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I’ve only just had a look at this and I’m finding the prospect most dispiriting. There are so many clues, in tiny script, that I’m not sure I can be bothered. I’ve worked through the first twenty or so and although the clues are doable the quantity in front of me is seriously off-putting.

Maybe I’m just having a grumpy day!

Teenieleek, I've slogged away at this for most of the day. I've now solved around 90/95% of the clues, have the six clues and think I know what the thematic adjustment will be - but because I haven't finished all the clues, I haven't yet put a single letter in the grid.

As someone once said...Tomorrow is another day.

Hi both
I agree with you teenieleek that it's quite a slog to go through cold solving so many clues for so little obvious reward. So you definitely need to set aside a chunk of time for that.
I managed to do that and, with hazarding an informed guess with the first 7-letter down answer in the grid (there aren't that many 7-letter clues and, as it turnded out, two are thematically shorter), managed to get a toehold and the rest of the grid didn't take too long. One of those puzzles I enjoyed in retrospect....thanks to Bungo ( a new setter?)

The thematic adjustments to some clues certainly adds a level of complexity to filling the grid, especially as the 9-letter words are the obvious place to start, but one is thematic. And the message is no help until the grid is filling up. But it all works out prettily in the end. A good, challenging carte blanche.

From memory, the Listener’s guidance for setters suggests that puzzles that require more than half the clues to be solved before any entries can be made are generally considered "too tough" and may be rejected.

I know it’s not the Listener, but I think demonstrates its unusualness. I had solved 75% or so. Hats off if you did it on 50%!

I have about 50% too.
Good tip from muraria about getting '1d' - but none of my sevens seem to work. I am missing two, so looking for hints for 'Sounds like canard' and 'Treat as caring' clues thanks.

Lumen,
1. Def is first 4 words, an alternative spelling. A reference to a singing duo, + S
2. Def is first 4 words, also. (Greek god, 4, around 'one') all in HE

Thanks, mattrom. Got both, and have started entering answers!
Sonny clue very hard I thought.

I agree. After hours of slog have managed to solve quite a few but think I am losing the will to live. I love IQ and look forward to it each week. Have always managed to complete more than not until recently. They do seem to be becoming more complicated and convoluted. I wonder if some of the (new) setters forget who they are doing these for. They are not meant to be competing with each other.

A really tough one but essentially fair. 11 down especially tricky. I would recommend totally avoiding trying to do anything with the six normal clues (including putting the answers in) until right to the very end- by which time it should be clearer as to what needs to be done to them.