Listener 4170: Aristocat by Mango

[midazolam]

Last puzzle of the year and it is Mango. 2008 was the last time we saw them with the excellent City Tour. This was not as good, but an enjoyable challenge. Shame the whole theme was got very early from a good stab at 24A. The cluing was tricky and the gimmick was cleverly concealed in places. I do think 42A should be two words. Happy New Year to you all.

[SethMould]

Hi guys. Glad you enjoyed it. Attached is my video about Mango. Best Wishes for 2012. Media URL: http://youtu.be/AD-EUS7reyY
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[Vagans]

Thanks to the Chief Typist and all the Mango team! The YouTube and Blog are very interesting and thoughts are with you and all cruciverbalists for the New Year. I'm still plugging away at the puzzle but it's starting to fall into place now and I'm looking forward to a PDM and some colouring.

[Vagans]

And there's nothing like posting on AB to stimulate a nice fat PDM! Tantara!

[AndrewG-S]

SethMould - many thanks to the link to your fascinating insight on Mango - I have to say I will not be googling "The Sin of the Beast", which seemed to turn up some rather unexpected sites! Great puzzle to finish the year on, particularly the relevance of the final highlighting. Happy new year to you and the Mango team.

[contendo]

Finally crawled over the line. What a tour de force! Some very clever clues with some well-disguised definitions. Still don't understand the wordplay for the first part of 13a. I'm left with a slight nagging suspicion that I'm missing something because when applying the theme I would end up with some material left over. Do others have the same problem?

[teuchter2]

I am well on the way to finishing this one having got 24a by a rather lucky guess. I have the latest edition of ODQ and it does have both quotes in, although in two different places, but they are cross-referenced. Happy New Year to all. My solving has gone through a slump recently, so I must resolve to make more effort in 2012.

[IainGrace]

Contendo, best analysis of 13a is perhaps an anagram indicator ( just about supported by definition in BRB albeit not listed as such in the central section of the new BRB).

[floaker]

Finished and in its envelope. Thanks to Mango for a most enjoyable puzzle.
Entries submitted for all puzzles this year. One possibly incorrect depending on the judgement of my artistic skills and then there’ll be a couple of nasty surprises if previous years are anything to go by.

[Ruthrobin]

A very Happy New Year to all and thanks to Seth Mould for that fine contribution (http://youtu.be/AD-EUS7reyY)
- well worth a visit. Let me reassure Seth that Listen With Others is still going strong, though Chris Lancaster appears less often on there these days.
There was a query about Clamzy earlier in this thread. He was bothered by the unpleasantness about 16 weeks ago and left the AB but doesn't mind me reassuring friends that he is well and crosswording, as ever.
Yes, I have submitted all 53, too, but know what nasty surprises come with the statistics - the transcription error, the staying letter, the missing bar. Ah well!

[contendo]

Come back Clamzy! I miss your comments. Having revisited the thread for 4154 I think you've taken a healthy exchange of views too much to heart.

Glad everyone seems to have a near 100% record for the year. As for me, I know I failed on 10, so I won't be seeing my name in lights.

[Patch49]

Often I get so involved with all my reference books and internet sites that I forget it's sometimes easier just to look at a clue and solve it!

[tenflags]

Rear gunner Tenflags reporting for duty.. Captain slow as always ..
I found it hard to 'break into' this one even with a kickstart.

Some very clever cluing I thought. Iv'e yet to see, and have a bear69 LOL, on the correct last letter of 20d, and don't yet see the relevance of the highlighting .. but hey ho all enjoyable stuff.

Thanks to Seth and Co for the insight - interesting.

I met my objective for the year of having at go at them all but not without some missing highlighting and errors. HNY to all indeed.

[contendo]

Tenflags - Re the last letter of 20d, you need to consider the meaning of vacation.

[starwalker]

Starwalker reporting in even later than the rear-gunner.
Have spent the last four weeks (with Mrs S) on the other side of the world, with little spare time, infrequent internet access and no reference books so am slowly catching up with December Listeners.
Just over half way with this and making rather slow progress. 24a identified and thematic entry sussed, but still some tough clues to go.
Very belated seasonal greetings to all (and sundry).

[Vagans]

Finally crawled over the line, with a reasonable degree of confidence in the answers. No PDM about the highlighting yet though despite the helpful hints. Happily that doesn't affect the grid. Nearly made my target of all submitted. One numerical defeated me. How many will prove correct is a rather different story!

[tenflags]

Hi Contendo - yeah that's what I did indeed land on and all is clear now.
Hope this weeks is not quite so hard to get going this year.

[Tarraco2]

Hooray! A champagne moment came at 9.00 p.m. yesterday – our very first completed Listener Crossword. Here’s to lots more of these in 2012.

[BlackHugh]

Well done Tarroco2 - In my opinion 4171 is more do-able than 4170 so good luck!

[Mysterons]

Agree with The Bear that there is a duplicated word missing from the quotation and the leftward movement in 21 is minimal, but a fine puzzle nevertheless.

[Philoctetes]

If Tenflags is the rear gunner, I suspect I was thought missing in action. Just completed (having done this weeks). I know what the first quote is - or should be, because half my letters are wrong. Sigh of relief here