Listener 4738 Even Odder By Ploy

[HawkCrossword]

Thanks, Ploy.

I liked the way the message was derived from the grid, but I felt the theme wasn’t really reflected in what turned out to be a fairly standard puzzle of its type - quite a slog, too, with a grid of this size. My first reading of the preamble suggested it was going to be something quite different. It’s certainly an achievement to derive those keyword clues for such a grid, but the whole thing hasn’t left me learning anything from the experience - a nice arithmetical workout, though.

[Cruncher]

The usual head scratching to get started but then an orderly path through with the reassurance of the emerging quotation confirming the entries. For me, having sorted the numerical values with about half the grid filled, the rest of the gridfill was bit of a slog.
Certainly not as intimidating as it appeared at first reading.

[perseverer]

As has been said, quite a slog even after you have sorted out all the letter values, with the temptation not to bother completing everything. However worth persevering if only to see how Ploy managed to paraphrase the original quote in only 30 letters. Thanks,Ploy.

[emcee]

Had to solve this in quantum packets due to time constraints.

I thought it was a good numerical. Reading the preamble, I initially made it more difficult than it actually was; fortunately, I hadn't gone too far down the line before realising such was impossible.

Thanks, Ploy.

[Philoctetes]

A very enjoyable, mid-range numerical. A straightforward entry point and a strong logical path. My biggest obstacle was making sure I used the values relevant to the clues. Thanks, Ploy

[Scorpius]

I'm relieved that some found it a slog. So wasn't just me.

Having said that, it was only after I'd worked out values of eleven of the letters that it became a bit of a slog (especially my last four). Until then it was relatively straightforward, though I did have to start again when I hit a clash resulting from an inadvertent swap of across and right values for one of the letters. That's the main reason I'm not a fan of numericals - an error usually means one has to go back to square one.