Listen With Others

Another elegant puzzle from Duck – I’d expect nothing less, of course!

• All items to be highlighted symmetrically placed in the grid? Check
• Low average number of words per clue? Check
• Well-executed hidden message. Check

The hidden message read:
AFTER HINT OF SPRING LIFE STUDY FLOWERS IN A BOOK.
This was a clue in its own right for the 12 letter title BUDDENBROOKS, a book by Thomas Mann, who resides on the leading diagonal. [BUD + DEN + BROOKS].

My knowledge of Thomas Mann is particularly poor – I’d read ‘Death In Venice’ and heard of ‘The Magic Mountain’ but that was my lot. A quick check on the Internet found this one for me. It’s apparently about four generations of a German family, hence the Title of the puzzle – I think!

Cheers,

Tim / Encota