Listener 4273 - Conflict By Pointer

[TheBear69]

Thanks, Pointer, for an absolutely superb Listener. Maybe POTY...

[Mesnilpat]

At last! A glimmer of enlightenment - some of my guesswork clearly wasn't as inspired as it could have been as I've got more than the required quota of clashes but at least I think I know what's going on. For me, a very good puzzle, I'm not nearly clever enough to start analysing clue structure or relate to past puzzles but I'm quite happy to live in the present and as a bear of little brain, enjoy a fun puzzle for what it is. Thanks Pointer.

[perseverer]

Well, I thought both the clues and construction were outstanding. Perhaps not quite puzzle of the year for me, but close. Many thanks to Pointer.

Also congratulations to TheBear for being finished by 7.00 on Friday! Re 9d if you know a particular fact, the wordplay is very obvious, if you don't know it, then it's impossible, so perhaps a valid quibble. And Cruncher, it's pantomime season.

[tenflags]

I'm surprised no one has suggested there may be a typo in the clue to 5a ...then again maybe not as I'm usually wrong.. still I can only make sense of the word play by "correcting" one letter - and then it reads beautifully.
No doubt I will have will egg on my face - as usual.

[tilbee]

Tenflags, I think 5a is fine unless I am missing something. I share others' delight in a brilliant construction. Clues ranged from the easy to very difficult and indeed I only solved my final clue (35d) after everything else had been fully resolved. An excellent workout so many thanks to Pointer.

[Scorpius]

Tenflags, 5a is fine. Part of the wordplay is not dissimilar to that of another clue.

[emcee]

I've double and triple-checked my solution this morning. I understand all the wordplays, have the message and the word at the bottom. BUT I don't have the fourth letter of the word (a vowel). Has anybody else had this problem?

[miqq]

I'm new to the Listener Crossword - only started a few months ago - and I finish about a third of them. This one has got me really bogged down - I've finished the grid but the extra letters seem crazy. I thought the instruction was clear but not clear enough! Would some more experienced solver drop me a hint at [email protected] so that I can get on with Christmas please.

[Cruncher]

Hi Emcee - I found a clash for that one ok. Sorry!

[tenflags]

thanks Scorpius and Tilbee ... I think I understand the construct I still just think 'harD' should read 'harM' in the clue.. but no-one else seems to think so, .ergo I am wrong.

[Scorpius]

tenflags, I now see what you mean. If you check the entries in Chambers for both the wordplay element and the letters it denotes you will see an identical phrase in both.

On another matter, nobody has so far commented on the fact that the checking is exceptionally generous (92%), which adds to the achievement of the grid construction. Thank goodness it was. I'd probably be still struggling to solve clues if the checking had been the norm for a Listener.

[s_pugh]

Hi Emcee - same here (funny how that happens). I went back to square one and after filling everything carefully I spotted my mistake just over an hour ago if you get my drift ... ! Brilliant puzzle to (almost) end the year, many thanks to Pointer for a cracker.

[contendo]

This is the second asymmetrical grid in succession. Is this a new trend? As for me, I'm still mystified by the spelling of the instruction.

[jim360]

Not bad, pointer. Not bad at all...

[emcee]

Thanks cruncher and s_pugh. I've obviously been stupid/ careless somewhere. Time to check again!

[Coalminers]

Just....Wow! Gravity certainly took its time to take effect on that particular penny. Happy Christmas all!

[Cagey]

Nearly done. pdm early with this one. Four clues to work through, but seem to have far to few extra letters. I think the final word will be my undoing. Maybe will come after some Christmas cheer. Fab puzzle.

[teuchter2]

I'm completely stumped by this one. I have plenty of answers for which I can't get the wordplay and can't fathom out the instruction from the initial letters. I think I'll just give up. Merry Christmas everyone.

[aldanna]

I now have an almost full grid, a completely incomprehensible instruction, and visitors about to arrive. Another one for the "failed" pile, I fear.

[freiheid]

Very enjoyable once (belatedly) understood. The clueing, I thought, was deceptive and very good, with a number of Shackleton-style subtractions of largish elements from even longer words to leave the desired 2-4 letters.

[EAChaplin]

I think it's appropriate to send season's greetings to all the setters with our thanks for a vintage year of Listener puzzles - and keep them coming.