Listener No. 4520: My Retirement Plan By Artix

[Alekhine]

I enjoyed the endgame a little more than the puzzle. Some slightly weak clues, I thought, but the finish was a delight.

[olichant]

Lovely puzzle from one of my favourite setters.

I gently disagree about the clues - for me, at least, I found much delight in them.

[12barblues]

I always find Artix’ clues a challenge and this was no exception, 12 pies indeed! Finding my way into the endgame proved easier than expected and the letter swapping is sublime. Thx Artix.

[Hagen]

A lovely puzzle. Tough but fair clues, a theme that emerges gradually during solving, and a neat endgame that follows logically and doesn't involve grid-staring. What more can one ask for?

[starwalker]

A lovely puzzle that took me back to my A levels some decades ago. Lots of thematic content and some tricky clues, a couple of which I still have to resolve for my own satisfaction. Thanks Artix.

[emcee]

Some odd, tough clues. I thought 37 was barely legal as it is indirect, requiring a middle 'translation' to get to the answer. 9dn's definition was spurious too.

Being unversed in poetry (no pun intended) meant I had to work backwards from the highlighting to discover what it all meant.

Despite the above, it was a decent challenge. Thanks, Artix.

[Scorpius]

An excellent puzzle nicely packed with thematic material. I thought most of the clues were very inventive, but I agree with Emcee's comments on 37a and 9d, and I also thought several clues had otiose words that were not 'officially' extra. I also don't understand the placing of the final word in 5d. Surely it belongs near the front.

[TheBear69]

Scorpius, I think you are right about 5D.

If the 7-letter word that occurs first after the exchange was intended to be a theme word, it is not, according to every version of the poem I've found on the internet.

[Philoctetes]

Well I've "finished" it - I have an answer for every clue and all the endgame - but still have to parse many parts. Stuffed full of thematic material, and well-constructed. So why do I feel a tad "meh"? Perhaps because the clues are a bit too obscure, so I can't really be bothered unpicking them.

[IainGrace]

Agree about the imperfections in some clues. Is it coincidence or deviousness that a key word appearing in the grid following exchanges might lead one to a different poem by a different poet with a similar theme?

[midgler]

In defence of the setter (not that s/he needs it!) the action described in 5d takes place in both present (ie clue) and past. Putting the last word earlier in the clue would destroy the former sense. I think the clueing is fair and the structure (especially the misprints) quite remarkable.

[Scorpius]

Midgler, I see what you mean about 5d. I guess it's meant to be read as a semi & lit clue.

[trux]

ODQ confirms the first word revealed after the exchanges. Effectively setter cannot win if some sources say one thing and others say it differently.

[Philoctetes]

Let us not forget that spelling only became "standard" in the late 18th century, and that some of what today we consider American usages reflect the melting pot of earlier times.

[AHearer]

How can "O" be part of the discovery? To my mind there were two two-word possibilities for the discovery. In a sulk, I sent my entry in without highlighting anything.