Listener 4539 Removal By Gos

[Flocker14]

I can't be the first, surely? I can't remember when I last sat in front of a Listener for so long with so little idea of what was going on. My first trawl through the clues produced virtually nothing let alone any insight into the mechanics indicated by the pleasantly short preamble. But with patience it all gradually fell into place and I've now completed it and parsed all clues - some of which are pretty hard to crack. But it all works out nicely in the end and proved a real challenge even without a theme in the sense that we generally understand it. Many thanks to Gos!

[Hagen]

Simple concept, hellishly hard clues! Despite working out what was required quite quickly I progressed at the rate of a lame snail carrying a ton of bricks, although it did get easier towards the end.

When searching for a thread I came across the comments on Gos's previous puzzle, 4309: Shades Of Green. The general consensus was that the clues were too easy. I don't think anyone can say that about this one!

An old school puzzle which provided a challenging and enjoyable workout.

[starwalker]

I agree with Hagen, though I am kicking myself for not seeing what was going on much sooner. Thanks Gos - see you again in another four years :-)

[sunny-dave]

Probably the most impenetrable puzzle for a couple of years - at least as regards getting a foothold in the grid.

Intricate clues, a slightly dodgy rubric (although I'm coming round to thinking it's OK) and it just defied me for quite a while.

A lucky thought eventually got me a couple of possible grid entries and then it actually unravelled relatively quickly as the grid filled.

Thanks Gos - hard work, but a proper old-school challenge.

[contendo]

I thought this was excellent apart from the pointless ambiguity of the wording of the preamble which nearly made me give up before I had started.

[upsetter]

A very tough set of clues which the entry method made harder.

But it was nice to have a puzzle that ended without resort to a gridstare - a minimalist Listener.
Thanks Gos.

[Philoctetes]

I felt a number of clues in the first set had been forced because of the condition imposed, and were poor. Nor was there any compelling logic to the second set. This became a bit of a grind. I thought the preamble was perfectly acceptable, though, and described the puzzle exactly.

[Cruncher]

About halfway there with all the mechanics sorted but, gosh, these clues are tough

[Cruncher]

All done with a little sustained effort but confess I found my tax return a little easier than this one

[emcee]

Tough puzzle -- Friday evening with the puzzle consisted of looking at it for approximately ten minutes and then putting it down.

On Saturday I began to make inroads, ironically with a number of the special clues rather than the normal ones.

Some clues were sent Special Delivery from Hades.

Nevertheless, somewhat perversely, I enjoyed it. Thanks, Gos.

[12barblues]

Agree with much of the above, tough clues and I’m still trying to parse 1ac although the answer is clear. I like that the Listener still has room for the occasional puzzle where the theme is in the entry method and there is no need for further reference - I think Waterloo did a couple a few years ago.