Listener 4460

[tristram37]

listener 4460

[Ruthrobin]

Tristram, that was a very evocative comment on what has certainly been, by a considerable margin, the toughest so far this year. I hope dear Mr Alekhine is happy now (dare I suggest that solving this would be far more enjoyable than serenading us in Lowland Scots, dear Alekhine - said with a smile, I promise!) I have a few loose ends to wind up and, for one dreadful moment, thought this was the trimestrial numerical - but it was not to be. Thank you, Sabre - I think Knights' moves might have been light relief in comparison.

[Cloverjo]

I won't bother with this one, then. I managed to solve a few clues in last week's. I'm looking forward to the numerical. It should be late August, I think?

[kdgs2]

Seeing "Sabre" I knew I'd be in for a challenge! I have solved all the clues and the riddle... now staring at a grid with a *lot* of clashes and no idea how to resolve them yet. Time to sleep on it I think.

[fiction-factory]

Tristram is someone who answers clues on this rather than ask them so I think he was looking for the search box again. The search box is on the top right now on my screen. I think you can also get it by clicking n Categories

[Hagen]

After quite a promising start I've ground to a halt with just over half the clues solved. There are so many clashes that almost every clue has to be cold-solved, and it's fairly safe to assume that the method of resolving the clashes won't be any of the obvious ones. Comments here (or lack of!) don't encourage me to persevere. Good luck to those who do.

[Vagans]

Clues and theme came straightforwardly enough but the endgame?! Taking the hint from Tristram I may submit a blank grid: there's always a sporting chance with the Listener that it comes up trumps :)

[emcee]

With some of Sabre's past offerings we have to know Americanisms to get the gist of some clues. I shall persevere, but not sure how far I'll get before the cylindrical filing cabinet becomes useful.

[tristram37]

I must be further into senility than I thought, as I wasn't aware I had made any comments, evocative or otherwise; but I agree that I was searching for the evening comments from the Friday-nighters which often give me a clue as whether it's worth attempting the puzzle. I could'nt find any, which rather have me my answer. I love Sabre's puzzles but these days I can never solve them!

[fyellin]

Just trying to decide if they want a literal representation of the solution, or a **literal** representation of the solution.

I also never found an ambiguity. I guess I accidentally made the right choice.

[vetuste_ennemi]

//Taking the hint from Tristram I may submit a blank grid: there's always a sporting chance with the Listener that it comes up trumps //

"Use a Pencil" by Ploutos (Michael Rich RIP).

[olichant]

I have to admit I nearly gave up on this - a very hard gridfill, for obvious reasons. But as always, the deviousness of the (mainly straight) clues kept me going.

[mjld]

Finally done, but I needed to write a couple of new functions in my APL workspace (I wrote it years ago) in order to search for likely crossing words, given what I'd observed about those clashes I'd already found. AND there were several answers which were neither in my wordlist nor revealed by Chambers Word Wizard. AND still looking for that ambiguity.

[Hagen]

Sunday plans got cancelled so I had another go at this, and have finally got there. Honesty compels me to say that I had a couple of gentle nudges to help me along.

If all Listeners were like this I'd start a new Friday club - the Friday six months after the puzzle came out! Yes, this was a "true Listener" in terms of difficulty, but I didn't find it a quarter as much fun as the recent offerings by Chalicea and Serpent. Just my opinion, of course.

[pushmi-pullyu]

Golly this is a hard one. If I manage to solve it I think I should award myself a glass of bubbly.

[Hagen]

A glass, PP? This merits a bottle at least!

[Osirun]

I have filled the entire grid (and found a clear ambiguity) but what to do now... not at all sure? I hope the endgame doesn't take as long as the puzzle did...

[starwalker]

Coming late to the party after a family holiday where even a Sabre was not allowed to interfere with the hilarity and uproar. Tough, as one would expect - but always fair, and never, never dull. Thanks Sabre - now please enjoy a long holiday :-)

[emcee]

Well, it's needed more fag breaks than usual to get to the end but I've just got 26d to go, and it's proving to be a bit of a b.

To be fair to Sabre, I have enjoyed his impish clues; by no means straightforward as alluded to above!

[emcee]

Aha! Funny how it comes to you after you've posted.

[Alekhine]

I thought this was excellent.

Isn't the endgame fairly obvious though if you have solved the riddle?

So agreeable is my mood that I will spare you the Lowland Scots, but will advise ... for those inclin'd to drink ...

... Remember Tam o' Shanter's mare.