Letters to The Listener – Solutions, Annotations & Results

Stats -We had a great response for “Letters to the Listener” and received 39 submissions, 2 more than last time. Of those who submitted, 1 abandoned the grid half way. 30 got the full grid score of 38, and 23 people got the maximum possible score of 45. Here’s the Solution grid.

The solvers had to answer the following questions after solving the grid:

(1) Decode the subtitle of the puzzle (i.e, 19,1)
(2) Solve these three parts of the puzzle’s introduction: 29, 28, 12, 16, 22 and 12, 28, 29, 23 and 13, 28, 22, 14
(3) Annotate 8 Down

The correct answers are

(1) CRYPTIC GRIDLOCK
(2) LOGIC, GOLD AND ROCK
(3) HP of Why + Fronts (Breasts) – Def – Pants

Here are the Annotations.

Across:

1 According to the auditor, 12+13+16+23+29+28+22+14 makes 10 (8) – GEE+ARE+EYE+DEE+ELL+OWE+SEA+CAY (hp)
6 12, 28, 23, 29… why, by the sound of it, it’s perfectly good! (5) – GEE+OWE+DEE+ELL+WHY (hp)
9 The dictator’s 16, 29, 29 down? (3) – EYE+ELL+ELL (hp)
10 Gathered 22, 29, 28, 12 to craft this shoe (4) – SEA+ELL+OWE+GEE (hp)
11 Support half of 1 having a change of heart (4) – G{RI<}D
12 My blooming nice little feet (3) – (-bloomin)G (-nic)E (-littl)E
13 Live in revolutionary times (3) – ERA<
17 Metal bed contains second rate aluminium (6) – CO{B AL}T
18 Shrinks from Karenina series on the radio (8) – “Anna lists” (hp)
19 Coded call to leader in charge is intercepted by president (7) – CRY + P + T + IC
25 Maternal/paternal arrangement (8) – PATERNAL*
27 Prompt secret agent to grab 23 from behind (6) – SP{DEE<}Y
28 Need to pay for love while on vacation (3) – O + W(-hil)E
29 Measure the limit for legal cover (3) – (-th)E + L(-ega)L
30 Find a solution to the second half of 1 using binary substitution (4) – L{-O +I}CK
33 Rope is made of 22, 28, 13 and 23, so we’re told (4) – SEA+OWE+ARE+DEE (hp)
34 Murmur audibly: 22 + 2 x 28 (3) – SEA + {2 x OWE} (hp)
35 Register the sound of 22 and 30 (5) – SEA (hp) + LICK
36 12 chanted in a high voice with enthusiasm (8) – GEE (hp) + REEDILY

Down:

2 Old learners to clean up after first sign of red herring (7) – R + O + LL + MOP
3 Understand, say, 23, 16 and 12 (3) – DEE+EYE+GEE (hp)
4 Target alternative dissident (8) – OBJECT + OR
5 Put one across 14, then 16, then 23, in a word (3) – CAY+EYE+DEE (hp)
6 12, 29, 28, 13 and 16 are called out by a woman (6) – GEE+ELL+OWE+ARE+EYE (hp) + A
7 Setter maybe called out 23, 28, 12 (3) – DEE+OWE+GEE (hp)
8 Pants audibly for what reason? Breasts! (1-6) – WHY (hp) + FRONTS
14 Around an unknown island (3) – C + A + Y
15 Might an East European dance around it? (7) – MAY + POLE
16 Finally renovate the old centre (3) – E + YE
20 Use a utensil to protect (8) – [A UTENSIL]*
21 Transport policeman, a conservative at heart (7) – CAR + DI + A + C
22 Start to search each ocean (3) – S + EA
23 English flower from French sweetheart (3) – DE + (-sw)E(-et)
24 Not quite full respect given to a novice officer (7) – ADMIR(-E) + A + L
26 Smash another watch then pick up 14 (6) – WATCH* + CAY (hp)
31 Swimmer’s found not in the 22, but in 14, 28, 16 apparently (3) – CAY+OWE+EYE (hp)
32 Shout 29, 28, 12 and get wood (3) – ELL+OWE+GEE (hp)
33 Swimmer that’s found not just in the 22, but in 22, 28 and 23, so they say (3) – SEA+OWE+DEE (hp)

The first entry was submitted by Ramki Krishnan and it was also the first all-correct entry.  The last all-correct entry was received from Usha Mehta.

Congrats to the 23 people who managed to max the score.

Here is the scorecard (sorted by total and then in Alphabetical order)

We requested folks to rate the puzzle on a scale of 1 (Lowest) to 10 (Highest). The puzzle got a  good score of 8.2, and nearly 1/3rd of the solvers gave it a perfect 10/10.

A number of solvers had given rave reviews for the grid which was indeed unusual and seemed like a strange code initially, but slowly unravelled and fell into place beautifully. A big thanks to Hasslethymi for a well constructed, tricky but satisfying puzzle.

Did you enjoy the puzzle? Do you have any feedback for us or for the setter. Do comment in the blog and let us know.