Listener 4152: Inn Joke by Mr Lemon

[midazolam]

I don't get it! (the joke that is)

I am glad it was easy this week compared to last week, but I am not impressed.

The title, the rejoinder, the connection between the quotation? I suppose none of it matters to complete it. A shame there's no PDM (for me anyway)

[AHearer]

Sorry, Midazolam, we seem to have posted almost simultaneously -- and with similar feelings of slight disappointment.

[midazolam]

No need to apologise, it was one of the easiest solves in my Listener experience and I thought someone was probably writing a thread at the same time as I was writing mine.

[contendo]

Friday club at last, and before sunset as well, but this wasn't a real test.

[starwalker]

A welcome change from last week's touch of head-banging, but, yes, a bit of a let-down. Now the sherry decanter can have my full attention. (hic)

[Ruthrobin]

Yes, I imagined a few of you would have posted already. We were told we might get an easy one for the bank holiday. I can see a cynical connection between the quotation and the rejoinder - quite fun really. I think that 'under two hours' was my fastest solve ever too.

[TheBear69]

Trivial....Anyone else remember Listener 3564 by Mr Lemon? That one was particularly strange... http://www.listenercr...les/L3/L35/L3564.html

[TheBear69]

The URL did not survive the 'Submit'; http://www.listenercrossword.com
Years/Puzzles/L3/L35/L3564.html

[emcee]

Not one of the best puzzles. It has to rank with the Boxing Day puzzle a couple of years ago (4066: Rentokil by Jago) for the quickest solve ever.

What do I do for the rest of the week?

[contendo]

Emcee - You reckoned that origami thing was a quick solve? It had one of the lowest number of successful solves of the year (302).

[silversolver]

Yes, very straightforward and all done between arriving home from work and uncorking the vino - a rare occurrence indeed. I don't recall this particular quotation but remember quite a few gems from the author in question from my schooldays.

I do remember filling in the grid for 'Rentokil' in record time then spending days folding up various bits of paper, much to the amusement of my children, until the bird finally revealed itself under the wing.

[cluelessJoe]

silversolver - "all done between arriving home from work and uncorking the vino"

A five minute finish! You definitely win this week's prize

[emcee]

contendo & silversolver,

I was, of course, referring to the solving of the clues in "Rentokil" (all of the DLM type). The origami attempted to make up for an otherwise weak puzzle. As to "Inn Joke" the lack of difficult clues, an insufficient number of clues and no real PDM made this distinctly lacklustre.

Roll on next week.

[trux]

Klub Freitag (no, no, no - I must get Dumm und Dummer out of my head !!!!) - gentle jaunt, clues untaxing, titter of a laugh at connection - on positive side, (first) quotation is in BRB, pre-ramble was jolly, grid expertly constructed, - so thanks Mr. L.

[silversolver]

Yep, cJ, 5 minutes is the average time taken to reach for the bottle... I was slightly more restrained this week but I think it was my quickest ever solve (probably aided by the absence of alcohol).

[IainGrace]

Agree with other comments. Fast food rather than the usual sumptuous Listener banquet. Using misprints rather than true letters also means that you don't absolutely have to identify the latter. Not aware that the rejoinder is rife - and I should know.

[Clamzy]

I have no pretensions to Friday club membership as I like to savour the clues and sometimes there's the grid staring for dessert. On this occasion a Friday finish doesn't change that assessment at all. Thanks Mr Lemon.

[tenflags]

I'm with Clamzy's sentiments on this.. the outcome also made me laugh.

[tilbee]

Yes very gentle clueing this week. Was not familiar with the first quotation, but picking up on Trux's hint regarding BRB this saved a bit of head scratching.

Cruncher - hope that the GCSE's lived up to your expectations. I would have responded to your post on last week's thread but unfortuantely I discovered that red wine and a laptop do not mix well, and have been off-line for most of the week.

[Walterloo]

Yes, plain and simple this week but sometimes that's ok with me. Ten minutes ago I had the quote and perimeter to find with the promise of taking my son out for a steak hanging over me. Now it's done. I had a little chuckle and the car keys are in my hand. Thanks Mr Lemon.

[tristram37]

I've just been looking at a 1970 book of Listener crosswords. 50 puzzles, nothing to be highlighted in any of them and only one requiring anything to be written under the grid (or diagram as it was known in those days). You solved the clues, completed the grid, and that was it. Yet many of those puzzles were fiendishly difficult. The passion for end-games and PDMs and what-have-you seems to have escalated in the last year or so. These thoughts came to mind when considering Mr Lemon's Inn Joke and I had a feeling of nostalgia for the old days. Yes it was a fairly easy puzzle but for me a breath of fresh air. I certainly didn't feel cheated at not having to complete a Mensa-type intelligence test to complete it.