Listener 4322 By Radix

[Ruthrobin]

How sad to see the last puzzle by Radix. Of course he treats us to a range of devices. We have just found the source with a great sigh of relief but still have lots of systematic calculation to complete. Thank you Radix if you are watching us from somewhere up there.

[starwalker]

I personally never met the man and yet I am in awe of his achievements, as both a setter and a commentator. This puzzle is just starting to fall into place and I cannot imagine a more suitable epitaph. Thank you Roddy, you are sadly missed.

[Ruthrobin]

Many hours later - what a workout! Roddy will be chortling with delight at the hours all his old friends are putting in to complete and fully understand what they are doing in this fabulous finale.

[trux]

Certainly a marathon solve and I can't yet justify all my clue answers but have full grid with the maths working out correctly. Perhaps became a bit OTT by the end, and hence rather tiring, but it's a wonderful grid and, yes, indeed, from on high, the great man will have a smile (and a Scotch most likely)....thanks, one last time, to Radix

[Ruthrobin]

Yes, probably a double malt (the second or third) as with total sobriety he stays till the very end (at 4 or 5 a.m.) of the Listener setters' dinner. How we miss you and all your patient and wise advice to infinitely lesser setters, Roddy!

[spiderFreak]

Blast! I bought the Times today looking forward to the number puzzle, only to find it had appeared last week! Would anyone be so kind as to email me a copy at [email protected]
Many thanks

[Whenland]

Spiderfreak: copy sent.

[spiderFreak]

Many thanks - gratefully received

[IainGrace]

Slightly less daunting than the rubric initially suggested. We have the entry for 14dn for example, but work to do yet.

[jockie]

This is proving a prolonged slog. While admiring hugely Radix's skill in composing the thing (astonishing, really) once you've worked out what's wanted the 36 cold solves, with typically fiendish Radix clues, don't bring much in the way of joy. No doubt when I've struggled to the end (24 still to go) I will feel a warm rosy glow, but I wonder if I can be bothered ...

[UglyUncle]

Jockie, I sympathise. I don't usually post here until I've finished solving (hence nothing during the past week, while I was still surrounded by my cut-out paper letter/number tiles, without which I'd never have got past the discard of the first B).

But this one is frustrating. As with 'Superimposition' I had a brainwave about the title; solved several of the later down thematics (confirming the revised quotation); guessed the method from the description of the treatments; and then ... um ... got completely stuck. Is it really fair to require such a huge amount of cold-solving?

[AndrewG-S]

One clue left and then the title hopefully to crack. It's all falling into place pretty easily now , so with a fair wind should be done by Christmas.

[AHearer]

Wow, that was tough! It did all come out in the end, but I struggled with some of the double clues, even when I had deduced the letters the be added or removed. I've still got to work out the title. I'm sure that if Radix is following this on the ethereal net he'll be delighted at the number of man-hours he's occupied -- even pleasurably occupied.

[AHearer]

Putting the casserole on helped (the thinking time, not the ingredients), and the last loose end is neatly tied up. Thank you, Radix, wherever you are.

[fallster]

That was very difficult. We've sometimes had to do almost as much cold solving, for some carte blanches, but the devices used in the two-clue clues, as well as their general above-average difficulty, meant that this took more time than I can remember on any other this year.

[AndrewG-S]

All done now. I imagine this will end a few all corrects.

[sunny-dave]

Well the grid's all filled in and the title is done.

There are still two of the double clues I can't solve (17a and 6d) - but there is only one possible grid entry in each case.

What a huge slog - far too much cold solving for my liking - especially when it comes after the real meat of the puzzle has been worked out.

Incredible skill in devising the puzzle (as you'd expect from Radix) but one providing satisfaction for the setter rather than the solvers I think.

Which is, unfortunately, a rather grudging way to say "Valete" to a great setter - I shall miss his challenges a lot.

Thanks Radix.

[Cagey]

I agree this is proving a slog. I have title, phrase, modification and source, but still 1/3 of the grid left to fill and am just not sure at the moment I can be bothered knowing that the PDM parts have been done. Everytime I sit down I get another few, but that still means a lot of sit downs still to go.

[olichant]

I found this one a real struggle, but I think I've got there now. I can't believe it took me so long to get 22a...

Thank you, Radix.

[sunny-dave]

Two last clues put to bed - a relief to say the least.

Unusually for the meticulous Radix, I have a niggle - there should surely have been a foreign language indication in the second half of one of these clues?

[jockie]

All done - what a slog! Loved the leaning Nina in row 5. Or was it serendipity?