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Please can someone put me out of my misery? I've been trying to parse 10d (the alphabet almost wholly backwards) but simply cannot see how it works.

ABACK means backwards

Arghh! Of course. Thank you Candledave, that was the only one I too couldn't parse.

Thank you, candledave.

Complainers about easy puzzles are kind of missing the point. The editors can only publish what is submitted to them, and actually the large majority of submissions end up in print (suitably tweaked for any infelicities and to match house style). The editors don't send out appeals to Shark, Sabre or whoever, and it's pretty tedious to read gripes about how easy it might have been to complete such and such a puzzle. Put your own stinker in if you're up to it.

For this one, I agree it was straightforward and unambitious, and the clue gimmick bore no relation to the theme. So be it.

Hear, hear, topaz, hear hear

Half agree, Topaz

There are many many other crosswords to cater for less ambitious solvers.

We should of course be grateful to contributors, but it is damning them with faint praise to suggest that they did their best to produce a challenging crossword but didn't manage it. Chalicea consistently produces easy crosswords. She could produce more difficult ones but has set herself the worthy mission of encouraging new solvers to attempt the Listener

THis puzzle was at the introductory level but I was happy nonetheless because it had no weak clues

Agree topaz, the complaints are tedious and pointless. If anything, all they’re going to do is put off setters and everyone has to start somewhere. I bet even Sharks first puzzle was relatively straightforward - thank goodness he wasn’t deterred.

As you say, the editors aren’t dumbing anything down so this niche area of the crosswording world relies on a healthy, vibrant setting community as much as the solving one.

I really appreciate setters spending hours on creating something for my enjoyment so thanks Almasti.

I’m just starting out on having a go at setting and I even wonder if I’ll bother submitting to the Listener as not sure I would be able to stop myself looking here and seeing the inevitable diatribe!

I agree that this one was on the easy side, but some of the complaints are over the top. And the difficulty should lie in the clues, not in mysterious grid staring and obscure references (as in the Enigmatist a couple of weeks ago).

I agree, eenk. I enjoy the clues, and would never spend above ten minutes on a tedious grid stare. It's especially irritating when a straightforward puzzle is followed by a grid stare requiring niche knowledge.

I also agree that easy puzzles have their place in the series, but must own to feeling disappointed if I can finish within the hour.