Listener 4196 Here and There by Hedge-Sparrow

[midazolam]

Sorry for all those that replied to the last thread, but here is another

The crux of this one is not to get flustered with all those letters as I did, but it does work out in the end

midazolamcrosswords (at) gmail (dot) com

[rabet]

As BlackHugh says, pretty well everyone who attempts the Listener will already own the BRB, so it seems rather perverse to award it as a prize. I shall not be submitting until something else is on offer!

[tenflags]

Also late to it - at Wimbledon over weekend - lucky with weather on Saturday.

Anyways all resolved and tend to agree that the preamble was maybe less than perfect given the final steps. But also agree clever construction and I liked a lot of the clues.

Andrew-gs : I also liked 27A but I think 32A was the best for a number of reasons.

[tenflags]

Oh I was going to add that, whilst I'm sure more clever folk than me will probably see that I have missed something, I reckon there is a spelling mistake in 17A clue - in the online version that I have which reads;

17A) Boy entering offices where bankers may be seen

Even though I can see a possible weak link for the spelling that is there I still reckon an alternative is fairer.

[sunny-dave]

I can see your alternative - but the BRB does confirm the original - it's a bit hidden in verbiage in definition '2' of the root word, but it is there.

[tenflags]

ah thanks for confirming that sunny-dave .. on first parsing I took it as referring only to the bit in brackets just before that expression you refer to but didn't spot the punctuation. Doh. Cheers - as I say more clever folk than me...

[magichour]

I think I'm almost there - have resolved the ambiguities in some entries and have a complete grid that makes sense except for the clue in question. I think I have identified the definitions of the two separate words within it, but this either leaves me with more than one 'extra letter', or the letter which I think is intended does not help to resolve anything - indeed, as both solutions to the definitions can both produce the entry, I don't see where the ambiguity lies in the first place. More head-scratching I think.

[ArchieLeach]

Now I've worked out how to solve the ambiguities I finally have a full grid without understanding where the "special clue" is. So I must either have been lucky or have an error somewhere. I'll keep looking.

[borealis]

Latecomer again, but I’d rate this one a lot higher than some here have. Im with Texasetes, Tilbee et al here; the preamble seemed fair as written. I am sure it could have been made easier but I am glad it wasn’t. Lovely cluing, mostly, but I’d disagree with the definition for 17a. Favourite was 10d, AGS, and I’d agree with Midazolam re the difficulty of 1d and 32a. A nice logical path through the puzzle, and as loose ends got tightened (several, in my case!) the checking was much less tedious than some grid-staring in the past.
Nice balance. Thank you, Hedge Sparrow.
May I suggest “& Everywhere” for your sequel?

[magichour]

Didn't help that I hadn't solved a particular clue properly and was looking at the wrong one! Have had to make certain assumptions about the letters involved in amendments to two potentially ambiguous answers, in order to make everything tally. Think I now have the intended resolution to the ambiguity in the entry in question, though it took me a while to work out the second of the two definitions involved.

Slightly underwhelmed: probably a right answer, but I think the excellent grid construction has been let down by an unnecessarily unhelpful preamble.

[Alan7777]

A plea for help. I have been away and the local company that delivers our newspapers should have delivered Saturday's Times this morning but hasn't. I will call them later but in the meantime if anyone can email a copy to [email protected] I would be very grateful.

[BlackHugh]

Alan - I've e-mailed you a copy.

[jumperjudy]

Well I think I'm there. After quite a bit of head scratching I have an answer which I think fits all of the parameters, although I'm struggling on wordplay for a couple of them. My favourite clue? 7D or 13D.

If anyone could explain the wordplay for 28 or 33A though I'ld be grateful! judy_petran(at)hotmail(dot)com

[Philoctetes]

Jumperjudy - Often "Quite the opposite" can be taken as an instruction to reverse the elements in what appears to be a straightforward instruction elsewhere in the clue.

[jumperjudy]

Thanks qwerty - understanding is now complete as its going to get!

[Postigod]

Also finally got to the end, subject to not having fully solved a couple of the wordplays (10D, 32A) - any assistance on these gratefully received at 845054(at)live(dot)co(dot(uk). However I'm convinved that the solution to the endgame means my entries for those clues are correct, as are the resulting "amendment letters".

Was held up for a little while by an incorrect assumption for the final word in the "additional information", which rather hindered solving 3 of the down clues, but got there in the end!

Not sure I really understand the title either, but looks like a few more established Listener solvers than me have struggled with this puzzle, so pretty happy to have got to where I have!

[BlackHugh]

Sent you something Postigod

[Postigod]

Not received anything BlackHugh, although have realised this may not be helped by random positioning of brackets in my email address, which should have read 845054(at)live(dot)co(dot)uk

If there is any chance you could resend, would be much appreciated.

[BlackHugh]

hmm - that was the address I used postigod (and haven't had an "mail could not be delivered"). Try e-mailing me at [email protected] and I'll reply.

[Alan7777]

I got to the stage where I had a full grid but hadn't identified the special clue. I then looked more closely at the one clue where I couldn't see the wordplay and hey presto it all became obvious. However, I could have submitted a correct solution (I believe) without understanding the last step.

I think the preamble is fair although a little abstruse.

Once again, many thanks Hugh for forwarding a copy and to HS for a good challenge.

[IainGrace]

We have solved the clues, and we have conducted an analysis which enables us to justify the selection of letters to resolve ambiguities in the three clues where we have blank cells. Part of this exercise entailed identifying the special clue, but we did not have to consider the letter mixture. Presumably we are barking up the wrong proverbial?