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.

[Cloverjo]

I thought it must be tough as there was no thread yesterday. No hope for me then.

[roslyn251254]

Nor me! I'll concentrate on IQ and EV instead.

[starwalker]

As soon as I saw that the setter was Shackleton, I knew that I would have a fight on my hands. About a dozen answers so far, but no grid entries as yet.

[IainGrace]

Eight clues solved and some inkling as to where some may go.

[Cruncher]

Seven pairs of clues solved and fitted together so feeling optimistic about an eventual gridfill but no idea of what else is to come. I expect the worst

[fallster]

A nice tough one. Thanks for the challenge!
Mostly done, except for figuring out how to follow the instructions.

[s_pugh]

Very tough. Cold solved 8 pairs and think I’ve got lucky with placement as they are integrating nicely. Some very tricky clueing. I do hope I don’t fill the grid only to be stumped by the endgame …

[Keepatit]

Certainly tough. I've a full grid, more or less satisfactory highlighting, and can't see at the moment how to apply the instruction. Hoping that posting here will bring enlightenment. Time to lie down in a darkened room . . .

[tilbee]

Yes thought this was tough indeed, but finally managed to complete after an all afternoon session. The clues were challenging in themselves and combined with a carte blanche, was somewhat lucky that could start to enter answers into the grid after just around a dozen solved.

A satisfying end-game and an excellent construction and challenge from Shackleton, so many thanks.

[jim360]

Tackling this puzzle so far has felt rather like having a go at climbing Ben Nevis after being asked to go up a single flight of steps once a week.

[AHearer]

I know we've been asking for more of a challenge, but nay, Lord, dinna be ridiculous. This one has also destroyed my pet theory that there is a negative correlation between the length of the rubric and the difficulty of the puzzle. Some really tough clues to cold-solve, and a degree of luck needed in the order in which they yielded if one were to make an early start on filling the grid -- luck which did not favour me. Thanks, Shackleton, for a very nice construction and a real work-out.

[Contrarian]

This is just what a Listener should be. Although some of the clues were really tough, it was possible to begin filling the grid with only a small proportion solved.

Thanks Shackleton. More carte blanche puzzles, please!

[scooterbug]

Very impressive. I loved the construction and novel entry method. Some of the clues were brutally tough. My only question is what the symbols add to the final solution. I feel like one is missing, or at least there is something else where I would expect another symbol to be. I feel like I am otherwise understanding the punchline.

[scooterbug]

Last penny has dropped. Everything works without ambiguity. Great puzzle.

[perseverer]

Agreed. By far the best puzzle this year to date. Just seems a shame you have to erase most of your hard work!

[jim360]

On the other hand, all the erasing at the end means that those who do understand this ones needn't worry about missing out on the correct solution by accidentally putting TUCOTUCO when you meant TUCUTUCO or something...

Still one of the six elements to find (presumably the "more apposite" one), and a couple of gaps in understanding of what's going on particularly in the first clue 6, but undoubtedly the best puzzle of the year, although I fear (and with no disrespect to this year's previous puzzles) that this is underselling it rather. At any rate I expect Shackleton's efforts won't go unnoticed when Gold Cup time rolls around again.

[olichant]

I absolutely loved that. And what a great endgame. Tough clues, but all fair - and I have to say I got a bit of a sense of achievement when I finally cracked some of them. That was my slowest solve in quite a while (I think, though this is a bit of a solver's cliché, a few pints and some Bach helped considerably...)

Best wishes to all who gather here. And many thanks indeed to Shackleton.

Right, back to the brutal Schadenfreude in Cam magazine..

[AHearer]

I found the CAM Schadenfreude easier than the Shackleton expedition, but perhaps I just struck lucky.

[upsetter]

Like 1915, 2015 has been long periods of boredom, interposed with episodes of terror. This week's was stupendous. We even managed to misplace a set of interlocking answers, which took ages to realise.
Somehow rode the waves of despair to complete a beautiful Listener that kept us mystified until the very end.

[olichant]

That'so encouraging, AHearer - I'll persevere!