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How about thinking that only the letters in "the search area" can be used in the grid to search for the goal? So it makes a map of only those letters as being where the treasure could be. The l from lift would then not be in that search area, so the letters from hare are then consecutive in a straight line. Works for me. Right, on to the current week and ignoring the post I already see here for that one........has anybody here ever won?

Yes I have had three lucky draws in eleven years.

A Search Area in the grid lies between a road and a city (think Map). The Goal is perhaps exposed by lifting the lid of its surrounding casket. Just a thought.

One final idea before giving up. Kit Williams also designed the Dragonfly Maze in Bourton on the Water which has a "trail" of clues and the sign for it says "can you reach the goal and discover the golden dragonfly". A maze would tie in with "this goes nowhere" and "false trail again". Still not sure what might be highlighted. One idea I have had for some time is that the consecutive letters fghi are in column 8 and, if highlighted, could represent the letter i, but I have failed to see how that might be relevant.

Ah yes, Moffat. I see the search area between the lesser known town of Cstye and the roman road Ami St. Or I could be mistaken and still have no idea what you are alluding to!

Some sort of record here for the number of posts!

I think someone hit the nail on the head by saying is the positioning of the bracketed text (regarding 4 letters) in the preamble deliberate.

I think it is!

This also gives the reason why 'letters' is used rather than 'cells'

Late to the party and I am as mystified as everyone else here. The few things that I am sure of (I think!) are 1) the wobbly 'search area' in the grid is a red herring because it is wobbly, is not central or symmetrical and can be traced in a number of different ways 2) the treasure has to be Masquerade related given the 'close by Ampthill' hint and the use of acrostics as in the book 4) the angram of Kit Williams in the grid (centrally positioned) 5) the positioning of the bracketed section in the preamble is significant and it could indicate the preceding 'search area' and finally, 6) I shall give off one almighty HARRUMPH if the hare is the one in the preamble. Back to lateral thinking and grid staring.

Emcee, I do believe you're right.

If we pick from recent posts a desire for symmetry and the idea that four letters might not mean four cells, what, if anything, does AREN signify?

I still think that highlighting HARE in the preamble is the best chance of a correct answer for anyone mad enough to submit an entry. I might be totally wrong but highlighting in the grid seems to be a red HAREING. Does someone applaud when we reach 150 posts?

I think we need to imagine that bracketed phrase beginning 'the preceding word being...'