Listener No 4347 Pairs By Elap

[Contrarian]

Fairly easy entry to the puzzle, but took me a while to see the final step.

Thanks Elap.

[AHearer]

A nice logical exercise. I didn't find the final step too bad, as once I'd obeyed step one according to the hint a pattern jumped out at me. As always, I am in awe of the skill of the compilers of the numericals. Many thanks, Elap.

[midazolam]

Elap. This was a terrific feat of construction to fit them all in one grid. It was a logical solving process and despite one who prefers non-numericals I enjoyed it immensely. As a setter myself I agree with your sentiments. However this site doesn't give away the crux of themes or solutions, occasional hints perhaps, but if divulgence is your concern then you should be turning your attention to the another site. Regularly giving away multiple solutions as well as the endgame to those who request it...I won't rant anymore...thanks for the puzzle.

[Elap]

Thanks, midazolam.

Other site?

[jockie]

Basstinado then, eh Elap?

[Ruthrobin]

Very impressed indeed Elap. What a feat of construction. It has taken us seven hours of head scratching!

[olichant]

Jockie - that is a magnificent pun and raised a smile after ages spent not getting the endgame on an unbelievably slow-moving train!

My but this is clever stuff. Elap, if there is any chance of a setter's blog, I for one would love to have an insight into how things like this can be put together!

[TheBear69]

I had exactly the same reaction as Contrarian and concur in his thanks, Elap. A very clever idea perfectly executed!

[Elap]

olichant: there will indeed be a setter's blog.

[perseverer]

I can only echo the comments of others.

[contendo]

Bastinado is too gentle for 'em. They deserve strappado.
Have only glanced at this puzzle. Am trying to summon the strength to take the plunge.

[Elap]

Erm... I think you've mistyped it - do you mean spratado?

[olichant]

Who would have thought so many fish-based torture puns existed?! Brilliant work. I was going to attempt one, but was worried I might be hung, prawn and quartered. (I'm so sorry...)

I'm looking forward to the blog. I find it intriguing that it's possible to give away just the right amount of work in the clues to allow a logical, coherent solution path. Really clever.

[starwalker]

As one who dislike numericals, I found this to be absolutely jaw-dropping. Thanks Elap. You may not have converted me, but it was a terrific attempt.

[icynorth]

I had surgery yesterday, and arrived home hoping for a Listener which would occupy me through a week of recovery with my feet up on the sofa. Well, it took most of today instead, but what a perfectly executed puzzle - I enjoyed it immensely - thank you.

Oh god, now I'll have to watch Eurovision...

[BMACMAC]

A wonderfully constructed puzzle, thanks, Elap. I particularly liked the self-checking aspect, which meant that any mistake, even in an unchecked cell, would come to light when doing the final stages. Just one minor point: I thought I'd made a mistake when trying to make 6 down fit what I'd filled in. I was about to start poring over my previous workings, then I discovered that in the clue for 6 down, I'd misread IJ as U !! Remember the discussion we had about character sets in the last numerical crossword? Anyway, you clearly can't be expected to cater for astigmatic fogeys like myself.

[Oyler]

As it was puzzle number 4347 I expected something to do with consecutive 2-digit primes that had a 3-digit prime at the end and posted to that effect on fb. It now appears that I have to eat my hat so I have purchased a fudge doughnut in the shape of one!

Anyway given Elap's previous puzzles and blogs I am amazed that they seem to have no idea as to how it was constructed. The setter is showing off his skill as a computer programmer, that's all.

[Cruncher]

What a prudish deletion from this thread! Solving Listener crosswords is such a masochistic exercise that I would have thought that there would be many of us who would positively relish a little carp-beating. Indeed having figured out the final step it is tempting to reveal just to bring a little Bank Holiday fun...

[Scorpius]

The sort of numerical I like, not too hard to see the way in, a logical progression after that, and no non-decimal bases. I wasn't prepared to spend hours pondering the endgame, so fortunately once I'd followed the first hint it didn't take too long to see how to apply the second.
My biggest mistake was to forget the precise wording of the preamble when compiling a list of letter values at the beginning, so I had invalid numbers such as 199 (three squares) in my list. 199 got me into a lot of trouble.

[British_Olympics]

... never mind personal pleasure Cruncher, in our neck of the woods it's actually a sport: