Listener 4187: Prize and Prize-winner by Dysart

[midazolam]

The lack of numbers in the grid didnt hold this puzzle up for long and now having obtained a full grid, the author, birthplace, the removed five letter collection and one of the three novels highlighted, it is now a case of hunting. I do like a hunt...

[mathsman]

I presume the red herring is in line 10, unless I have 39A incorrect.

[contendo]

I'm not sure what people think has been too overt in this thread. It seems to me it has been a model of restraint, though I don't think anyone should answer Mathsman's query.

[BlackHugh]

Well I'm afraid I got egg on my face in more than one place so that while I had completed all the pre-amble material yesterday still took me 24 more hours to fill in the final clue. Great puzzle though. I haven't heard of the writer before - anyone care to send a (personal) book review to [email protected]

[TheBear69]

Those of you that think key information is not being revealed in this thread are kidding yourselves. A cursory reading of this thread tells one that there is a red herring concerning the author's name and that the author's name is an unfamiliar one - at least to a couple of posters. Armed with that information the solver can simply skip over the red herring (which now will be obviously such) and keep searching for the right name.

Of course, now I am guilty of the same infraction - but I claim that that cat is already out of the bag.

[Cruncher]

I too fell into the trap of course but then realised that none of the other info would fit. I have two distinct sites for the three-word title although one is a complete entry so I guess that one is wrong - too easy. And whilst the number is clear enough the exact manner of its entry is also ambigous IMHO. So not a clean finish in the Cruncher lair.

[ichkeria]

It's almost impossible to talk about a puzzle without revealing information about it. Surely the answer for those of us who don't want anything given away is to stay away from the discussion until we've completed it. Ideally those who benefit from anything given away would not submit an entry that week.

[the_heisman]

The point is that if there is a red herring it is there for a reason and simply to blurt out that you have discovered it seems completely wrong to me and destructive to other people's enjoyment. For what it's worth I had finished before so it didn't spoil it for me but why spoil it for anyone?

[ichkeria]

With respect the point is that people wanting not to have their enjoyment spoiled shouldn't be coming to an Answerbank thread on the subject!

[the_heisman]

but as can readily be seen, many of the contributors have not completed the puzzle and, as i do, enjoy the comments of fellow sufferers/devotees as they tackle it. To the extent that one has achieved a breakthrough it does not seem an unreasonable restriction to exercise a tiny proportion of the care and subtlety used in the construction of the crossword to avoid giving the game away to everyone else. if people want to do that they could at least wait until the posting deadline.

[logophile]

If I'm honest red herrings in Listener crosswords irritate me so I for one am grateful that RR and the others unfettered the feline early on so that I could concentrate on the real puzzle. On the other hand, I did gain some 'free help' from the setter in the SW corner by spotting the interloper with only his last four letters in place, but on balance I'd rather see less of this device at this level.

[ichkeria]

I'm sorry but I cannot see the point in coming to these threads to discuss this puzzle before one has finished it AND expecting not to see something being revealed - usually incidentally - by someone who has already finished it.
Some people genuinely want assistance and so long as they aren't sending in their solutions I cannot see the harm in that.
If you don't want hints, even unintentional ones - then restrain yourself until you've finished it!

[u10]

Specific answers to clues seem to be available on the Crossword Help Forum.

[IainGrace]

We are still struggling with the clue number. We have a solution but are not confident that it is absolutely bulletproof. Without giving any more away than is strictly necessary in answer to this query, are those who have cracked this problem absolutely certain that there is a single unambiguous answer, and does the preamble give any hidden assistance?

[magichour]

Too much has been said on this thread already, so - to IainGrace - drop me an email if you like. [email protected]

[IainGrace]

Thanks, magichour. We'll battle on a little bit yet, I think, as we are always reluctant to be defeated. Will bear the offer in mind, though.

[Philoctetes]

Nothing too tricky in the answers. I put it to one side once I had identified the author (of whom I had never heard) then did the remaining search in a couple of minutes. Very pleasing all round. I do think it was a little loose for those here to point out there was a red herring. Slapped wrists I think but not the naughty chair.

[tramart]

Enjoyed it, but I now have a dreadful tune that I can't get rid of.

[Cruncher]

IainGrace - I struggled with the clue number too but when the PDM came it was unambiguous for me at least. Sure it will be for you too. If you're in any doubt you're probably pursuing the wrong line of thought

[PureListener]

First post ever. I don't think the unintentional hints in the thread have given as much away this week as some previous threads. I managed to get the theme thanks to the erased word appearing very soon with less than a quarter of the grid filled, followed by some guesswork and googling. Not sure how anyone could have solved this without the internet. The required clue number is unambiguous once you have found it though. Off to amazon now to buy one of these novels.

[the_heisman]

Ichkeria you are entitled to your view and as i said i had finished it before looking at the website but i still dont like it. i think it is disrespectful to the setter and other solvers while the posting period is still current. i really think it not difficult and actually rather appealing to see how people can make interesting comments while avoiding giving too much away. If that is the type of site that this becomes i would prefer to avoid it completely.