Listen With Others

We know from experience that a crossword by Opsimath will not be too difficult but will range widely through the realms of knowledge. He goes that extra mile to use every letter of the alphabet in his grid too. But can I confirm his continued membership of the Listener Setters’ Oenophile Elite? We have shared his local Efes in his Seljuk hometown and we don’t need to read far to find ‘In retrospect speed limit restricts some drink (4)’ (Now is that a comment about some past speed excess caused by an extra few tankards of Efes?) Well the MILD is there in the clue.

10d which proves to be thematic, gives us a cocktail to go with the mild ale. ‘Expression of thanks for cocktail (7)’ COLLINS, we find can also refer to that hilarious letter of thanks from Mr Collins in Pride and Prejudice. We add wine in ‘Short trip through Irish island keeping wines open (7, two words)’ We put TOU(r) into INCH, giving IN TOUCH and decide that we are not keeping those wines open (well, why would we? We would drink them!) we are ‘keeping lines open’. With cocktails, wines and Efes, Cheers, Opsimath!

A speedy gridfill produces a message spelled by the remaining corrected misprints – MEN FROM THE PLANET EARTH (why no people or women, I wonder!) and that prompts us to look for the APOLLO moon landing. We need to change a couple of solutions (WREST and HAREM) to find ALDRIN and ARMSTRONG and, of course, we have already spotted COLLINS. We have enjoyed this straightforward crossword and we highlight APOLLO ELEVEN.

Thank you, Opsimath. Indeed we would welcome Pax Humana.