Listener 4259: Redraw By Nod

[emcee]

A quickly filled grid but the endgame is proving elusive. Let the head-scratching begin...

[IainGrace]

Agree with others that 33 works, although not easy to explain why without thereby giving assistance to those who haven't solved the clue - which would be frowned upon in this forum.

[Contrarian]

Sorry to go off topic slightly, but can someone confirm that it is ok to submit two solutions in one envelope? I haven't got round to sending off last week's yet.

Thanks.

[aldanna]

I am almost certain (!) that there is no problem with the two solutions in one envelope.

[jim360]

It's fine, so long as the envelope is clearly marked as containing two solutions.

[Contrarian]

Ok, thanks.

[Cruncher]

I had toyed with a puzzle on this theme for some time so, smugly or what, I guessed the theme as soon as I saw the title and then of course the clue hints are there in spades. Still took me a while to figure out the final manoeuvre. If anyone wants to explore the theme further there is an absolutely wonderful musical version of the source which I personally think is better than the original

[Mesnilpat]

I've just looked at the puzzle again and saw the answer immediately, very clever and well signposted - once the penny drops. Not the hardest Listener ever, but very enjoyable.

[borealis]

Lovely title. The final piece for me, but shouldn't have been, for anyone familiar with the Speravi principle. Enjoyed this, and with others unfamiliar one hint led the way. Very minor niggles: 1: source material too short for description? 2: "changes" to short for their description!

[freiheid]

I thought this a very enjoyable puzzle, with quite inventive clues. As for commenters who say the hints gave too much away, I fail to see how on earth you could solve this without any hints as to the specific subject matter.

[Scorpius]

I don't think anyone has said that the hints gave too much away. I think the puzzle is solvable without the hints, but they, or at least some of them, are probably necessary to confirm what's to be changed, otherwise the solver could be left with the anxious thought that he/she's stumbled across an amazing coincidence and missed the real thing.

Many above assure me that 33 is fine, so obviously it is. I've never encountered a clue of this type with this particular word order, so was rather floored by it. Apologies to Nod. One lives and learns.

[emcee]

For someone, such as myself, who is unfamiliar with the theme, the hints could not be found as they related directly to the theme rather than a description of it.
Fortunately another aspect of the puzzle allowed me to deduce the theme and then find the hints afterwards -- rather 'back to front' from the normal mode of solution.

[Staurologist]

What a turn-up for the books--a simple elegant puzzle with a pleasurable denouement and an aptly allusive title, all prompting a re-read and eager anticipation of a related forthcoming item on Radio 3. More of this please.

[Alekhine]

Grid filled on Friday. Word search yesterday.

What a fine endgame! One that Alexander Alekhine would have been proud of.

[Philoctetes]

Straightforward, perfect for a weekend when I was away. Two hints were just too blatant, one being en plain, and one should ring a bell from an entirely different work in another medium from 30 years ago.

[Scree]

I enjoyed this. Some fairly easy clues, found two or three words hidden in the completed grid which got me nowhere, then spotted useful-looking changes I could make.

Couldn't see what this had to do with the message from initial letters, but as I looked at what I was actually changing light finally dawned.

With hindsight the hints hidden in the clues might seem obvious, but I'm glad I didn't spot them in advance - much more satisfying to solve the endgame the wrong way round! Yes, a neat title and an elegant puzzle.

[sunny-dave]

Now that I really liked - excellent antidote to the longueurs of 4261.