Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Excellent puzzle. Endgame stumped me briefly but a very satisfying penny drop when I spotted it.

I know that this forum should not give too much away, but this is driving me mad. I've read the posts above several times and don't want to give up quite yet.

If I'm right 15 across, 27 across and 36 across are examples of the fourth word of the quotation. The down letters provide a two word illustration/example. This seems to suggest some adjustment or replacement of the 3 across examples is required. Judging by the thread others seem to have got this far and somehow found a way beyond it. I would be appreciative of a nudge - I've had a bad week as I was an election agent so please take pity.

Williamseal, you need to use the instruction from the down extra words to identify the relevant letters in the extra across words. This will reveal 3 more examples .

Thanks numbskull
After several hours of muzzle scratching I can now see a way forward.
I am most grateful

Despite the praise heaped on this puzzle, I feel the preamble is badly written, confusing and misleading.
You apply the down clue words from initials (8, 6) to the WORDS removed from the across clues. Not to the phrase created by initials
Note the words are quite specific, they are chosen not just for their first letter....
This gives three replacement P___s. (But not for the three you mention, there are five.)
The final adjustment is a bit of nonsense, but its the only word that fits. And will seem very, very familiar.

And I'm not a grump, this week's IQ was brilliant!

Actually, lumen, the preamble states "Initials of the down set ... apply to the across set", so the word set here refers to each set of extra words.

Initially I agreed with lumen. The two words of the thematic example from the downs at first suggested to me that I should remove a letter from words in the set when in fact you are required to use that letter.
Actually the use of the past tense makes everything fine. The set has already been removed and the phrase points you to the appropriate letter.
Another good puzzle.
Can anyone help me parse 1d. I get the definition, assume nothing is “O” but cant get the four surrounding letters from “to” (assuming email is extra).

Hi Smithsax,

I agree that the use of the past tense makes all the difference for me in as much as I realised it telling me what letter to use rather an order to E....... it.

I took "to" as in the sense of "push the door to" but others may have a better suggestion.

I struggled with the parsing of 1d the most. I think your explanation of "to" makes perfect sense, Brendan.