Listener No 4339 Mixed Doubles By Shackleton

[upsetter]

At last an absolute cowson. This is what we have been waiting for all year.
5 half-clues solved and already fighting the urge to give up.

[CountHackula]

Hey guys, new user on the forum and new to the Listener. Good with maths puzzles and Times cryptics, but the Listener is a killer for words I have never heard of. Needless to say, I am now addicted.

This one is killing me! Filling in the grid took me most of the week, and I'm now stuck on the last element. Just can't see it. Been expecting a PDM for three days, which is rather like 72 hours on the brink of sneezing.

[IainGrace]

Finished. A superb puzzle albeit, as we say in these parts, a sair fecht.

[olichant]

Welcome! I completely sympathise with you - but I promise it is well worth it when the PDM comes! If you do need a hint, feel free to email me at olichant08 at gmail dot com.

[pushmi-pullyu]

How well you describe it CountHackula. I just don't get it either. Nothing I can come up with is unambiguous enough. And tomorrow morning there'll be a new one to contend with!

[doctormatt]

Stick with it! Just finished now ( week off helped). Very very clever!

[CountHackula]

Finally sneezed! I can sleep tonight. Thanks guys, have a great Easter! See you on Monday.

[the_heisman]

Magnificent. Shackleton at his best. I have lost any pretensions regarding speed and am delighted to have finished at all. The great thing about a Shackleton puzzle is that the theme is always multi-layered and only reveals itself after frequent revisits. Thank you very much for a masterpiece.

[sunny-dave]

Shockingly difficult, but eventually all sorted after a long, long afternoon, a quiet nap at teatime to let some thoughts sort themselves out and then an evening of tidying and correcting.

Thanks Shackleton a real test at last