Many thanks, NACW! I think I’ll the EV alone for a while. Got a good look at the Genius and it seems much more Matakari-friendly. Help with the following should see me through more easily. Thanks in advance!
23a Hospital blocking a French treatment centre passing without notice (7): ??H???D
28a A university will need ways to restrain right atmospheric illumination (7) : ??????S
1d Nonsense about taking in food strikes (8): ?E??N?S
3d New management offer to provide next deliveries? (8): ?C?E?V?R
4d Former choreographer and director? (6) : ?I?B?R
5d Nothing black is seen in Japanese accessories (4): ?B?R
16d Broadcast commercial in Georgia and part of Spain (7): G?E?A??
18d Curtailed suggestion over cleaner for society venue (8) : C???R???
( Wordplay in each Across clue contains a superfluous letter. In clue order, these letters spell out an instruction to be applied to two additional words in the grid, creating 12 new words, for the final solution to be submitted as your entry. )
The first thing is you have to find them
From the preamble you know there are two "additional words"
Swapping these will give 12 new words, therefore each of the two words to swap is likely to be 6 letters
How do you get additional words?
Look at the grid, and examine instances where it goes black square, cell, blacksquare, cell, blacksquare, cell etc etc and see if you can spot 2 x 6 letter "additional words"
When you see them you will know why they are errant, because the first one describes where the second one should be and vice versa
Swap them over and you will find that by doing so 12 real words will be formed to replace the existing 12!
Thanks, JJ109, I realised that it had to be “Swap errant words”, but it’s like magic, Greek to me. How do I know that a word is errant here? How to find the two additional words? Where must I look? What must I understand by blacksquare? What a lesson this is! When I got the grid filled, I did not realise that the game had only just begun, that it was going to plunge me into a labyrinthine quest for deviant words, etc…Right now I am staring hard at the grid hoping for some kind of epiphany!
Good morning, JJ109, thanks for your very precise information! I confess that I must have committed some monumental mistakes here because I have a full grid, it does not contain any gaps at all. I can only deduce now that I’ve entered some answers incorrectly, but where? I am totally flummoxed and stumbling in the dark. I would be grateful if you could enlighten me. With much gratitude!
Matakari, JJ's instructions were very precise, I think you have simply failed to understand them. Just look at the very first row of your completed puzzle. You will see...black square, black square, letter, black square, letter, blask square...
If you read that all the way across you will see a word. The same goes for the very last row in your completed grid. All you have to after that is follow the instruction.
Thanks, NACW, JJ109 was quite clear, but I went astray. Now, let me see if I am on the ball. For example, in the final solution I should enter for 1d SEATING and not BEATING, for 3d MAKEOVER and not TAKEOVER, for 26d THRO and not THRU…
P.S. I’m looking over my 21d as I believe I have something wrong there.
21 Person engaged in dodgy behaviour? Police officers should appear (6): D?P?R? ( DUPERY )
Matakari, Dupery? It's Supers, police officers, superintendents. It's Per, person, inside Sus, dodgy behaviour. I don't have my grid to hand, so can't confirm your changes. I don't think you'll have gone astray again.
My heartfelt appreciation, JJ109 and NACW, for helping me to penetrate the preamble of this puzzle that I was on the verge of abandoning. I’m glad I did not give up as trying to fathom the end game proved rewarding though trying to a great extent. If I were to ever win any of these, I would be obliged to generously share the rewards with you! Many thanks again, and as usual I’m on the lookout for a smoother workout in tomorrow’s Spectator.
Thanks, Matakari. I think the preamble was pretty clear and pretty fair. I think that your major hurdle was working out what the instruction actually meant! It even took you some time once you got the step by step instructions, I know some solvers twigged right away what was to be done, others were baffled for a good while.
This week's Private Eye puzzle might be balm to your battered soul, it was pretty straightforward.
Thanks, NACW, you're do right about the instruction part of this puzzle! I do not yet have the Eye Crossword, but as soon as it comes, I'll give it a shot as usual. Until tomorrow!
Matakari, I don't think your wish for a 'smoother' Spectator puzzle has been granted, but today's is a real gem. I hope you enjoy it (and don't need too much help - I'd like you to have the satisfaction of completing a Mr Magoo!).