Listener 4723 Faux Pas By Tringa

[upsetter]

Got there without solving all the clues or identifying all the clashes.

So it goes.

Thanks, Tringa.

[emcee]

Late start due to hedge-cutting.

I liked the puzzle. Multi-layered and an impressive construction.

Thanks to Tringa.

[HawkCrossword]

For the second week running, this was a subject which I had seen recently. In this case it was in a different series, and that one was nowhere near as complex as this masterpiece.

Every puzzle makes me think how I would have set it, had I been given the endgame. I suspect I’d have struggled to even fill a grid, let alone collate all the discarded letters in such an arresting way. It’s a truly impressive feat. Wonderful clue set, too.

Congratulations and many thanks, Tringa!

[sunny-dave]

An interesting and complex puzzle - the final step to ensure 'all real words' was a very neat finale indeed.

I have a few minor cavils about the sheer number of clashes in the North East corner - it seemed at odds with the economy of the rest of the grid - but it was probably the only way to get the final endgame to work.

Thanks Tringa - a considerable piece of work and a good challenge.

[Cruncher]

Quite a bit of reverse engineering at the end to get it all to fit - and still pursuing one wordplay - but a very clever piece of work. The debate will continue to rage...

[pushmi-pullyu]

Great fun.

[olichant]

Debate? What debate!

I really enjoyed this and laughed out loud when I got the theme. Thanks, Tringa.

[Dim16]

My first reaction, having read the preamble and scanned the clues, was that this would defeat me.

And so it proved.

Having said that, I have solved all but three of the down clues, and completed about half the grid.

So not a complete failure.

Now for this week's Inquisitor for some light relief.

[Dim16]

Couldn't resist revisiting today and for a while things went swimmingly, identified theme, thematic words and just had four clues to solve. But I have just realised that in the clashes, I have discarded more of a particular letter than allowed. Can't see where I have gone wrong, and my brain hurts.

And even if I complete the grid I have zero expectation of knowing how to amend it.

Will leave it until tomorrow.

T

[HawkCrossword]

Hi Dim16,

Yes, I found the discarded letters key to completing the grid, and systematically recorded them all on a separate grid. It was quite a fiddly task and I made a couple of errors on the way. Good luck with it!

[Dim16]

Just finished.

Once I spotted my error (placing one of my down entries in the wrong place) it was easy to complete the grid. And then even I managed the final step without too much head scratching.

Probably my favourite of the year: a challenging construction which pushed me to my limit, and a neat and amusing conclusion.

Thanks Tringa.

[danielmason1938]

I know this column does not give help but did anyone find a mistake in the number of asterisks?

[HawkCrossword]

Hi Daniel - the asterisks were correct for me.

[danielmason1938]

Thanks Hawk, I'll see what to make of that. But I guess you haven't given too much away!