Underused concepts?

[quiznos00]

Maybe level designers find it a bit crude, but I'm surprised at the lack of levels in which you actually have to "beat the clock." Even CC1 only had a few (Knot and Glut); in general, it seems like the clock it more a scorekeeper than something you actually have to watch carefully. I don't remember ever running into time trouble while playing CC1. (After downloading some of the sets mentioned in the "Custom Set Roulette" thread, I was pleasantly surprised to find the Tank Dance levels in CharlesH1).

There are actually quite a few in CCLP2, but really only two that I can think of in CCLP3 (Cheap Shots and Dirty Tricks and Shattered). I really never liked Glut or Knot, or any of the CCLP2 race-against-the-time levels, because levels where you have to rush usually just involve mindless collecting and dodging and aren't that interesting. Cheap Shots and Dirty Tricks and Shattered are more interesting, but as a result, they're more frustrating.

Teeth-leading levels (Totally Unfair, YCTAOFNT) are always fun.

I wouldn't call this underused... I use it quite a bit.

I'm under the impression that, in Lynx, a monster that dies in a section of water effectively "poisons" this tile for Chip. Is this true? If so, are there any levels that exploit this aspect of Lynx play? Does pushing a block into such a water tile turn into dirt as usual?

Yes.

Not that I know of, since most levels are designed with MS play in mind. And yes, but Chip must wait 3/5 of a second before he can step on the dirt.