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Thanks Brendan,

Reminds me of Pie Herbert's in Bradford where one could get this "delicacy" after the pubs closed!

Thanks Longhare,

This meal at my friend's house is seared into my memory - I can honestly say it was the most disgusting looking thing I have ever seen on a dinner plate 🤢 How is dad managed to eat it I will never know!

For what is worth my ideal for Listener puzzles is a combination of clever and difficult clues with a reasonably clear and simple end game that gives enjoyment to solution of the clues. Sadly.for.me.this one fails on both counts.

I don’t agree notrab. I enjoyed the clues. Quite a quick grid fill but some were tricky. I completed the end game well before I finished the grid. Not the best ever but a nice, reasonably challenging and entertaining puzzle.

I think the last couple of posts give a good indication of the problems this puzzle, and, in particular, the last part of the preamble, represent. It is yet another "guess what I'm thinking of" procedure. Yes it's lovely if you happen to get onto the right wavelength and guess what is going on, but if, like me, you go through the process of solving all the clues, completing the grid, obtaining the first 7 letter word, working out the link between the Across clues' extra words, and the link between the Down clues' extra words, but then have no real idea of the sequence, symbols or colours, then it is very frustrating indeed. I would submit that those solvers who have worked out the last bit, have had to make a leap of faith which is, to my mind, unfair. It seems to be one of those things you either see, or you don't. I wonder what it could be? It's a good way of winnowing the "corrects", but is it within the spirit of the game?

I tend to agree with turast. Although I've finished, there was one aspect of the end game which went right over my head.

However, the reason I came here is to say that if, like me, you took advantage of the Times' subscription offer of '3 months for £1' in January, it's definitely worth phoning them and having a conversation before renewing (at £26 a month) or cancelling. They made me a generous offer that I just couldn't refuse.

I enjoyed this puzzle. Steady progress from the SW corner clockwise. The first thematic word leapt out, the second took me a bit longer - and that was replicated with the end game. I felt the preamble gave just enough guidance to help me (with a non-2nd thematic word background) get over the finish line.

Likewise. Some lovely clues too. Thanks, Karla.

One December many moons ago a Christmas Listener had the theme of a carol.. I used all "quarters" in my solution and not having a "half" cost me an all correct year. So Gitto if going down that route - beware.

Thank you, Karla. A relatively gentle gridfill and the thematic material came easily enough, but a longish wait for the PDM for the completion of the endgame. Not a fault of the puzzle just a significant lacuna in my range of knowledge and skills. The second of the two thematic words should have nudged me sooner!