Listener 4223 Two Names By Verbascum

[Ruthrobin]

A Happy New Year to all. What a pleasant and gentle start to the year! The theme appeared early and we have thoroughly enjoyed this. We haven't quite finished but progress is regular and speedy.

[starwalker]

Yes indeed. Just about at the end, apart from 36 and a couple of others. Very enjoyable, but I fear that there may be a slight error of tense in 25. But then, it could just me me !

[midazolam]

Definitely one for newcomers who want a stab at the Listener. Easier end of the spectrum with regard to cluing, but a nice connection that is justified by the preamble and by Chambers. I thought there was going to be one step more to the PDM, but it still was an enjoyable start to the New Year. I havent solved Verbascum's puzzles before (two Listeners before in 2000 and 2001) I wonder shy the long break? Thanks

[AHearer]

Yes, a nice easy entry to the year. I think 25 is OK, as long as the verb is passive rather than active.

[midazolam]

Agree Starwalker, caught me eye.

I have just had my final PDM and it reminds me of a puzzle in early 2008 (I'll say no more, so to speak).

[emcee]

Happy 2013 everyone.

A gentle start to the new season. Fair enough, especially after the argy-bargy generated from last week's rubric.

[Ruthrobin]

I thought the same about 25 but, on reflection and consulting BRB, think it is valid and quite clever. I thought the endgame was a lovely one for a first of the year.

[upsetter]

First bleat of the year - is 16d really a country?

[Zabadak]

Certainly nice and gentle, though the word search element took appropriately longer than it should have done. Must read the rubric!
Is 16d a country? No is the current answer, but maybe one word in the clue is doing double duty to provide a possible yes.

[Alekhine]

I had the same instinctive uneasiness about 25D.

Nice to finish without taking off the metaphorical tracksuit, but no real sense of satisfaction for me.

[Ruthrobin]

Yes, I agree with Zabadak that we can read that word as doing double duty and it would be rather clunky to have it in there twice. After all, there was little doubt about the solution. Aren't we a picky lot! (Did you read the end of last week's Answerbank thread? Things became even more distressed!)

[Mesnilpat]

I thought this must be a fairly gentle one if I am in with a shout of starting the year in the Friday club, but enjoyable none the less after a couple of toughies at the end of 2012. The misprints put up a bit of a fight but I think I am just about there.

[jim360]

Annoyingly I must be missing one or two of the misprints but otherwise a nice start to the new year. I think the link between A and B is just a bit tenuous though.

I was also bothered initially by 25d maybe it's meant in a sort of adjective way rather than a past tense.

[TheBear69]

I agree this is a gentle start although I found it a bit difficult to discover what is to be highlighted...a task made more difficult by (in my opinion) the misplacement of the parenthetical expression in the instructions. I did enjoy the final PDM.

I am sceptical that 16d was ever a single nation, but I suppose it's barely justifiable to call it a country givrn the BRB's definition. Not a great clue...Maybe I am just ignorant of the subject, but the reference in 17a seems pretty obscure.

I'm not sure what the point of including the 'constant concern of B' among the misprints...

[contendo]

25d is perfectly OK. Past participle, not past historic tense.

[aldanna]

Contendo, I was about to write that! I seem always to agree with everything you write. Full grid last night but my letters spell rubbish, so a bit more work needed there.

[contendo]

Thank you Aldanna. Nice to have an ally, but mostly what I write is to say I'm stuck.

[emcee]

TheBear69,

The constant concern is covered by the misprints. Note the position of the parenthetical expression in the rubric.

[teuchter2]

All grid filled apart from the preamble ones, but I haven't got a scooby about the theme as yet. I can't seem to find 36 in my earlier edition BRB and don't think I've got the first two letters wrong. I was hoping that would be the way in. I also have a possible very ancient author for B, but pretty sure that is not it either, so I'll keep looking. Inspiration usually strikes after a posting!

[upsetter]

Great PDM, but the wordsearch thereafter was a cowson

[teuchter2]

Got it! I had written 2 incorrectly after looking up alternative spelling to check meaning. After that all became clear. although I had to look up 36 in an alternative reference book, but I was left many relating to such things. I'm pleased to be further NE than Newcastle just now - and on a winter break!