Look at word lengths and allocate row by row. Eg row 1 is a 5 letter answer then a 7 letter answer. Symmetry helps. Although it says bars should not be entered, it helps a lot if you do. Then you can place answers in as you get them. Eg what would be 2d Elderly … can go in crossing the first A of LAHAR then symmetry will guide you to the last 4 letter down clue. Etc
Thank you. I know this from previous similar puzzles but I’m being grumpy because they are my least favourite type. I’m not fond of trial and error e.g. the elderly clue, how do you know it’s not the second A it starts from? Although the third across will then slot in if it’s the first. I think it might have been reasonable to tell us where the Down clues start. I might have another go at it later.
This is not easy until you get a handle on how the answers fit together, and some of the clueing is quite tough, but if you do persevere, it’s a terrific puzzle. Ideal for those who swerve Listener numericals
All great fun. Really enjoyed the endgame but just a couple of clues have defeated me.
Small creatures run, entering Appalachian river (5) K.EL.
Graceless uncrowned Northumbrian king (4) BA.D
fgsltw,
Your e is wrong in "Small creatures...."
Northumbrian king is 6 letters with first letter missing ("uncrowned") and second the extra letter dropped to row 13
An excellent puzzle from Arcadia. As Quisling says, “tough but fair”; some very chewy but also very precise clues (1d took me ages but it parses perfectly- once you know…..). I will also confess that when a preamble says “bars should not be shown” I take that to mean “pencil them in, or you’ll be in all kinds of trouble”. That mantra served me well today!
An engrossing puzzle. I was held up for a while trying to make sense of the first 5 letters in the altered row, until I realised that was not the correct approach.
Interesting to learn of a lesser-known aspect of the name's activities.