EV 1047 - X Marks the ???? by Rustic

[Twit-Who]

I thoroughly get (I think) all of this crossword except, and probably vitally, completing the blanked off area for which I have a couple of equally appropriate words. There seems to be no way to verify which is correct. Anyone else having this problem or is it blindingly obvious?

[cleodog]

spot?

[Jogler]

There would appear to be one obvious word which fits the expression but we are inclined to think it is the other .... and no, we are not finding it blindingly obvious, just maybe slightly more appropriate.

[Jogler]

On a slightly different note; I remember reading comments about an interesting reference book - was it Doc HH? The book wasn't Brewer's but another, perhaps similar, type of reference. I can't find the relevant thread so am hoping that this makes sense to somebody in the EV community!

[dr b]

I'm not finding it obvious either. The word that obviously completes the puzzle title makes no sense in the area, so it seems that you can either put in a word describing the area, or a word describing what would be inserted into the area. Neither choice seems to create any hidden words in the grid that might give some direction. Perhaps the puzzle title suggests a word that rhymes with what goes into the area?

[Twit-Who]

My thinking is exactly the same as yours, Dr B.

[Jogler]

I think we are all thinking the same thing; I hate ambiguous endgames!

[devadolly]

Yes Jogler's we are! I can't reach any conclusion at all so have abandoned for the moment. I think the ref book you are referring to is the Bradford's Xword dictionary..............I recently got one and it is most useful, I can't imagine why I have never got it before now!

[Jogler]

Excellent, ty Dd. I knew it began with a B!

[Christiana]

I assumed it wasn't the 'obvious' one, but the one that is visually correct, for the item referred to round the perimeter

[kayakamina]

I am also uncertain. Initially I went with the word associated with the end of the 'cynical remark', but it didn't really fit the title.

This got me wondering if the the start of the quotation (change.....) suggested
a word which did fit the title!

[Twit-Who]

In the end I went with the word that describes the area. Not loving it but at least it rhymes with the expected word.

[devadolly]

I am totally confused - yet again, I hear you cry! I have finished the grid, got the statement (oh, so true!) and plethora of a certain letter.........but....... have absolutely no hint of a PDM. I can only think of the blindingly obvious, which it blatently isn't as there is no connection to the rest of it. So irritating to be stumped at the last fence.

[Christiana]

DD, I can only give you my 'take' on it. So, the letter you mention, of which there is a plethora, is an abbreviation for what goes in the item mentioned in the quote, and goes in the blanked off area but fails to emerge. The blanked off area is the correct shape for the word it represents, which rhymes, as Twit-Who says, with the word one expects.
Other solvers are considering more subtle variations on this, I think.

[devadolly]

Hello Christina................ my childish little mind is working overtime here! All the "word associations" are totally the wrong length.................... I really am being thick and sadly the 120 Christmas cards and 53 letters enclosed therein await!

[Spreadman]

I was going alomg the same route as you, but I wonder, as the result is a representation of the last words, perhaps the entry into the blank area is the same as what does not emerge. This also ties in with the removed letters.

[Spreadman]

Sorry, that should have been along. The blanked off area may contain four identical letters.

[Christiana]

Hmm, I see your point, Spreadman but it doesn't make much sense of 'x marks the ....?'

[slaney]

I've come late to this - usual glorious havoc with grandchildren at weekend.
I am undecided as to whether to put a changed word, or to find a home for some of those omitted letters like Spreadman - the title could be explained by the letter over the blanked-off area perhaps.

[Twit-Who]

Ah! Does the penny drop? Is that it? Are we putting in a pound instead and not getting any change? Literally a PDM!

[devadolly]

I have only got 3 blanked off squares??