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And this grid has no symmetry.

Sorry, I do appreciate you helping, I’m just a bit confused as to whether you were giving a hint or this is information I’m supposed to have a priori!

Sent that before seeing you replied. Thanks for the help, either way it’s much appreciated!

Especially because I don’t have a clue what to do…

It can’t be like the original, because that involves covering up cells. So what?

Doesn’t help I can only find three of the six mounts

You probably need to find the other three first. A combination of Bradford’s and a judicious Google search of famous mounts, maybe in literature, should help you.

After that, you should have a fair sense of which two feature in the endgame. And that’s where the 20 cells come in

Thanks!

I have three names and three synonyms - one synonym is not in a straight line though

Cutting into three but repositioning one implies rotating a central piece to me. This piece may not be a regular shape. But this is not obvious at all!

All six are in a straight line.

It’s not obvious, but you might want to think about the effect rotation might have on some cells.

Find the sixth straight line, then think about a central (ish) shape with 20 cells whose movement might affect two of your mounts

Got there! The sixth mount was one I needed, saw it immediately this morning.

Usually the preamble states if hidden words are in straight lines, so when I saw mule in a square I thought it must be one… although when the others were in straight lines I had my doubts

I was stuck on the wrong sort of shape for a long time, but when I found the sixth mount I thought that must be one of the chosen ones, and that forced a rethink of the shape

Thanks for your help getting me over the line @quisling

Glad you got there, adeano