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As 10a is double a square then 6d must have 2,8 or 0 as its middle number. If 16d represents 180 dgree symmetry of 6d (e.g if 6d = 625 then 16d must = 259 - I know these are not both squares, I just use them to illustrate my interpretation of symmetry) then there are no two squares that would fit 6d and 16d. Where am I going wrong?

If 6D is 625 then 16D is 529 - 2s and 5s don't transpose on rotation.

Thanks heisenberg, I knew I was being totally dim, but was too dim to see it!

I rarely attempt a Listener but thought I'd give this one a go. To check I'm on the right path, and without revealing it, can someone confirm that 1d. and 14d. are the same number.

Brendan, yes they are.

Thanks Cloverjo, but I think I've still got it wrong because the number I thought it was would mean 2 of the across clues beginning with a 0 which I think is forbidden.

Hmm,yes, leading zeros are forbidden. I first found three possible numbers for each of 1d/14d, none of which contained any zeros. I'm sorry I can't remember how I narrowed it down to just one.

Thanks anyway Cloverjo. Luckily i've got a late start tomorrow so I've got plenty of time to try and work it out.

Brendan, there may be various routes, but I solved 10a first, which leads to all but the first digit of 5d, therefore all but the last digit of 2d. Knowing the second digit of 7a it's possible to determine that there only two possible answers that fit the clues for 7a and 19a. Knowing that the second digit of 1d is one of only two possibilities narrows down the field considerably, and makes scanning a list of 5-digit squares easy. There is only one that is still a square when inverted.

Thought I was doing well but seem to have come stuck with 11a - i have 85 as 1st 2 digits ... but 13 for the next 2 is not permitted??