Critical + 2.0 - complete fail? Weird buds! (Pics to be upload soon)

Good guesses and genetics too -- can be bad genetics. I have a plant popping little shit bud sites all up and down each cola in canopy and not spread out along stem - good spacing. I definitely have a few too many mouths to feed on that plant, but based on the rest of the room, definitely in large part genetics. Weirdo plants happen more often than you think. ther's only that one pictuer in the diary. Should form a smokeable nug. Can always make butter or hash etc.. Personal preference on that stuff. Guesstimate what you'll get out of it and how much more it'll cost and how much it's cost so far.. usually just better to finish it off at this point - something being an infinitely better return than nothing.

I woukd not say a failure if it still produced flower. I personally grind it up to smoke. So it don't make a difference if it is dense or airy to me. It just has to check the potency box. It sounds like your environment is not right or training was not done right. The wrong feed amounts can also contribute. Limited information only opens door to guessing.

All the things you listed can and will affect bud formation. Small and fluffy buds aren't pretty and are a pain to trim but can be smoked. Personally I like to add them to my trim for making edibles and hash/kief. They're also useful for solvent or heat press extractions. If it's frosty(aka trichomes) then it will get you high.

Without a diary and/or without pictures, this question can not be answered.