Listener 4083: Not as Mad as It Sounds? by Bandmaster

[Zabadak]

At first the high proportion of short words is a bit daunting - but for the most part the clues are fair, even if in one instance a little vulgarity (in my and Chambers' opinion) creeps in. A good enjoyable solve with a pleasing conclusion which probably excuses (and made necessary) all those short clues. I liked the coinage too. Thanks and appreciation to Bandmaster.

[cruciverbali]

Certainly a lot of short lights in this one, though 6 down was the first filled here, effectively making this a 'game of two halves'.

[Ruthrobin]

Yes, a little amusing vulgarity and not such a great love of women either. Is it possible that the single entry is only in the most recent ODQ? I seem to have found it but not in my 1996 revised 4th edition. I, too, got 6d first - a game of two halves.

[Ruthrobin]

Answering my own question - it is in the New Penguin Dictionary of Quotations, the 2009 ODQ and, of course, on the Internet.

[AHearer]

Yes, this was quite fun. For me it was a game of two halves, too, but in my case it was a split between the lower half of the grid which yielded easily and the upper half where I had difficulty with some of the wordplay.

[starwalker]

Well I started off with 46 down - but then I rarely follow a logical sequence.
A lovely puzzle with some tricky clues, that all came together quite nicely at the end and brought a smile when I saw the title. (The title was missing when I downloaded the puzzle yesterday.)

[midazolam]

6 down for me too. enjoyable despite the number of short entries. even though i got the quotation early on I didn't think about what I had to do until the end, as there would not be anything left to do. A very topical 23 across!

[easylistener]

Good start for me this week. 6d got me going and with the theme and name sorted I'm on a roll. Still got over half the clues to solve. Haven't noticed "clashes" yet. Does that mean two letters sharing one square?

[Ruthrobin]

Yes - and you have to select one of the two in each square to produce the twelve letters that give you the 'name of an American'.

[dr b]

Very enjoyable. 15d is my COTW (clue of the week). Off to grade papers - bah.

[bobbycollins]

Just popped in to bookmark the link - evening all

[tweaker]

Could anyone possibly send me a copy of this puzzle. Supermarket had run out of papers, I'd like to try a listener

email: [email protected]

much appreciated if possible!

Jake.

[dr b]

tweaker - a pdf is on the way.

[tweaker]

Dr B.

Thank-you.

[daagg]

A really good ending. I did three quarters of the grid yesterday evening, then finished this evening after enjoying the sun all day. I found some of the clues very challenging, and clashes never make life easier. Naturally, the 12th letter I found was the most critical for searching the name!

I think it might be time to upgrade my 20 year old ODQ - or maybe the Internet will suffice from now on - hmm.

[daagg]

RR, are you really a frog?

[Ruthrobin]

Bombina variegata - yellow-bellied singing toad! (Yes, really - waiting for the princess to come and kiss me!)

[Clamzy]

Just thought I'd join in this avatar craze:-)

[teuchter2]

As usual my older brain is making slow progress. I've solved most clues, but haven't quite got all the clashes so no American name. I do have the latest OED. I'm really stuck on 29d just now, but hoping the 'light' will dawn.

[teuchter2]

Sorry, I meant ODQ! Is 29d a proper noun or will I find it in Chambers?

[Philoctetes]

Blast - just found my 13th clash!