diff --git a/simvue/api/objects/grids.py b/simvue/api/objects/grids.py
index 1641d219..42b50610 100644
--- a/simvue/api/objects/grids.py
+++ b/simvue/api/objects/grids.py
@@ -33,14 +33,19 @@
 __all__ = ["Grid"]
 
 
-def check_ordered_array(axis_ticks: list[float]) -> bool:
+def check_ordered_array(
+    axis_ticks: list[list[float]] | numpy.ndarray,
+) -> list[list[float]]:
     """Returns if array is ordered or reverse ordered."""
-    if not isinstance(axis_ticks[0], float):
-        raise ValueError("Ordering can only be checked on a 1D array")
-    _array = numpy.array(axis_ticks)
-    return numpy.all(numpy.sort(_array) == _array) or numpy.all(
-        numpy.reversed(numpy.sort(_array)) == _array
-    )
+    if isinstance(axis_ticks, numpy.ndarray):
+        axis_ticks = axis_ticks.tolist()
+    for i, _array in enumerate(axis_ticks):
+        _array = numpy.array(_array)
+        if not numpy.all(numpy.sort(_array) == _array) or numpy.all(
+            reversed(numpy.sort(_array)) == _array
+        ):
+            raise ValueError(f"Axis {i} has unordered values.")
+    return axis_ticks
 
 
 class Grid(SimvueObject):
@@ -104,7 +109,13 @@ def new(
         cls,
         *,
         name: str,
-        grid: list[list[float]],
+        grid: typing.Annotated[
+            list[list[float]],
+            pydantic.conlist(
+                pydantic.conlist(float, min_length=1), min_length=1, max_length=2
+            ),
+            pydantic.AfterValidator(check_ordered_array),
+        ],
         labels: list[str],
         offline: bool = False,
         **kwargs,
@@ -116,7 +127,8 @@ def new(
         name : str
             name for this grid.
         grid : list[list[float]]
-            define a grid as a list of axes containing tick values.
+            define a grid as a list of axes containing tick values
+            number of axes must be 1 or 2
         labels : list[str]
             label each of the axes defined.
         offline: bool, optional
@@ -127,11 +139,6 @@ def new(
         Metrics
             metrics object
         """
-        if len(grid) < 1:
-            raise ValueError("Invalid argument for 'grid'")
-
-        if len(labels) != len(set(labels)):
-            raise ValueError("Labels must be unique.")
 
         if len(labels) != len(grid):
             raise AssertionError(
@@ -139,10 +146,6 @@ def new(
                 f"grid dimension {len(grid)}."
             )
 
-        for i, axis in enumerate(grid):
-            if not check_ordered_array(axis):
-                raise ValueError(f"Axis {i} has unordered values.")
-
         return Grid(
             grid=grid,
             labels=labels,
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_grids.py b/tests/unit/test_grids.py
index 74587d25..a3764d96 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_grids.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_grids.py
@@ -26,13 +26,12 @@ def test_grid_creation_online() -> None:
     _run.commit()
     _grid_def=numpy.vstack([
         numpy.linspace(0, 10, 10),
-        numpy.linspace(0, 20, 10),
         numpy.linspace(50, 60, 10),
     ])
     _grid_list = _grid_def.tolist()
     _grid = Grid.new(
         name=f"test_grid_creation_online_{_uuid}",
-        labels=["x", "y", "z"],
+        labels=["x", "y"],
         grid=_grid_list
     )
     _grid.commit()
@@ -57,14 +56,13 @@ def test_grid_creation_offline() -> None:
     _run.commit()
     _grid_def=numpy.vstack([
         numpy.linspace(0, 10, 10),
-        numpy.linspace(0, 20, 10),
         numpy.linspace(50, 60, 10),
     ])
     _grid_list = _grid_def.tolist()
     _grid = Grid.new(
         name=f"test_grid_creation_online_{_uuid}",
         grid=_grid_list,
-        labels=["x", "y", "z"],
+        labels=["x", "y"],
         offline=True
     )
     _grid.commit()
@@ -105,13 +103,12 @@ def test_grid_metrics_creation_online() -> None:
     _run.commit()
     _grid_def=numpy.vstack([
         numpy.linspace(0, 10, 10),
-        numpy.linspace(0, 20, 10),
         numpy.linspace(50, 60, 10),
     ])
     _grid_list = _grid_def.tolist()
     _grid = Grid.new(
         name=f"test_grid_creation_online_{_uuid}",
-        labels=["x", "y", "z"],
+        labels=["x", "y"],
         grid=_grid_list
     )
     _grid.commit()
@@ -126,7 +123,7 @@ def test_grid_metrics_creation_online() -> None:
                 ),
                 "time": _time,
                 "step": _step,
-                "array": numpy.ones((10, 10, 10)),
+                "array": numpy.ones((10, 10)),
                 "grid": _grid.id,
                 "metric": "A"
             }
@@ -156,13 +153,12 @@ def test_grid_metrics_creation_offline() -> None:
     _run.commit()
     _grid_def=numpy.vstack([
         numpy.linspace(0, 10, 10),
-        numpy.linspace(0, 20, 10),
         numpy.linspace(50, 60, 10),
     ])
     _grid_list = _grid_def.tolist()
     _grid = Grid.new(
         name=f"test_grid_creation_offline_{_uuid}",
-        labels=["x", "y", "z"],
+        labels=["x", "y"],
         grid=_grid_list,
         offline=True
     )
@@ -178,7 +174,7 @@ def test_grid_metrics_creation_offline() -> None:
                 ),
                 "time": _time,
                 "step": _step,
-                "array": numpy.ones((10, 10, 10)),
+                "array": numpy.ones((10, 10)),
                 "grid": _grid.id,
                 "metric": "A"
             }