Listener 4408 Serpent

[Ruthrobin]

The theme leapt out at us when we had solved just a couple of clues, but this has not rendered this any less enjoyable. With a full grid, we still have to get the pencils out to draw the thematic items. Thank you Serpent.

[olichant]

I got lucky early on with the theme too, which definitely made the gridfill much easier - but I still really enjoyed it. Some nice clues, too. Thanks, Serpent.

[AHearer]

Yes, I spotted the theme and additional help quite early too, and so I was able to start fitting the across entries in sooner than I feared. Now for my artistic efforts! Thanks, Serpent, that was fun.

[Encota]

Agreed, the theme luckily appeared to jump out very quickly. I managed to add a few minutes delay with an alt. for 21a which soon got discounted once the grid started filling. A fun grid and theme with some gentle clues. I love the variety in the Listener! Thanks Serpent if you're tuning in!

[perseverer]

The theme emerged rather too easily, but some interesting clues, and also some rather surprising features which I would be reluctant to elaborate on at this stage.

[Scorpius]

The theme was so obvious from the start that I wrote all the extra letters beside the down clues before solving any of them, then solved most of the downs in ten minutes. The acrosses took rather longer.

I'm not really sure what the drawing instruction is asking solvers to do. I can see at least three ways of interpreting it. Seems rather vague and ambiguous.

[upsetter]

Nothing wrong with an obvious theme when, as here, it has been deployed in a elegant composition. Lots of fun clues.
Our artistic effort may well be found wanting but are looking forward to the Answerbank entries.

[upsetter]

Obviously we meant Listen With Others rather than Answerbank.

[s_pugh]

Nice to have an easy one for a change, though I'm a little confused by the endgame as the thematic items don't appear to conform to the norm which may be what Perseverer was alluding to. Thanks Serpent.

[aldanna]

That was a fun puzzle - not too hard and really entertaining. Mind you, it's the artwork now.

[fyellin]

I had almost forgotten that the US and UK terms for the theme are somewhat different. (See Wikipedia.)

Fortunately, bad artwork for your term is easier to draw than bad artwork for my term.

[icynorth]

Elegant, agreed, but it was too easy to deduce the theme from three or four anagram-based clues. A shame, as many other clues were astonishingly well crafted, but hardly challenging when so many checked letters were available. Still, an impressive grid - thanks, Serpent.

[Scorpius]

I guess what puzzled me about the endgame is the same thing that perseverer found 'surprising' and that 'confused' s_pugh. I cannot see any other solution that results in nine thematic items.

[perseverer]

Sorry Scorpius and S_pugh. I didn't see any problem with the thematic items. The theme was used a few years ago, and it was the connection between the titles then and now that I wondered about. Also a couple of, what some might consider, risqué clues.

[Scorpius]

Perhaps I have a wrong solution, perseverer. Drawing the items according to the sequence of across clues results in some features around the middle of the grid and slightly SE that look to me a bit unlikely.

[lyrabelacqua]

Scorpius: Difficult to post without giving the game away, but from what you say, I think you have it right. As ever, the rubric needs to be read and followed closely.

[HappyUncle]

I make it six times in the last 27 years that the theme has reared its head, with not one, but two, instances of commonality, of the kind hinted at by perseverer. I've found all nine thematic items but I'm glad I don't submit these days, as I can't see any way of completing the (somewhat inelegantly positioned) artwork without obscuring the grid entries.

Still, it was an enjoyable solve. I'm inclined to agree about at least one of the clues, though; it went a lot further into bad-taste territory than last week's end-of-the-pier schoolgirl humour.

[Hagen]

The grid looked rather daunting but like others here, I guessed the theme pretty quickly. That didn't stop me deriving a lot of enjoyment from its implementation. I couldn't see any ambiguity in the final stage at all, other than in my poor attempts at drawing!

A very enjoyable debut - thanks Serpent.

[starwalker]

In almost 20 years of Listener solving this is only the second time that I can remember picking up the theme from the preamble before even looking at the clues. It didn't spoil the enjoyment as several clues needed a careful approach in order to tease out the answer. Now I must make sure that my art skills do not let me down. Thanks Serpent.

[borealis]

More negatives than positives with the thematic items? Only numerically - this crossword was most enjoyable with lovely clueing. Drawing in thin lines and a variety of angles seems to overcome any letter-obscuring. Risque? Hardly - I doubt many under 12s are attempting this. So well done, Serpent, and thank you.