Listener 4580 - A Game Of 11

[IainGrace]

Good fun but it became obvious a bit too early what it was all about.

[Philoctetes]

Yes - a jolly romp, but not a full work out.

[Scorpius]

I'm all for a range of difficulty, but I found this a bit too easy. I'm not a particularlly quick solver but I filled half the grid in fifteen minutes without even consulting Chambers. The main challenge was to work out the phrase to write under the grid.

It wasn't hard to guess the first word of the quote once the checked letters were in place, but it doesn't appear as a keyword in the ODQ index, which surprised me. In the end I guessed the last three words and used the Internet.

[Hagen]

I never complain when a puzzle's easy, but it would have been nice if this had lasted a bit longer. It is very much an old-school puzzle, which would probably have presented more of a challenge in the days before anagram finders and the Internet (I did exactly the same as Scorpius to find the quotation). A bit like one of those restaurant dishes that tastes lovely but is gone in a couple of mouthfuls!

Ifor's IQ this week is rather meatier, and recommended.

Is it a numerical next week?

[perseverer]

The first word of the quote is in the index of my 3rd edition (1979 or so) ODQ, so no problem finding it for me.
I still feel slightly confused about which game was actually the theme.

The numerical is usually the penultimate Saturday of the month so due 22nd/23rd.

[Hagen]

Thanks Perseverer. I miscounted the number of weekends in this month, which is one reason I don't do numericals!

[sunny-dave]

Easy - but fun - it prompted a wander through some of the source material in my book collection - which was a very jolly way to spend an hour or so.

[12barblues]

This one really was entry level, but quite fun for a quick fill after a weekend out