Listener Crossword 4104: Merchandise by Adam

[Zabadak]

I have a nice full grid, but not a clue what's going on. I don't want to know what the solution is, just that someone out there has seen a regular pattern (or whatever) that makes sense of the thing. Apologies if this thread has already started somewhere, but neither searching the site nor searching with google give any hits.

[contendo]

Mysterons - Do you mean 9th letter in the 9th column? Not that I find it any help...

[Mysterons]

No, the ninth word of the quotation is 'regularly embedded' in the ninth column.

[contendo]

Aha! Light has finally dawned. Thank you Mysterons. I had tried the right tack at Ruthrobin's prompting but had failed to recognise the initial letters of the quotation as such. That has saved me from ploughing through the other half of the alphabet looking for Teuchter2's hint in the ODQ (having started in the second half). The arithmetic alone should have given a strong nudge.

[silversolver]

Came to this one late after a weekend away. Wow - what a tough one! The grid fill was OK but by no means straightforward with the jumbling of the across answers, but like virtually everyone else it seems, it took hours of searching and headscratching before the penny finally dropped.

[Clamzy]

Oh no!

[dr b]

I don't mind being called a bighead, unless he meant the fish:

http://www.informatio...ish-big-head-fish.jpg

Which, given the "flounder"ing part, is possible....

[Mysterons]

Certainly is an impressive bump dr b - maybe the haddock's eyes weren't looking where he was going ?

[Philoctetes]

Naughty, naughty boy:(

[Ruthrobin]

Yes indeed, dear S-Matrix, I can but agree but the situation for some friends was dire and we know and help each other (and solving, not submitting, is the desire of most), but surely you haven't been lurking and smarting from my comment and waiting to retaliate ever since then. We all thought you had upped your anchor and sailed off to other message board communities (no, I didn't say anything about oars!) Welcome back anyway to the Bigheads Club.

[AndrewG-S]

Having this debate near the beginning of the week's thread takes away a bit of the enjoyment of the discussion, but I am leaning towards favouring it as we head towards mid-week as it spices up an otherwise somewhat sterile discussion. Maybe we could have a gloves off on wednesday rule?

[gribble]

Many thanks to all those who gave hints etc, it is after all only a crossword

[Listenerite]

What, a gloves off when there's still another week to think about it rule? Does perseverance mean nothing these days?

[dr b]

Far be it for me to speak for Andrew, but, er, let me speak for Andrew. I think the "debate" he refers to is the one that S-matrix was starting (where he called us all fish). But if the gloves come off on Wednesday, what article of clothing would we have to remove on Thursday? I don't like to think about the implications.

[AndrewG-S]

dr b, thank you for clarifying my post - apologies for the ambiguity

[daagg]

Jogler, I'm convinced that Listenerite's contribution requires 10 hyphens.

[Speravi]

I returned from holiday late yesterday and began this in the early afternoon. With the grid nearly filled I had to take a break until half an hour ago, on completing the grid the final three words leapt out and backtracking with the pattern gave the rest. I didn't know the quotation beforehand. Overall, it seemed fair, but ... although I don't altogether trust my judgement (after a fraught, lengthy, and sleep-deprived homeward journey), I would go so far as to say that the editor(s) should have picked up the redundancy in 1ac, which makes it a shocker.

[Jogler]

daagg, I had to count it twice - but, yes, I definitely made it 10 too. dr b, that is a seriously blue, big-headed fish.

[catstail]

Have decided that what little solving skill I gained over the winter, I have lost over the summer. Have started trying the listener again, and am floundering. Perhaps I'll get back into the swing of it next week.

[cruciverbali]

This one does seem to have taxed quite a few regular solvers catstail, so don't despair, I'm sure you will soon be in the Listener groove again - welcome back !