Spectator 2059 Saturday April 14th 2012

[mintyman99]

http://www.spectator....7778408/crossword.pdf

[barryjbutler]

Cheers MM!

[novalis]

Many thanks for the link.

[whatsthat]

Many thanks as always, mm.

[kayakamina]

Thanks MM

A bit of a slog today and very few 'gifts' on the first run through.
I'm not yet fully in tune with Mr Magoo.

[roslyn251254]

Thanks MM. Progress is slow today but I'm getting there.

K - do you have time to help with "Cam 65"? There are a few threads going on AB, also a link to the actual puzzle - am down to the last stage but completely flummoxed now.

[kayakamina]

Hi Ros

Only just seen your post.
I haven't seen CAM 65 but I will search for the link and download it.
I'm in and out as I have a Granddaughter visiting but if you give me the clue numbers you are stuck on I'll try to have a look.
K

[maurice]

Hi, Kayakamina! I've been working on CAM 65 with Ros, so will answer for her. All we need to do (!) is carry out the instructions regarding the "vacant cells", which at the moment we don't u'stand. Either she or I could scan & send you our almost completed grid, but I imagine you prefer to DIY! Or alternatively I could reveal here again my mail address for your advice, assuming you don't (still) have Ros's. There's plenty of time, but "users" on both forums are evidently (perhaps understandably) unwilling even to give us a hint on this final phase. We might even be slightly wrong on the "cells" we've left "vacant" (I have a theory they might form the genetic symbol for "female", which could be relevant to the thematic phrase we have in mind.And btw CAM 64 (prob. also downloadable for free:I got a copy from the editor's secretary after throwing it away as "too hard" 3 months ago!)turned out to be a wonderful tribute to John Graham, extremely complicated but no doubt you would've managed it (or did you in fact? I get the magazine late in France & missed the long thread on AB while most fans were contributing).
So we are both hoping against hope that you can help us out:as I'm sure you know Ifor is a regular Listener setter, and I personally have only ever done one of those! Look forward to hearing from you !

[kayakamina]

Hi maurice

I think Ros has still got my email address so if either of you can send me your almost full grid I will try to help.
As I went to College in another country I'm not on the mailing list for CAM
unfortunately. I am quite familiar though with Ifor's puzzles.

[Jogler]

Ty Mm.

Interested to see the side thread going here on the evil CAM. We are in the same place, Ros and Maurice - fully finished on the clues and staring at the blanks (or where the blanks could be). Glad to hear we are not the only ones! It sounds as if we have come to the same conclusions over the thematic phrase, but we are depressingly unable, to link together what we have done so far and what remains to be done.

[factor-fiction]

Hi kayakamina- here is the CAM grid
http://www.alumni.cam...am65/CAM_65_LORES.pdf

There seems to be some urgency as the closing date is only 4 weeks away

[JMR27]

Thanks mm!

I found this one a lot easier than the last couple of weeks.

[kayakamina]

Thanks factor30 for the link, but Roslyn has already sent me a copy and I've given her my initial thoughts.

[Voulez-vous]

JMR27! I'm finding this one a real struggle, must be on a different wavelength? I'm not enjoying this puzzle at all. Answers are annoying to me, even when I get them. May just walk away from this one, as I'm not "getting" Mr Magoo at all.

[zita-green]

I feel just the same; am out of practise, I know but it's still annoying.Have about a quarter done but can't get 1a to give me a kickstart.

[Voulez-vous]

I can kick start you with CANTICOY for 1A, Zita.

Hasn't helped me much, though.

[maggiebee]

Yoohoo, Earth calling - where have I landed, don't understand a word. Maybe opening the link would help though.

[kayakamina]

Hi Zita

Give me a shout if you need any help.

K

[Voulez-vous]

Maggiebee, earth kind of replying?! Some of the thread is not about Spectator at all! :-))

[Crackabilly]

Have finished, but unclear on last sentence of instructions.
"One of the works is derived from another of the works".
Does this mean in a literal sense or a word-play sense?
What is being asked for?
If anyone can clarify, it would be appreciated.

[novalis]

Hi Crackabilly!

One of the unclued titles is a quote from another of the unclued works.