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 additional information or special instructions, 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 assistance given should be fairly gentle in nature. Aim for just a nudge, a pointer in the right direction - and certainly not anything that would spoil the puzzle for others.
If you feel that too much has been revealed, please contact the site administrator. Email her at Norah.evoluted@aol.com. Norah tends to err on the side of caution, anything iffy is likely to be removed.

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

Took a while for the penny to drop re the end-game - unusual and clever idea I thought; thanks to Twin.

Way beyond clever, I thought - the constraints imposed by the 3rd letters make this construction quite remarkable. Thanks indeed to Twin

By 18.00 GMT I had an almost complete grid - and had greatly enjoyed some of the extensive definitions - but it was then time to make cocktails and get dinner underway (a Mauritian daube, said he snootily). So looking forward to more fun based on the comments about the endgame.

Plenty of groans as the grid fell into place. And then the weirdest PDM ever, in that I know that I have followed the instructions correctly, but I don't understand how they mean what I've done it to!

Neat idea, well presented, and I look forward to the PDM about my PDM!

Thanks, Twin.

This is one of the most impressive feats of clueing that I've ever come across! Unfortunately it doesn't affect the solving difficulty, which is usually a drawback in my opinion. But not here. Twin, I take my hat off to you!

OMG! Completed the grid last night thinking that some of the clues read a bit clumsily. Stared at the instruction for ages but couldn’t see what to do. Then this morning it hit me straightaway - for me it was following the instruction out loud that did the trick. Now I understand why some of the clues had to be written the way they were. Hats off to Twin - I assume he’s got it right all the way to the end but can’t imagine many people will check.

Only question for me now is whether to follow the instruction multiple times or just once - I assume the former as the latter wouldn’t have a unique answer.

Just realised that the construction is even cleverer than I thought - once the instruction is followed it becomes absolutely clear that it’s correct.

I have a completed grid and the instruction. As always, just waiting for a PDM now.

We have applied the first two words of the instruction and this has revealed what is clearly the correct outcome.

The relevance of the rest of the instruction continues to elude us.