Listener 4168, Phiz by Bero

[Zabadak]

So, no Friday finishes on this one. Me neither: perhaps I really am slipping.
I'm really struggling to get enthused about this: it looks like a lot of cold solving and then a letters jigsaw. I don't think it gives anything away to note that 3, for example, has four turns that I can see, in any direction and not counting bumping into the edge, which creates a very large number of alternatives - too many to enter anything with certainty even with some checkers around. The only letters you can actually enter are the first ones. I struggle with knight moves, but these are king moves (minus diagonals) in three dimensions. It must all work out, I suppose, but at the moment I'm underwhelmed and unlikely to push through. Perhaps others could let us know whether it yields before you've solved all the clues independently.

[IainGrace]

Just completed 4167. Afraid the preamble to 4168 does not engage our interest at all so we won't bother with it. Happy festive season to all.

[tilbee]

Been finding this prety tough , but unlike some others very much enjoying this. Lot of cold solving and 3 clues still to resolve. Currently have a blank 4x4 square in top right of Bottom grid. Hope the end game is worthwhile,

[AndrewG-S]

Well to disagree with the above, for me this has been top notch. It is certainly possible to fit in answers as you go along and use these to work out other answers (ie not a cold solve) and the multitude of PDMs this yields as the jigsaw fits together is great. There are also some obvious gimmes in terms of entries which clearly need to cross. Three clues to go and what appears to be a predictable finish emerging (I hope!). Many thanks BeRo so far - fabulous.

[AndrewG-S]

All finished with the end as predicted - I really recommend persevering, I think this was excellent! Happy Christmas everyone - I am off on hols for Christmas and don't know if I will be able to post next week. Quite a year for the Listener with some tough ones over the last month or so. I see that Zabadak starting this thread was ensuring that he took home the Z Cup for the year!! Congrats

[emcee]

I've now finished solving the clues - the two 26s held me up for ages. Most of the entries seem to fit OK but I've got problems at the top of 2 of the 3 grids so more work to be done. Can't be too far off now, and, contrary to my initial expectations, I have enjoyed it! Thanks BeRo.

[Vagans]

Thanks for the clarification. I'm still using a 7th ed saved from the ark, but Santa's sleigh is reportedly weighed down with a latest edition BRB for me ...

[aldanna]

Being spatially challenged, I cold-solved as much as I could and handed it over to Himself, who is still working on it. Away for Christmas, may not post next week. Happy Christmas to all you clever solvers.

[tilbee]

Long lunch, then decided to erase all entries and start again. This seems to have resolved any previous errors, and all now completed. Like Andrew G-S very much enjoyed this. Very easy to make small mistakes which allow you to all but complete, but prevent final closure.

[vetuste_ennemi]

Congratulations to solvers. especially AGS who found help where I've found none . The only thing I've enjoyed so far in this puzzle (still 7 clues to get) is the man of the woods clue.

[trux]

Squarely on AG-S's side here - really enjoyed fitting the 3-D jigsaw together : a long but continuously enjoyable string of logical moves, with only minors detours on the way to end up with a most satisfying conclusion. Many thanks go to BeRo and festive greetings to one and all.

[Arcticpenguin]

I am a bit surprised at all the negative comments - I didn't find this too bad. Like Trux I couldn't help thinking about "Fuzzy Duck" (an adult drinking game from what I remember). Managed to cold solve all but 3 initially. What held me up was putting 6 and 9 in the grid in the wrong places (there are an awful lot of permutations I agree). Don't think I'll bother with the option though.

[Cruncher]

Three filled grids although one clue still to solve. Quite a feat of construction. Haven't attempted the fourth grid yet

[word_cross]

Getting there slowly - an awful lot of cold-solving, although some grid-filling has helped with at least probable initial letters, which has helped.

[floaker]

Very cleverly constructed to give a unique solution with a good standard of clueing but way too much cold solving required for my taste, reading other comments makes me wonder if I should have made more effort fitting answers in before I’d solved all bar one of the clues. I too was expecting something completely different when I saw the title. I wonder if next week’s offering will be festive. Merry Christmas.

[jockie]

Agreed about the setter's skill (and also about the necessary cold solving being a bit excessive). I think it would be better if, as is often the case, the number of cells to be transferred to the fourth diagram had been given (as the number to be highlighted last week was given). I have 7, but 6 would make a much better "phiz".

[word_cross]

Please be careful not to give the game away too much Jockie (e.g. number of cells in 4th grid)

[silversolver]

Yes, I enjoyed this one too (and a real tour de force of construction). As has been mentioned, lots of cold solving required but the clues were fair. Merry Christmas to all.

[dead-eye]

Enjoyed the challenge, but one small error did cause major problems for me. I presumed that there was going to be a Listener on Christmas eve and New Year's eve. Does anybody know? If not Happy Christmas everyone.

[Walterloo]

I'm sitting on the fence with this one. I liked its construction and the tricky method of filling the grids but I had to cold solve all but one clue to get me going. A slog and because I haven't gone as far as embellishing it (yet) I feel a little unsatisfied. But a good challenge.

[Alan7777]

I am making slow progress but there is one thing that I would like to ask. It concerns how letters are shared amongst clues. In a 'normal' two-dimensional grid a letter can be shared by two clues and three in a 'normal' three-dimensional grid. But what about here where clues aren't in straight lines? For example, if the grid includes the letters Q and U in adjacent cells, can these be parts of more than one entry such as 'inquest' and 'query'?

Please don't answer if you think that this might give too much away.