Listener Crossword 4014: Without Bars by Elgin

[midazolam]

Hope everyone had a nice Xmas. Here is the link for Elgin's Listener Crossword. Last of a very enjoyable cruciverbal year from the Listener team

[jamesah]

I think I've finished, a nice symmetrical grid, all spaces filled with two letters in one space but I've no idea what the various actions and subsequent actions are! I'll look forward to reading the explanation when it comes out. Another excellent puzzle however how the setters do it I don't know.

[midazolam]

Well Waterloo (going back to your first thread), I think you are right on both accounts. Overindulgence with both food and drink together with commitments meant episodic completion. However I also found this tough in places with some clues I am still not sure of the full wordplay.

On the whole a nice offering from Elgin following a long absence (does it take 4 years to get a Xmas Xword published in the Listener?). I don't think there are any ambiguities as it all fell into place (or not as the case may be)

p.s. 1 down (which I don't think is a great clue): the first word of the clue should tell you which to choose

happy new year

[bobbycollins]

Belated Season's greetings to a jolly nice gang of Listener lovers ( and to Listenerite).

Brilliant, but the preamble, to Mr Thicko, is still rather a curate's egg. Again, I was looking for way to much at the final step.

[Cruncher]

re 1 down - the word "quite" is also a guide

[Walterloo]

thebuzz999

______ER

'One does a lot' refers to a person doing this particular task. And the last 7 letters of the answer are also confirmed by 'quite fresh'.

[Walterloo]

.....sorry, I hadn't seen that others had already helped! I missed the link to the next page of postings.
Happy new year to all.

[thebuzz999]

Re: ____ER

'One WHO does a lot' would define a person; "one does a lot" is some sort of comment on the toils of daily life. If I say "One does one's best" you would not take that as a definition of a do-er.

Nothing in Chambers, to me, implies that 'quite' is a comparative indicator. To me, 'quite fresh' just as well (if not better) clues the ED form.

[lordbadger]

Hmmm I thought 1d was a bit of dodgy clue too, but sound enough.

I think the answer is unambiguous. �fresh mainly� pins it down; this should give you two letters to go �inside� the words that I guess everyone is thinking of for �appear� and �quite�.

�One does a lot� adequately defines the answer in my opinion.

Best wishes to all for a merry NYE tomorrow.

[MartianAlien]

Failed again within sight of the winning post.
OK, got the 2 words from the jumbled unused letters, which provides a single "gap letter" and hints at a theme. The 8 asterisked letters could give any of several 4-letter words, but not obviously part of theme.

[Deviant]

I've got a bit further - up to 5 of the 7, but going blind looking for the other 2. I think I must have one or two of the answers wrong as I still have 7 spaces unfilled and nothing I can see to fill those gaps (or any way of doing so). Even if I assume that there'll still be empty cells after the 7, I'm still struggling :(

[Cruncher]

The two words hint at a familiar thematic reference. The two words from the asterisked letters refer to another part of the same source which will in turn enable you to fill a lot of the remaining gaps.

[MartianAlien]

OK - now I understand the 7 unclued "items", but ... after adding the first 2 unclued entries and before I enter the other 7 unclued items I have 11 unfilled cells in the 4 partial entries. Will adding all 7 fill the above 11 gaps?
I have 5 of the 7 "items" but 6 empty cells still.

[lordbadger]

MartianAlien, after you�ve filled in the 7 further unclued entries, you will have one gap left in each of the 4 special clue answers.

[cluelessJoe]

Thanks for the link M. I've started this one a bit late after a spell of long-distance walking, so will have to reserve final judgement - I've reached the initially filled stage with the 2 plus 7 unclued words in place, so can now look forward to (hopefully) cracking the previous/subsequent actions. I think I'll leave those delights until next year though.
Just stopped by to say thanks to all for your good company through the year - hope you all enjoy a healthy and enjoyable 2009 & see you then!
cJ

[MartianAlien]

Are the 2 sets of instructions restricted to the original 4 partially filled entries?

[alice50]

I'm stuck at interpreting the two words from the asterisked cells. Am I suppose to be reading these in some natural order, or are these too a jumble (which seems harsh!)

[AHearer]

Sorry, alice50, but they are a jumble. Harsh, maybe.

[alice50]

Okay, is the jumble (ROT13) "yvar svir"? If so, how does that help?

[alice50]

Oops, never mind, the penny dropped as to what was going on two seconds after posting.

[cluelessJoe]

Well, hats off to you guys because this one has got me struggling. Added the 7 unclued, but I'm still staring at a grid with an empty column, plus 4 other vacant lights and can't for the life of me work out how to get back to a full fill. Help!