Listener 4185 : Ballad by Elgin

[trux]

(sorry started on wrong site, apparently) - so repeat here :
Well, we had all been moaning that the Big L was getting to be the Big EZ ... not this week, mefears but after a mammoth struggle, have now finished gridfill. OMG. Wow ! Thanks (methinks) to Elgin.... (see previous msg for longer version, too tired to type more....)

[Wharton]

tablets - keep taking

[Ruthrobin]

Yes, indeed! This has been a real challenge with a fine pdm at the very end - but what a struggle to get there. Many thanks Elgin. I am told that Elgin wrote the one that no-one got right once. I can believe it. Friday club - Yippee!

[TheBear69]

As always, Elgin has delivered a superb Listener. #3624 Symphonie Bathetique is probably my all-time favourite. I do think we should have been asked to give some evidince that we understood what it was all about...

[Ruthrobin]

Dear Bear - it looks as though you stayed up all night solving it! I am one who fusses about comments giving too much away but think I can safely say that this was perhaps an ideal Listener, as it required no silly jumping through hoops at the end but that you would be unlikely to complete it correctly had you not 'understood what it was all about'.

[starwalker]

I felt that this would be tough as soon as I saw the setter's name, and so it has proved. Lots of smiles as the clues have slowly been unravelled, and I'm sure that there are more to come before I finish.
RR - I think that you may be referring to 3758 Asylag by Elgin, where there were only 32 correct entries, where, like many others, I fell at the last fence.

[upsetter]

can anyone tell me if the answers to the down clues are entered normally

[dr b]

Definitely the toughest in a while! Staggered over the finish line, battered and bruised. But, hats off to Elgin for this one.

[Charpy]

Everything dr b and Ruthrobin said. Thanks to Elgin for a good workout this week.

upsetter - I can only tell you that I've entered all my down clues normally and it seems to work out just fine.

[upsetter]

Charpy - thanks, I am glad to hear that otherwise it would be a nightmare.
15 across clues solved and not one entered yet - even tentatively.

[midazolam]

TheBear69 - I think you are correct. I finished the grid, working out the extra column and the entries to the unclued row but didnt have a clue what it was all about. I searched google for a bit and then gave up as it is not necessary. Now someone has told me the connection, I am amazed that we didnt have to find this out.

[AHearer]

A struggle for me: I thought I was doing very well on the top half of the grid but then struggled pathetically on the bottom half. Worth it in the end, though (just mistyped that word, appropriately, as tough) -- thank you, Elgin.

[Walterloo]

Started today. Tricky indeed. 19 across clues solved. One entered. Might have found omitted column. Probably not. Clues tough. Down clues toughest. Obviously something I'm missing here otherwise grid should be mostly filled. Must. Go. On.

[IainGrace]

Been through the "oh my God" phase to the "maybe not so bad after all - a number of clues solved and one 13 letter across tentatively entered" phase but may end up in the " life's too short" phase.

[magichour]

In the same position as IainGrace. A lot of cold solving needed here, it seems. 13 across clues solved, 8 downs, one across answer entered as I can't see that it can go anywhere else. Possibilities for placement of others. These are tricky clues, though. May need to come back to it every so often.

[emcee]

Am enjoying this but it's a struggle.

Is it true that certain robins have enormous heads and egos?

[contendo]

I'm in much the same boat, 12 acrosses and 9 downs but some of the clues look impregnable. Tentative filling of SE quadrant. I think I'll leave it till tomorrow and hope for fresh inspiration, but it's not looking good.

[aldanna]

Glad people found it hard! I have decided I am in IanGrace's "Life's too short" camp and after a lot of cold solving (well, a fair amount) I am conceding defeat.
Walterloo, there is an alternative. You. Can. Stop.

[Walterloo]

aldanna - I have!
Yep, normal life intervenes. Can't pick this up again until Monday pm. Good thing really as brain has turned to a weird combo of mashed potato and liquified chicken jalfrezi. Managed to enter two more acrosses though! Woohoo! Slow and steady for sure. The clues are hard but some of the best I've come across (and down). Have fun all.

[AndrewG-S]

Great puzzle and construction with a number of ways to get to the connection. Very tough though, but thankfully have limped over the finish line (I think). Thanks Elgin.

[Coalminers]

Excellent crossword with wonderful PDMs at the end.....worth pursuing for those contemplating the "Life's too Short" option. Still 4 clues I don't fully understand. My reference - not up to date - seems to indicate that Elgin has taken a slight liberty in the spelling of a (non-)entry, but, even if so, I'll more than forgive him that.