Listener 4045: Admission by Kea

[AHearer]

An exquisite construction by Kea, with a very pretty ending. I found myself making some wild stabs based on the definitions and then working back to the misprinted wordplay before it all fell into place.

Going back a bit, I was interested to see that SALAD as well as BOWL had been allowed in 4042. I'll stop kicking myself over that one now!

[bobbycollins]

May I confirm my interpretation of "cyclic alphabet" as discussed in the preamble?

If Y + B = A then does C + X also = A ? (hope my sums are correct)

Cheers

[AHearer]

Yes, bobbycollins: to put it mathematically, convert letters to numbers (A=1,B=2 etc), add, take the result modulo 26, and convert back with 1=A etc.

[bobbycollins]

Thanks for that. I go to pieces when confronted with numbers!

[Patch49]

Do we have to add the values for 3 letters? ie misprint in wordplay, misprint in grid and correct letter?

[thebuzz999]

Yes, patch49, add all three letters.

This is a great puzzle with a superb finish and some very challenging clues.

I cannot find a justification for the definition in 19across in Chambers. I understand the wordplay.

[midazolam]

no the definition is not in chambers, but is a brilliant clue. as is the crossword i might add

[turnerjmw]

As Ahearer says, a beautifully constructed puzzle with a lovely denouement. When I was halfway through I thought it might not be too testing. How wrong I was! One of the toughest I have managed to finish.

Many thanks, Kea. A struggle, but never a chore.

[robinruth]

Struggle is the word! My 'wild stabs have neatly filled just half the grid and I simply can't get into the other half. Also, I seem to have the same letter twice in some of my threes - am I wildly off track?

[AHearer]

Robinruth, I had the same problem: in my case the left side yielded more readily than the right.

[robinruth]

Yes, exactly! Still struggling, though making very slight inroads into the right! Time to abandon and have a fresh start tomorrow - this is the difficult one we knew had to come - isn't it?

[kwyjibo]

Now that was a proper Listener crossword.

[kwyjibo]

I'm glad i don't submit though because my grid is an absolute mess. Knew I should have used a pencil.

[midazolam]

i think i am right in saying robinruth that all three are different, keep at the end result is definitely worth it

i agree kwijibo, this is what the listener is about, tough, fair clues. great grid construction, PDM and finale. best of the year so far and i have a feeling the best we are going to get!

[shelouse]

As I never start this until lat Sat/early Sunday I am as usual behind. About half done but have at least two answers in which the misprinted letter is in an unchecked cell. Can this be correct? Will the final denouement sort these out?

By the way, did anyone else highlight 'ale' instead of 'regale' in 4042? Really irritated at getting one wrong with such a silly error.

[mad max]

Only just read the preamble, oh well, I think I will have a look at EV or Inquisitor.

[kwyjibo]

shelouse - yes and yes. You will have to deduce the letter to be entered either by getting the qoutation or the 5 thematc elements.

[robinruth]

With vast amounts of help from a very able solver, and a horrendous struggle, I have finally made it - indeed, it all fell into place - I have to agree; this was brilliant!

[starwalker]

Had no time over the weekend to spend on this, but having seen the setter's name I knew that the run of "easy" puzzles had come to an end.
Another tour de force from Kea. How he does it I do not know. Tempting to predict that this will be the gold cup winner, but there are still 5 months to go.

[robinruth]

If you are working from the newspaper, Shelouse and others, let me offer to email you a copy, as, even if you did all the maths and solving in pencil, you will have a real mess. Send me an email at [email protected] and I'll be happy to oblige.

[shelouse]

Thanks to kwyjibo and robinruth. Nearly finished now!
I haven't got too much of a mess (yet) as I always start by photcopying the puzzle and keeping the original for the entry I submit. Also, I use a Papermate Replay pen, which is erasable and very useful. Widely available in red black and blue.