Quizzes & Puzzles1 min ago
Listener 4161 To Have and Have Not by Lavatch
81 Answers
Anyone else have a problem with too many extras of a certain letter?
Very enjoyable puzzle, though haven't entirely understood all of the thematic treatments. Thanks Lavatch (and if solvers enjoyed that one then Lavatch did a very difficult Spectator recently)
Very enjoyable puzzle, though haven't entirely understood all of the thematic treatments. Thanks Lavatch (and if solvers enjoyed that one then Lavatch did a very difficult Spectator recently)
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I was late getting started on this, but I thought it was a delight. A quick fill of the left-hand side screeched to a halt on the right. Well, not a halt but at best a crawl. The clueing was tight but not too easy, and I really enjoyed the varied ways in which the thematic material appeared. A really clever construction: thank you, Lavatch.
Lovely series of PDMs and fine cluing on this one. Thematics were pretty much part of my degree course so fun to have this sort of thing covered for a change too. Good to break the run of easier puzzles with a bit of a tougher one. Sounds like this is just a bit of training for next weeks stinker. How many think they are still All Correct so far for the year? Many thanks Lavatch.
A series of pleasing pdm's this morning, culminating in my accidentally saying the final words needed during a discussion of the end bit. Very clever and neat - I enjoyed this one.
Yet again Ruthrobin has inside information, about next week this time - current theory here is that she is Mrs JE Green
Yet again Ruthrobin has inside information, about next week this time - current theory here is that she is Mrs JE Green
No, indeed not Mrs Green! Mr Green disapproves totally of this thread and steers very wide of it. With this week's Magpie sending (it comes as a downloadable pdf with a brief courteous email) we were told that one of the Magpie team was author of next week's crossword and that it had been announced to us some time ago. When we followed up that link, we learned not only that it is a Mash (invariably tough) but also a carte blanche.
Let me dissent ever so slightly and say that while this was a fine puzzle I thought it was on the easier side of the ledger, and the endgame did not bedazzle me. But, clever and well constructed as always - in other words, a perfectly average Listener, which is of course praising with faint damns.
Given the genial tone of the thread so far, perhaps this post is enough to take home the Zabadak Cup for the week? It would look so nice on the mantel next to my Nobel Prize.
Given the genial tone of the thread so far, perhaps this post is enough to take home the Zabadak Cup for the week? It would look so nice on the mantel next to my Nobel Prize.
Dr B, If we were to take the puzzle of median difficulty this year to date, I still think this one would still come out in the upper 50%. The number taking multiple sititings over several days have been few and far between, though it sounds like we may be in for one next week.
Though not on the difficulty level of a carte blanche with no numbers, the level of clueing and determination of thematic treatment of RHS still sets some challenges, though guess this all depends on our individual experience.
PS: RR what is a Mash ?
Though not on the difficulty level of a carte blanche with no numbers, the level of clueing and determination of thematic treatment of RHS still sets some challenges, though guess this all depends on our individual experience.
PS: RR what is a Mash ?
Mash is AJ Moore, one of the editors of The Magpie. Although he has only set one Listener before (2006), which was before my time, I have had the pleasure to solve some of his excellent Magpie puzzles that he has created. If next week's Listener is comparable to any of these then we are in for a treat.
