Listener No 4214 A Noted Performance by Nutmeg

[Ruthrobin]

This must be our fastest solve ever but what a pleasure to have a straight-forward crossword by an accomplished setter (who is the B crossword in this month's Magpie too - Magpie plug). The theme is so beautifully related to the method of entry and, for once, we won't be biting our nails on Sunday. Thank you for a delightful compilation Nutmeg.

[magichour]

Not much more to add, I'm not usually in the Friday club so it must have been easy! Not complaining though, it's nice to have the weekend Listener-free for a change.

[AndrewG-S]

A read through and 19 clues solved. A look at the preamble and most bits fell into place. Another read through and 15 more. Perfectly well constructed but I think slightly tougher clues were in order really. One for newcomers this week.

[Texasetes]

Q: Worth waiting a week for?
A: No.

[tilbee]

Don't normally check in until have at least gone and bought the paper on a Saturday and am close to completion. However, lot to do tomorrow and wondered how much time I would have to do all my chores and still feed my compulsion. Sounds like I do not have too much to worry about and will still have rake up those pesky leaves.

[fallster]

An unfamiliar theme for me, but got there with a bit of internet digging. As others have said, the clues were certainly on the quite easy side this week.

[starwalker]

@Ruthrobin - that doesn't bode well for my future calculations, does it ?

[trux]

Completed this by copying grid onto blank back page of latest Magpie (another plug here, some tough challenges this month) as no printer to hand. Delightful to solve it from my balcony overlooking the Ponte Vecchio on a clear Florentine morning. Lovely thematic treatment made me smile frequently and kept the fun going. Many thanks to Nutmeg.

[Ruthrobin]

Indeed not, Starwalker, but whenever the numerical comes, I hide for a week. They moved them from the final Saturday to the penultimate one of February, May, August and November didn't they.

[emcee]

RuthRobin:

(laughing) Yes, I am an old whinge I guess!

I think my only 'gripe' was that it would have been a tad more diplomatic had you have posted later. It smacks a bit of, "Please, Sir, I've finished: what do I do now?" while everyone else is still working away.

Heigh-ho, it's only a crossword.

[aldanna]

Yes, an easy one, but quite enjoyable - finished it last night despite impressing two small grandsons with video of fifty-year-old film and by making baked alaska. Should have more time for the doubtless harder one next week.

[dr b]

Juneau the capital of the 49th state?
No, but my sister's here, Alaska.

[perseverer]

3 points - Yes, very easy for a Listener, but still educational - I have been prompted to learn who the historical figure (probably) was.
Secondly, depending on how you sort the least straightforward method of down entry, the approximately equal becomes less approximate!
Finally dr b, please don't start on Perry Como's Delaware!

[sunny-dave]

nice 'n' easy does it ... and I feel some of the previous posts have been a bit sniffy (says dave after having a mega-rant himself last week).

A nice theme, accurate (if gentle) clues and a bit of tinkering with the down answers - seems like a textbook Listener to me and a really good one to suggest to new converts - we all started with something easy I'm sure.

[easylistener]

Hooray one for me at last!
Not sure though that the preamble is correct in saying approximately equal. I had more of one than the others. Would have been better to have them all equal.

[AndrewG-S]

I got hooked by shakleton's sine qua non, not the easiest but I felt incredibly satisfied in finishing it and by some quirk of fate happened to be in Germany when it all fell into place.

[fortyseven]

easylistener - re "approximately": if you split your answers in what you consider your largest category into two depending on how each of those answers is entered in the grid, you will be much nearer to "approximately".

[the_heisman]

Andrew
I was the same. I had started to do the odd one but the staggering multi-layered genius of Sine Qua Non got me really hooked.

[teuchter2]

Yes, nice to have an easy one for a change, and it was good fun, especially for a single brain rather than a team. I would have finished on Friday if I hadn't had grandchildren staying. Can't get rid of them now because of a train derailment!

[sunny-dave]

Have just gone to the Times site & printed off Sine Qua Non (4079) - looks like a good challenge ...

< it originally appeared in March 2010 when I was having a Listener Sabbatical >

[tramart]

In 2D shouldn't "crowds" be singular?