Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

THE CLUES - Requests for hints on the clues should normally include the clue itself, number of letters and details of any you already have. Any relevant information, special instructions etc mentioned in the preamble should be given.

NB Hints only should be given, no answers.

THE THEME - Requests may be posted here for GENTLE NUDGES only.

NB. Do NOT reveal the Theme under any circumstances. Unsolicited information will be removed.

Remember, too, that the Listener is a unique puzzle. Please treat it with the respect it deserves, and don't give away too much when responding to requests.

Thank you Santa!!

What would Christmas Day be without an obsessive closetting with the Listener??

Spending too much precious solving time playing bloody boggle, quixote.

Thanks tatters and malone : )

Hint, please, for the extra letter in 5ac?

Also, I have an I in intersection of 22ac and 6d, which I fear may be wrong. Tips please on that?

Happy Christmas to all, and glad the on-line Listener did indeed appear yesterday!

5 across is an anagram with one letter too many (it's a vowel)

That intersecting cell shouldn't contain an I. It's the third letter of a (crosswordy) word for bounder.

Nice puzzle, though I couldn't solve the normal clues without reverse engineering from thematic possibilities. Some of the wording of the preamble is very clever!

Agree Loge, particularly liked the bit in brackets.
Excellent puzzle. Still not sure whether to make more than one substitution, although it does say “a substitution “. In which case, which one? 🤔

There you go complicating things, SS 😉 I went with what seemed instinctively right and which enabled the completion of the final stage.

Merry Christmas Loge, expect you’ll be eating carp today!
We’ve got all the messages, know exactly what to do, got the final stage, but because of the non- words, there just seems the possibility that the substitution could be applied to …..
Say no more!

Merry Christmas to you too! No carp for me - can't stand it. Roast beef instead!

I think I see what you're getting at but I'm content with a single substitution. I may well be proved wrong of course!