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I thought this was a very nice puzzle from Miles, I was unaware of the "alchemy", so imagine my surprise when a spreadsheet reached the "conclusion of the trick".

Instruction (i) is a bit vague; the list of things an alchemist must NOT use is infinite (for example, I did not use my microwave oven, or a chain saw), but knowing the shape needed led me to the correct eight cells after some pondering.

Still walking into base camp. Good to hear that there has been a successful ascent!

All done. I found the endgame instructions pretty vague but got a definite result, albeit one I didn’t immediately connect with alchemy. Thanks to Miles.

I'm struggling somewhat. Although I have the extra letters I've still 2 clues to do, 29 across and 25 down. I think the former is an insecticide which is no longer used and the latter something which could be connected to a farm. I have the line and circle but, as is often the case, I can't see the 11 cells to be highlighted. They could of course involve the 2 answers I don't yet have. A nudge/shove in the right direction would be welcome.

Alwayspuzzled, your 29 A seems to the same as mine. If it's 22D, that answer is correct too - a three-letter 'Old man' (curtailed)+abbreviation for 'younger' and 'one'.

Neither of these are involved in the 11 cells (which are in a pretty normal place...))

AP you are right about the insecticide. That answer is not involved in the lines. There’s no 25 down - if you mean 25 across that answer IS involved in both. The “residents” are not human and very much not specific to Mexico. If you have the circle and line consider what they make and what that represents - that might help steer you to the parallel lines.

Thank you for that Malone and Jack Aubrey. I meant 22 down and not 25 down. I'll give my hay fevered eyes a rest and then go back to it.

AP, thanks - and I hope you rattle the rest off now. I'm glad I got the right second clue - your 'attached to a farm' was a good clue itself!

And my thanks, too, AP. I hope your eyes recover soon. My mistaken reference to 25 across as an alternative to your typo for 22 down may, on reflection, have been more of a brutal shove than a gentle nudge!

Thanks again Malone and Jack Aubrey. I didn't get chance to look at it again yesterday and will go back to it later.