Listener 4040: In Shock by Hubris

[AHearer]

Not too difficult a challenge this week, but I found the highlighting a little disappointing because of the lack of symmetry: a time-invariant version, omitting the central symbol, would have allowed more. I was awfully tempted by spin and noise. I'm not pretending for a moment that I could have done better, but I think other setters could have led us to a more satisfying outcome.

[shelouse]

Thanks, turnerjmw, for the reassurance. Have now got the subject. I didn't see the point of the hints you objected to but do now!

Philoctetes, I do agree. I long to be able to conribute assistance rahter than ask for it, but I get the paper on Saturday, and generally don't start the Listener till Sunday morning: I like to savour it. Thus, I am never in synch and the questions have all been answered by the time I get engaged with the thread. Actually feel quite upset if I have it all done and dusted by Monday pm.

[AHearer]

Looking back through this thread, it looks as if I owe everyone an apology. I thought I had started the thread (no apology there) but kept my comments cryptic enough that they wouldn't be of direct help but might spark comments from friends who had completed the puzzle. If I got it wrong, I'm sorry.

[turnerjmw]

No apology necessary, AHearer, I don't think you did.

I have misgivings about my original post, which I only made because I felt that in this puzzle, quite unusually, the highlighting was the main difficulty, and a single hint would reveal all. And having spent longer on it than the solving, as did many others, I suppose I thought it a shame if that part was too easily given away. Wanted others to endure the same struggle, perhaps!

But I know you're well attuned to the sensitivities over these threads, and my comment, certainly, was merely intended for future posters (rather haughtily, as I see now, for which I too apologise) rather than past ones.

[IntoTheBlue]

All clear now and I totally agree with AHearer's original comments on the puzzle.

I definitely spent more time wordsearching than gridfilling but as usual the answers were 'staring me in the face'.

IntoTheBlue

[AHearer]

Thanks, turnerjmw.

[thebuzz999]

I found it very dissatisfying. This is the type of puzzle where you may think you've highlighted things correctly but the desired answer may be different than what you found. While I am absolutely sure I have the three longer 'characterisitcs', I am less condifent about the three short ones. What I have marked makes sense to me, but I suppose a 'better' answer may exist.

[x_word_fan]

I'm worried now as I have a 7,4 and 3 x 3 (two of which are the same) - still looking!

[jamesah]

I'm reasonably convinced that I've highlighted the correct letters without understanding some of the comments above! Is the 4 letter word symmetrically placed in 'the subject of the description'? I always thought that it was which would make the puzzle slightly flawed for that reason.

[perseverer]

I think the orientation of the 4 letter word in the subject of the puzzle is as shown, and you simply can't place it symmetrically in a 13 cell wide grid.

[Mysterons]

It's a good job the 33 were specified, otherwise I'd have been tempted to highlight 25 across also !

(Was anyone else diverted by TACKY at 36 ?)

[emcee]

I started this one late so have only just finished. I thought some of the clues were quite poor but didn't have too much of a problem with the shading -- it's the traditional finish i.e. you know when you have what is required. Any doubt and you're probably wrong!

[twoshortplan]

Finally got it. Having trouble finding the two threes. Puzzle might have been better if they were not included as they spoil whatever symmetry exists

[Philoctetes]

1) I would say that one of the highlighted words is not "essential" to the entity described, though others are
2) Is there a point to the title?

[IntoTheBlue]

Philoctetes... What is in 'shock' ?

IntoTheBlue

[cluelessJoe]

IntoTheBlue - thanks, I was having the same trouble in twigging the title but now see it's relevance.
Yes Mysterons, I suffered the same diversion over 'tacky' which seemed to fit the clue jsut fine
cJ

[bobbycollins]

Add me to the list of disgruntled word searchers. I felt that the ending was rather half hearted and almost baffled me following what was a pretty routine grid fill.

[Philoctetes]

Yes, ITB, that was the best I could get. But still fairly weak. (I do seem to be getting grumpy these days - must be the heat)

[Mysterons]

Glad to learn that I wasn't the only one, cJ - at least we weren't diverted for too long.

On reflection, a tennis-themed crossword would have been ideal foir this puzzle number .... Anyone for Juice ?

[bellabee]

Following this thread has made me more confused. There seems to be two camps. One is quite unsure it has the right answers. The other is adamant it has, and that the answers are staring us in the face. Well, I've stared at this since Saturday. I have the obvious 7. I also have the obvious 4, which I think should be the central bar of a letter which is the symbol for the subject. I also have two 3s which are the same and are abbreviations. These are asymmetrical. Am I hopelessly wrong here? Or should I keep staring?

[Cruncher]

Keep staring!

I too played around with the idea that the highlighting would reveal a salient letter or three - but no. Consider your two three letter abbreviations. In one way they're the same - in other way they are exactly opposite....