Listener No. 4442: Got Me! By Towser

[AHearer]

Grid fill started quickly, but the last few dragged on for a while. I found some of the extra words really hard to spot, and had to go back once I was convinced I had the right number of entries and thematic names to reverse engineer the hints. Altogether a very pleasant puzzle, for which many thanks, Towser.

[Ruthrobin]

Great fun, thank you, Towser and yet another theme that we love.

[Flocker14]

Yes, all fell into place gradually after the pdm. Made me resolve to finally acquaint myself with the source!

[Hagen]

A very nice working of a theme with which I'm not at all familiar, and this was an enjoyable learning experience. I'm usually clash-phobic, but the conflicting letters served the theme well and luckily there were only five to deal with. I ended up with a lot more "extra" words than signalled but that was down to carelessness or stupidity on my part.

In the last two weeks we've had puzzles that are based on fun rather than telepathy - long may this last!

[perseverer]

A clever treatment of the theme, tho' I did think there were several words, in the down clues particularly, which could reasonably be considered extra. However, I don't feel I want to further explore the theme, just doesn't appeal to me.

[s_pugh]

Very enjoyable and just the right level of toughness. My only gripe would be the one abbreviation which (assuming I've got it right) rather takes away from the otherwise neat construction.

And joy of joys no ambiguity in the endgame, though I nearly fouled up in my choice of central letter but that was just me being careless.

Thanks Towser.

[aldanna]

Yes, I enjoyed this, not too hard. Don't understand the title, though.

[HappyUncle]

I've really enjoyed this one and can't find fault with it at all. Many thanks indeed to the setter, who has been known to drop in here from time to time.

Aldanna, all will become clear if you look again at what the preamble says about the final stage.

[icynorth]

Another absorbing puzzle, thanks Towser!

I seem to have found only four clashes for some odd reason. I'm sure all will become clear tomorrow.

[olichant]

Great fun. Really enjoyable puzzle and a theme which I should get to know better. Thanks, Towser.

[contendo]

Anyone else got 50 entries but 36 added bars?

[icynorth]

No, Contendo, I have 5 thematic names, 50 entries and 34 extra bars.

Still can't find the fifth clash, though!

[IainGrace]

In case of interest, the theme of last week's Inquisitor, which we are only now embarking on, is The Listener Crossword.

[icynorth]

Yes, I haven't tackled that one yet, either. I keep a small stash of Inquisitors in my briefcase in case of lengthy train delays.

Oh, and I found my fifth clash. I didn't parse the wordplay for the down entry of the clash furthest left. The alternative also fits the definition, but slightly more obscurely.

[sunny-dave]

All done and dusted - I actually read the source material at school and so one of the names leapt at me conveniently early in the gridstare.

Very enjoyable, although some of the clues seemed a tad on the easy side for a not very complicated Listener?

Thanks Towser