Ev -Sunday Telegraph Enigmatic Variations 1072 May 26Th 2013 -Companions By Wiglaf

[Twit-Who]

Not a subject I know anything about (or want to) but Google to the rescue.

On reading the preamble I felt a warm glow when I saw that highlighting was required this week. Not feeling so confident now - I know the object but not really liking the only possible candidate letters I could find. It's not conclusive for me.

Have a good Bank Holiday, British EVers. The weather might even be kind.

[DocHH]

Hello Twit-Who,
I quite agree with you in respect of the shading. I had been looking for two groups of 3 squares and something thematic between them. Oh well, I've had enough of grid-gazing. The weather here is very sunny, but a little too breezy to sit on the patio, the conservatory is inviting though, especially with a cold beer!

[Twit-Who]

There is a group of 6 letters that spell out the second word of the extra letters but I can't get anything from that. I have the 6 letters of the object that make a reasonable shape but I feel uncomfortable that they're not in order.

[DocHH]

I didn't realise that the object was also an acronym, until I referred to the BRB!

[dr b]

Pretty straightforward grid fill (with the Wiki assisting), but I have no idea what to highlight. doc, are you just making an observation or are you giving a hint there?

[DocHH]

Just an observation really dr b. The theme is rather cultish in the UK, so am not sure if it crosses the Atlantic well in these days! The clue at 31 seems to give a heavy hint. It could also question our titles!

[novalis]

As Sunday mornings are sacrosanct and dedicated to the paper and puzzles I managed to fill the grid before I got down to work. I cannot, however, see the object anywhere in the grid if it is what I think it is. Doc HH, if the object is what I think it is - and I am boxing clever there - I wish I had a pound for every time I have been asked what it stands for in various quizzes.

[devadolly]

Hello All! Sounds interesting! Haven't had a chance to open the paper today but will attempt when heading up the wooden hill, too much to do in the garden as the weather is looking to close in again tomorrow. Beautiful day here after lunch, no wind and roasting......what a change. There ia a great new weather site for anyone interested...www.farmersweather.co.uk (or com, can't remember!) Gives all the various models for the couple of week's ahead.
Good to know you are still around drb after the window rattling and if you didn't see last week's post Novalis, how do your friensd's op go?

[novalis]

Hi Devadolly!

Hope the weather remains fine for gardening again tomorrow...but doubt it given the forecast. Thank you, I shall pass on your good wishes to my friend when we next speak. The op went well and she is recovering slowly but surely.

[jim360]

You are missing so much Twit-Who... though perhaps not in the most recent incarnation. Such a shame there was no room for some of my favourite thematic answers.

The highlighting is proving annoying.

[Cloverjo]

I've got lost with the wordplay extra letters message, but have everything else I think. Like you all I'm having trouble with the highlighting. I have found the group of letters I was expecting to find, but I was looking for a particular shape, which this isn't.

[slaney]

Good morning all - I'm glad it's not just me!
In the end I just let the colouring do the work....

By the way Jim, congratulations on your Listener win - saw your name when undertaking yet another fruitless search for my own!

[novalis]

The trouble is the letters can be found grouped together in two places and to complicate things even further the first three letters can be found in the north-west corner and the last three in the south-east, each group forming teh same shape.

[jim360]

Thank you Slaney!

[slaney]

I may not be correct of course, but I concentrated on following the message in the extra letters.

[AHearer]

I'm with Slaney here: I can't see any other way of selecting an appropriate shape (for appropriate highlighting).

[Garaman]

One set does sort of form the right shape (though a bit flattened) with its top bit and the cell in the middle not highlighted (which could be letting light in!).

[Garaman]

Apologies Twit-Who, I see that you already have eluded to what I just wrote.

[Twit-Who]

Yes, it's all a little unsatifactory. Highlighting at the end of an EV is usually a comforting confirmation that puts the puzzle to bed. Perhaps we should actually write the 2nd word of the extra letters in the centre of the shape in place of the letter? Probably far too complicated.

I'll never be a convert I'm afraid, jim360.

[jim360]

That's OK, we'll just never talk any more. *Sobs*

[Twit-Who]

Ha-Ha (I'm too old to put LOL)