Listen With Others

Ah, a new setter! Naturally I looked up Vagans and rather disconcertingly discovered that it’s a type of tarantula, so I’m glad to see from Vagans’ blog that it actually – and much more appropriately – refers to episcopus vagans­, an itinerant bishop. Congratulations to Vagans on a neatly accomplished puzzle on a worthy theme which was most enjoyable to solve. Though I do feel sad when I read the letter to the lukewarm Laodiceans, which I suspect applies to many of our UK churches (and to me at times). Fast forward to the next chapter of Revelation and the wonderful promise “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me”.

Back to the crossword. It’s not often that I laud an endgame but I do for Hear, Hear! It was clear, unambiguous and didn’t need grid-staring. More pertinently, it showed up not one but 2 errors I’d made. In 2dn I had LOWER (if something is depressed then it’s lower than its surroundings) – thanks to PERGAMUM I was able to correct that to LOPER; and in 41dn I’d carelessly written EENE, despite having used an E for the message, before I spotted THYATIRA. Hardly surprising the wordplay was intractable – of course, with the right words it fell into place!

I welcome the sprinkling of church-y hints throughout the clues, and I’m glad the message resolved the ambiguity in 38dn in favour of DIANE over DIONE.

Thanks Vagans and please don’t wait for another lockdown to create your next Listener!