Listener No. 4448: Get Me Out Of Here! By Nemo

[TheBear69]

Absolutely first rate! Thanks, Nemo!

The construction is quite amazing, especially when one considers how hard it must have been to insure a unique solution. The amount of thematic material in the clues isimpressive.

[Hagen]

I agree - an incredible feat of construction, but I found the entry of the "path" answers so fiddly that I can't say I really enjoyed it, especially as I spent ages on the last few even though I had fulfilled all the thematic requirements long before. Certainly a puzzle to admire, and I hope others had more fun with it than I did.

[AHearer]

I agree with both comments above: I never really enjoy these puzzles with meandering entries, but the construction was top-class. For me, the key was finding the title of the work, which sorted out the top row at a stroke, and from then on life became easier. If we'd had to grid-stare for the title without knowing where it ended I don't think I'd have finished this one. Thanks, Nemo -- that was quite a work-out.

[Ruthrobin]

And I have to agree with all three comments. We had a hard work out to get the entire grid-fill with some real confusion before we spotted author, theme, etc. but I, too, have to admire the outstanding construction and removal of any ambiguity. Welcome and thanks, Nemo.

[perseverer]

Quite a challenge. Finally spotted a potential title word in the grid, Google led me to the relevant title, and all the thematic stuff. Not a work I was familiar with, and having had a quick look at it , not sure I fancy it much!

Suspect that Nemo is a new name rather than a new setter.

[s_pugh]

Can't say I enjoyed that - had the theme reasonably early but even then with the characters and quotes filled in it was still a real grind. Ended up with path 33 which must have taken me an hour at least. Some distinctly unfair clues I felt given the already tough nature of the puzzle.

[s_pugh]

And of course the biggest clue was in the grid design - and I never even realised it till after I'd completed it. That's the Captain Thicko award for me then! ;¬)

[Hagen]

S Pugh, I'm afraid you'll have to share the Captain Thicko award with me. I also spent over an hour on 33 which was my last one in. I don't like to be a sourpuss but I can't help feeling that this sort of clue belongs in a plain puzzle where you get crossing letters to help, rather than a Listener of this complexity.

[starwalker]

Pretty much in agreement with everything, especially the suspicion that Nemo is a new name rather than a new setter. Many thanks, whoever you are.

[emcee]

Path 33 still eluding me, all else done. Looks like I'll have to get some electronic assistance. I'm afraid, whilst appreciating the construction, I didn't really enjoy the puzzle. Too much of a slog.

[pushmi-pullyu]

I too got stuck on 33 for the longest time, but when I finally cracked it I thought it was a brilliant clue. I really enjoyed this one, though like you s_pugh I didn't see the clue in the design until the very end.

[Scorpius]

I'm certainly finding this tough. I have all but seven clues to solve (including the aforementioned 33) but much of the grid is still empty. Although it's slow going I am enjoying it, not least because this is the best set of clues we've had in ages. Their toughness is mostly down to deception rather than obscurities in Chambers. If someone tells me this is Sabre in disguise I won't be surprised.

[upsetter]

Excellent and very difficult.

[HappyUncle]

It has to be either Sabre or Kea, doesn't it? Few other setters have the ability to create such a superb challenge, combining complexity and beauty of design with tough clues, some leading to extra hints, and a one-off crucinom to add a crowning touch of thematic wit. But the fly in the ointment is indeed 33, which I still cannot fathom despite my full grid.

[perseverer]

... and the worst (best?) thing about 33 is that you'll kick yourself when you see how simple it actually is.

[olichant]

Relieved that everyone else is finding this a challenge! I haven't finished it yet, but am closing in on the end. Not helped by the fact that I have no access to a printer so everything is scribbled out longhand on several sheets of A4 and looks horrible.

It has taken me ages. I can't agree that the clues are unfair (unless any of the handful of remaining ones are) - they have been hard but all very precise and enjoyable, for me at least. And although we don't have checking in the conventional way, there are features of the method of entry that allow construction to be attempted fairly early on for different parts of the grid.

If we're playing guess the setter, my ten pence is on Sabre.

Hope everyone here is well.

[icynorth]

Clue 33 was my final act, too!

Most enjoyable, thanks Nemo. The title revealed itself quickly, thank goodness. So often it's like staring at a brick wall.

[olichant]

Ah, why did it take me so long to get the theme? What a superb compilation - a great implementation of the theme.

[Philoctetes]

Tough but doable, so we shouldn't grumble. I do feel that the balance in this type is too skewed towards cold solving - in the end I was left with one unfilled initial letter, a clue I could not parse and a string of apparently random letters heading towards a known end point. Yes, I got there, but through sheer slog.

[Scorpius]

My breakthrough came this morning when I traced back the last word of the title from it's last letter.
A brilliant puzzle, the best this year so far for me, and the hardest despite some gentle clues to complete the rows.
I'm still betting on Sabre since it has so many of his characteristic features, but HappyUncle's suggestion of Kea could also turn out to be correct.

[Cruncher]

Mixed feelings. I enjoyed tracing the routes for the entries. My kind of puzzle. But am now left with three clues to solve although I have already identified title, people and quotations. So sussing these last three answers is going to be a little thankless. Currently resisting a trip to the Dark Side to see if answers have been posted up...