Crossword Help Forum
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I have never submitted a Listener solution. Waste of a stamp, clearly. And I’ve never even looked at this place before this week. Someone told me of its existence

But I appreciate you confirming in post 57 that you are all cheats. Thanks for that. Sweet dreams

Thank you. I hope my answers have been helpful.

But cast your net a little further in your search for cheats.

newbie321 asked in #53
"what on earth value do any annual statistics he compiles have?"
About as much value as the "Likes" accumulated by the self-absorbed airheads who populate social media.
Nearly 30 years ago I submitted an all correct run, along with just two others, and missed by, literally, a squiggle the following year. Maybe, just maybe, there was some sense in having statistics. Soon afterwards a couple were at the top of the list, so any semblance of fairness was already evaporating. Add to that, Listener setters were, and are, allowed to submit. No idea whether their entry counts, but it's an anomaly either way. I gave up submitting long ago.
As far as this group is concerned I have no problem with it, now that it's so well moderated. The Listener is still (usually) the most enjoyable solve of the week, even if this ancient sometimes needs a little nudge after trying for a week.
To state the obvious, it's only an amusement!

Newbie, there is a great deal of ethical compass on this site, our members are a great bunch of people who help each other with queries.

I would point out to you that this is a Crossword Clue Solver site and you are on the Crossword Help Forum. If you don’t believe in such things and think it is cheating, then why have you joined us?

I have to say that it annoys me somewhat that a new person joins the Forum then calls our members cheats and also tries to tell me how to run site. You are more than welcome here but only if you participate in the same friendly manner as our other members.

I have bumped the Posting Guidelines, perhaps you would like to read them. Also check Malone’s post at the start which sets what what the Listener thread is all about.

These threads which discuss the rights and wrongs of what we do on the Forum only lead to a lot of arguments with neither side willing to give way. Please could everyone go back to doing what you do best, discussing the Listener in particular and crosswords in general

Thank you Norah.

To repeat what I have said on other occasions. I am a fourth division solver - probably due to be demoted the Vanarama league table at some stage. I enjoy having a bash each week and Mrs Seal is pleased (it keeps me quiet, costs little and there is no mess to be cleared up afterwards).
If I can cold solve five or six clues I'm in with a shout and carry on. Most weeks I need to look at this site at some stage. I am not in for competitive advantage or any sort of gain - so I don't think I'm a cheat in any way. Isn't the 21st Century all about knowledge sharing?

Thank you, Norah; and commiserations that you have had to intervene.

Back in my climbing days there would often be post-cragging pub discussions and, latterly, forum feuds about what was called “ethics” (ie was a particular technique “fair”). It always struck me that it was rather daft to have such highfalutin notions as “ethics” dragged into chat about our shared recreation. How much dafter when the subject is one where the risk of injury and death is as low as it is in solving crosswords!

May I take this opportunity of thanking Norah for her vigilance and for her efforts to keep the peace. As Jack Aubrey says, it shouldn’t be necessary.

May I also thank the regular contributors to these threads who seem to solve the puzzles in an amazingly short time but then spend many hours helping the rest of us to catch up!

On this occasion I think the editors have seriously blundered by allowing another ambiguous endgame. They may well have put some regular solvers off from submitting.

Norah, thanks for this morning's post - and for all the time and effort you have put into ensuring the Listener threads run as well as they do! It wasn't easy getting us to this point, and you were very good to listen to all the various opinions. I was relieved and happy when we seemed to havea version that suited - well, suited most of the people most of the time!