Listener 4103: Annual Turnover by Ragtag

[midazolam]

Fairly straightforward debut by Ragtag this week. The basics of the theme we have seen in a listener a couple of years back as well as in the EV. I was wondering what the clashes had to do with it, but it's all confirmed in Chambers. I am surprised this aspect of the puzzle has not come up before.

[Philoctetes]

When I first approached this, I thought the "appropriate symbol" might turn out to have been the old British Rail "double arrow", still internationally recognised as a sign for a station.

[Zabadak]

Ruthrobin: difficult to comment without giving anything away, but I'm pretty sure that if it looks like one, it can't be rejected. Perhaps a small drawing of Robbie Williams?

[Clamzy]

As the pre-amble mentions "symbol" I ruled out trying to draw them and did my best representation of what's found on your keyboard using the shift key. Hope this doesn't give too much away to those who haven't finished yet.

[Scorpius]

I very much doubt that anything that looks symbolically or realistically like what it's supposed to represent will be rejected.

[Ruthrobin]

Zabadak, your brightened a very wet and dull aftenoon with the Robbie Williams comment!

[daagg]

Well you live and learn. I have never heard of the 12-letter phrase, but Wikipedia has provided all the enlightenment I could wish for (and then some).

This was a strange affair, with a very fast start, then semi-despair, then an enjoyable PDM. The perfectionist in me would like the clashes to have been more relevant to their replacement symbols. Good fun.

[daagg]

Just twigged the title as well - very good.

[Archie1962]

Having looked up the 12 letter name in Wikipedia I found only an obscure Australian Olympic athlete. I thought I must be on the wrong track but all is clear now. I take some interest in such matters and I had never heard of it.

[cluelessJoe]

Doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo (that's meant to be the Outer Limits theme tune by the way) ...
How utterly weird Zabadak - I was so sorely tempted this morning to make exactly the same suggestion about a picture of Robbie Williams - but then thought better of it, as I was convinced nobody else here would even have heard of him!
Doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo

[foxy33]

Like dagg I thought this was a strange mix. Didn't like the ambiguity of some of the missing letters but have got the message now. Grid and symbols in place but struggling to see one or two word plays - eg 14D and 39A

[contendo]

Foxy33 - 39ac: Look it up in Chambers!

[foxy33]

Thanks Contendo. I thought I had - obviously not very well!.

[Mysterons]

A very enjoyable variation on the theme, which brought back memories of a recent Azed Competition Puzzle (1975) - suggest we use the gold sticky variety of symbol to brighten JEG's week !

[trux]

All done - but only after guidance from a most obliging source ! Was on completely the wrong track to begin with as I had hazarded the wrong 28A, looked it up in the BRB and found that, at the end of the definition of its second entry, it said : "orig. marking the dropping of e" and so I had obliterated all the "e" grid entries ... what was I thinking ? And what relevance to anything else ? (But could make good puzzle base on another day) ... Anyhow, steered back to the right path (or left path, depending on your view), 'tis now in the envelope ....

[trux]

One last thought : shame that the fifth letter on the top row was not an "L" as that would have revealed a further bit of thematic material - roughly appropriately placed, too ... would have been neat ... heigh-ho, heigh-ho (that's from a Disney song)

[Zabadak]

Apropos of nothing in particular, has anyone else noticed that the Outer Limits theme tune is the Liver Birds theme tune on a different rhythm? Robbie Williams came to mind principally because I had been watching the Concert for Heroes, in which he played a prominent role. But on the other hand, I like the notion that there's a collective conciousness that we tap into - coincidences don't just happen!

[AndrewG-S]

Due to the interest in collective consciousness I will admit to watching the concert and also nearly posting the same idea until I saw Zabadak had already done it!

[contendo]

Trux - That can hardly be a coincidence. I wouldn't mind betting that Ragtag started with an L in the top row but had to abandon it when fitting everything else in.

[Roundhillbob]

Done and posted. Delightful pdm this morning when the theme suddenly popped unbidden into the brain recalling earlier studies. Struggled a bit with the extra letters and the hint, but once the clashes were clearly identified the 'hint' emerged from the letters I had. An enjoyable puzzle. Thanks Ragtag

[Ruthrobin]

And what if one should accidentally fall off, Mysterons, and ruin your perfect record :)