Listener Crossword: Introduction

Contents

Background

From the outset, the puzzle differed from conventional crosswords in having a “theme”, ie, each puzzle contains a feature that affects the clues and/or the grid in some way. Themes are generally either logical in nature, eg, using a code or cipher, or involve some topic, eg a literary work, a quotation or some set of related objects or concepts.

Initially some of the logical themes were occasionally repeated, but this is now rare since the increasing band of active setters have demonstrated an ability to produce sufficient fresh themes week after week. As a result, solvers who attempt all puzzles will encounter over 50 very different themes each year. Themes are often related to specific dates, eg, an anniversary of an author, Christmas, the Cup Final, etc.

Most puzzles contain a more or less conventional grid, usually with sets of across and down clues ordered conventionally. The theme itself may be explicitly stated or have to be deduced. Instructions for this usually appear in a preamble, although sometimes further instructions are derivable from the clues or the grid entries.

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The Preamble

• The grid is where the letters are entered. It is good policy to use a working copy or a pencil, initially, since some themes require alteration of some letters.
• The word to which the clue leads is the answer.
• What is written into the grid at the corresponding place is the entry, which in some puzzles may not be the same as the answer. (Some other crossword series refer to this as the “light”.)
• Some instructions refer to cells, which are the individual spaces in the grid. These have traditionally been called “squares”, but a Listener grid occasionally has differing numbers of rows and columns so, when the grid is made square overall, the cells are no longer square.
• Clues usually break into two parts, one of which is a direct definition of the answer.
• The other part, which leads to the answer through devices such as anagrams, charades and homophones, is the wordplay; this may even be a second definition. (Some other crossword series refer to “subsidiary indication” or “cryptic part”.)
• Some preambles require part or parts of the grid to be highlighted to reveal some part of the theme. For this, either use of a coloured pen or shading using a highlighter or crayon will normally suffice. Other methods, however, may be specifically required, eg, “shading”, where the whole cell must be shaded leaving the letters visible, but coloured letters alone would not suffice. Very occasionally, cells are to be “blacked out”, which means their contents are to be obliterated. Thus, the preamble should be read with great care.

Reference sources

The Oxford Dictionary of English (2nd edition) (not to be confused with the Oxford English Dictionary) is a recognised reference for encyclopaedic entries, of which Chambers has no systematic coverage. It can be usefully supplemented by a reasonably sized atlas and a biographical dictionary.

On occasion, a setter has no alternative but to use a very rare word or spelling, to be found in The Oxford English Dictionary (OED), but the editors try to ensure the associated clue is straightforward, so solvers rarely need to access that dictionary.

As to thematic material, setters are advised that “Preference is given to ideas that can be confirmed using commonly available reference books”. In addition to an atlas and biographical dictionary, solvers will sometimes find it useful to be able to access The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations and Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable.

An increasing number of solvers research thematic material using the internet, but the editors are adamant that they will not accept a puzzle based on material that can be readily accessed only in that way. (Overseas solvers may have to use the internet in place of UK-specific references, such as a Road Atlas.) All solvers can, of course, use this resource if they wish, but they should bear in mind that there is no quality control on the information available; it has been known for a solver to find an erroneous entry. Caveat emptor.

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Mathematical puzzles

Solvers are not required to use high-level mathematics or computer programming. But in many cases a simple electronic calculator will speed up the solution process.

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Statistics

The Listener statistician keeps records for all those who submit at least one puzzle in a year. A few months after the end of the year he collates these records and offers, for the cost of an SAE (stamped-addressed envelope), a fascinating account of the year, including numbers of entries (correct and wrong) for each puzzle, a list of the most successful solvers overall and an individualised record for the applicant with a full explanation of every error he or she made.

The most successful solver of all is awarded the Solver Silver Salver and is responsible for nominating the best puzzle of the year, which wins a trophy for its setter.

The prize draw is carried out on the closing date (usually the second Thursday after the puzzle appears). But solvers may still send entries up to the day before the solution appears (three weeks after the puzzle’s publication), provided they alert the statistician in advance and provide good reason, eg, a foreign holiday. Such notifications should be sent to the address for the submission of entries and contain an SAE if an answer is required.

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Advice on solving

The following references will help with clue analyses. The author of the first in the list has been a regular setter in the Listener series for many years.

• Chambers Crossword Manual by Don Manley, Chambers, 2006. ISBN 0550-10220-5 (978-0550-10220-1)
• The Random House Guide to Cryptic Crosswords by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon, Times Books, 2003. ISBN 0-8129-3545-4
• Ximenes on the Art of the Crossword by D S Macnutt, Swallowtail Books, 2001. ISBN 1-9034-0004-X

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© The Listener Editorial Team, October 2005