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. Any special instructions or additional information, common in Listener puzzles, should also be included.
Hints only, please, no answers.

The theme...
Help with the theme may also be sought here. The help given should be fairly gentle in nature. Aim to give just a nudge, a pointer in the right direction - and certainly not anything that would spoil the puzzle for others.

If you do feel a post is too revealing, please get in touch with Norah, site administrator - email her at Norah.evoluted@aol.com. Norah errs on the side of caution, anything at all 'iffy' is likely to be removed.

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

Not as tricky as it first appeared but good fun from beginning to end.

Thanks, Eclogue.

Is the answer to “Critically examine …” an Italian hamlet? If so it’s going to be hard to confirm.

jockie - I believe it is - and an extremely obscure one IMO.

That obscure hamlet aside, this was a good puzzle. Less difficult in the end than it first appeared, but still a challenge.

Thanks, Eclogue.

I’ve got the message and the creator, but I can’t make it fit with the overflows from the two short answers at the bottom. I presume that the creators name doesn’t necessarily start in the top left square?

dylan - you can fill in the two little answers provided you do not bring any preconceived idea about HOW the names fit round the outside. I spent 4 hours yesterday staring at it, and once I made the jump the rest took 10 minutes.

Thanks Cockie, I've now realised that the spacing round the perimeter is not how I envisaged it originally.
My next problem is that there are five 3-cell entries needed, but only four 4-letter answers given (and no unclued 3-letter answers). What's going on?!

There are five 4 letter answers

Ignore me

This is resolved by the letter being removed wherever it occurs in the answer