Listener 4176 : Small But Perfectly Formed by Quinapalus

[starwalker]

My heart sank when I saw the length of the preamble, but simply followed the straightforward instructions and the grid came together nicely. Quotation and play identified, now it's just a case of filling the odd gaps. I thought that 8, 13 was wonderful. Thanks Quinapalus.

[dr b]

Yes, two in a row where the instructions were more complicated than the puzzle. A nice construction, all in all.

[Ruthrobin]

Yes, indeed, Starwalker, my reaction was the same but this has proved to be delightful and not too demanding. I too have the quotation and the play and have to fill the odd gaps.

[midazolam]

Agree. When I saw it was a similar layout to Phiz by BeRo from last year, I thought we were in for a toughie, but it helped having the pathways identified to begin with. Even though it was easier, very much enjoyed it. The quotation from the play sums it up nicely. A break from the norm, so thanks Quinapalus - a setter I have not come across before, having produced his/her last Listener in 2002.

[Zabadak]

A pretty little thing which I suspect was more trouble to compile than to solve. The lengthy instructions are generous, and a single modification - not telling us which of the 4 and 5 letter words came first for example - would have made this much harder but not impossible. I was slightly surprised by the gaps, but they fill in nicely enough when you work out what you're supposed to do.
Would I be right in thinking that the cuboid is not (technically) a solid?

[Walterloo]

A perfect Listener. Interesting, a pleasure to insert the answers, good clues (8,13 and 17 were sublime) and a neat highlighting challenge. Thanks Quinapalus.

[AHearer]

Fun, with some nice clues. I feel at least one piece of information could have been withheld to make this more of a challenge.

[x_word_fan]

Good fun - Zabadak - a cuboid was a solid when I was teaching Maths.

[easylistener]

A cuboid still is a solid in the primary school I teach in. But as for the puzzle, I've got a long way to go to make much sense of it yet. Just as well it is half term week!

[tenflags]

8,13 was the first clue I did funny enough as it just drew the eye and yes it was rather nice. All gentle fun - a couple of word plays to just to go back and make absolutely sure they are nailed and time to watch QI.

[Alekhine]

Just managed to finish seconds before Mrs Alekhine phoned to be picked up from her friend's party.

Phew!

Fun enough, but there wasn't enough of it, was there?

[silversolver]

Comfortably in the Friday Club this week, despite not getting home until late, so this was a lot more gentle than it first appeared from the rather daunting preamble. Some nice clues (in addition to those mentioned above, I also particularly liked 13) and an ingenious construction. I agree with Zabadak and AHearer that an extra degree of difficulty could have been achieved by a slight change to the information given in the preamble, which would perhaps have made this more of a challenge. Nevertheless, great fun and thanks to Quinapalus.

[Mesnilpat]

Thank goodness for answerbank! I have just got the paper, took one look at the preamble and nearly gave up straight away. I shall take heart from previous posts and press on.

[perseverer]

Another very clever construction, although I don't think spatial awareness is really my thing!

Anyway thanks to Quinapalus, and can I recommend his site

http://www.quinapalus.com/matcher.html

to anyone who is unaware of it.

(Numbers next week?)

[tilbee]

Agree with previous comments. Another enjoyable but not overly taxing puzzle. Like Perseverer not great on spacial awareness, but nothing too demanding required here.

[teuchter2]

Best of the year so far for me. I really enjoyed this one and might have made the Friday club if I hadn't been entertaining last night.

[pushmi-pullyu]

I was daunted by the preamble, but found it much easier than I expected. I enjoyed 13 width, but must confess that I had to do some research on Wikipedia to understand 8,13.

[Rogue-Elfe]

I'm in agreement with all the comments thus far - except that for me the wordplay element of 17 doesn't quite seem to gel correctly. The answer word they must be looking for isn't quite the same as the definition word; but then as it's another of those lovely &lits, who cares?
I stumbled on 22 as well, somehow insisting that the bit I thought was the definition HAD to be the definition (and it wasn't).
Far above (8/13) and all the others mentioned, I absolutely adored (7/20) - having a degree in maths including the study of complex numbers, I didn't even think that such a mathematically correct statement could be construed as a cryptic clue as well!
Great crossword and - who-hoo!- I'm still on 100% solving success!

[Rogue-Elfe]

Hey, thanks Perseverer! Through your link I (re?)discovered Qat which is helping me immensely with the Magpie's 'Two Titles' (Shackleton).

[Ruthrobin]

Yes, it must be time for another Magpie plug - please subscribe if you haven't done so already! We are anxious for that polished production to survive its current problems. To preempt those who are about to say 'What is the Magpie?' here is a link.
http://www.piemag.com/

[aldanna]

Yes, I agree with many of the comments. Once I had got my head round the fearsome preamble and the clues in six different directions, this proved straightforwardly entertaining. I finished it last night, so morally in the Friday club, perhaps.