Listener 4498 - Name That Tune By The Ace Of Hearts

[kdgs2]

Normally I'm a bit wary of circular grids, but with some fortunate early clue solves I stumbled on the theme, including all of the message from the hidden letters. It's an understatement to say that this made the rest a bit easier. Nonetheless this was a very fair and enjoyable test, although I admit I'm still in the dark on 14. Thanks, Ace of Hearts!

[Hagen]

Same here - a handful of clues gave letters towards a title I had vaguely heard of and an Internet search provided pretty much all the rest of the information. That didn't make filling the grid a doddle though. Letters latent and entries starting at random points made things quite difficult, and the slightly "rotated" fifth circle from the perimeter meant it wasn't immediately obvious (to me) which letters belonged to which answer.

A gentler effort after last week's workout but still a good challenge. As so often these days, I wonder how far I'd have got with this if I didn't have the Internet.

[cross_lover]

Also stymied by 14. Glad it's not just me!

[starwalker]

I have got all of the thematic material and still have about one third of the clues to solve (including 14). Not the easiest of puzzles. Am I alone in feeling a little cheated that only two rings seem to be used ? Thanks Ace of Hearts.

[Flocker14]

Agree with Hagen - having deduced the song title and entered the first two lines I thought the rest would be plain sailing - but it wasn't at all. I had to knock each remaining clue off one by one and some of them were brutes.And now in the cold light of morning I see I haven't filled in 14 either....A really good workout, though - thanks to the Aceof Hearts

[Liathach]

Agree absolutely - I would have struggled to even name the singer without the internet, let alone know the words from a song. For 14, the wordplay seems convincing but not the definition: some of them might be **** of ****, but that does not mean that they ARE ****.

[kdgs2]

Having spent almost as long on 14 as on that damned hare in 2016, I finally have it. I can't say much without giving it away, but Ximenes himself would have been proud of devious yet scrupulous it is.

[12barblues]

Hit upon the important theme word very quickly from the perimeter clues. Just guessed the wrong song and singer which does rather hold one up a bit. Like others, finally arriving at and completing the thematic elements still left a large chunk of clue-solving. Good puzzle though.

[Tilly2]

How do you get hold of this crossword, please?

[Philoctetes]

Like some, the theme came quickly from the nickname, and all fell into place. Of course, hearing the singer in my mind's ear, I made a simple error in the lyric (radial 19), and it nearly threw me of course. Finding the last third of the answers was a slog

[Mamyalynne]

The Saturday Times, I'm pretty sure Tilly.

[Neveracrossword]

Tilly2, it's available online (on a Friday night) if you're a Times subscriber, and in the paper edition on Saturday.

[Tilly2]

Thank you.

[IainGrace]

Fortunately got the theme quickly, and we are familiar with the associated material. After last week’s struggle we had rather hoped for an easier ride, rather than a radial with a twist but got there eventually. Some tricky clues. Liathach, there is nothing wrong with 14.

[pushmi-pullyu]

Stuck on 14 until I did a recount of inward and outward entries and realised I'd miscounted. Still don't understand the wordplay though.

[emcee]

14 is my only unsolved. Even knowing the orientation doesn't help me with the defn. given.

It has been a tricky puzzle even though the theme, unusually, divested itself early in the process.

The structure of the 3rd ring from the centre with its variable 'widths' made it difficult for this solver's pair of eyes to ascertain the correct letter -- I chose the neighbour several times! Thankfully, my eye test is imminent.

Thanks to the setter for another testing solve. The quality of this year's puzzles continues.

[olichant]

I found this very heavy going - perhaps it was a bit of a shame that the theme dropped so early, to be followed by a lot of heavy-duty clue solving in a (for me) weirdly tricky grid.

That said, many of the clues were very good indeed and fun to pick apart despite the entry method.

[IainGrace]

For the wordplay for 14 one must pay particular heed to the standing instruction to refer to Chambers - in this case, exclusively the print edition.

[icynorth]

It’s the definition that bothers me more than the wordplay in 14. But all other radial clues are excellent. Unfortunately it took 2 perimeter answers to get the theme and two radials to place the lyric. The other songs were quickly guessable (I’m a fan), and then the long slog.

But this was so much better than the previous song-based circular. Many thanks, Ace of Hearts!

[IainGrace]

Icy north, sorry - I meant definition not wordplay in my post. The clue is fine in all respects.

[icynorth]

I just didn’t see it fully in Chambers, but the part I missed was in the OED, so I’m happy.