Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Charlesberg, kans is a grass, deconstructed is the extra word, and last letter from tailor-made.

For the 16 clues with letters omitted from wordplay, ensure that you have the correct letters. I made various errors, but it is a help that some of them are self-checking and that the 13 cells in the grid with the omitted letters form a square.

Charlesberg, if you have all the checked letters, one of the two possible entries has a meaning given in Chambers that is exactly the definition in the clue (drag). A four-letter word for a type of grass, reversed, then the last letter of 'tailor-made'. It's a common word but an unusual definition.

Thanks meursault. I had assumed that might be the answer as the other was archaic with no indicator (or a Star Wars character but equally unlikely!). In goes the final letter A. Very satisfying puzzle all round.

And thanks Dryden. I think I need to invest in a copy of chambers as not the first time I have been hindered by having to rely on definitions from other places!

Charlesberg, When I started my reply there was no other response to you. Meursault must have been typing at the same time and posted his answer before me, so it looks as though I was pointlessly answering a question that had already been answered.

I wouldn't even attempt the Listener without Chambers. Apart from the fact that Chambers has many Spenserian and other archaisms that are difficult to find elsewhere, it also has some quirky definitions that setters sometimes exploit.

Finally completed this one, well almost. I believe I have everything required to complete the final step "..... a unique solution guided by the original contents of the affected cells (among others)."

Trying not to give spoilers, I know where the 9 outcomes from the first instruction are, and what their original contents are. I know (from previous experience) exactly how to comply with the second instruction. I have made some fresh 'instructions' from the original contents of those cells.... a horizontal word along the top, 2 words along the diagonal, and another word along the bottom horizontal. Four letters aren't used - is that relevant?

There are 4 possible, symmetrical, solutions to this so my question is how to fix the 'unique solution'. I can see another 3 letter word that could possibly indicate the end of the solution. Is it this that fixes the orientation or am I missing something? Also, is there anything more to the 4 word phrase, from the letters of the original contents of the affected cells, than the 2 obvious interpretations?

simond9x - You must be almost there - Your top horizontal is only part of first word. Looking for 21 letters in total. (No bottom horizontal). All affected cells are used + a couple of other letters (among others).

Thanks, crates. Only been doing TL for 3 months and found this one a real struggle. So the 3 letter word in the very top left is an irrelevant coincidence. Can I just clarify..... the 21 letters fix the exact orientation of the outcome of the second instruction?

Yes they do - Hope not saying too much - but affected cells can do 'double duty'....

Thanks (again). I can see a 4 word 21 letter phrase (8, 7, 3, 3) which is a 3 letter extension (first word) of what I already had. It uses all of the affected letters (some twice) plus 1 other letter but doesn't seem to show me the orientation. So either my phrase is incorrect or I'm not applying it correctly. If I draw lines to join how the words are formed, it seems to contradict the shape I'm aiming for.

Sorry if I'm being really slow here but I have spent literally hours just on this one aspect of the puzzle. Maybe I can no longer see the wood for the trees :-(