Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

The clues...
Requests for help should normally include the clue itself, the number of letters in the answer, and details of any you already have. Please also include any special instructions or additional information - something common in Listener puzzles.
Hints only, please, no answers.

The theme...
Help towards the theme may also be sought here. It's hoped that the 'help' will be a nudge or a pointer in the right direction - not anything overly revealing that would spoil the puzzle for other solvers. Any queries or responses which, even inadvertently, give away too much are likely to be removed.

The Listener is a unique puzzle and should be treated with respect.

Just trying to get my head around the instructions: I hope that the down clues are doable...

Does anyone yet know whether the four or eight letter wordplays are themselves proper words?
Looking very tricky so far!

the wordplay bits are not proper words

When I saw that the setter was Quinapalus, I thought that we were in for a tricky one. So far, I seem to be right: a good few down clues solved, but only one across answer so far (19). Plenty of time yet.

Bit of a slog but I’ve filled the grid (except for 4 ambiguities) and parsed all the clues. Really struggling with the theme. Does anyone know if the changeable letters in across clues can be any letters, or if they have to be swapped with other letters in the clue?

If anyone has made any progress re the endgame a hint would be much appreciated!

I got the changeable letters to mean that one of the letters in the clue could be replaced by another letter (not necessarily from the clue) and the clue would still make sense. For example, in 19A, crashed could be trashed and the clue would still work. So you have a pair of c and t for that clue…

Why is the word character used, not letter?
Are we to understand that the play title starts with twenty-two letters?That's a long title.

The use of character is quite deliberate and yes it is a long play title.

Does 14a contain two H's?