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Listener Crossword No 4246 Construction By Shackleton
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As one would expect, this turned out to be a real star turn. Amazing grid construction which all works out oh so beautifully. Not as fearsome as one might think at the outset, but still most awe-inspiring. Many, many thanks for the joy of the ride, dear Mr Shackleton.
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Add me to the enthusiastic chorus on Shackleton's excellent. To those complaining about the carte blanc format, I would say that the difficulty Theron is offset by the help one gets from having the clues sorted alphabetically. It would have been a lot more difficult - but still a fair, solvable puzzle - to have the clues randomized.
Hi Olichant
If you are a member of the Times Crossword club you can search for it - more quickly if you go onto the listener site and look up the publication number. If not let me know and I'll email you a copy.
Thought this was a tough grid to fill. Maybe I was too cautious to put my toe in the water but I didn't start to put the entries until I had cold solved all but 8 clues. Thereafter it fitted together very nicely. Excellent puzzle once more from Shackleton
If you are a member of the Times Crossword club you can search for it - more quickly if you go onto the listener site and look up the publication number. If not let me know and I'll email you a copy.
Thought this was a tough grid to fill. Maybe I was too cautious to put my toe in the water but I didn't start to put the entries until I had cold solved all but 8 clues. Thereafter it fitted together very nicely. Excellent puzzle once more from Shackleton
Olichant, I've sent you a copy of 4144, Location, Location, Location. I think it would be difficult to produce a better crossword than Shackleton's Sine Qua Non. Did you do that one? (A good way to trace crosswords is to go to Dave Hennings' Crossword Data Base to get the number, then use the Listener site to download them).
I can only echo what others have said, and would encourage those put off by the 'carte blanche' format to keep trying. I had all bar 10 clues cold solved before attempting a grid fill and that rapidly assisted with the back solving of the elusive 10. My only gripe is with the preamble, it says to swap a letter in the author's name with three of the overlong answer (and I can see what this produces which 'fits' the theme), but then says actual construction isn't required. So do I submit the entry showing the name or squeeze letters in to give the thematic location? I fear whichever I do it will be the wrong one and I will be deemed to have failed! ¬(
s_pugh, there's a mostly-accepted understanding that you just know if you've got a Listener solution correct. Any lingering doubts usually mean that you haven't understood the preramble, not least because they can often be just plain mischievous.
That actual construction isn't required isn't meant to underestimate us initiates to the Listener mysteries, who think nothing of solving puzzles on four-dimensional Klein Bottles, but out of consideration for JEG. There's only one thing more absurd than solving crosswords on origami birds, and that's having to unfold hundreds of them. To check that entries with actual constructions were complete would be expecting JEG to go far beyond his normal weekly superhuman efforts.
That actual construction isn't required isn't meant to underestimate us initiates to the Listener mysteries, who think nothing of solving puzzles on four-dimensional Klein Bottles, but out of consideration for JEG. There's only one thing more absurd than solving crosswords on origami birds, and that's having to unfold hundreds of them. To check that entries with actual constructions were complete would be expecting JEG to go far beyond his normal weekly superhuman efforts.
Like Teuchter2 I was initially underwhelmed by the final step as I saw an obvious letter from the author's name creating a thematic location, in an appropriate way, but crossing grid lines (unlike destination and author). It felt like a real let-down - but the response on this thread led me to re-read the preamble and I eventually saw the light.
Having struggled manfully on through the cold-solving, (miraculously entering only one answer in the wrong place), I'd eventually reached a stage where I could check initial clue letters. Lo and behold, I found a coherent message which helped complete the grid. But that last step nearly tripped me up.
As it is, I'd have to say this is as perfect a crossword as you could wish for, and the mind boggles as to how Shackleton constructed it. The highlight of my Listener year so far.
Having struggled manfully on through the cold-solving, (miraculously entering only one answer in the wrong place), I'd eventually reached a stage where I could check initial clue letters. Lo and behold, I found a coherent message which helped complete the grid. But that last step nearly tripped me up.
As it is, I'd have to say this is as perfect a crossword as you could wish for, and the mind boggles as to how Shackleton constructed it. The highlight of my Listener year so far.
Many thanks Cruncher and Simplex for your constructive (!) comments, I think I'm happy with what needs to be done now and can see what needn't be done to spare JEG a pile of de-constructive activity. Minor gripe about preamble aside this was an amazing piece of, well, construction - thanks to Shackleton.
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