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I meant to add - when I sussed what the 9 extra letters were doing I did hope that the thing we were supposed to draw was a cockroach. Wrong poet, however.

I had two stray 'extras' and had missed one altogether - all ok now.

Since there are a number of setters who view this thread could I offer the following observation.

I greatly enjoy the Listener and believe I am getting better. I examined this one and saw that the preamble suggested that grid entry would be challenging, even before the complications of an end game. That is fair enough.

My reservation however as that as I looked over the clues there were none that I could immediately cold solve. Unless there are four or five in this category I know from experience I might just as well bin.

So my point is a combination of both very hard clues and grid challenge means the third and fourth division drop out. If that is understood and, indeed is the intention, fine. Just so the editor is aware.

Thanks

Williamseal, this is probably the toughest word puzzle of the year by far. The clues are very tough and the erratic nature of the entries makes it even tougher. Every year there are some tough puzzles like this to satisfy those who relish a very tough challenge, and also to reduce the number of all-correct solvers at various points during the year.

If you want to persevere you might consider 3, 6,, 8 (1 letter unclued) 14, 15, 18 (1 leetter unclued), 27 (1 letter unclued), 30a (anag. 1 letter unclued), 30b (hidden rev.), 31, 38 (hidden wiith 1 letter unclued, but ambiguous), 40, 40, 45, 48 (1 letter unclued), 50.

All those have reasonably straightforward clues.

I found filling the grid a tedious slog, and ambiguities in the answers/unclued letters of a couple of clues just irked me. Filling a grid like this is hard enough without the setter putting such obtacles in the way. I also think the first sentence of the preamble is completely inaccurate, and doesn't match the primary reference's entry for the significant word.

I think the answer to 39 is WHIN but where does hard-wearing fit in?
Also I can’t get 29, 32 and 44.
Any help gratefully received.

Unclued, my first parsing of WHIN is H in WIN (one meaning of which is a penny, i.e. a piece), but the W ought perhaps to be unclued, so I'm uncertain. 29: last letter of GETTING on a word meaning a top; 32: a word meaning to burn without first and last letters, reversed to make a short, snappy creature; 44 'my' = word associated with 'blimey'....

W is unclued. H = hard; IN = wearing (as in clothing). Still waiting for penny to drop on 4/8 letter words.

It is WHIN. A very sneaky clue that doesn't comply with normal Listener practise. W is unclued. 'Hard-wearing' is H IN'. I guess it was allowed because it's a clever & lit.
29 is G from last letter of 'getting' + three-letter word for top (ie cover)
32 - definition is 'snapper' (a snapping animal). Six-letter word for 'fry' (as in fry in the sun) with outside letters deleted.
44 Usual word for fellow after a three-letter exclamation (My!)

Thanks unowned, murky and greengage. I have most of the lower half complete but still a long way to go....
At least this one should last me all week.

Just noticed my wrong spelling of 'practice'.
Go to the bottom of the class.