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Finally finished - what a waste of time. Meursault I think you were wise not attempting the "endgame". Thanks to all who helped me through it. I seem to be left with a lot (24) of half cells so I don't have a clue how they can ever judge this one. I occasionally look at AB and everyone seems so scared to give anything away - it just seems a forum for bland comments which are no use to anyone.

Thanks for your comment, Unclued. Though I did pursue the puzzle, at least conceptually, and without mutilating the puzzle (but I don't send my entries in).

My original criticism stands. The puzzle is over-balanced to the endgame. So then the majority of the puzzle is no longer a crossword.

Three paragraphs filled with the usual bile, followed by a more moderate post. The attacks on setters and editors are unwarranted and inaccurate and tell you a lot about their accuser. Even puzzles which draw some admiration are damned by faint praise.

I could not have completed this without the posts.
Am still not convinced about cutting shapes, but admire the work gone into it.
Now i have a decagon- is it significantly shaped?

Blimey, some bitchy comments on here! In my opinion, for what it’s worth, this was a tour de force, with the manageable grid-fill complementing the tricky endgame perfectly. When the penny dropped it all resolved itself in a flash. I have been guilty of criticising some puzzles which I found just a bit too “entry-level” (I don’t subscribe to the “pour encourager les autres” school of thought) but I would never criticise a puzzle which defeated me. A whiff of which I think I have detected here ...

I agree crucifer. I thought the puzzle challenging but not impossible and the end game elegant. The solution is pretty clearly spelled out in the preamble if you read it correctly. You don’t need to cut up the puzzle and paste it together to prove you are correct once you see how it works - unless you want to submit it.
I really enjoyed this one.

I'm with Crucifer and Smithsax on this - I found it challenging and ultimately very enjoyable. I even took the time to use the scissors and sticky tape just to see what it looked like. For those gainsayers I would comment that I don't particularly enjoy the mathematical offerings - they don't strike me as crosswords (the clue is in the word). But I would never come in here complaining about it - chacun a son gout. If you didn't like this week's offering you didn't have to spend your time on it.... and there will be another one along next Friday!

Surprised the offering this week has created some vitriolic comments! After a few of the 'long slogs' we have had in the past, upon completion I tend to think 'life's too short' - but know that may just be my opinion. Agree with smartie on this one. 'You can please some of the people....'

Smithsax, I agree that there isn't a need to cut up the puzzle, unless you're sending it in. This is what I said earlier.

The argument this week has been deliberately stoked by someone who says he normally resides on no-answer bank. Week after week they look over here and see us giving answers, which for them is disgraceful and causes them much resentment. That's the source of the bile.

Perhaps I'm missing something here - the name of this forum is The Crossword Help Forum. Surely people come here to get help with their crosswords and anyone thinking that it's disgraceful that anyone should offer help is surely missing the object of the forum in the first place. If they don't like what goes on here then the answer for them is simple. Don't visit this site! No bile required here - please move on!