Listener 4105: Out to Work by Charybdis

[midazolam]

Wow...this was great. OK not the most difficult of clues, but what a bundle of fun! Lots of thematic material, the real words making this an extremely clever construction (despite the lack of real down words). Subtlety and lateral thinking required, all making sense to a very pleasing finish.

A couple of years ago I finished King's Rebel before I owned a copy of Chambers (therefore I presume fairly easy cluing) and it won the best puzzle of the year - this was probably due to its construction. Accordingly, this week's puzzle has to be up there in the best of the year so far. Thanks Charybdis you've made a tiring day so much better.

[Clamzy]

Midazolam. My library ticket number gives me access to the full OED but not Brewer's and others. I think it depends upon the subscription service your local library takes.
This was mentioned in a thread on here some time ago but I can't remember which poster had the knowledge - maybe cruncher or cJ??

[AndrewG-S]

Pretty much done - similar issues along the way to others, ie expecting a different action. Some very pleasing PDMs along the way and I agree with Ruthrobin that this is certainly the best for me since Sine Qua Non. Thanks Charybdis

[JackDeCrow]

Yes, very pleasing. Still don't really understand 23a. Looks in some respects like a triple definition, but I'm really not getting the middle one if it is!

[Jogler]

We echo all sentiments - and tripped over most of the problems that others did! I definitely feel that there were confused signals on the figure, but equally the intention was clear.

[BlackHugh]

Well I have completed the grid and can see the "symmetrical figure"- but not yet discovered what to do with the instruction.

Wikipedia gives a wonderful epithet for the figure (not in Chambers) which is frustratingly 7-6!

[catstail]

Tweaker - the one in the link is the concise crossword dictionary. It is not the same as Chambers.

[Cruncher]

Nice puzzle though also disappointed by the vertical mayhem. Missing the word play on 31ac but not too fussed. Also puzzling over the title.
I subscribed recently to Oxford Dictionaries Online, my Chambers subscription having expired and also a Mac user. It's ok, has a useful search facility, but lacks the detail of the Chambers site. Really can't understand why Chambers maintain their site but don't want to make easy money from willing subscribers

[Mysterons]

You can check if your library subscribes to Brewer's et al at credo reference:

http://www.credorefer...m/loginwayf.do?auto=0

JackdeCrow - 23 across is a triple definition, the middle one giving a small diamond-shaped piece of glass that would be surrounded by lead (came) in a stained-glass window

[cruciverbali]

Cruncher, the title is key to understanding which version of the figure is depicted here, and relates to the across instruction. 31 across is a word for 'in reverse' minus its last letter. Hope you're all enjoying yesterday's Azed Competition Puzzle, not quite as straightforward as it normally is. Two thousand is certainly a phenomenal milestone - well done JC !

[Mysterons]

Catstail - 6 down is indeed the centre of the figure
Flocker - the message in the down clues forms the end of a 7 word phrase - the 4 new words all combine with the first word of the phrase to form examples of the middle word.

[JackDeCrow]

Thanks Mysterons - more fool me for not looking up every word in the clue for alternative meanings!

[aldana]

I really enjoyed this puzzle, as many others seem to have done. I think I have it all correct (anyway, I've posted it off) but I never tracked down the last but one extra letter in the across clues. It's obvious what it has to be but I can't see anywhere it could be lurking. Not asking for help but would like to know where this letter is!

[Mysterons]

It's the fourth letter in the penultimate word aldana - good luck !

[trux]

Just about all done, time to sleep .... still got a few problems in bottom left corner (22D in particular) but all rest finished ... and 3 out of the 4 words already located ... and all instructions & links obeyed & understood .... so feeling pretty good about it all, even if it is now a bit late for me !

[trux]

I mean 23D, of course .... (definitely time for bed !!)

[Coalminers]

Perhaps I am being over-cautious, but I am wondering exactly which cells should be highlighted. In one interpretation I could highlight a few more cells which would make things easier to read. Or do you think it doesnt matter?

[Ruthrobin]

Coalminers, I believe I can see what you are saying but think that would be running a severe risk of being marked wrong. If you think carefully about the title, it would seem to be telling you something about the figure and where it has to be in order for the whole thing to 'work'. The preamble tells us to highlight four new words. (+ the 6-6 epithet). It would be good sense, I think, to highlight only the letters of those four new words (and only four, even if a 'red-herring word' appears and one appropriate one that isn't new.

[aldana]

Thank you, Mysterons. It still took me a few minutes to sort that out but all is clear now. I should have realised it was in that clue as I hadn't fathomed the wordplay for it.

[trux]

Done (well, maybe) - grid filled (& unfilled), but not wholly confident about my four "new words", especially after RR's comments earlier today .... oh, well .... at least I got the main gist of the whole thing ....

[JustinTime]

Tweeker,
I have a Mac and so many aids are not available.
I've created my own thesaurus of 730,000 word under 25,000 headings. Runs on a mac under Snow Leopard.
Care to Beta test it for me.