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quisling

23rd August 2025, 23:15
Teenieleek @12, you asked an interesting question about where the down clues start. Actually, the knowledge that the grid has 180 degree symmetry gives you a very good idea. The first three across clues are 5, 7, 5. That means the last three across clues must be 5, 7 and then 5.

Actually there is only one place after the start where there is a 5, 7, followed by a 5. The final 5 would be clue 22, which would mean an even split, as there are 44 clues. So a good working hypothesis is that the clue beginning “Provide vehicle …” is the last across clue.

And the fact that it’s a 12x12 grid and the first two clues would fill the top line supports it.

Sorry if it sounds technical, but the mention of symmetry is always an invaluable way in
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teenieleek

24th August 2025, 12:31
Thank you Quisling. That is so logical and obvious. Didn’t occur to me. I’ll definitely remember that for the next puzzle of this type.
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teenieleek

24th August 2025, 17:48
I have persevered and it did all fall into place and I have the device. However I have a gap; the last four letters of 1dn and the first two of 12 ac., the Murray one. I can make words but can’t parse them and the sheep (urial) I can’t parse either. A little help please before I try to find what needs rearranged.
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quisling

24th August 2025, 18:24
Both tricky. Urial’s wordplay is URI(P)AL, as the P intersects with HAWK(P)INS. A URI is an upper respiratory infection, and fold is lap, reversed.

1d is (P)LAN + the plural of a viol formerly used in the Shetlands. It crops up occasionally.

The “Leaders in singles” clue is two initial letters inside a four letter word for drinks (small amounts). The third letter of that word is extra, and is also given by the P in par, nominal price, in the “Oil at” clue.

Hopefully that ties up the grid
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teenieleek

24th August 2025, 19:18
It does indeed, many thanks, and I did enjoy this once I got going. I hate being the dunce in the class but I’m not too proud to ask and learn.
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quisling

24th August 2025, 19:37
No dunce at all. This is a pretty tough puzzle, by any standards. The symmetry hint should stand you in good stead in future.
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lumen

24th August 2025, 19:57
I came to say I am EXACTLY at the stage of teenieleek at #23!
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lumen

24th August 2025, 20:04
So thanks, quisling
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ptobes

25th August 2025, 13:36
I've got everything bar the bit about rearranging the letters of one row, in that I can't find anything that makes sense in any of them, despite poring over the Wiki entry for the device for possible effects. Any tips?
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quisling

25th August 2025, 14:11
The best way might be to look at crossing letters which can be changed to another letter in the same row and create a new word reading down. You should be able to rule a lot of rows out quite quickly. The rearranged row becomes a charade, ie representation of a well-known phrase, rather than the phrase itself
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