Listener 4174: The Dentures of Sherlock Holmes by Salamanca

[Zabadak]

Unless I've gone seriously wrong, this easier than it first appears, though I'm still not sure of 15d. The definition seems to be a bit stretched and it's a bit of an exception to one of the rules. Otherwise the "quotation" forms early enough to make filling the rest of the pretty straightforward, and the thematic words, bar one for me, are familiar enough. Such PDM as there was came when I was struggling over the last few clues which didn't seem to translate into words and re-read the prologue. That's rule one, isn't it?
As ever, thanks to Salamanca and best wishes to all.

[dead-eye]

Contendo, I think that Z addressed your problem quite succinctly. Found this to be far more entertaining then last week.

[pushmi-pullyu]

This was indeed on the easy side, but great fun. Loved the wordplay in 23ac, but like others was uncomfortable with 6d.

[Ruthrobin]

Since so many Answerbank regulars are Friday Club finishers this week, I thought I ought to put in a plug for the Magpie. The February edition has just gone on line. An annual subscription brings you five puzzles a month by more or less the same compilers as the Listener but ranging from level A to E with C about Listener difficulty with some imaginative parallel thinking. There's an interesting crossword-oriented editorial each month and a competition as well as an all-correct status for those at the top end. You will find it on the web at www.piemag.com The annual subscription is £35 (adjusted if you don't start in January) which works out at quite a lot less per puzzle than the Listener, if you buy the Times only for that (seriously - does anyone buy it for all the glossy paper things?) Contact me at [email protected] if you want more info.! (Honestly guv. I'm not part of it - just thought it was time it got another mention!)

[contendo]

OK, got there. Thanks Dead-eye, but I share Trux's reservations. 6D is fine. The words are in Chambers. That's all that matters isn't it?

[IainGrace]

Agree another easy one. Look forward to one that taxes us beyond Saturday. Are we right in thinking that one of the clues is, for some reason, a double wordplay? Also, assuming of course that we have the right answer, are the definition and entry in 28d exact synonyms?

[bobbycollins]

Since this wasn't much of a challenge, polished off in work on Friday evening, I went to the archive and pulled out a plum - 3785 ("Crosspatch" by Dipper). It's much more difficult than his recent 4171 and thoroughly recommended to those missing the weekly fix. I think that i have solved it before but one of the advantages of getting on a bit is not being able to remember much of anything. I have probably said that here before now but don't remember.

Best wishes to all.

[Coalminers]

Talking about 4171....I've just seen the solution in the paper and I see it went for "Kitchen Gardens", not "Kitchin Gardens", which I believe is the actual title of the book. The relevant clue was 15d "American State almost exclusively storing gold in jars". The answer was AMPHORAS and the explanation has the extra word as being "exclusively", not "in". Mmmm...it's a good job we didn't have to send that in as part of the solution. I think a lot of people might have got it wrong!

[AndrewG-S]

Out of interest there is a bit of a sense of this being easy with a stinker around the corner. So what does everyone look forward to the easy Friday night solve or the stinker that takes the weekend plus. I know which camp I am in, the entertaining friday night solve is just perfect. Alternative views? Ps - agree with ruthrobins comments on magpie, certainly to be recommended.

[perseverer]

Coalminers - ODQ gives KitchEn, as do a selection of internet sites. Also if exclusively is not the extra word what is its purpose in the clue?

[teuchter2]

I enjoyed this one too and probably would have had a Friday finish if it hadn't been for the Burns Supper - always a hugely enjoyable occasion. It took me a bit of time to understand how the variations worked. Can anyone tell me the Russian word for 'the Philippines'? This is absolutely nothing to do with the crossword, but you seem like an erudite lot!

[easterfool]

Gosh - I've finished too - very early on Saturday, trying to make a Friday finish. Does that make it easy? Probably, but starting a lot earlier so that I have some free time next week has a lot to do with it. Not being in favour of automatic PC, I reckon 6d is OK, but not fine. Loved the whole thing because of the fun and games in it, but was there any significance in the thematic variations other than making the title? Don't mind either way, but just want to know if there is yet another thing that I don't know.
Thanks Salamanca - often in the past I have worried hard over yours. This time I giggled!

[Coalminers]

Thanks Perseverer. I have tried to work out a purpose for the word "exclusively" myself unsuccessfully. However, the "in" isn't that easy to justify either - " to store in"...."in" seems a bit redundant really. I suppose we need that person who does have the first edition to find out what the title really is! Anyway - enough of that.

[cluelessJoe]

Nice timing Salamanca, barely 24 hours after I had to lose a molar, thanks for the reminder!

I actually stopped by to leave a Magpie plug but see that I have been beaten to it. It's no secret that there is concern over declining subscriber numbers in these hard times, and although a non-profit making venture, it's no charity either and there's still a need for the guys to cover the costs of this fine publication.
I'd add that you actually get six puzzles monthly, not five (though one of those is numeric). As for the compilers, yes most do set for the Listener, EV, IQ etc too so the same quality prevails. By way of example, this month the prize puzzle is by Shackleton - the compiler responsible for 'Location Location Location' last year, the awesome Morse Code Listener the previous year, and one third of the Mango team who set the Duke Ellington one from just the other week.

And, you CAN try before you buy - take a look at the link below for samples. (but if you download them, do them and find that you enjoy them, please subscribe)

http://www.piemag.com...ublic/sample-puzzles/

[Philoctetes]

Woke up at 7:27 this morning, with the "quotation" and last few answers buzzing round my head - been stumped last night Wonderful thing, the brain!

[Stavrolex]

Can't say this one one made a great impression... I thought the entry method was too easy to guess from the title and the first clue I looked at, and then it turned out there were only a few answers to be entered that way. There was also no need for the silly anagram of the unchecked letters. I would challenge anyone to find an alternative statement that would fit. Maybe a good introduction for newbies but we've already had 3 of those so far this year! Time for a toughie I feel.

[borealis]

Enjoyed this, but slight disappointment at (a) simplicity of a few clues compared with the rest (b) narrowness of thematic variation, which inevitably made for non-word entries (c) not as many as expected thematic entries. Am I being picky?

[tilbee]

RR and cJ thanks for the pointers re Magpie. Have just printed out the free samples, but fear I am going to regret this !

[contendo]

Today's EV is entertaining. I haven't quite finished it but I'm enjoying getting there.

[AndrewG-S]

I agree on EV an excellent and somewhat tricky puzzle.

[tilbee]

RR and cJ, think I may never forgive you. Straight into a Grade E (No 21, The Four Bs) and already hooked. Promised myself an early night before a tough week at work after celebating Chinese new year (Kung Hei Fat Choi to all!), but wine already opened and feel this may be a late evening. If they are all of this standard then I feel a subscritpion forthcoming.