Listener 4683 Diversions By Dysart

[upsetter]

A veritable cornucopia of thematic material.

Bravo, Dysart.

[Hagen]

Yes, great puzzle with some excellent clues. I’d have preferred a final instruction to erase the non-thematic area for added neatness, but it doesn’t matter at all. Dysart never disappoints.

In a recent discussion on Crossword Centre he was threatening a Playfair. I am glad this wasn’t it!

[olichant]

A superb puzzle from one of the very best. And what a joy to be able to savour a set of really beautifully set clues. I sometimes think that the focus of these puzzles is the endgame - fair enough as far as that goes (and what a great endgame here) but you only get there through the clues. These were great fun to solve.

[sunny-dave]

Yes - a great puzzle - and I agree with Hagen that it would be neater with the non-thematic area erased.

Thanks Dysart - I'm always pleased when your name appears at the top of a new Listener.

[NickorWan]

I agree, a superb puzzle with an excellent set of clues - just what you would expect from Dysart.

I am not sure I agree with the suggestion of erasing non-thematic material. I would have been left with a few entries that I didn't need to solve, which isn't the best end for a puzzle, whether you solve them or not. As it was, the thematic material helped me get those last few needed, which for me is a nice way to end.

[HawkCrossword]

I loved this - thanks Dysart!

I was worried it would be just too inaccessible with all the down entries jumbled, but the clue difficulty was pitched just right to keep it moving steadily, quadrant by quadrant. Perfectly paced :-)

And can I make a shameless plug for anyone here who's now at a loose end - I've set this month's Crossword Centre prize puzzle, which you can find at https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2021/10/crossword-centre-prize-puzzle-november.html

Plug ends - we return you to your regular chat.

[Hagen]

Hawk, I did it this morning and was going to post anyway to congratulate you on this excellent puzzle. Perhaps your ears were burning a little as I spent over an hour scouring the Net for the path before I twigged. Well played!

[NickorWan]

Hawk's puzzle is indeed excellent, and as a tester for the Crossword Centre I will add another shameless plug - many of its published puzzles are very good so please give them a go if you don't already.

[emcee]

Excellent puzzle. Tough, but doable, clues which made you want to keep at them, and a clear endgame.

Many thanks, Dysart.

[pushmi-pullyu]

Great fun.