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I wanted to add a short note to this thread to say how much I have enjoyed reading it this week. Although I'm not the most active contributor I do read it frequently to understand how others have found particular puzzles. The last few weeks have been disheartening to say the least and the complete absence of bickering and controversy this week has been very refreshing.

So...

A huge THANK YOU is due to Norah for her unending patience. Her efforts to maintain a convivial atmosphere on this forum are heroic and deeply appreciated.

And THANK YOU also to Ifor for a really excellent puzzle. There were some very good clues indeed and a scrupulously fair endgame that required a thorough knowledge of the source material. Bravo!

Thanks loge! I was going to check on Christmas Eve but I'd have totally missed a Monday Listener.

Thank you for your kind words, Kitsune, I appreciate them. I do my best to keep things friendly and running smoothly but the last few weeks have been a bit of a trial.

Hopefully that is all behind us now and the Listener thread can progress into the New year in a optimistic manner, with everyone treating each other with respect. No bickering, no giving away too much, just nice friendly banter.

This week has worked well, long may it continue.

Let me also begin by adding my thanks to Norah. The third division is particularly grateful to you.

Having completed the Guardian Christmas special and AZED (and watch my depleted side lose to Harlequins) I've tried this one. I've completed the grid but, as is so often the way, and now hopelessly stuck.

I don't way to move away from the spirit of the thread but am starting to get under Mrs. Seal's flippers so could I ask for a nudge.

On the down clues, am I correct in the extra words are in 1, 4 , 6 and 9 and point me in the direction of a film? On the across clues I cannot identify the extra words in 16 and 26.

Are the forenames anagrams of all the letters of the surplus across words - there do seem to be a lot of letters if this is the case.

Hope this is not too much to ask - it is midweek. I'd like to persevere.

William Seal, yes you are on the right track. The forenames are not necessarily all anagrams of the removed words.

Thanks SS - all clear now.
Best wishes to all

One of the Listener editors has posted the following on the Crossword Centre message board:

For the information of Listener solvers who don't see the newspaper, Listener Crossword 4691 will be published in The Times on Monday 27 December, and online as normal.

So looks like it should be online on Friday afternoon 🙂

Thanks for the update, Targo. If I am not knee-deep in wrapping paper on Friday afternoon, I intend to start off a Listener thread (now 'the Listener thread', of course!)

Merry Christmas all! I felt moved to comment on the cleverness of the construction of this puzzle, especially with regard to the top row and how what gets added there creates new words. If you've not considered all the possibilities, it's worth doing so. I'm in awe.

There are a couple of parsings I'm not very happy with, for 2, 8 and 12. I don't think they've been touched on here. I see the definitions and know what words are removed but would love a little hint as to how the wordplay works.

2: one look into earth's past ferocious fish
8: school room set aside for meeting
12: deep sound south of valley filled by lake

PS scratch my request re 2 -- as so often happens, the appropriate abbreviation jumped out at me just seconds after posting...!