Listener 4004: Signal Boxes by Ploy

[midazolam]

Here is the link to this week's listener crossword

remember the railway linked previous listener from ploy "travelling light" - will this have a similar theme?

enjoy

[mad max]

Many thanks for link , got nowhere with last weeks.

[cluelessJoe]

thanks M ... hope it's a bit less tricky than 10 by 8

[bobbycollins]

Thanks from me also. I cannot access The Times site so this is very much appreciated.

[midazolam]

oh yes much easier cluelessjoe.

i dont want to say anything that might be "used to attract attention", but this was fun although the cluing a tad easy.

nice finish (said with "a cry")

[spiderFreak]

bobbycollins you can access the Times site via this URL
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/section/0,,12350, 00.html
It's got all the puzzles going back quite a distance.
Just don't tell anyone, in case they remove the access!!

[Scorpius]

Yes, midazolam, a neat puzzle with a very satisfying conclusion. I feared it was going to be more complex than it turned out to be.

[bobbycollins]

Thanks a lot, spiderfreak

[jamesah]

I agree that the cluing was straightforward and thought I was on the right lines but have so far got one name ( I think) and one associated topic. Is it right that there is only one more name and one more topic as I seem to have got rather a lot of 'points' left to be set.

[lordbadger]

Yes Jamesah, one more name and one more topic to highlight. But there�s something else you should notice in the grid too, which should help you resolve how to set the apparently �spare� points.

[jamesah]

Thanks lordbadger, I've got the names and topics but have no idea how to resolve the points. I don't understand what the 'five different elements' are either so am obviously missing something fundamental.

[Clamzy]

jamesah - examine the cells (vertically) between the sets of points. This should clarify what you are looking for.

[spiderFreak]

I've found the 5 elements and fixed up the points, and have found the 2 names and 2 topics, but I still have a bit of a nagging feeling that there's something I'm not appreciating. I mean, it's quite an unusual asymmetric grid. Is that just to fit the letters in, do you reckon? Also, you don't always end up with real words. Am I worrying unduly?

[Clamzy]

I'm sure you're OK spiderfreak. The changes did necessitate some non-words.

[Spaghetti]

I've only taken up the Listener relatively recently, and I notice there's a sort of etiquette about the sort of questions and answers put and given. So if this is out of order, please let me know!

The penny has finally dropped, but I'm left with 2 cells that don't seem to be determinable either way. Have I gone wrong?

[easterfool]

I am new to this too. I'm feeling good that I've found 2 names and 2 associated words, which settled some queries. That left some more queries. Can they be resolved into single entires too?

[lordbadger]

Spaghetti, I�m wondering whether you�ve identified the five �different� elements correctly?? If so, you should be able to reach a unique, logical conclusion.

I�m a newcomer to the site too, but from the threads that I�ve read, there are different tolerances for the degrees of help sought and given! In my view, your question and my response are both perfect etiquette :-) .. but others would perhaps go further and some will no doubt be getting tetchy already! Basically I think a good hint should be sufficient to confirm that something�s not quite right, helpful in terms of suggesting the area for further exploration, but insufficient to give the game away.

[easterfool]

Wow! Just had a brainwave and answered my own queries. How do these guys come up with the ideas? Thanks for the inspiration

[jamesah]

I am still struggling with the logic of this with a number of points still to set. Perhaps the problem is that I don't know what the ' five different elements' are despite getting all the points and the two names and topics by setting some of the points.. Any hint as to the meaning of 'element' in this context would be helpful. Definitely my last plea for help!

[Cruncher]

Hi Jamesah

I'd do a bit of research on one of your shaded names and look at the positions of the ambiguous cells and have another look at Clamzy's hint about some vertical (smallish) words that have a special significance

That said this not my area of specialist knowledge. Thank good ness for Wikipedia. Only hope it's accurate!

[gribble]

jamesah if you look up the first name in chambers it lists three of the elements