EV 1003 Identity Crisis by 1A/44A

[dr b]

a.k.a., "Look at ME!!!!" says the setter. One of the harder EVs of late, certainly harder than this week's Listener. i was unsure of the last part of the preamble till the very end, but sure enough the words to be highlighted (highlit?) are there and they do resolve the identity crisis. So I will say, nice one, 1ac/44ac!!

[slaney]

Hello dr b.
Very enjoyable - interest kept going until the end, and finished in time to watch most of the tennis.
I do like a nice bit of highlighting!

[DocHH]

Hello Dr b and Slaney,
I must have been in tune with 1ac/44ac today as I rattled through it without too many difficulties. It was only after I had shaded in the words that I twigged their initial letters were relevant.

[devadolly]

Highlighted drb! Hello all. Haven't even opened the paper today so have that deep joy to come......scalded cats here today and the only respite a sneaky look to see ifr N & C pals are abroad........goodie, they are!
Just love the snowdrops slaney, aren't they the most welcome of flowers? How does one change one's avatar? Help my dear geeks!
Have to say it will be with trepidation I open the paper later today as you are all saying it is difficult......you all know what a dumb-cluck I've been this last year or so........
Talking of cluck's, we have a hen that was brought to us some months ago, in rather a bedraggled state, having been found wandering on the road (all waifs and strays are brought to us), she was obviously a pet who had strayed as she now taps on the door every day to have an extra feed of Himself's porrige oats, she also has to be carried into the hen-cabin at dusk, well, she has started jumping into the old field van and laying her egg in there! The work-dog jumps in and styares at it until we collect it.............farm animals.......just what do you make of them?
Sorry, will apply myself to the EV and be serious later.

[AndrewG-S]

Tricky, certainly but I found this most enjoyable with a fine finish.

[novalis]

Agree with the comments. Most enjoyable. The final word search is superb and so well constructed.

[Rockin]

I found a lost cat today. Or did I lose a fine cat? Or did a cat find my lost fine? Or did I find that cats lose it when they are found? Or did I get fined for losing a cat.
Do you know, I am not really sure. Back to bed.

[devadolly]

Good evening everyone, if there is still anyone there! Finally got on with the EV and have filled in all the grid with the exception of 4d.....is it a P or a B, I just can't decide?
Unfortunately I am now lost as to the highlighting, a clod-hopping hint please folks.

[Rockin]

Yes, still here. Been waiting two days. Where have you been?

[devadolly]

Sorry! Got caught up with all the boring stuff and the EV had to queue! Where's the clod-hopping hint then?

[dr b]

dd, I opted for the P as that fits in with the definition of "small person"; there's an obscure definition of "pitches" that means the reverse. As for the highlighting, the setter's name appears everywhere else, so why not there as well?

[toalisi]

I'm probably being very obtuse but can someone tell me how many words to highlight?

Tks

[dr b]

I would say four.

[toalisi]

Thank you dr b

[Christiana]

Bringing up the rear as usual, so wonder if anyone still about. Like DD had other things to occupy me, but have got round to it now and all tidied away apart from having the answers to 12 & 39a but not really to grips with the cryptic parts.
DD so agree - snowdrops everywhere and it's delightful. I swear that one clump materialised yesterday from nowhere and had opened by the afternoon - sheer magic

[devadolly]

Hellom Christina, I'm with you on the snowdrops, they are just so hopeful. Hate to upset folks but today is Candlemas Day and (tragically) it was fine and clear, so, you all know what the presages....................................t
wo
winters in one year........look out December 2012! We'll see.
Now, as to the EV, sorry folks, totally confused by the enigma, have the grid all neatly filled in, also have loads of possible 'extra' but as for the highlighting...on a total loser, not a shred of light glimmering anywhere..........HELP!

[Christiana]

Hi DD, the extras you need from amongst the tangled mass of possibles (well mine was a tangled mass, I'm never good at extracting the irrelevant bits) are all descriptive words, four in all, the initial letters of which will give you the identity of the compiler. (Looking back through past puzzles could help - but be warned, it's some way back). Those are the four to highlight.

[Christiana]

I should add that the irrelevant bits from the other clues all cryptically reveal the setter as well, hence dr b's opening comment

[devadolly]

Hello Christina, thanks to a bout of insomnia I caught up with your post in the early hours! However, I have stared, from the N, S, E & W, upside-down and every which way but I have obviously misinterpreted the omissions. I don't keep the puzzles retrospectively and can only think of one 4 letter compiler. I thought drb's first post must have had a good clue but ................. over the shoulder I think!
When do you go to NZ?

[Mysterons]

If you still need a hint for the setter devadolly, take a look at Listener 4137 last year.

[devadolly]

Thank you all, he was my compiler of choice Mysterons and I finally found one of the words after even more extensive staring - slow, that just doeswn't do it justice! Will try harder this week now off to make beoff stroganoff for tonight's supper.