Listener 4385

[Ruthrobin]

What a delightful compilation. Thank you dragon. We have really enjoyed this.

[AHearer]

Thanks, starwalker -- it was indeed my name coming out of the hat.

[icynorth]

Another top-quality puzzle - many thanks, Dragon. I can't begin to imagine how tough that was to compile. We get the easy job, really ;-)

[tnap]

Unlike others, I seem to have found the PD clues quite straightforward. However, it's taken over a day of pondering to come up with what I presume is required in the two 2-cell entries. I think I was thrown by the 'digitally enhanced' bit, which I've been interpreting in a variety of what I now presume to be incorrect ways. I'm still not entirely convinced.

[emcee]

tnap, I'm with you on this -- two cells of my grid remain empty at the moment.

As to the Printer's Devilry: I was a big fan of these when they appeared as "Special" Azed puzzles when I solved Azeds in the 1990s; in fact, we had to write a PD clue as part of the clue-writing competition entry on one occasion -- it wasn't at all easy! So respect for Dragon here in producing some excellent PD clues.

Now back to those 2 cells .................

[sunny-dave]

Phew - that needed a few different brain cells to be engaged - the elliptical mind of the Printer's Devil is quite a thing.

All done and a nice smile when the last couple of cells were filled in the central column (keep going emcee and tnap - it is possible).

Thanks Dragon - a very unusual challenge and very enjoyable.

[Philoctetes]

Well that was grim. And, IMHO, the central column was just plain wrong: without one element, the two shorter elements are almost random; the longer element, while chucklingly familiar, was irrelevant. Sorry, Dragon.

[borealis]

It was a PD crossword that first enticed me into trying Listeners, a few years ago, so I was delighted to see this one. In contrast to several of you, I like clues without the “normal” wordplay/definition structure, and crosswords with weird grids. So I suppose I’m non-Ximinean? Well, I certainly attempt puzzles to be entertained; with Listeners I expect the unexpected, but not the unfair. With this puzzle there are one or two clues I would say were weaker, and quite a few I’d never have got without crossing letters, but I can’t see an unfair clue here.

Olichant - had a think about definitions in PD clues; don‘t think they are needed in this one, simply ‘cos I managed to finish before mid-week. Also, wouldn’t they make the writing of good surface meanings for before and after PD clues very unwieldy?

So roll on a nice mixture of &lits, spoonerisms, PDs, etc, all playfair encoded in base 13. Just so long as I can do some of it, and enjoy the bits I am able to do. Anyone remember the puzzle involving “knock knock” joke answers which were all Biblical names?

Thank you, Dragon. Enjoyed it.

[AHearer]

Well, borealis, liking Printer's Devilry doesn't make you non-Ximinean: see
http://www.crossword.org.uk/xpdevilry.htm.

[IainGrace]

I think some comments are unfair to PD clues. Although I wouldn't like to see them as a regular feature, the best PD clues give some hints as to what might need to be inserted. Good puzzle.