Listener 4059 - Child's play by Dysart

[cluelessJoe]

Oh boy, just seen where this one is going. Very nearly finished, but I reckon there's going to be a fair bit of drawing to do, which can wait until tomorrow!
Enjoyable diversion, without being too testing.

[twencelas]

Eminently more on the fun side this one - I'm sure this must have been done before

[midazolam]

i really enjoyed the challenge of the grid entry, but i feel the thematic clues should have been left out. The whole theme is given away after solving two thematic set 1 clues, and it would have been nice to hunt them down (or up). In the end it makes a very pleasing grid, which must of taken a while to construct. I was thinking of creating a grid with this theme and there hasnt been a crossword quite like this for some time, twencelas, although plenty called it.

[AHearer]

I thought this was fun. I agree that the P D'd after solving a couple of the thematic clues, but I didn't think that made completing the puzzle too easy.

[turnerjmw]

I enjoyed this. I share midazolam's view that the theme is given away too easily by the thematic clues, but it didn't make filling the grid that much quicker. I also prefer misprints which require correct rather than incorrect letters, but maybe that's just me. Good fun for all that. Cheers, Dysart

[cluelessJoe]

Yes, shame about the thematics. Pleased I I left them to the end, because I then solved (h) and saw the theme straight away. My main problem throughout was with those misprints - easily spotted but through habit I kept writing down the correct letter

[midazolam]

As often occurs, the theme crops up somewhere, in this case, today's independent!

[starwalker]

I agree with all that has been said, particularly the ease of obtaining the theme. Perhaps if the start points of any thematic answers had not been given, it may have made a bit more of a challenge, but then again . . .
Also worth noting once more that some of the clues would not have been out of place in Private Eye.

[kwyjibo]

I didn't look at the thematic clues until I had looked through all the normal clues and agree that they gave the theme away fairly easily, but I didn't feel that detracted too much from the puzzle.

[daagg]

Assuming that abbreviations are allowed in the thematic answers, I'm fairly happy with my solution. However, I have one too few squares - does anyone else have the same problem?

[s436]

I'm not sure what you mean, midazolam - today's Indy theme was "Girls' Names". I think...am I missing something?

[s436]

I meant *yesterday's of course - which was "today's" when you mentioned it!

[x_word_fan]

daagg - I too am one short - presumably we have made the same mistake. I'll keep you posted if I make any progress.

[daagg]

x-word-fan, I know it's dangerous to think this way, but I have a suspicion that we are correct. If you work out the number of squares by adding up the length of the thematic answers and subtracting the number of clashing squares, then you get Dysart's total. However, one of my clashes is a 3-way clash, which explains the discrepancy. I'm not happy about my 3-way clash, but everything seems in order thereabouts.

[x_word_fan]

daagg - Not sure about your supposition but I too have a 3-way clash

[x_word_fan]

daagg - It's not necessarily a 3- way clash - the last letter of (g) can go 2 spaces above the 3 way clash cell

[daagg]

You're right! That gives the right number. Now I just need to know whether abbreviations are allowed.

[x_word_fan]

- I don't have any abbreviations in the thematic squares

[daagg]

Thanks x-word-fan, I've now found another Set 2 answer which is not an abbreviation. I'm going to keep my 3-letter abbreviation as a bonus!

[midazolam]

i wasn't referring to the crossword, rather the picture on the front of the supplement, s436

[robinruth]

Just completed after a very late start. Had no problem finding the correct number avoiding that three way clash. Out with the coloured pencils again!