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rosalind

27th February 2013, 10:04
My guess is that it's an ice hockey team, being Canada.
There are lots more in the team but only 6 are allowed on the ice at any one time, so I understand.
One of my sons used to play (juniors); I never dared watch.
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aristophanes

27th February 2013, 13:11
I'm perhaps mistaken, Syzzie. I did think at first that it was simply the central x, or the whole "box", but "search" and "spot" gnawed at me. Of course "X marks the spot" implies that there's a "treasure", and perhaps in this case it's just a certain X you have to spot, and it so happens that there's an extra (X) X in Xerxes and Manx (and Xerxes is the only entry with an extra). Could that be what he means by "contents"? Treasure?

Treasure "Island"? :)
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greedy kite

27th February 2013, 20:50
I'm sure you're right, Aristo -- and we all overlooked that one! Have sent off second attempt accordingly (it doesn't say you can't)!
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aristophanes

27th February 2013, 21:08
I had also thought it might be the X in EXE- again, Treasure Island- but it just doesn't seem likely that so carefully constructed a puzzle would have another crossed X in it without some reason for it. I tried to think of some word that X stands for that transforms one of the answers into a different word, but couldn't come up with anything.
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trevor

28th February 2013, 04:58
i toyed with the X in EXE but not convinced by that or by the Xerxes theory.
i'll stick with the simple X in the middle of the big X. (it's the use of the phrase 'circle that square and it's contents' that niggles).
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syzygy

28th February 2013, 06:00
Thanks, Sudokulover & Rosalind.

Rather obvious now. Should have thought a bit more about those, but was distracted by the the X thing.

I tried using the letters EX as a pointer to something (?), then as a group & chains of them, but no luck.

The big problem seems to be that the location is a single square.
What can you put in there? One letter.

So, do we run through the alphabet to find a letter that represents "something valuable", according to the prologue?
Don't have the energy, or the time, but if somebody is game ... GK ?? (-;

Maybe we are all missing something, but I'll be really pissed if it's nothing more than the central X.
What a goose chase, eh, Trevor !?
Aristo ... do you have guns ? You're the closest.

Just kidding. What's the Smiley for that?



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greedy kite

28th February 2013, 08:29
I can't imagine, Syzygy, that it's any other letter than X, since the others (I presume) are mostly there in several places, so how could you choose any particular position, even if you attribute some special value to that letter?
I'm sticking with my 2 attempts (central X + the one "extra" in Xerxes) and continue to assume it's just a bit too easy!
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rosalind

28th February 2013, 12:05
I think it's a brilliant crossword even though I also don't understand which square we're meant to circle. Imagine setting off to find all those words with x in the right place.
Hope someone comes up with a clever idea as it is niggling.......

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aristophanes

28th February 2013, 12:32
I wish this would go away. I still think it has something to do with the "odd man out". Why would you create that elaborate scheme and then stick another X outside of the chorus line? Well, it could be a red herring, but that seems unlikely. As with EXE, I wondered about wordplay with Isle of Man (MAN X)...
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aristophanes

28th February 2013, 12:56
Uh...odd MAN out? :)
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