Listener Crossword No 4308 Sub-Prime More-Guess Relief By Ruslan

[BobHWW]

A fairly easy solve in contrast to the rather complicated preamble. I haven't tried to work out the title yet!

Farewell Ruslan - you will be missed.

[jockie]

This ought to get a few numerical virgins hooked.

[olichant]

Yes, absolutely - a fairly steady solve, and not as daunting as it seemed before the first few answers went in.

[crosswhit99]

I think it's just a clever piece of wordplay referring to 12a Bob:

http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/63826/home_loans/where_to_look_for_subprime_mortgage_debt_relief.html

Belated thanks to Ruslan for a novel and entertaining numerical.

[doctormatt]

Yes not too difficult: steady solve!

[trux]

Steady does indeed seem to be the most appropriate word. If one takes it slowly, using an Excel spreadsheet means that one can move systematically throught it all (and even the last two seeming horrors at 13dn and 12ac end up requiring only a little logic to resolve quickly). Clever construction to make it all work out so neatly (and unambiguously). RIP Ruslan and thanks one final time.

[British_Olympics]

Actually this could be even more straightforward than that, with no need for spreadsheets at all. If one completes column 6 first, there is only one possibility for the second factor of 12a, which leads immediately to its grid entry. A lovely exercise in logic, thank you Ruslan.

[teuchter2]

I have obviously misread the instructions as I cannot see how 4d and 19d can be different. I'm encouraged to have another look by the fact that it seems to be relatively straightforward.

[crosswhit99]

Although the clues are the same and there are only 2 single digit primes greater than 3, there are 3 possible products of these primes (remember that the answer can be a square), giving 3 possible grid entries.

[sunny-dave]

Posthumous thanks to Ruslan - a nice logical workout for a Saturday morning.

dave

[Contrarian]

I'm clearly missing something, because I have a (small) number of possible solutions.

[Contrarian]

Found what I was missing. Nice(ish) puzzle, but the numerical fiends still haven't really had anything substantial to get their teeth into this year.

[sunny-dave]

"No two grid entries may be the same" - that resolved one alternative solution for me.

[EAChaplin]

Isn't this the second posthumous puzzle by Ruslan? I think there was one in 2013 so maybe they have more?

[jim360]

I'd have thought that the words "this is the last Listener puzzle..." meant that this was the last Listener puzzle. Also my understanding is that compilers are only allowed two puzzles in the queue at any one time.

Still not started this one.

[jim360]

the last Listener puzzle by Ruslan, that is.

[AndrewG-S]

First numerical I have completed without a calculator. The extra instructions for 12a seemed superfluous as with a little logic there was only one possible answer. My six times table is now as good as it has ever been. All very enjoyable and a posthumous thank you to Ruslan.

[Ruthrobin]

We don't have the spread-sheet gift so this was fairly hard going (as are most of the numericals) but not as fearsome as some. A posthumous 'thank you' to Ruslan. A first comment when we downloaded this was "Are there any Listener compilers still living?"

[starwalker]

Presumably you !!??!!

[teuchter2]

Thank you Crosswit. I'm thick as mince! I'll have another look at it now.

[jim360]

Chalicea is actually a ghost. Didn't she tell you all?!

I don't think spreadsheets were strictly necessary for this one, mainly it was staring at a prepared list of {n,6n-1,6n+1} sets to see what worked with the grid. Apart from a few clues where I forgot what to add to 1 to make 6, for example, this took very little time at all, but a clever construction and clue set so indeed a second poignant "thank you" to Ruslan.