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It worked again, no sooner do I post, I get the answer. So, is that it? I still don’t understand the descriptions.

Granama, the capital is Agra.

Thanks Unclued, I was fixating on the 'close to Mogul' being 'l' and the answer being 'capital'.

williamseal, "i" is an abbreviation for "indeed". The final definition in the BRB is "aye", qv and you will see "indeed" as one of the meanings.

As for difficulty, I think Kea is the most consistently excellent Listener setter, and I thought this was fabulous. It's the type of puzzle which feels borderline unfair until one solves it, when relief and admiration combine to make one feel it was probably just about ok.

It is true, of course, that there is a good deal of more or less cold solving required before one can start to guess at the message, which helps a great deal.

But I do have to disagree strongly that the puzzle was too difficult. Very challenging, certainly. But if all puzzles were set at a level where solvers of all levels of ability and experience could complete them without help, they would be of little interest to those who require and expect a serious workout. This is supposed to be the premier thematic crossword, after all. My own view is that the puzzle has been dumbed down significantly in recent years. An occasional one like this, like an occasional numerical, ought to be fair enough. If we lose puzzles like this I for one will stop bothering.

I note that you were not complaining, and from your previous posts I've always found you very fair-minded, so I hope you won't mind my two-penn'orth.

Thanks Quisling

Your point is well-made and I cheerfully accept what you say. This one was simply too difficult for me. However, I am more than happy to bounce along at the bottom of the class and, to re-emphasise, this thread is so very useful.

I have to disagree, quisling (although I think the puzzle is superb).

For it to be entirely fair, I think the setter should have avoided unnecessary obstacles - there should have been a little more cross-checking, there should have been a clearer preamble and there should have been fewer wilfully obscure clues in a puzzle where so much cold-solving was necessary.

There can be little doubt that the design here was to stay just this side of what's deemed fair - perhaps it just about managed that but I don't think so (that's just my opinion and, of course, you think otherwise).

Too many wild guesses were needed to get over the line with this one and - my own pet hate - it made the use of an anagram 'machine' a prerequisite.

Fair enough, drxx. I happily concede it’s borderline, and can see why you feel it falls on the wrong side. As I said, I probably did until I completed it. I was grateful for the inclusion In the preamble that every letter of the alphabet appeared in the grid. I had a different name in 23d, which I justified poorly by using any as a variable indicator to mean Y. So the J remained stubbornly elusive.

I cold solved more than half the clues before seeing any light at the end of the tunnel, but I can recall puzzles where that proportion has been 90%. It’s true that TEA and WordWeb’s searchable dictionary were of great assistance. Simply plugging in Ganges to narrow down the boat, for example. I never know what help is considered acceptable and what isn’t, so my conception of a puzzle’s fairness may be flawed. But as I never submit I’m not overly worried

I don't think we're very far apart on this, quisling (and we agree on the main point - how good a puzzle it is!).

I've swithered before posting as I don't want to appear condescending and I'm really glad to see more people attempting Listener and I am (along with many others) willing to help those looking to improve their solving skills and enjoyment of such puzzles.
It has been one of the tougher puzzles, certainly lately, but in my opinion thoroughly fair but it's been discussed as finished as early as a Sunday afternoon ! I can recall, and not that long ago, when I was still getting to grips with some midweek and occasionally finishing just prior to attempting the following week's puzzle.
Really good workout Kea; looking forward to locking horns again.

Brock’s puzzle of a few weeks ago was certainly harder than this one. It took a whole week for me to finish.