Listener 4198, 24 Across by Pilcrow

[Zabadak]

Pretty straightforward even in my current befuddled state: the double clues resolve easily enough. I query "our" and "hero" in the rubric, and whether the lower case writing thing really works, but then I write funny anyway. My regards to all who assemble in this place.

[AHearer]

Just got back from a few days away to tackle this: pretty straightforward, and a subject that leaves me cold. I don't see any ambiguity about the case (upper/lower) of the result to be submitted if the originally entered letters are simply repositioned. Not Pilcrow's best.

[borealis]

Didn’t like some clues here but 4,23 was a gem, and I enjoyed the crossword as a whole, so none of the Z-cup for me. Maybe that’s because I like finding the divide in double clues, but the trend here on AB is generally towards more criticism of the easier puzzles. I made up a little table of this year’s so far, in terms of difficulty and enjoyment - both very subjective! Here’s the best of the year, in terms of enjoyment, for me:
4176 - Lear
4181 - Battenberg
4183 - Africa
4189 - Spiral
4195 - Turing
4197 - (not allowed to give it a name yet!)
I would have a hard time picking a best from these - anyone any comments or additions?

[the_heisman]

Contendo we should team up. I bombed on 4196 but got 4195 and 4197. I thought this one was a bit underwhelming too - I don't think they all need to be brain-numbingly difficult - Bandmaster's brilliant effort being a case in point - but this was a bit one-dimensional

[turast]

Desperately disappointed. My first failure in ages. I just cannot get BILL NICHOLSON to fit in 24 Across.

[Staurologist]

I agree that this one did not bring me to fever pitch. Given the doubts about upper case/lower case, I note that the preamble says "repositioned". If we assume that lower case is required for all but the initials of the final answer, there appear to be two methods of repositioning; let's call them A and B. Then the first of the five letters, as originally entered, is repositioned using method A; the second, third, and fourth undergo both methods; and the fifth undergoes method B. This satisfies the conditions of the preamble in a way that all upper case would not. I take "initially" to refer to the first method of entry, not a pointer to a subsequent change to upper case. But none of this is very satisfactory and the checker (and others) may have other views.

Incidentally, did anyone else think at first, from the title, that Bandmaster's excellent offering might have something to do with Tom Kempinski? It didn't, but it turned out to be much better, giving us two for the price of one, in more than one way.

PS: It was worth tuning in this week just to read turast's comment.

[olichant]

Staurologist - for my part, I'm inclined to agree with you (entirely) although the instructions were arguably lost in translation, so to speak. Turast - if it were at all appropriate to write "LOL" on a discussion board as erudit as this, I would do so.

[olichant]

*erudite*, sorry.

[Philoctetes]

Fascinating. We have more posts on this one that people have professed little enthusiasm for than last week's which everyone raved about.

[BlackHugh]

I can't help feeling though that the lack of enthusiasm springs mainly from the answer to 24 across and his area of expertise (and the description of him as a hero) rather than actual qualities of the puzzle itself. It seemed a relatively standard Listener, even if rather on the easy side, which I enjoyed solving. I wonder if the same objections would have been made if he answer would have been, for instance, Seamus Heaney. AB police: please don't get upset with that minute nugget of information.

[the_heisman]

Black Hugh. Rest assured that it was not a helpful nugget. And I think everyone has completed it anyway!

[turast]

Perhaps the hero might show this puzzle to Theo W, in the hope that he might one day work out how to get 1 across. That's all folks!