Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

THE CLUES
Requests for help should normally include the clue itself, the number of letters in the answer, and details of any you already have. Any special instructions or additional information should also be given.

HINTS only, please - no answers.

THE THEME
Requests may be made here for Gentle Nudges towards the theme . Aim to give enough to help without revealing the theme itself.

Early finishers should avoid any allusions - jocular or otherwise - to the theme.

The Listener is a unique puzzle and should be treated with respect.

Norah, thanks for starting us off this week.

Quite a tricky one, especially if you have no knowledge of the theme. I can’t say I really enjoyed it, but at least I learnt something

Quisling, I was relying on you (or drxx) to tell me when this theme came up before. I’m fairly sure it was a Listener.

Though it may be some time ago as I dip into the archives occasionally

Yes, this was certainly tricky - and it took a shot in the dark to get the theme in the end... so, not ideal (for me, at least).

If it has, ukridge, I can't remember it - and I could have done with a little help with this one (I've been staring at a full grid for quite a while - and with everything accounted for there were no bells ringing at all).

You're right - it's just come to me, but the last time (and it was fairly recently because I actually viewed the TV version!) it wasn't broken down into its various parts like this... I think.

It rings a vague bell, but not enough to have helped me. I probably took the same shot in the dark as you, drxx. There was one other clue I only noticed too late

I've checked on the Listener site and can't find any mention of it in the last two years - and I'm pretty sure it's no later than that or I wouldn't remember anything about it. It could have been an Inquisitor puzzle I suppose. I'm sure the thematic connection is identical too, which makes it less likely to be a Listener - surely they wouldn't allow this much repetition? But it could explain why all of the hints to the theme are so obscure this time around - the extras got me nowhere (and it looks like you might have had a similar experience, quisling).