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Listener Crossword

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stevenj | 18:14 Sun 12th Apr 2015 | Crosswords
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Each week, after I have finished the Times jumbo, I look across at the Listener crossword which they also print on the Mind games page. Just the instructions leave me confused! Do any of you really good puzzlers tackle it? Or is it only for the VERY few?
What's the secret of getting into one?
Steven
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The instructions leave me bemused too - have never tackled it but I know many on here do.
You need to start with a gentle one!
Each week usually late Fri/early Sat a thread starts up on here discussing the puzzle and its difficulty. Sometimes you have to forget the preamble for a while and just get down to filling in a few answers. Then as you make progress, sentences in the preamble begin to make sense etc....!
This week's for instance was on the harder side. There is usually a similar thread on the Crossword Forum where more help can be given as and when required.
Have a go sometime!
One of the tips is to try and read the preamble once over and then on the second reading look only for the stuff to do with the clues. Once you know how the clues work, and can solve a few of them, then the rest is usually rather easier to get into and all that horror about "solvers must then translate alternate entries into Latin according to a quotation found in blah blah and then move corresponding answers in a manner described by extra words in down clues..." can become rather easier to decipher.

It becomes easier with practice, but certainly some puzzles can look intimidating at first! Often they aren't as bad as it seems, eg the recent "Game of 15" had a hideously convoluted preamble but was after all fairly easy.
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Thank you all very much. I think I am not quite ready for something even tougher than theTimes jumbo. Though I do think I am getting better with that thanks to the guidance so many of you have given me, for which many thanks. But your advice is encouraging and I think I will have a go sometime.
Thank you taking the trouble to write!
Steven
hi stevbenj,

Sorry I am adding this very late but we have a tailored Listener search link along with a bunch of other popular crosswords.

The links are just above the tab bar and if you click it you will see all the past Listener threads plus any clue threads, this may give you some idea about what to expect.

Good luck :-)

auntie xxx

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