Listener 4194, Two Little Ducks by Ben Trovato

[Zabadak]

Now that really WAS easy, though I had to work fast as I'm off out to watch England/Sweden in the company of some Spurs.
Once the first of the unclued answers drops, the rest follow without too much ado and provide lots of help for the clued ones.. Fortunately I've got lots to do this weekend.
Thanks, though, Ben - I enjoyed that much more than last weeks.

[Ruthrobin]

Yes, as you say, Z, but it was indeed much easier than last week's and there is no need to award the Z cup. Most enjoyable.

[starwalker]

Yes indeed. Once the thematic falls and then the set, it becomes like a set of dominoes. Wolud like to know who Ben Trovato really is though.

[trux]

Indeed, indeed - nowhere near as tough as last week, but nonetheless a challenging construction, and neat thematic devices throughout. Thanks Ben T - not least as combo of footy and golf need now not be interrupted.

[vetuste_ennemi]

Well done to both of you speed merchants. Having got the theme quickly I nurtured the illusory hope that I might just get in ahead of Z (which I never do with the Times cryptic). A relief after Taste and Fancy which threatened to destroy my life this week until I finally got all five of the down words earlier this afternoon.
A nice felicity with the remaining pair. But I still don't get the title.

[Coalminers]

Certainly a theme which has been in the Listener before, but nonetheless enjoyable.

[AndrewG-S]

Not much to add to the above really. No great challenge but nevertheless fun and well constructed.

[teuchter2]

Another 6 pm finish. My only question is whether the remaining elements should be entered thematically. Now, where is my blue and yellow flag?

[Ruthrobin]

I think not Teuchter!

[easylistener]

Hooray, that is just my kind of listener. Hard enough to make me forget the stresses of the week and completely switch off work-mode. But not so time consuming as to deny me time to prepare for next week's work. Brilliant puzzle.

[sunny-dave]

Done with 20 minutes to spare before the footy ... which would be good ... but some prat seems to have booked himself a cinema ticket for 9pm tonight.

Nice puzzle though - thanks Ben Trovato

[jabone]

Welcome to a new setter, I think, who provided some difficult clueing, but the realisation of what was to happen came quite early on. Thanks BT.

[Alekhine]

Yawn.

Football me up.

[trux]

Z Cup for Mr Alekhine. Even if it fell into place perhaps too quickly, I found there was much to admire, not least 6.00 average word length (other things too, but cannot mention these) - and quantity of thematic stuff included. Again, thx to Ben T....

[AHearer]

I thought this was quite fun -- and an interesting example of the way things change from edition to edition of the BRB. At least one of my older physical copies, and my electronic version, omits one of the set.

[Walterloo]

Yes, an easier solving experience than last week's (which I only started yesterday!) but don't let its simplicity shield the grid's excellent construction, being packed with thematic items. Now, back to 4193 . . .

[dr b]

Fun puzzle, but lacking a BRB I relied on various web sites; there are a number of different ways to spell some of the thematic items, so I was held up for a bit getting those all sorted out.

[silversolver]

I agree with most of the above, not too taxing but a pleasant solve with a glass of wine whilst watching the football.

[teuchter2]

Ruthrobin, did you 'think not' about whether to enter the missing items thematically, or about the chances of my locating a blue and yellow flag? The latter was just a wind-up, as I am English, so excellent result. However I was wearing a Portuguese scarf on Wednesday in deference to my hosts!

[trux]

I looked up BEN TROVATO (an xllnt choice of pseudonym, btw) in the BRB and found entry to be a little bit too sparse ("Apt but untrue"). It apparently comes from the end of the Italian expression Se non e vero, e ben trovato - which is also listed in Phrases and Quotations from foreign languages section (and should be cross-referred to in main entry imho) - where it is perhaps better translated as "cleverly invented". Anyone else offer more enlightenment?

[Ruthrobin]

Indeed Teuchter2, it briefly looked as though a blue and yellow scarf might have been the one to wave but my 'think not' was a serious response to the good question about entering two members. I believe 'thematically' would have been in the preamble if that were required, and 'Chambers' tends to be our source in questions like this - where the 'members' are not entered thematically.