Listener Crossword 4116 - A(nother) Game of 1 by Glow-worm

[starwalker]

Although I am nowhere near finished, the grid-fill seems fairly straightforward. Despite the very long preamble, I am not expecting any major problems, so please can we try to keep any hints to an absolute minimum.

[Alekhine]

Mysterons ... I followed the same line of thinking.

But do you get two five letter names? I don't.

[segue]

Very enjoyable. Not entirely sure of the winner's name but my best answer is the name of a friend whose birthday I celebrated last night. The serendipity is too much to ignore.

39 strictly speaking makes a dog-leg impossible - I think highlighting 5 letters as they stand ought to be enough.

And I particularly approve of the politically engaged quotation in these troubled times. Perhaps some Chomsky next year - or some Springsteen?

My condolences teuchter2. I hope your husband had a Cook-like innings...

[contendo]

It seems to me the wordplay in 1ac would result in an answer with an incorrect vowel.

[Mysterons]

Alekhine - yes two different, with orders 2,1,3,5,4 and 5,2,1,3,4

Contendo - ?? 1 across

[Archie1962]

I seem to be on a different track to at least some of you. I have a girl's name in an appropriate shape and I can see how the boy would have an identity crisis if his name was identically shaped. But the only boy's name I can find has a French spelling and isn't in Chambers. I suppose if I see nothing better I will have to highlight the girl's name and post it off, but until I find the boy's name I can't be sure I have it right.

[JackDeCrow]

To add another conundrum, I notice that the outer squares of the 39 are both repeated 5 squares further out. Given the middle square, it would read quite tidily if they were included in the names, but the shading is probably tidier if you stick to the letters further out. Anyone else wrestled with that or am I making it too complicated?

[Jogler]

An enjoyable puzzle which we had more or less finished but were struggling for a couple of wordplays (well, one, 8d!). However all put to bed, but after a wander through the comments here we had to pull it out again to see what we had missed. Most of the complications people have found completely passed us by!

On a different note: looking for definitions in the BRB we chanced upon eclair - humour no less. Has anyone else found similarly tongue in cheek definitions?

[Scorpius]

I started this afternoon and finished fairly quickly, a relief after the last few weeks, as others have observed. I don't understand all the anxiety about what to highlight. If you decide that what is required is to highlight the name with the letters in sequence you have an additional ambiguity on your hands since one of the two possible names can be traced as an L or a dogleg.

I also don't understand Mysteron's query about 3dn, which is perfectly sound. 'With" in the sense of 'accompanied by' can mean either side of. X with Y may be X followed by Y or Y followed by X. That's standard fare in the Times daily cryptics.

[bobbycollins]

No dog-leg for me. I thought the two jumbled names unambiguous, being symmetrically placed. Obviously missing something but I don't really care. One of the joys of not submitting an entry I guess.

Regards to all.

[Mysterons]

Point taken about The Times Scorpius, but probably not Ximenean - 'after' would have been far neater.

[ziller]

Jogler, the 3rd definition for 'mullet' is mildly amusing...

[AndrewG-S]

ziller, thanks I enjoyed that. I do like bafflegab and Japanese cedar, although I confess I googled them rather than thumbling across them

[Alekhine]

Mysterons,

I know exactly what you mean with your two alternative number sequences. That gives two possible names for one of the children.

But that isn't the part that upsets me. It's the name for the other child.

I think Archie1962 has the same issue.

[Mysterons]

I wouldn't worry too much as it's not required, but it is in Chambers Word Wizard if you enter the 5 letters to anagram:

http://www.chambersha...ards/wwizards.py/main

[contendo]

Re my earlier entry, for 1ac read 16ac. Finger trouble.

[Alekhine]

Mysteron,

Agreed that it's not needed, but are you happy that an anagram of the five letters give a name? I'm not.

[perseverer]

They certainly give a name in Chambers alphabetical list of names, admittedly not a name I was familiar with.

[Alekhine]

Well, I've now found that name in Chambers.

Not impressed.

[BlackHugh]

There was a well known actor (from an extremely well known acting family) with that Christian name who died earlier this year.

[mullingar]

Would like to report a rare and satisfying success with all completed and understood. After last week's dismal effort I am delighted!