Listener 4330: Following The Brief By External

[AHearer]

A pleasing puzzle with a neatly worded preamble. It's always pleasing to learn something along the way, so many thanks to eXternal. But we're still waiting for the first tough challenge of the year.

[olichant]

I agree in all respects. And I greatly appreciate the brief. The wordplay in 26d involved something that was new to me, and made me chuckle.

[starwalker]

Cannot argue with what has been said, but am I the only one to find the bottom half of the grid easier to fill than the top half ?

[AHearer]

For me, starwalker, it was the other way round.

[Pasquin]

Fascinating puzzle. I didn't know much about the brief, and nothing at all about the follower or his amazing invention. Great fun, thanks eXternal. I was slightly held up with the bottom half until I understood the brief.

[Ruthrobin]

No, we struggled with the top left hand corner and haven't really found this very easy at all, though the theme was 'familiar'.

[fyellin]

Sigh. Once again, the puzzle is completed, but I'm not quite sure precisely what to mail in and which possibilities the checkers will accept.

"The contents of certain cells must be changed." In two cells, I know precisely the change to make, but know of two ways to indicate the change.

[Ruthrobin]

Yes, Fyellin, I share your dilemma and can actually think of three variants for one of those two cells.

[contendo]

It would have helped to know that the quotation is not in the ODQ, even the early editions. Having filled the grid I'm still struggling with the next phase.

[upsetter]

Agreed AHearer.
There is no reason why a Listener should be much easier than this one to encourage newcomers.
A Newbie will have already solved for example Azed and does not need gimme clues when the preamble is helpful and unambiguous.
Very enjoyable.

[doctormatt]

Really good fun, and it plenty of levels of challenge. Thanks eXternal!

[s_pugh]

After two unambiguous Listeners I suppose it had to come to an end. Very dispiriting to have a complete grid, quotation and brief and not the faintest idea of what is to be done next due to a vague preamble. Unimpressed.

[rhona121]

Thoroughly enjoyable throughout.

[contendo]

I'm with you S_pugh. It's irritating to fill the grid and then be faced with an ambiguous preamble and no discernible route to take to make any progress.

[tilbee]

The gentle start to the year continues. Some generous clueing and the endgame works out nicely if you read the preamble carefully. Good fun if somewhat short-lived, so thanks to eXternal.

[fyellin]

Very strange. Based on the preamble and the quotation, I knew exactly what I was supposed to do, though I was less sure *where*. As soon as I found the first cell to change, the others came quickly.

A more thorough reading of the BRB (and looking at the hardcover, rather than my online version) has resolved my issues of ambiguity.

[Staurologist]

I agree wholeheartedly with ahearer: I imagine that any tiro should be able to complete this delightful little puzzle without too much difficulty.

[borealis]

Like fyellin, issues of ambiguity neatly resolved by hard copy of BRB. Easier than average? Yes, but enjoyable clueing and ideas. Thanks, eXternal.

[icynorth]

Greetings, Listener regulars. I'm a bit of a novice, but I've now completed the first four of this year without much difficulty. They're no less enjoyable for it, but I can imagine you seasoned solvers are anxious for a more robust challenge.

[Cagey]

I found this quite difficult. But still enjoyable. I have only a minor quibble. It does not specify that the letters of the highlight should be adjacent and although it is obvious what is intended letters in row 2 also fit the instruction.

[tilbee]

For someone who wants direct guidance to the solution of a Listener puzzle, there are other threads available. However there is one consistent contributor here who always seems willing to give the game away just to demonstrate his/her own cleverness.