Listener 4137: Frightened Catherine by Ifor

[midazolam]

An enjoyable Listener début from Ifor (although a setter that I have solved in the Magpie, EV and IQ).

I was wondering why this needed to be a carte blanche as I was solving it, but the little twists justified it. Clever theme that was well constructed. Thanks Ifor

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[tenflags]

Hi Cruncher,
Sorry didn't spot that either.. well done.

Done having had a kick up the jacksie from a friend. Really nice and clever puzzle.

I am constantly amazed at how clues can often look so obvious once you have solved them yet can cause so much head scratching before you get there?

[Philoctetes]

Ah yes, the BRB (thanks) - the last place I thought to look. All done now, and liking the cleverness of it all. But three months, please, before the next CB! On to the numbers!

[Philoctetes]

...oh, and just to provide some general mirth at my expense..my first thought on reading everything was that this was a belated Royal Wedding puzzle, and that the somewhat outdated couple would be Charles and Diana.

[Ruthrobin]

Philoctetes, you were not the only one to jump to those conclusions.

[EagleCountry]

Have read through this thread yet again. Have a completed grid, but no idea which way up to enter 5 and 17. Totally blank about 5,5 convergence - would be great to have 1 option, let alone 2! Am totally 19d.
PS Was I the only idiot to think of Demur/Lemur for 11a?

[IainGrace]

Been working our way steadily through this and now on the last lap. Very cleverly constructed and enjoyable. Have the same issue as EagleCountry at this stage, but only just reached this point, so hope yet. Think we get the (5.5). Probably agree that there have been too many carte blanche of late. Like numericals, four a year is maybe about right

[Mysterons]

EagleCountry - if you have the two thematic words, think about where they converge numerically. As alluded to above, there is a table at the back of Chambers which is helpful in this regard.

[Staurologist]

I imagine some may blow hot and cold over this one, but the more I look at it, and the more deeply I understand it, the more impressed I am. The brilliant double ambiguity in the unclued lights; the superb extra clue; its total reflection in the title; the way the two numbers to be entered fit the theme perfectly and are where they are precisely because of the missing light, fully justifying carte blanche; the method by which the missing light is indicated. It all elegantly demonstrates how much dovetailed thematic material can be squeezed into a 12 x 13 grid with a minimum of fuss. Those who seem to try too hard to make things complicated should take note.

[ichkeria]

Staurologist's comments sum up my feelings exactly.
A puzzle approaching perfection, I'd have thought. Regarding the alleged (5,5) "ambiguity", I would be very surprised if one of these was allowed. Having thought of both possibilities and assessed which was more likely it seems bizarre to discard what most would consider the "standard" (rather than colloquial) one, which explains exactly the rationale behind this aspect of the puzzle.

But heavens above, those pesky mathematics eh? That's the 4137th consecutive Listener to involve some aspect of counting or numbers - and we complain about 4 cartes blanches in 5 months - lol