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Thanks, Brendan. I'd also been trying to convince myself that the 9 letter word was in fact 2 words (6,3) with the first 2 letters of the second word reversed but I was never happy with it. All's well that end well. Cheers

Separate Post by gregwatsonuk

Anyone else had a problem getting the crossword via the Times app today? The email link sends me to Wednesday’s Times puzzles.
Is there another way to download it?

Quisling Replied

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/puzzleclub/crosswordclub/news/the-listener-crossword

might work if you’re a subscriber

Thanks Alchemist, nice gentle canter.
Interesting article in the Times Saturday Review Books section.

Posted by Useby In wrong thread

In full agreement with previous posts. A charming puzzle that was a pleasure to solve. Lovely to see the pieces slot in place without any head-scratching. And feel slightly more educated by the end of it. Thank you Alchemist.

Joining the chorus of thanks to Alchemist. A very satisfying solve with no doubts about what was needed and what went where. And a pleasing PDM when (despite the - thankfully few - unches) the forgotten things revealed themselves. I spelled out the message for completeness rather than revelation and was impressed by how complete it was in itself.

Brendan and Simon, re: “thin neckwear items…”

My parse is slightly different but got me to the same place—I used the word “base” differently than you.

1st three words = definition
Wordplay:
5 letter word for binding + the base (last letter of) “without” + usual parse for “that is square”


Fun when 2 different parses work!

All done, but cannot see how to parse “extremely one-sided as not at home (3)”. Even with the answer and the extra letter. No doubt it’s something obvious…

Never mind, see it now. Went for a walk and figured it out. Not that obvious either, I thought

Done! Very enjoyable, and absolutely thrilled, as my previous attempts to solve puzzles of this type (no numbers; is this what’s known as “carte blanche”?) have ended in abject failure… So even if it was easier, very happy to have finally been successful!

Can someone help me with the parsing of “Note, being about etc.” I think I have it, but don’t quite get the wordplay, so maybe I don’t…

first two letters are the note

letters 3,4 and 8 are the being

5,6,7 are the 4 letter lacerate (minus the extra letter)