listener crossword 4064

[starwalker]

This week's offering is Metrical Variations by Hedge-sparrow.

A typical offering such as we have come to expect from this setter. Some gentle clue and a nice theme. Sadly the final step took me longer than it should. (I'm calling it old age).

[emcee]

I agree starwalker. I enjoyed it, particularly after the "brain-frying" needed with some of the clues last week ... this puzzle is a good example for cruciverbalists who shy away from the Listener.

emcee

[robinruth]

This was just right for us newcomers - finished with great delight at high speed :) in one go. I totally agree with emcee that it is encouraging for those who might shy away from the Listener.

[kayakamina]

As with both other posters I enjoyed this one.

I have sent copies to a couple of friends who tell me they are intimidated by the Listener crosswords,and I hope
it will convert them.

[AHearer]

Yes, exactly the sort of puzzle that ought to encourage newcomers to the Listener. The clues were relatively (sorry, 41ac) straightforward, but the revelation of the theme and the finale were nicely done. Are we on tenterhooks now, wating for the sting in the end of the year?

[robinruth]

Yes, Kayakamina, I have done the same - probably to the same friend you sent one to.

[daagg]

I haven't started yet, but I have just read the solution to Phi's 50:50 and am a bit surprised by the explanation of the grid layout. I had thought that the theme was to do with the golden ratio (phi, 50) because there are lots of 2x3, 3x5, 5x8 and 8x13 rectangles in the grid, delimited by the L-shaped space and the DETHRONE-SPLITEND answers.I completely overlooked the L:L explanation. Did anyone else think the same?

[perseverer]

daaag- have a look at listenwithothers.com

[Philoctetes]

Straightforward and pleasant. However, I was a tad surprised to find the word "unctious" in 11d. Surely a misspelling, and not corrected in the paper.

[robinruth]

Yes, that was my reaction - what is that word?

[Philoctetes]

Unctuous gives a suitable answer.

[midazolam]

As with some other setters (e.g. dipper) it seems Hedge-sparrow has embarked on a cruciverbal specialist interest. Solid theme with the extra letters (even though not necessary) and 41 across (perhaps left unclued) tying it all together. Cluing was one of the easiest this year, so i agree with the above, great for newcomers. I find it astonishing how setters can appear in the listener twice in 6 months when there are so many out there. I hope before the year ends we have to tackle efforts from the "classics" that seem to be missing this year, which we saw last year. Not that I am saying we have had no classics this year.

[emcee]

Shall we run a book as to who will be the Xmas puzzle compiler this year?

100-1 Dimitry.
1-100 Duck.

Any takers?

[Clamzy]

Like most others I finished this one in record time - not something I particularly enjoy.
As midazolam pointed out the phrases formed by the extra letters were not essential to solving the puzzle. Thank goodness because I still haven't figured out 24dn.

[Cruncher]

Nor me! But hey who cares. Nearly Christmas

[Cruncher]

Aah. Got it. At last

[teuchter2]

I agree entirely with comments. Additional letters were not really helpful in working out what to do, I'm still not sure why we had to amend entries as we did, but does it matter? Its nice not to have a struggle this week.

[Archie1962]

If you read the wikipedia entry for the puzzle's theme you should see the significance of the amendments.

I agree it wasn't too difficult. I rarely finish by Sunday evening, especially as this weekend included putting up the Christmas tree and having friends over for a few hours.

[cluelessJoe]

Slightly underwhelming for me this time round. I hope we get a couple of real brutes to round off the year - maybe another Kea if we are lucky, or a Sabre (though I think we had one this year) or an Elgin
Here's hoping

[Eril]

Very enjoyable, it is a relief to not have to sweat blood every weekend, and good to be able to pass on to a physicist I know who claims not to have the time to do Listeners. Excellent to see the theme - if you don't understand the link between the directions and the theme then do do do read up on it. Apart from its intrinsic importance, if you can do Listeners then you have the mental agility to get your head round at least the qualitative implications, and it is at least as challenging and as satisfying. You may have found the puzzle easier than you want, in which case you have some time to investigate further!

[foxy33]

Like Cruncher and Clamzy I too am struggling to see the wordplay for 24dn. Otherwise completed fairly easily this week. Expect more of a challenge over the next couple of weeks.