Quizzes & Puzzles2 mins ago
Listener 4112: Girl by Xanthippe
96 Answers
Really, really laugh-out-loud funny crossword, worth all the struggle through the barless grid and the decent, twisty set of clues. Goodness knows what form you're supposed to submit it in, but no doubt I'll work something out. Perhaps not the hardest (though it seems to be a late entrant tonight) but easily the most cheerful in ages. Raucous cheers to Xanthippe!
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.I agree with Speravi. I like the interesting endgames but the difficult part of the crossword should be the clue solving not the interpretation of vague instructions which seem to require a high degree of lateral thinking. I'm still not sure what the 4th and 5th words of the instructions refer to so I can't see where to do the first two words. I hope that the explanation given with the solution will be much more explicit than usual so that I can ask my wife to demonstrate her skills with origami.
Thanks to Daagg and Mysterons but I did think that I understood the significance of the little numbers although I might well be wrong! If anyone would like a challenge perhaps he or she could e-mail me on '[email protected]' with instructions that I could follow(I can never cope with instructions from IKEA either!).
My problem with the instructions is that they were prima facie incomplete. If one carried out the first part of them and then acted to implement the second part with what was visible at that stage, then the instructions fail to work as intended. The only way I could see of surmounting this was to anticipate what the instructions were intended to yield, which, I agree, is not what one expects from instructions.
My problem with the preamble was the initial reference to "Initial or fourth..." followed by "Letters from extra words not used..." which in the context of "Initial or fourth..." was misleading because it required a context of initial and fourth letters.
The cluing, to be fair, was of a high standard, I thought.
My problem with the preamble was the initial reference to "Initial or fourth..." followed by "Letters from extra words not used..." which in the context of "Initial or fourth..." was misleading because it required a context of initial and fourth letters.
The cluing, to be fair, was of a high standard, I thought.
I tend to agree with Daag. More often that not, the best Listeners consist of a puzzle with an "Endgame" (like the current one). The main feast is the puzzle, with a whole range of clues designed to perplex. But the best endgames are surely those where their true nature is only gradually revealed, and, in particular, where a careful reading of the preamble exposes an ambiguity which leads to one last PDM. An explicit preamble would tend to be over-long, and would give too much away as to how the puzzle itself is to be approached.
Hi all
As tomorrow's listener is almost upon us, could anyone give me some hints on this one? I have filled the grid, and located what I assume are the items referred to in the first part of the instruction. (although one only truly appears when the first has been dealt with). The small numbers seem to make sense during this phase. Then I applied the second instruction...and threw the resulting mess in the bin. I reckon I am on the right track, but I must be missing something! Any help to [email protected]
Thanks
PS Anyone know how long it usually takes for prizes to arrive? Came runner-up a few weeks back, but nothing from The Times yet...
As tomorrow's listener is almost upon us, could anyone give me some hints on this one? I have filled the grid, and located what I assume are the items referred to in the first part of the instruction. (although one only truly appears when the first has been dealt with). The small numbers seem to make sense during this phase. Then I applied the second instruction...and threw the resulting mess in the bin. I reckon I am on the right track, but I must be missing something! Any help to [email protected]
Thanks
PS Anyone know how long it usually takes for prizes to arrive? Came runner-up a few weeks back, but nothing from The Times yet...
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