Ev 1184

[devadolly]

Good Afternoon. Can someone give my brain a hefty shove please, I am vey confused by this one.............no sniggering from the regulars......I mean even more than usual!

[AHearer]

I admit to having found this a bit of a slog. There is a theme, and most of the entries are not dictionary words. Once you know that, one of the most straightforward clues is 29, which points you towards the theme. Then try to crack 4 and 11 -- there aren't many ways they can fit. Good luck!

[jim360]

You're a braver solver than I, dd. I looked at this and -- to be sure, in part because I thought I should make the most of my time in the South of France -- put it away without much extra thought. Looks like it could be a great puzzle but requires more time than I have.

It's very hot here, and I'm afraid to say that I've not really adapted to that very well. Been out and about, and had a great time, but right now I'm suffering the effects of not putting enough suncream on. Damn near ripped my skin off in various places, and it hurts rather. Ah, well.

[DocHH]

Hello Devadolly,
I would echo A Hearer's sentiment that this is a "slog"! I managed to solve some of Group 1 clues and realised that the BRB was not the only place the answers would appear. Solving a few of Group 2 clues then helped a tad to get to the theme. As for Group 3 clues, there were answers there that I had never even heard of!
I do not like the "jig-saw" format at all, but as A Hearer said, the way in is through 11, 4 and then 6. 22 gave a help also to slot in 14.

[voulezvous]

I have a full grid + the word needed to write underneath. Is that it? I feel I'm missing some last step? I don't understand No Bamako, nor the big picture.

[devadolly]

Thank you all for the hints, unfortunately confusion still seems to reign. I thought I had done 29 but it doesn't comply with 'no bamako', may have done 4 but can't comprehend the word play, so it probably isn't right. I also thought I had done a couple of the Group 3's but they turned out not to be words also confused about the group 2 changes, do they just change upon entry, or do they change as a part of the wordplay?
I must just be being universally thick!

[x_word_fan]

The group 3 are all cities and have normal wordplay and do not change on entry. I too am worried about the "BIG PICTURE" - does something need to be taken out of the grid?

[AHearer]

The Group 2 clues initially give normal words, which are converted to the thematic words to be entered on by changing letter in each.