Listener 4048: Rules of Construction by Poat

[midazolam]

With the thought that I failed on Poat's last 2 listeners, I knew we would be in for some tough clues.

Excellent construction, clues (although i havent worked the wordplay out on a couple yet) and a finish that ties everything together. Thanks Poat

[Clamzy]

Although finished on Monday I haven't submitted yet. Like cJ I have 2 unresolved answers. Maybe someone here resides in Wimbledon and can enlighten me on one of them, and in 25 I fully understand the wordplay but if the last word is the definition it eludes me.

[turnerjmw]

Hi Clamzy, I used to live in SW19 which, of course, is best known for its tennis courts. And in 25, I think the last word simply helps to qualify the penultimate one. The definition is the number at the start.

[cluelessJoe]

Clamzy - I had the same problem with SW19 but have just seen it .. the answer is contained within what Wimbledon has a lot of. As for 25, I think the last word is merely a qualifier for the penultimate - try checking out other meanings for your answer to 21 in Chambers.

[cluelessJoe]

... a couple of coincident and almost identical responses there - beat me by a minute jmw!

[turnerjmw]

Indeed, cluedup. Eerily similar, right down to the postcode. Makes a change, I'm normally too old and too slow!

[cluelessJoe]

me too!
... oh and I forgot to mention, but I used to live there also!

[Clamzy]

Of course. First class clueing. Thanks to you both for your (almost) simultaneous contributions.

[robinruth]

I've stayed silent as I was completely out of my depth here (but loved that 'London' clue once it was explained to me).
Re the Magpie - if I can solve one a month, I pat myself on the back. Sometimes it's a score of Magpie 5, me 0 - but they are a fascinating glimpse of how convoluted crosswords can be.

[s436]

Would anyone have any pointers for someone with a full grid, 10 extra words in quite reasonable seeming pairs, and yet no idea what on earth is going on? :)

[cluelessJoe]

s436 - perseverer's post above advising philoctetes seemed to work for the latter when in a similar position to yours. (Basically, look very closely at your grid)

[s436]

Silly me, I'd spotted that, and it was a huge help in filling the grid, I just hadn't made the leap to the 6 elements. With the Listener I tend to assume I need to scour Greek mythology or some obscure philosophical tract or something...thus missing what in retrospect seems blatantly obvious.

[x_word_fan]

S436- I could have written your 12.28 post word for word - however I had/have spotted nothing and still can' t!! When we say the grid are we talking about the entries or the type of entries or the blank grid.

[perseverer]

Look at the words you can see in the completed grid.

[Flocko]

Please don't anyone give it away!
Anyone who has the grid filled needs no further help!

[Cruncher]

It is a tribute to the setter how something so obvious - once you see it - is not at all obvious until you do. I guess that's kind of an obvious remark

[alice50]

I'm having a real hard time finishing the final few clues off, and I see nothing obvious in the grid at all. Would really appreciate a more specific hint to what it is I'm looking for in the grid.

[Speravi]

This is at the limit of my ability - got there in the end, though. For me, there were two PDMs: firstly, the systematic arrangement (which fell into place quite easily once I had a grid that was nearly completed), and, secondly, when I realised that the theme eliminated one of my two candidates for the missing element. - giving a very pleasing finish. The cluing was, I thought, superb - very inventive, misleading, and scrupulously fair. A triumph of the art.

[alice50]

Never mind, the penny has finally dropped. An amazing construction, and the coup de grace with the final element is wonderful. I had a really hard time with this one, but it was all worth it!