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I loved this. Some absolutely brilliant clueing in the connection between surface and definition/wordplay without being &lit (7dn, 18dn), some that were simply ridiculous, in a good way (39ac, 32ac), some pleasing recursiveness (12ac)—just lots of fun in these clues, while being impressively economical. I've not been solving The Listener for long but these have been among my favourite clues yet.

Like many here seem to, I really struggled with the endgame, but once I understood the second level of it, it came together very quickly and I was relieved to feel the confidence that is granted by the unambiguous nature of the result. I was certain this was going to be a puzzle in which I was doubting my grid illustrations at the, but no.

(I will say 20ac was a nightmare for me and I had to revise it twice over.)

Chrisremo - re 10ac, I have an answer that fits but cannot parse it: any insights you could share? TIA

Well there’s a 12A, a 20A or a 10D.

Happy to help with any…

I have 5 qualifying columns, not 4. Columns 2,3,7, 10 & 11, since I have the plural answer in 12 across. Am I wrong somewhere?

oops - meant 20a. Thanks for your help, Martin

That was actually one of the first I solved! The first two words give the two parts of the answer; the final three are the definition.

But I can't complete the NW corner. There seems to be only one possibility for the first letter, but I can't see in which direction to proceed from there.

Sorry, I meant the first three words give the two parts of the answer. Should proof read my comments before I post!

Number is a chestnut - a hackneyed piece of crossword wordplay or answer - for ether [an anaesthetic, a thing that numbs].

The definition is a Scottish form of an obsolete word for spider, because of course it is.

luftensch
Re the NW corner, your 'one possibility' is right....proceed in a clockwise direction.

I have almost finished the grid and starting on the end game but I have 22A (Spicy mixture...) with the 2nd and 5th letters, the unches missing. For speed I use the CD version of Chambers which is quite old now but refer to the printed book if I suspect that the word should exist. I can't find it. I am pretty certain that the word does not have a clash as I have three of those already. A gentle nudge please.