Listener 4156 V by Parsnip

[AndrewG-S]

An enjoyable puzzle, but nothing too challenging. Strange that no clue for 4a, at least not in my version. Anyway all worked out fine in the end. Thanks Parsnip

[Ruthrobin]

You all had a 24 hour start on me - travelling with no BRB, and I too have a full grid without really understanding about the five extra pairs. It's a favourite poem of mine too and good to see it in a Listener crossword.

[AHearer]

It's probably no consolation, contendo, but 29D was the last one I got, too.

[aldanna]

Like Contendo, I had little problem with the left-hand half, but am still struggling with the right-hand part. Some clues do not seem to fall into any of the categories, as far as I can see (probably not that far, admittedly).

[emcee]

Not an easy one for me this week. I am trying to solve "working forwards" as I haven't recognised any verse thus far (only 2/3 of the grid done). I'm finding ambiguity with the 5 and 5 and one word that I'm convinced is needed elsewhere just leaves a nonsense clue behind.

However, I'm enjoying the clues and will persevere.

[Ruthrobin]

Yes, finally struggled home but I often wonder whether shoddy solvers like me who do not entirely understand the wordplay sometimes have an advantage, since the grid more or less fills without the subtle substitutions and I then have hard labour working backwards to find out what happened and to justify what is there.

[emcee]

All done now but a difficult puzzle. Congratulations to all those who completed on Friday night. As to 4a, there definitely should not be a clue: the theme itself takes care of this. 29d was the last clue I solved too.

[IainGrace]

Almost slipped up with the last letter of 33 across by mistaking definition for wordplay, though admittedly not quite getting the clue to make full sense.

[IainGrace]

Finished. Very enjoyable. Reacquainted with an old friend and learned something about angling.

[sunny-dave]

First Listener for ages - was seduced back by a "£1 for one month deal" from TCC - I have a horrible feeling that I'm hooked again.

Just hard enough to push the grey cells, just 'do-able' enough to be satisfying. Good job I persisted with the highlighting - teased out an error which I was unhappy with previously but had 'parked'

[TheBear69]

Sorry to disagree emcee, but to me the lack of a clue to 4ac makes the finale easier than it shouild have been.

[contendo]

There are a number of almost valid variants of the end-game but the one I opted for (with a little help from a friend here) results in a slight asymmetry. As so often close attention to the preamble is necessary. I predict there'll be a high proportion of incorrect returns, especially with the trap at 33A.

[JackDeCrow]

Having spent quite long enough finding it as it is, I'd have to say that one of the cryptic representations would have been extremely difficult to spot without the extra signpost of leaving out a clue! (If it wasn't for last week, I'd now be saying how much time I'd spent grid-staring on this one!). 29d also my last clue - just one of those that naturally makes you read it the wrong way, which I always think are very clever.

[Cruncher]

A nice puzzle although I'm wondering if there is more to the title beyond helping to complete the final part of the preamble. Dare say there is but can't see it.

[dr b]

So, after a weekend of traveling I went back and figured out the 5&5. A nice way to work the first 3 words of the work into the thematic mucking about, but it felt like a bit of ex post housekeeping rather than anything integral to filling the grid. Likewise with 4a, there's only one word that fits, so it was a matter of putting it in and then confirming that two words that in ordinary usage are unrelated are in fact obscure synonyms. So while I can appreciate the solid construction, this one felt like a chore.

In contrast this week's EV was substantially easier but there was a series of sequential PDMs leading directly to a nice discovery at the end. More fun, to put it simply.

[jim360]

It's been hard work but I have just 4a left to fill in (surely it must be a historical term?) but have yet to do the highlighting. Clues came in gluts, like they usually seem to. It doesn't help that I'd never even heard of the relevant poem before about ten minutes ago.

[jim360]

An alternative word for 4a makes a bit more sense and seems to fit nicer looking along the whole top row...

[tenflags]

Captain slow here is at the place where RR was.. some post justification required.
Nearly done.

29d came relatively early for me with NE corner coming last. I thought some of the disguising / misdirection was very clever.

Maybe the V for verse is all the title is about this time

[jim360]

Corrected my answer to 5d (giving me the right 4a) and the highlighting is basically done. Phew.

[tenflags]

I think the solution is solid Contendo once everything is nailed down.

[contendo]

Try explaining the procedure involved in solving this to someone who doesn't do crosswords. They will think you're completely out of your mind.