Listener Crossword 4079

[starwalker]

This week's offering is Sine Qua Non by Shackleton.
No one should panic that I have finished it already - I've only just read the preamble and feel the need for a lie down in a darkened room.
No doubt it will all make sense in the end. I have always found Shackleton to be sometimes tough, but always fair. Let's hope that this does not prove me wrong.

[Ruthrobin]

Wonderful news, Midazolam. Congratulations!

[Clamzy]

Great result midazolam and many congratulations.
A few more interrupted sleeps ahead I fear:-)

[JackDeCrow]

Conrats Midazolam - funnily enough, my first attempt at a Listener crossword took place during the very long hospital wait for our first two! (In case anyone thinks I should have been paying more attention, we are talking a 10 day wait here!)

[JackDeCrow]

Going back to that preamble - and I actually quite like the fact that it pretty much had to be that complicated given everything that was hidden in the puzzle - I'm a bit bothered by the last two words (consistent rendition). It doesn't say consistent with what and while I can see (and admire) the change to the key information that is relevant to the revealed element, you could make the same change to the larger component but make the smaller component one "bigger" and you get something which research suggests is actually considered to be the same as (hence consistent with) the initial key information. And that smaller component still gives you a proper word - indeed, a very pleasing one to "finish" with! Hope that makes some sense.

[AndrewG-S]

I think this is the best crossword I have ever done - many thanks Shackleton. The interplays between different themes was incredible. Anyone still stuck keep going, the end is worth it! Feel free to email me on the address above for some hints

[dr b]

All pennies finally dropped. Whew! I feel equal parts aggravation (that it took me so long) and elation (for obvious reasons).

Congrats midazolam - sounds like your wife had a more productive weekend than the rest of us!

[AHearer]

I was late getting started on this, which was a shame as I really needed the time. It took ridiculously long for the initial penny to drop, but once that was done the rest followed reasonably quickly -- and I almost laughed out loud at one point. I've still got two clues to sort out in the bottom right-hand corner, but I'll let them simmer at the back of my mind for a while. What a beautiful puzzle.

I'd like to add my congratulations to midazolam.

[cluelessJoe]

Yes, congratulations Midazolam and family - I have to leave that kind of thing to my daughter nowadays (and she just beat you to it by a couple of weeks),
I'm most impressed that you managed to spot a pangram too given your degree of sleep deprivation - don't you have better things to do!

[daagg]

JdC, I think I understand your suggestion for an alternative modification, but I think the "right" one is fairly clearly correct. It "must" end up being consistent with the revealed text.

[JackDeCrow]

Agreed daagg - it's much more satisfactory that way. Just one of those things that, having spotted it, felt better to share with someone - and where else would you go apart from here?!

[Ruthrobin]

Yes, JdC, how ingenious - but where does that kind of thinking end?

[JackDeCrow]

In madness, I suspect, Ruthrobin. Isn't that also why we come here?

[midazolam]

Crikey - thank you everyone for your felicitations. What a little community we are!

[pcrabtree]

Hi, like others I am not happy with the final step - is there a way to be 100% happy? Does one have to change the longer word or just the sorter -it looks like there are 2 possible answers?

[catstail]

Congratulations Midazolam!

Have now got 11 clues I am confident about - and some I might have solved but don't feel certain. Any gentle hints as to how to solve a few others very welcome - have spent many hours with Chambers, Bradfords etc.
The clues I have got are ac - 13,34,36,45,47
dn - 1, 10,21, 27, 37, 41
Am feeling thick this week - and just slightly envious I cannot enjoy the challenge of the second part of this week's offering! Will be intrigued to read the full answer in The Times.

[daagg]

pcrabtree - both need to be changed. You need to understand the significance of the newly revealed message to know what to change it to.

[daagg]

catstail - 1ac starts with a 2-letter abbreviation, followed by a 3-letter anagram. The misprint is in the penultimate word.

[starwalker]

I would also like to add my congratulations to Midazolam (and to Mrs Midazolam, of course.)

[AndrewG-S]

catstail - try putting the letters you have for 26a into chambers word wizard - you are looking for two words which narrows it down from the otherwise long list

11d - is a fairly straightforward clue, no misprint

[pcrabtree]

Thanks daag, this blows my previous theory out of the water! I think this is now the key of another (very famous) item by "X" which starts with the newly rendered element in a new guise!

I don't think this is very clear if so, and am surprised a bit more help wasn't given in the preamble.