Listener 4078: The Fragmentation of Reality by Lavatch

[Zabadak]

This one's a gem: don't be put off by the complex instructions or that fearsome 65,536 possible combinations: It all comes out well in the end. Good, fair clues, some lovely PDM's, and a satisfying final resolution. And I learned some stuff that I didn't know (to my shame) about the main theme. I especially liked the character that needs to be ringed - thats a doozy that I've not seen used before: does anyone know of an instance?
I'm also interested to know whether the title has a particular reference to the subject: I can find one isolated connection, but a fair bit in the general vicinity.

[Ruthrobin]

Catstail,
For 12, look up the first five letters of your solution in Chambers. You will be referred to a four-letter word that will convince you.

[Cruncher]

Very good. The ringing was the last PDM for me and made me smile. Intrigued to check out the source material now.

[JackDeCrow]

Just got round to writing over my pencil entries in pen and have noticed I still have a problem. Has anyone else got the same two letters to choose from in Group A answers for 14a and 29d and no particular reason to choose one way or the other?

[JackDeCrow]

Doh - sorry, ignore that!

[x_word_fan]

I see that it would have been a very special birthday today! Not a coincidence I suspect.

[catstail]

Well done x_word_fan. I had missed that.

[TerenceSpud]

One word: Wow!

Can someone explain to me the significance of the last two words of 41ac? My answer to the clue works fine without them, but there's an ambiguity that makes me think I might have the uncrossed letter incorrect if there's some deeper meaning...

[LewapYellow]

Hi
I have answered all Group A clues except the wordplay answer for 7ac, so therefore have 15 of the sixteen letters of which I need 8 to make the thematic name. When choosing the relevant letter from each pair should I be reading in clue order, the order in which they appear in the grid (left to right / up to down) or is it a jumble?
Enjoying this one so far - I just hope I can see it through to its conclusion!
Cheers

[daagg]

TerenceSpud, I think it's just that they are different sorts to 1dn.

Lewap, I think you should try the ideas you have suggested.

[Ruthrobin]

Daagg and Lewhap - the wordplay gives two almost identical words, doesn't it? You need the one that is NOT 1 down - very clever, I thought.

[daagg]

That one had completely passed me by!

[LewapYellow]

Still having no luck with the name. Would the first letter be from 6 down, and the last from 29 down?

[LewapYellow]

I think I finally have the name - does the wiki entry confirm association with clue 40ac? Just so I know i'm on the right track!

[daagg]

Yes

[LewapYellow]

Right - I think I have finished! Would one of the elements also be part of the other title?

[Ruthrobin]

Yes (and there were a few of them - a bit like the Pleiades.

[easterfool]

That's a bit close, Ruthrobin. Just finished after a late start. I don't remember ever seeing a ringing like this, in nearly 40 years of solving - Oooh that dates me. Lots of smiles as I solved. Thanks to the Internet it didn't take long to sort things out, Thanks for all the threads - they made me smile too. Still want to link the title so I'll have to look at the threads again for that, and another visit to Wiki

[Jogler]

Easterfool, this compiler has used this method - it struck a chord (not using that bell pun again) so I went back through our files (I knew there was a point in having them....) and was vindicated. However, it was not a Listener puzzle so that is possibly why it has passed many people by. It is a lovely device and if anyone is interested I will put the name of the puzzle up on the thread in a couple of weeks.

[easterfool]

Jogler - you have intrigued me, so I for one would be interested. Would the crossword be available to view anywhere?

[Jogler]

Ef, It is in another publication - there is a link to it on answerbank which still works so I had better not be more specific. Like the Listener, the publication is not available without signing up, but the ab link is very reliable. (If you want to give me your e-mail address I will pass it on to you now!)