Listener 4191: Full Instructions Included by Nudd

[trux]

Great fun. Not overly complex clues, so grid (sort of) filled quite quickly. PDM for endgame likewise followed apace, and then needed some careful thought to justify all ten modifications, producing series of happy smiles from me. Many thanks, Nudd.

[olichant]

As a newbie (and I'm slightly scared of being shot down in case this is an obvious question) but is it necessary to have a completely up-to-date BRB? I note the primary reference in the preamble, but have been relying on an old version that I was given as a university present twelve years ago. This might explain why I've been having trouble with some of the wordplay (especially in the SW corner, which I found very tough) - or, of course, it could just be me. I'd be grateful for some gentle guidance.

[Staurologist]

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. As a composer, I don't care how long it takes me to solve a puzzle, nor whether I find it easy or difficult. It's the originality of the idea and the elegance with which it is realised that interest me. I have seen this idea used before, but in a different format, in which the answer itself directed the method of entry of the relevant light (for example: answer HALF-BACK; light FLAH). Here instead we had 10 pairs of thematic words in a symmetrical 13 x 13, with entertaining clues. It could have been improved by making all the lights proper words, and for perfection the pairs would have been symmetrically placed. But is it possible to contruct such a grid?

For those who are curious about the Ronnie Scott connection, the relevant clue appeared in Spectator 2064 (19 May), "Not in Colour" by Doc: "This wind nonet's initially tried out at Ronnie Scott's". In contrast to Nudd's clue, Doc's has nothing to do with jazz and is in fact a comp anag.

[sunny-dave]

The BRB doesn't change that much - evolution rather than revolution. My old 2003 edition was still doing stout service in my office until recently - only very occasionally did I have to check some neologism later in the 2008 at home.

At a quickish glance, I can't see anything obvious in the SW corner that would be missing from an older edition.

[Whenland]

All done here except for a few in the SW corner. We were held up for ages by one of our first "solves" - we thought that 23d was STUMPS. A lot of fun all round. Well done Nudd.

[olichant]

Thanks, sunny-dave - appreciate it. Wordplay to first bit of 24d still eludes me (though am confident of answer) - but will wait and see before buying a new Chambers. Who knows, I may even get lucky in the draw this week! 39a was definitely not in my BRB and it's certainly not a new word, so it will probably be a worthwhile investment.