be some kind of food.

Anyway, keeping things going.

Counter story about first born (5)