Listener 4255 - On The Rocks By Dipper

[olichant]

I think I got (unusually) lucky with the gridfill on this, but even so, it was not quite as intimidating as the preamble led me to fear. A fun and fair workout with some entertaining clues. Thanks, Dipper.

[Scorpius]

Well, I have to hand it to you lot, knocking this off so quickly. The gridfill was fairly straightforward, but I don't see how to begin filling the blank spaces with rocks in the absence of any checked letters. I cannot believe that I've coped with some of the tough puzzles in the last couple of months, only to be defeated by Dipper.

I do have one idea about the final grid, but if I'm right, the rock from the misprints is extremely misleading and the grid fails to comply with Listener rules in respect of consecutive unching.

[Mesnilpat]

Hoorah, dunnit! I had fallen into what was probably a trap for the unwary but finally the pdm arrived and the seven letters now make sense. Although this didn't satisfy some of the more curmudgeonly posters, I thought it was great fun and look forward to a bit of colouring in to finish off. Also, I now can get on with other things without having to keep visiting Much-staring-at-the-grid.

[emcee]

Scorpius, read the preamble again and then think whether you've done what they require.

I have always liked Dipper's puzzles and this has held true with the latest offering. I solved all but five of the clues reasonably quickly but 'The Stupid Cup' (a new trophy just this minute created) has to go to me this week: I was making the gridfill much more difficult than it really was by introducing an enormous number of extra possibilities. Without giving anything away I can't be more specific ... but stupidity was certainly the name of the game.

As for the artwork, I think my rocks will have the form of a number of straight lines with an accompaniment of right angles (needless drawing is not on my Listener syllabus thankfully).

Thanks Dipper, look forward to your next garden-themed puzzle!

[teuchter2]

I found these clues much easier than the usual alphabetical order clues and got them into the grid quite easily leaving the voids. I think at first I thought these were to be filled by names of rocks, but on second reading I think the art work is sufficient. Should I use water colour or acrylic I wonder!

[borealis]

How many stones and boulders grow
In a 12 by 12 grid garden?
I’ll tell you now of five (listed below)
Those I miss you'll surely pardon?
Small outcrops of pegmatite,
Granite, flint, diatomite,
Softest chalk and hard rhyolite.
None of these fit, so maybe they’re not right
For any place in Dipper’s garden!

Thanks Dipper.

[Whenland]

Thank you Borealis!

[Cloverjo]

Well, this is annoying. The grid was filling nicely, until the end when I found I have a rock one space too big and nowhere to put one word. I'm sure all my answers are right, although some wordplay is a mystery.

[freiheid]

It would have been nice to find the 'voids' filled by names of rocks somehow, but I'm concluding that may not be the intention.

[Ruthrobin]

AnFearBeag, please do.

[s_pugh]

I think I'm happy with my submission now other than with my feeble degree of artistic creativity. For no reason other than idle curiosity I wondered if the original misprinted letters in the seven definitions would lead anywhere - and a two word expletive regarding aforementioned creativity emerged! Is this merely a bizarre coincidence I wonder ... ;¬)

[EAChaplin]

I think James Cagney once said something similar:-)

[Scorpius]

Having decided overnight that my inkling about the final grid is probably correct (which some comments here seem to confirm), I have to say I think it's a faintly ridiculous puzzle, and certainly very disappointing. I don't see how anyone can be sure of their solution since I can think of an alternative final grid that fully complies with the preamble. I have no idea which one the setter has in mind.

[Staurologist]

Gneiss one!

[jabone]

I too was making the grid fill much too difficult, but enjoyed the puzzle, thanks Dipper. Have also managed finally to achieve Political Correctness, so a good weekend. Doubt if I will crack the maths, especially with a house full of family.

[grace_slick]

Wow. Do give my regards to Roger 'Chappo' Chapman jabone.
GS

(hope that's not too obscure a post for Times readers, though I suspect it might be)

[EAChaplin]

Scorpius - In the preamble Dipper gives you the artistic licence to portray his 5 rocks in any way you wish, so I can't see how even invisible ones would be marked wrong.

[millman]

I have the completed grid and rocks including the one for which Dipper coud not find room so have a correct entry unless we are all missing something but for completeness sake am still trying to find which clue has the misprint for the first letter of the spare rock.

[EAChaplin]

Millman - I think you'll find it adjacent to one of the other six.

[millman]

Thanks for the enlightenment EAC

[the_heisman]

I am surprised at the negative comments here. I really enjoyed the whole thing. Thanks Dipper for a slightly unusual but very satisfying workout. The rocks were a good way to make a straightforward carte Blanche more difficult - and there were lots of very good clues.