EV Single Shot by kcit

[dr b]

I found it very difficult to get a toehold into this one, given the mix of clue types. I think I had one grid entry after 15 minutes. But, plugging away finally paid off once the theme was revealed. A tough but entertaining puzzle with 2 quibbles: 1) I wish there was some requirement to indicate that the theme has in fact been discovered, and 2) this theme has appeared within recent memory.

USA v Spain in men's basketball starts - now!!

[dr b]

Gah! title should read EV 1031 Single Shot by kcit!!

[turnerjmw]

Agreed dr b, something of an "is that it?" feeling at the end. Always nice to have something to highlight. By the way, do you think the clue for 15ac works? I think the extra/omitted letter is not the one suggested by the clue, but an alphabetically adjacent one. But if so, it's a clueing error, rather than a printing one.

[dr b]

I felt 15a was fine; it took some digging to find out how the wordplay gives the first and last letters of the grid entry.

[turnerjmw]

You're quite right, dr b. Many thanks, and apologies to Kcit in blaming him/her for my own incompetence.

[Twit-Who]

Only started this today due to visitors yesterday. I found it quite tricky due to the mixture of clues even when I knew which letter was required but chipped away at it and got there in the end. Challenging but I agree some sort of highlighting to finish would have been more satisfying.

My gripe is that 32 across is not in Chambers 2011. Maybe it's more against Chambers for not including forenames in this edition but EV should perhaps recommend the previous edition. Probably they are in collusion to boost sales and encourage us all to run out buy each new edition.

[Christiana]

Finally staggered to a conclusion and identified the single shot and exponent. I always have trouble with these extra letters etc., so made a complete mess of the doubly whammy to begin with. Finally sort of sorted apart from 21d and 31d. (Last few clues the omitted letters for 'single shot went wrong) I have the answers, but it seems to have left me with obviously wrong letters.

[ringer]

Gosh - that was a struggle. Thankfully I guessed the theme very early on but I still had to double check each word. Must admit there was some clever word play that kept me guessing. Maybe my brain is befuddled by over-indulgence as I've just returned from a river cruise down the 9d!!