Is there a name for mock criticism?

Is there a name for the device of writing in a disparaging tone while actually complimenting someone?

Suggested edit: What happened is that I intended to compliment a writer, but to do so in a rough-and-tumble, masculine jousting, verbally sparring way, for humor, and to add some distance in a context of others' compliments becoming somewhat too much.

Sadly, another poster misunderstood my badinage, and suggested I was churlish for being so critical. I defended my good intentions as mere slagging, and was happily understood. Situation resolved. But in the process, I realized I was short a good solid noun to characterize the nature of my cack-handled compliment.

It went something like this: "Schwartz isn't that smart. He's just got a few cute tricks like a comprehensive understanding of history and how it affects a few philosophers like Aristotle, Kant, Nietschze, Freud, Marx and some others. along with a smattering of Psychology, politics and . . . " and so on, just for fun.

My thought was: "Mock criticism," But since posting, I have learned from many of the fine members of this site, many of the terms I've woven into my edit, as well as "thinly-veiled compliment" and "litotes," which I lacked the wit to work into this.

In retrospect, thank you, one and all!

Perhaps something along the lines of being tongue in cheek :

characterized by insincerity, irony, or whimsical exaggeration

It’s not a backhanded compliment—that’s the opposite, a way of insulting someone while seeming to compliment them.

a backhanded (or left-handed) compliment, or asteism, is an insult that is disguised as, or accompanied by, a compliment, especially in situations where the belittling or condescension is intentional

^{—Wikpedia: Insult, Backhanded Compliment}

So, by way of parallelism, I suggest backhanded insult—and I am not alone.

"Backhanded insulted" is a relatively new term, with only 70K hits on google. The phrase itself is somewhat of a reaction to the phrase "backhanded compliment."

^{—Quora: What is the difference between a backhanded compliment and a backhanded insult?}

The allusion to backhanded compliment makes this term clear even to those who have never seen it, and it runs no risk of being misunderstood, as attempting to repurpose backhanded compliment itself would.

a thinly veiled compliment Longman

thinly disguised/veiled if something is thinly disguised etc, someone is pretending it is something else, but you can easily see what it really is

As in:

"I'm surprised you could do that good a job!"

In the lexicon of compliments and insults ... it is best judged in the eyes of the parties involved! Many nuances ... and differences on both sides of the pond!

In Ireland, slagging is used for a good natured criticism and mockery, especially between friends. In fact the better the friendship the higher the level of tolerated slagging. In a weird way, the things or people we are most proud of get slagged the most.

Irish mass noun
Good-natured teasing.
‘there was a bit of slagging but it is all good craic’.
O-D

Here is the beginning of an Irish Independent article that explains it better than I can.

Anton Savage August 16 2008 12:00 AM.
In America, positive reinforcement comes in clearly marked packages. Parents are told to tell their kids they are special and unique. Bosses are told to tell their staff how valuable they are and what a great contribution they make to the company.

In Ireland, we've always tended to gift-wrap our positives somewhat differently. We do it by insult. The closeness of Irish friendships -- particularly Irish male friendships -- can often be measured by how egregiously the friends insult each other. Incompetence, ineptitude with the opposite sex, shortness, tallness, fatness, skinniness, hairiness and baldness are all highlighted to tighten the bonds of mutual affection. Few other cultures do that. In Ireland a salesman can tell his team he's finally landed a big client and the team will say, 'glad to see you've finally pulled your thumb out, Mick'. But Mick will know what's meant is, 'we're proud of you'. We undermine each other to reinforce each other. [...]