Listener 4159 - Crovvword by Pointer

[starwalker]

Some lovely clues have brought me to the point where I just have to find the third item to illustrate, and I feel a need to rest. Thanks (in advance) Pointer. You have enlightened me and revived long-lost lessons.

[Alan7777]

Started this morning when the paper arrived and have completed the grid. As others have said - not too tricky. Now to do some gardening and come back later today or tomorrow for the final steps.

[pushmi-pullyu]

Grid complete, message found, drawing not my forte. Maybe I could join you in that glass of wine, AHearer?

[abns]

I think this is the second one from Pointer - I really enjoyed the Printer's Devilry last year and this was also fun. Grid fill was easy enough, but there were some that took me a while to parse, to the extent that it made me wonder whether there was something funny going on there.

Lovely surface at 35.

I'm just now a bit disappointed with myself that I hurriedly produced the illustration, without going out and buying the tools needed to do it properly. As I'm not a submitter it doesn't matter too much but I wonder how tight the marking will be.

[trux]

Anybody else reckon that a similar 6-letter word would have been more accurate (and better justified in our favourite Big Red Book) ? Of course, would have been less pleasing on the eye .... And the title link seems a bit tenuous, too. Sorry to nag, head still recovering, ... Bah, humbug. At least the racing should be good this afternoon - any tips? CJ? Dead-Eye Dick? Can the wünderhorse Frankel be beaten ? or So You Think, for that matter ?

[Rogue-Elfe]

I've got to the last stage. One thing left to do, and it's stumping me. Now I'm not one to give up at the last hurdle, but having tried various possibilities, nothing seems to work. Could someone please give me a hint as to which of the (two? three?) squares is the one to start at?

[Ruthrobin]

Rogue-Elfe, giving absolutely nothing away, I suggest you read the topic up on Wikipedia, which describes what you already have in front of you. Then obey the instructions you have found which tell you exactly where to start with your third thematic element. Can't be any more explicit without breaking our self-imposed rules.

[pushmi-pullyu]

Finished just before going off to work, and without benefit of wine. It will taste all the nicer when I get home.

[dr b]

A marvelous construction, yadda, yadda, yadda, but the very last step does not quite do it for me. While what we highlight is quite specific and accurately placed, what we illustrate is overly general and certainly as trux notes does not lead to a word in the Wiki article on the topic (or any other article I could find - at least I learned something new, I suppose).

Probably the biggest difference in difficulty between grid fill and endgame that I've seen - like putting a calculus problem at the end of a 4th grade arithmetic test.

Hey, I think this may be the grumpiest post so far - do I win anything?

[TheBear69]

I'm in the 'did not finish until Saturday" as well. Trux, not only do I agree that a 6-letter word is more accurate. Moreover, I think there's a word of the exact length of the required word that would have been better, though a different part of speech. But this does not diminish the beauty of the puzzle for me.

I am still puzzled by the title...

[AndrewG-S]

dr b I think you may be a challenger for the zabadak cup

[contendo]

Finally got there. I have a long-standing (amateur) interest in the subject and got hung up on the 6-letter word which is the normal term. The word required is normally only used with a prefix.

[contendo]

The title is actually quite clever.

[BlackHugh]

contendo - I too have just finished but, unlike you, have not yet fathomed the title.

[jim360]

Think I have the grid filled but still need to find the hidden message etc.. Time for a break and come back to it after dinner. From my perspective a nice range of clue difficulties, but nothing too hard.

[jim360]

This is maddening. I've got the thematic connection (through the simple tool of google...) but can't for the life of me find the way forward. All these possible them words jump out at me, twisted into the grid in weird and wonderful ways - or maybe one or two letters short. Grr!!!

[AndrewG-S]

jim360 - I think you will need to get the message first. I am not sure a grid stare will help without it. Would be interested in anyone got it without getting the message first. Re your last post on 4158 congrats on your win - I am always pleased if there is an AB winner even if it is not me!

[JCVW1]

Filled the grid Friday night, and found the hidden message. I've found one of the thematic items, and I know how I want to illustrate the third, but can't seem to find the second (if that makes sense...). I'm hoping that discovery of the second item will help...
JW.

[Zabadak]

I quite like the idea of a Zabadak cup for grumpiness - elsewhere I usually get grief for being too nice. maybe some this week's devices could contribute to the design.
Someday my plinth will come...

[jim360]

That message is hidden in the grid and not the clues, I presume?

[trux]

J360 : as often, both may prove useful. And reading the pre-ramble carefully is recommended too, not just for this step but also for later manoeuvres.