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I think the answer to meursaults question is 4501 - next Saturday.
At least I will get more time in the garden this weekend.

I agree that this was probably the easiest puzzle this year but I do not agree that this was no more difficult than the average Times daily puzzle. For starters, at least nine answers are unlikely to appear in a Times daily puzzle, and some need a dictionary to confirm. A few others contain wordplay that involves obscurities such as archaisms that wouldn't be found in the Times.
When I solve the Times crossword I do it without recourse to aids of any kind, nor to a dictionary. I would expect anyone dismissing a Listener crossword as little harder than the average Times puzzle to be able to claim the same.

The editors probably felt there was a need to balance a string of fairly challenging puzzles with something rather easier. I found it enjoyable enough. The theme was appropriate, there were a few devious bits of wordplay (including one I cannot fathom) and the clue gimmick to provide the message was a departure from the norm.

I agree Dryden. This appeared easy because there were no devices (clashes, jumbling or other word modifications) to stop the solver using on line word seach aids.
The clues in themselves were as challenging as those found in the more difficult puzzles.

As someone who rarely finishes the Listener, and often asks for assistance in here, this thread is still usually dangerous because most people do solve all or most of it, and only get stuck after doing 90%. I often think a second thread, for those of us struggling with most of the clues, would be ideal (so long as some experts visit from time to time!!)

I can always tell when there will be complaints about easy puzzles, when I solve a lot of it unaided. Got the whole left side so far bar two, and nothing at all to the right of 6d lol.

All done .. just one query ..how does 15a parse please?

( Old base to cover incorporating returned letter office)

Is it just R(eturned) L(etter) O(ffice) inside hat (to cover) ??

Yes that’s what I thought Bunty.

It seems I'm the only one who doesn't understand what "taking the letter in each clue that immediately precedes the first occurrence of a letter shared with its answer..." means!

Eg - 25a - Sample sweet chestnuts, to eat in = ETCH. What do I take from that please?

The letters in 'etch' - so look out for any of those in the clue. There's nothing until you get to the 'e' in 'sample' - the letter before that is L, that's what you used

Thanks, malone. I had somehow read it that each letter in each clue had to be considered. Eg - the E, T, C and H.

You're welcome, Orson. If the answer to your clue had been Chet, it would have still been the E you used to get the preceding letter, as the E was the first to appear in the clue. (This is just in case of ambiguity, seeing as the E is the first letter in Etch).