Listener 4127

[Ruthrobin]

Has no one started a thread? Is it because people are a little bit disappointed with this one? Perhaps there is some clever twist that I haven't seen.

[ichkeria]

"Stavrolex - when you don't get an invite to the annual dinner, you know you're not all correct! "

There's no free dinner for a year of all-correct solutions I am afraid. There are far too many of those now to make that a viable proposition.

[Cruncher]

I think this puzzle has attracted some overly harsh remarks. I think it's well constructed and well-clued although I agree that Wasp missed a trick here. I enjoyed the PDM of working my way to the theme phrase although of course by then it only explained what I had already cottoned on to. I would have thought it possible for Wasp to appended some other instruction that we would have needed to demonstrate our grasp of the theme in order to solve. I went down a little bell-ringing side alley for a while before I tumbled.
I still don't get the title though. I presume that it is the remnant of a word or phrase that has been modified in the same way as the across entries but, if so, I can't spot it yet.

[Trekman]

I'm new to this site and was interested to see the comments. Sunday morning is spent starting on the Listener crossword and this was a Sunday morning one. I agree that you don't have to get the thematic groups but at least one answer is confirmed by a group. I thought the clueing was good and I enjoyed solving the clues, which I generally do, and it was nice not to run into the buffers at the end and spend a week trying to find the final solution which can be irritating and frustrating.

[Clamzy]

Welcome Trekman and I couldn't agree more with your final remark.

[tenflags]

Captain Slow here, dragged over the line.
I don't mind admitting I found this harder than the earlier comments, and some of the high fliers, seem to suggest. Comforting to see other 'A' listers such as 'Clamzy' and 'Cruncher' voice that here. Some of these clues were tough albeit there were some simple 'entry' clues. It all tied up nicely and whilst not the wow factor of last weeks or 'earth' it was a challenge. Harder than say the 63 Green Lane one. It might not have had a 'finale' PDM action but I think it mainly just suffered from following last weeks. as pointed out by some.

Hi Contendo if your still following the thread - I think the ambiguity you referred to is legitimate, and fair play misdirection is all part of the game whether intended (as was probably the case here) or not ? It is possible to determine the correct solution with what we were given. I think ambiguity is less fun when it forms part of a final instruction that may not have a definitive cross-check.

All part of the learning - for me anyway.

[Cruncher]

Aaah - just sorted out the title. Best bit!

[tenflags]

It's interesting to me how sometimes relatively obscure words "seem" to crop up close together as was the case here with the same obscure word in another crossword last week.

[Speravi]

I found this significantly more difficult than last week's (mind you, I've been slowed down by 'man flu'). My order of completion was to (a) deduce the method of entering across lights, (b) identify the phrase describing that method of entry, (c) identify the eight undefined lights, (d) identify the synonymous phrase, (e) check the synonymous phrase by grouping appropriately the eight from (c), and (f) experience a satori-like flash of insight for the title. I agree that some confirmation that the whole picture has been understood should be required.

I enjoyed it, even though it isn't a second 'Russian Revolution'.

[the_heisman]

fun idea but as stated elsewhere perhaps more could have been made of the theme. 34 across and the title continue to mystify.

[mullingar]

Hello clever solvers. I don't get started till Tuesday for one reason or another and usually get stuck toward the end-just as I have now. I have virtually completed the grid apart from 4 down and 29 down though I think 24 down feels a bit of a wild guess too. 27 across eludes me and I think I have only 6 undefined downs whose connection and possible groupings seem utterly impenetrable. Have I missed something? Will the mysterious (4,3,4) reveal itself? Is a nudge in the right direction too much to ask for? Any words of encouragement will be picked up in the morning. Thank you and goodnight

[Trekman]

If you have some of the crossing answers for 24 down I think your guess for 24 down is probably right. Assuming this should help finishing the crossword; it certainly helped me.

[IainGrace]

Cracked it now. PDM - pretty damn mediocre.

[Clamzy]

Mullingar - a couple of us tried to give you a hint or two last week but there was no feedback. Did we help and did you finish the puzzle?
Maybe it would be more rewarding off line.

[mullingar]

Sorry Clamzy about last week's silence.I did finish the grid fill and discovered the mystery object (I think, when the letters were lined up - but it was a funny spelling) but ran out of energy before I found the quotation I hope you didn't take my silence for bad manners. I will give it another day before I email you in desperation. I feel pretty close though by all accounts it may be a disappointing denouement

[turast]

Started this Wednesday after all the fun of the EV. What a slog it is! I'm nowhere near a complete grid. MULLINGAR. 34 Ac Rethink the word "three" & work an anagram. (I hope that's not too much for the purists). I don't know why I'm giving advice when I'm lagging so badly myself. I can only think of a disastrous connection with the title and I can see at least 2 examples of what might experience a SPAD in my solutions. I think I have 3 of the unclued words (Jewellery, a card game and something the men in white coats are going to have to do to me if I don't put down this crossword) I can see 2 "ready" examples. No idea of these thematic phrases, so no idea of how to enter across solutions. Only pure bloody-mindedness keeping me going. I hope the Spectator's a good one.

[turast]

P.S. COME ON YOU SPURS! I haven't felt this happy since 1961!

[mullingar]

Thank you Turast but 34across was not my problemI believe I have the answer to that one! Yes Trekman I think I have the proper noun for 24 down and I'm waiting for the epiphany!

[Philoctetes]

Re the title.
Is there anyone else here whose first thought was "Signal passed at danger", and whose second was about French WW1 aircraft? Isn't it odd that such an obvious word, with a satisfyingly onomatopoeic sound, has no English meaning?

[perseverer]

From signal passed at danger, I thought of "jumping the lights" which somehow seemed appropriate for entering answers with letters omitted.

[Arcticpenguin]

How about "Some People Are Daft" ? Certainly that's how I feel most weekends.