Listener 3978

[cruciverbali]

This week's puzzle is Symbolism by Wasp - watch out for the sting !

[midazolam]

thanks cruciverbalist - will this keep us buzzy?

[Rapparee]

Thanks for the link, Cruciverbalist.

[cluelessJoe]

Yet again C, thanks for the early link to the puzzle. Catch you all later once I'm (hopefully) done.

[midazolam]

no messing with my mind this week

not a masterpiece but a nice puzzle to muse over nevertheless

[starwalker]

Nice and simple and straightforward.

[cluelessJoe]

Mmmm - ever so slightly alliterative last post Midazolam - was that intentional?

On a slightly different subject, has anyone seen the Crossword Centre thread commenting on Samuel's recent Listener (3974?) ... allowance made for "ambiguity" which would appear to benefit quite a few with year-to-date all corrects who would otherwise have submitted wrong answers. (Including the recent winner of the Listener's Ascot Cup).

There's an intriguing post from DH which suggests pre-result-posting whispers of wheeler-dealing.

Given some past attacks on this board from that one, pots and kettles spring to mind. The following URL may take you to the other place ...

http://b2.boards2go.com/boards/board.cgi?actio n=read&id=1208531828&user=dharrison

[cluelessJoe]

..sorry, not the Ascot Cup, I think I should have said the Solvers' Silver Salver
(what did I say earlier about alliteration!)

[midazolam]

yes i have read the threads - shows how petty some people are - chill out it's a crossword (although i got the right one!)

oh and clueless - ditto! lol

[failedagain]

cluelessJoe and midazolam, yours are usually among the voices of reason on this board, so it's disheartening to see you encouraging the us-and-them mentality so beloved by the patently certifiable QuizMonster.

It's a leap of illogic unworthy of any Listener solver to conclude from DH's musing, "Perhaps the rumour going round, that several of the all-corrects were incorrect, is true", that either "pre-result-posting whispers" or "wheeler-dealing" occurred among solvers (apart from the ones on this board, of course - we know they do it because they do it in public).

And then, leaping from the supposition that some posters on the other board might have somehow tried to influence the judging unfairly (that is your accusation, isn't it?) to the evidently fallacious extrapolation that those are the same people who campaign here for an embargo on answers before the deadline? That's pure tribalism.

[cruciverbali]

You are all welcome, as usual chaps - I'm assuming you are all male, married and earn masses of money, please correct me if I'm miles off the mark.

[midazolam]

failed again - I am getting quite tired of your remarks, butting in here

I think if you reread my post, I mention 2 things: firstly I feel that there are some petty comments on that site which is a shame for Samuel as I really enjoyed his clever crossword. Again will people just chill out

secondly my ditto reference was to CluelessJoe's first line in his comment - I surprised you havent fallen off your band-wagon to complain about that.

I feel I am reasonable unlike you

p.s. Cruciverbalist - you are not that far from the truth but I wish I had some more money!

[cluelessJoe]

failedagain - I accept that my post might read as if I'm sliding into Quizmonster territory .. the last thing I'd ever want to do.
However, I was a little surprised at the post I mentioned and which you quote - maybe I made a couple of subsequent less than logical leaps, but I'd still note that rumours don't circulate of their own accord.
Beyond that, I'd endorse Midazolam's comments that this was a fine puzzle in danger of being tarnished by some of the pettier comments being made elsewhere. Nice one Samuel

[cruciverbali]

Don't we all midazolam ! (Speaking of money, I especially liked the way Wasp slipped another thematic reference into the clue at 10 Across)

[cruciverbali]

......... in fact this fellow also appeared at 11 Across last week - perhaps he will be at 9 next week ?

[midazolam]

your mind has a marvellous memory cuciverbalist

[midazolam]

and it also appeared the week before that too!

[cruciverbali]

Full Marks midazolam !!

PS I was reading the other day that a failing memory is the first of the three major signs of senility.................. I forget what the other two are.

[cluelessJoe]

"and it also appeared the week before that too" ....

..... not just in a clue but also perhaps as a famous square presumably depicted in that aerial view of Venice?

[Patch49]

I'm a bit concerned that my highlighting isn't symmetrical - should it be?

[Rapparee]

Highlighting should reveal the shape of the symbol.