Saturday Times The Listener 4703 Saturday March 19Th 2022

[emcee]

The clues were generally good, although there were a couple of instances where I had determined an extra word in a clue when there wasn't meant to be one.

The shading of the 13 cells was straightforward. The shading of the 30 cells certainly wasn't.

Thanks to JFD for a good workout, although I feel the preamble could have been clearer with the instruction for the 30 cells.

[HawkCrossword]

I agree with everything you said, emcee.

This turned into a very long grid stare, where the rest of the puzzle was nicely paced, with some unusual and challenging clues. Thanks JFD!

[sunny-dave]

Nope - that was just a pain - a perfectly good puzzle but then a wordsearch rendered impenetrable by a hopeless rubric.

I know the answer (because I found some help), but still can't see that it was fair.

[perseverer]

Would be interesting to know how those who eschew the internet got on with the highlighting.

As has been said, some decidedly clever and challenging clues, contrasting with some obvious and easy anagrams.

[Dim16]

Reading the comments here I am close to giving up on this, doesn't sound like there is much pleasure to be had in ploughing on even though I have more or less finished the grid.

I have too many clues where I don't understand the wordplay sufficiently to be sure what the extra word might be. What I have is not coalescing into anything I could google.

Agree with Sunny-Dave, a pain, but of course if inspiration strikes and I finish it I might change my mind!

[upsetter]

After hours of grid staring we finally returned to the source and quickly found the missing items thanks to hints from another site.

A beautiful composition and an amusing subject.
Thanks, JFD.

[upsetter]

@Dim16 - the extra words are well hidden and the instruction to the parties may well be foreign to you but it is well worth persevering.
To say that the subject matter was obscure would be an understatement.

[Dim16]

I identified the trial and the instruction. I hoped it would now be clear what to highlight.

Some hope.

Now a word search not really knowing what I am looking for.

Strewth.

[upsetter]

@Dim16 - look at the plot summary in Wiki.

[Scorpius]

I was surprisd at the extra-word device, which is discouraged in the Listener Notes for Setters unless the words are theamatically relevant.

I suspect one of the items to highlight was deliberately chosen for its obscurity. It's not in Bradford's, nor is it revealed by a text search in Chambers. I found it by chance in the very useful Chambers Crossword Dictionary.

I wouldn't describe the comment as an instruction. It's more of an exhortation.

[Dim16]

Reckon I've finished (thanks Upsetter for the encouragement) but am keen to see the answers and (for several clues) the parsing, in three weeks.

Kudos to those who worked out the instruction from the extra words. I identified the source material first, which gave me the instruction.

Tough puzzle - thanks JFD (I think).

[Hagen]

I'm with Sunny Dave all the way. I "completed" this with hints from Solver Forum but despite the interesting and amusing nature of the original text, we need much more help than this from the preamble.