Listener 4200, The Missing Vowels Round by Shackleton

[upsetter]

well, that's the PDM and the Antihesis out of the way, now for the clues...

[jim360]

Neither of those for me, and only 5 (possibly 7, I'm unsure of two) clues...

Would it be reasonable to say that the title alludes to the final stage of a certain show? Trying not to give too much away if I'm right.

[Mesnilpat]

Having got the puzzle pretty early and got off to a flying start, I felt sure this would be my ticket to the Friday Night Club. Alas no, I have ground to a total halt. Perhaps a small libation will help - but I fear it's back to the slow lane for me - as usual.

[trux]

Was hoping to get it done before the big bash started, but alas no - but have most of grid full, can spot the idea, locaated some missing vowels which is encouraging ... still quite a bit to do, mefears, but must dash as I wasn't alive in 1948....

[AHearer]

Apart from being held up for a while in the upper centre of the grid, this was fairly straightforward, which is probably fair given the size of grid required to fit the theme. Quite enjoyable, but the main question is how many offerings they had to sort through before deciding that this was the best.

[Ruthrobin]

Yes, indeed, AHearer, certainly no small number - but aren't we being treated to a series of stars of late! - that magnificent Bandmaster, a Kea and now a Shackleton. They are certainly an impressive series of acts to follow!

[midazolam]

Had to be really...but a fine construction once again. Thanks Shackleton

[trux]

Excellent construction and perhaps the best "facetious" description in a Crossword for some considerable while? All looks pretty, now....many thanks, Shackleton.

[Zabadak]

Complete and understood - this is clever on a lot of levels, as one expects from Shackleton. If I was going to have a bit of a grumble, I would say that the "guided by cell contents" instruction is a little open to misinterpretation, and there may be some "completers" who think they've got a result but miss the proper (I speak in faith!) outcome.
Has anyone found the prothesis (it should be the opposite of an antithesis but apparently isn't until now) cited anywhere?

[upsetter]

Complete, thanks to 'doh!' moment afer Z's post. What a way to miss a Friday club debut.
Still, wannabes is as wannabes does

[Zabadak]

Gosh, I hope I did't give anything away! I'll be banned fro life!

[upsetter]

Z, we were already focused on the relevant phrase in the preamble. Just too
stupid to apply the instruction.

[upsetter]

So you forced us to keep staring at the grid

[dr b]

As a foreigner, all the references in this one were lost on me; why set 2 "facetiously" refers to set 1 was a mystery since I had no idea what set 1 represented. Once it was explained to me it all made sense, and I realized what a nifty construction this is, but no joke is that funny when it has to be explained to you.

[tilbee]

Another excellent puzzle. Diverted for a while in the end game, making a wrong assumption on the guiding cell contents, but all now clear.

[tnap]

The 'prothesis' looks like a Shackleton coinage. I have a friend who proudly works in the area concerned (an organization with 3 letters) and who certainly wouldn't appreciate it as a motto.

[Walterloo]

Excellent puzzle. Great clues with well hidden definitions. Got the first set of words and what they mean. Got the second set and what they describe. Understand the facetious bit. Found the missing vowels. I'm clear on the 'cell contents' part. All very clever. . . But . . . I'm obviously being thick because I don't get the antithesis bit, shockingly. I need a gentle, encouraging bonk on the head to help me on the way but there's no one around to administer it.

[aldanna]

Quite a lot to do in this large puzzle, but an enjoyable exercise, although the theme is possibly on the predictable side. I am pretty sure I have it all sorted (hmm, is that really definite enough?).
By the way, I saw U/C late, having been away. Remembering Jim's meteoric rise last year from total beginner to Listener prizewinner, I was not surprised at his very creditable showing, but I can't imagine what selection process produced three classicists for the team.

[jim360]

U/C might take over the listener boards at this rate...! There was an entry quiz within the college and the top scorers on that quiz got on to the team.

Back to the puzzle at hand - a complete grid-fill but with one crucial gap in the correct letters at what I presume is the connecting word means that I can't yet follow the endgame. Nor, indeed, can I see what is meant by "classical antithesis" of what appears to be an original facetious description. So still a fair way to go, sadly.

[jim360]

Oh, the progress you can make just by taking a short break. Have the antithesis, and therefore the theme, all that remains is to put in the missing vowels in the right place. In what sense that's to be guided by the cell contents isn't sorted, but I'm closer than I was ten minutes ago. A trip to WH Smith's, though, may be in order before I hand this one in...

[jim360]

Final progress report. One or two final checks to make before I hand it in, but have the endgame sussed up to dotting the i's. So that's all good.