Listener 4786 Jigsaw By Xanthippe

[emcee]

A nice puzzle. I loved the idea of the answers representing pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Fortunately the Across and Down clues were generously straightforward otherwise cold-solving all of the Pieces clues would have been an ordeal.

Knowing the degree of symmetry was an enormous help and progress was fast once a couple of pieces had been entered.

The endgame seemed somewhat of an afterthought, although I'm sure it wasn't!

Thanks, Xanthippe, I enjoyed it.

[upsetter]

It struck us that the crossword was reverse engineered from the endgame.
The across and down clues were rather too simple but the whole puzzle was very satisfying and a tour de force of composition.

Thanks, Xanthippe.

[perseverer]

Yes, a clever idea producing a puzzle contributing to the variety we hope to get from the Listener. As usual, it pays to read the preamble carefully.

Thanks, Xanthippe.

The quotation, with slight variations, is well enough known, its author less so.

[HawkCrossword]

Not being familiar at all with the endgame material (or indeed it's entire genre), this was a very difficult puzzle to complete, and I'd have appreciated a nudge to it in the preamble. I'm not convinced that the final highlighting is particularly representative, but then how would I know? But having said that, the puzzle is beautifully constructed around its theme. Many thanks, Xanthippe.