The Listener 3940

[gribble]

have completed crossword including the seven jumbled entries and have phrase etc, can anyone give me any hint towards the jumbled entries and the theme thankyou

[kayakamina]

As there is an ongoing league table for solvers of The Listener some feel it is inappropriate to ask for or receive assistance from this site

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Quizzes-and-Puz zles/Crosswords/Question438317.htmlt

[Quizmonster]

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Quizzes-and-Puz zles/Crosswords/Question438317-2.html

[kayakamina]

Thanks QM1 . I don't know what happened there! K

[Quizmonster]

I seem somehow to have clicked on 'Submit' above before I added the words I intended. I believe it is the same link Kayakamina was trying to use but his version did not work...at least for me.
If you follow the thread linked-to all the way through,Gribble. you will find that there are several people - including myself - who do not support the idea that the Listener crossword is somehow sacred and no-one must ever discuss it. We consider that idea nonsensical.
Accordingly, I do hope someone comes along with the response you are looking for. Unfortunately, I have not myself really attempted this particular crossword, so I cannot help you. Cheers.

[Quizmonster]

Snap, K! I did not mean to seem as curt as the bald link might suggest above. I submitted in error before doing what I intended. My apologies if you misunderstood.

[gribble]

I have gone through the above and cannot believe all this nonsense over a crossword puzzle, what a crazy world we live in. now do I or dont I ask if anyone needs help on the above thread. I do understand that to just give/get answers continually is silly and pointless(would spoil enjoyment for me) but help/hints here and there?
PS this is the first time I have got this close to completion(started about 6 months ago)
gribble

[eddery]

Hi Gribble - congratulations on your progress on what was a fairly tricky Listener - I'm about where you are on this one with just an idea on where to go next .. maybe leave your email and we can swap thoughts on this (and maybe on future Listeners) keeping any comments outside the public domain, and hence avoid the sniping which public postings occasionally seem to attract. I do not aspire to the precious ranking lists, but over the past 4 years have probably advanced from a couple of correct solutions per year to 35-40. I'd be happy to pass on snippets of what I have learned in that time in the hope that you can maybe derive the same degree of enjoyment I have from this legendary crossword - I don't think it needs to be the precious domain of an exclusive club ... if the word and derived satisfaction from the challenge can be spread to a wider audience, then so much the better. You may need no more than a few early hints to learn what to look for and soon to be cracking a number of these without recourse to assistance. Meanwhile, I think you do right to ask. Cheers

[gribble]

EDDERY, thanks for your comments,I have thought it over(about 5 seconds as life can be far too short) I will continue to post questions re this crossword as and when I see fit which probably will not be that often as I rarely get very far and if I get a reply great if not so be it, likewise I will check from time to time to see if I can help anyone, maybe at some time in the future I may even be able to assist those who dont help but who may look just in case they are stuck.
mm
and thanks to QUIZMONSTER re comments

[eddery]

Hello again gribble - left this until closing date so as not to cause further offence to anyone (I see things have started again on #3941). On this Listener, firstly 'curry' is a word for 'quarry' as used in the preamble - but also think Cockney slang for curry (derived from the rhyme with an old female singer's name). That slang word also appears pluralised in the phrase you have found. In that phrase, 'far above' suggests you may need to do something high in the grid (like the top line?) .. and also maybe hints that you will find a few examples of / associations with the theme near the foot of the grid! You know that all your scrambles in original format need some kind of substitution to turn them into real words. Those changes need to be made only above the examples you find. Start maybe with your first scrambles of 2d & 4d as I think there is only one possible answer for each reached by a letter change on the top line. You should eventually end up with proper words across and down after substituting in those scrambles. Finally look at the replacement letters you used - they will hopefully spell a lady's name .. look up its meaning in Chambers' first names section!
Respect!
(3940 is maybe not a perfect xword for the purists, as it can be solved just by correcting scrambles without direct recourse to the main theme - though you do need to get the theme to do the shading)

[gribble]

eddery thank you for explanation, still looks complex to me though, I will have another look as I have actually completed 3941 although it was probably because this was an easier one or I just got lucky. I have seen the other thread on 3941 but wont get involved unless its just an odd clue or hint thats required
thanks again for your help

[cluelessJoe]

Hello Gribble ... noticed that you have finished number 3941, and wonder if you can offer me a very small hint on what I should look for linking the eight clues. I have solved everything else and have a full grid but can not see what might be in common for that final step.
Many thanks if you can give me a small nudge - don't mind waiting until the closing date if you are worried about incurring the wrath of the guardians though
Thank you
cJ

[gribble]

do what last line of rhyme says, words make a sort of b???? shape in grid.
hope this helps if not let me know

[cluelessJoe]

Of course, thank you ... I knew what I needed to end up with, and had already decided which 8 clues were probably going to get me there but could not decide why. Obviously too long since I last studied biology.
Hope I can return the favour someday. Best regards
cJ