Listener 4089 Vive la Difference by Kevin

[starwalker]

A very pleasant and enjoyable debut by Kevin. Some nice clues and a familiar theme which made me realise how quickly time passes. Possibly suitable for newcomers, but personally, I think that 32D is a bit of a beast. (I'm still not 100% convinced I have the correct answer) Interesting to see what others make of it.

[AndrewG-S]

That would drive me mad - I can see how you could easily convince yourself it must be the right team as all the elements are there but would not be able to make the final link. Glad to help rescue your sanity!

[shelouse]

I quite liked this, but not totally overwhemed. 36a has neat relevance to the final grid. I don't see the problem with 32d if you approach it strictly logically. It seems to me we are looking at a deletion indicator, not a replacement indicator. Thus 'passing' seems perfectly aceptable.

If I may add to the debate about frequency of the numericals, how about one very two months - a modest increase, hopefully not too much to upset RR et al?

[Clamzy]

Shelhouse you have me worried there. I also didn't see any problem with the clue but definitely have replacement and not deletion. I took passing to mean surpassing in the sense of being superior.
I'm still working on RRs algebra:-)

[turnerjmw]

Hi Clamzy, I think you needn't be worried. Shelouse's explanation arrives at the same answer as the replacement indicator, if I understand it right, but it's actually a cleaner one, as it's less of a stretch in the definition of "passing". I think it uses the fifth transitive definition in the Big Red Book. Thanks, shelouse

[teuchter2]

I have come to this one quite late having been away for much of the weekend. I got the theme quite quickly, but am finding the right hand side quite tricky. It would help if I could get 19a, I think. Am I right in thinking that it has two clashes in it?

[AndrewG-S]

teuchter2 - yes, two clashes

[JackDeCrow]

Thanks AG-S. Important to hang on to what small amount of sanity may be remaining!

[teuchter2]

I can answer my own question now as I've got it. Just needing 35a and I'm done.

[teuchter2]

Got it now. My problem too was with the spelling of 24d - its a word used a lot in this part of the world, particularly by teachers, but I have never seen it with this alternative spelling.

[Philoctetes]

Finished and quite satisfied, except for the calculation - though I can imagine what the answer is. I must confess that, before considering RRs algebra, I considered it was a representation of a relevant part of the human anatomy. Shows how good an artist i am not.

[Patch49]

Got there at last, having been held up for ages by my conviction that 12d should contain a Shakespearean character!

[shelouse]

I have 32d as 'dull'/w(for with), and regarded 'passing year' as an indicator to delete y for year from the end of dull, giving a word meaning became ......hope that is sufficiently plain. Anyway, I think we have now done it to death. My sympathies to anyone who ends up with an incorrect ..........

[teuchter2]

I too thought it was part of the anatomy and am still not sure about the algebra!

[JackDeCrow]

I hardly dare ask which part, but I'm dying to know how it worked thematically!

[easylistener]

yes, I saw an ear but decided it wasn't meant to be one!

[Clamzy]

I now have enlightenment from a keen enthusiast of number Listeners (HaHa). The X is not an algebraic term but a Roman numeral. Hope this helps.

[easylistener]

So what exactly is the significance of the result of that calculation using the Roman numeral?

[shelouse]

If you know the significance of the date in the preamble, compare a number relevant to that date with that relevant to this date .........

[easylistener]

Got it now but a bit unsatisfactory as it only fits with calculating to next week. Did they put it in a week early? Also my maths is ropey as I thought "to the power of three" meant times it by itself then times your answer by your answer. Oops! I did say I am a wordy person not a numerical!

[Mysterons]

easylistener, N to the power of three = N x N x N, and no, it's not a week early, as this was the last one to appear in the original publication:

http://www.listenercrossword.com/Years/Puzzl
es/L3/L30/L3089.html