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 additional information, or special instructions, common in Listener puzzles, should also be included.
HINTS only, please, no answers.

The theme...
Help towards the theme may also be sought and given here. The help should be fairly gentle in nature - just a nudge or a pointer in the right direction, and certainly not anything that would spoil the puzzle for others. Any posts which, even inadvertently, reveal too much of the theme are likely to be removed.

In general...
There are many regulars on the Listener threads, but newcomers are always welcome.

Unsolicited help, with clues or with the theme, is likely to be removed.

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

A real workout as far as the crossword goes - hated the pay-off.

Now it’s been published, please can someone explain to me why Bertha is a bright girl?

Never would’ve got it without (I think) drxx’s hint about replacing bright with big…

According to Google, "The name Bertha is a female name of Germanic origin that means "bright one" or "famous". It comes from the Old High German word berhta."

As far as this week's, yes, a good workout, but in my case the endgame was quite satisfactory.

Thank you!

Is it in Chambers somewhere?

Chambers used to have an appendix with name meanings. My understanding is that the appendix is not in recent editions of the book, but setters often use it anyway. I have learned that if the clue includes "xxxx girl" or some such, to just Google "xxxx name meaning".

The names appendix is still in the BRB, but not in the app.

Thanks - thought that might be the case. Another reason not to like that endgame… Oh well, thanks for the info!

I quite enjoyed this puzzle. An early PDM made the solve quite straightforward and the end is not as GWIT as it looks.

Happy to be corrected, but the definition in 26A apears to be inaccurate.

All done. Enjoyed the unusual grid-fill, and have the message, the work and the author. FWIW, I agree with Drxx about the endgame - unless I've missed something, the changes to '2 rows giving real words' requires what seem to me to be rather arbitrary alterations. Mayne there is only one possibility, I don't know.