EV 1045 - Musical Idol by Lato

[Twit-Who]

Very surprised not to have a link to this opened already. Is everybody else stuck like me? It was a pleasant surprise at first not to have to find the usual extra letters but the clues were on the easy side which led to a rapid grid fill followed by an equally rapid solving of the 5 entries. And then .................. nothing. That penny is refusing to drop. After much staring at the grid I'm not one inch further on. Perhaps I'll have more luck today but getting very bored with all this staring at the grid.

[devadolly]

Hello Twit-who, it will come as no surprise to you that the penny hasn't dropped here either! But then I'm always a league or two behind everyone else. I have most of the grid filled and I think I have 4 of the 5 but cannot see any link so am assuming they are wrong, after that.........................................
........?

[Twit-Who]

I have the probable completed grid due to the given unchecked letters but no idea what to highlight as I haven't yet understood why I have the answers to the other 4. Very frustrating and as usual we will probably be kicking ourselves if and when the penny drops but then everything is easy when one knows the answer and difficult otherwise.

[Twit-Who]

Finally got there and as usual it wasn't too difficult but it was a very slow pdm and I'm still not totally sure of one of the highlighted words. Don't give up Devadolly if only to stop you kicking yourself too much.

[x_word_fan]

Same here and I only have 2 unclued of three words - unless the one between 6d and d is one?

[x_word_fan]

Which I now see it is.

[x_word_fan]

I have the 5 and the 4 - just got to find the two words - are we allowed to give hints on here?

[kayakamina]

As others have said this was an easy grid fill. I have the 5 suggested by the second part of the 'musical idol' and can make a case for 3 relevant to the first part.
Whether it is my knowledge of the genre which is woefully lacking, or a cryptic element I am missing in the 4th, I'm putting the puzzle to one side for the time being.

[cinnabar]

I am working on the basis that the 'key' entry is the on next to 28 Across. I can find five of the other unclued entries that are 'suggested' cryptically by this entry - four specific and one generic. As to the other four . . . I can see that the one between 6 Down and 7 Down might be a cryptic 'solution' of the name of one of the greatest of their ilk. But if that's the connection, I have no idea about the other three . . . annoying, to say the least!

[x_word_fan]

Cinnabar - not certain what you are saying but I think you are on the wrong track - if you want my take on it [email protected]

[devadolly]

I have the grid apart from the NE unclued and I have 4 attached to the second part of the Music Idol but can see no connection between the other answers or what is to be highlighted, most frustrating!

[AHearer]

The NE unclued was, I thought, pretty tough, relying on what was to me a pretty obscure meaning.

[devadolly]

I have stared and stared (no hint of a pun intended) until I am purple in the face, have the 4 but can make 'nowt' of the other 5 or what is to be high-lighted so it will have to be an "over the shoulder" ........ so annoying!

[Shoni70]

I am in exactlt the same boat as Devadolly. I have no idea about the connection to the keyword of the five unclued answers although searching high and low. Thought once of leaving a letter out in two of them to get granite and stone which are types of rock, but I am sure barking up the wrong tree here. Saw that x-word-fan had given his e-mail to Cinnabar. Tried to contact him but all of my e mails failed. Would the two adjacent answers to be highlighted be 36 and 39, and do I have to shade the whole lot or just parts if them ? I have completed the last 49 ev's so would be delighted to
have some much needed help on this one.

[kayakamina]

Shoni70

I have, with some hesitation, highlighted two crossing clues. This was after
I noted another anagram of Star in Chambers Dictionary which led me to
the two words, but I am not 100% convinced.

[kayakamina]

Someone has now suggested running 8 & 10 across together.

[devadolly]

Shoni, I have contacted xword fan and the email worked. He was most helpful and without him I would never have got there, most convoluted!

[cinnabar]

I would like to add my appreciation for the help I got from x_word_fan. I don't think that in all conscience I can send this one in, because I would never have got there on my own.

I am still disappointed that this didn't turn out to be a 50th anniversary tribute - because 'Rolling Stones' would have been a brilliant clue to the entry between 6D and 7D!