Listener Crossword 4024 - An Additional Symmetry by Waterloo

[Apache4D]

After last weeks colourful and interesting diversion (think my times tables are in much better fettle now!), thought I would start this weeks thread off, if I may.

This certainly looks like an interesting concept (...90 degree rotational symmetry...) and for me very spooky as I was working on an idea like this myself.

However, good luck to all and happy solving!!!

(Waterloo = Walterloo - l, hmmmm?!?)

[Flocko]

Hmmm, I make it 52 unchecked letters.

[perseverer]

You're quite right - my apologies. Can only blame brain worn out after fitting in all the numbers in their (I hope) correct orientations.

[IntoTheBlue]

Finally finished this one after a painstaking amount of time putting in bars and clue numbers.

I found the clues very fair and logical once the initial slog of cold solving had been done,but I share the doubt around the spelling of the fascist leader at 22a... I wonder if google was used ?

IntoTheBlue

[bobbycollins]

Too hard for me - symmetry makes my head spin.

I'm getting a bit fed up with the number of cold solve puzzles recently and I have come to the view that life is too short to spend more than three or four hours on these beasties. So this year's quest for forty correct is probably over.

Sorry to be negative - best wishes to all.

[perseverer]

BobbyCollins - my last post didn't exactly cover me in glory but for what its worth, I don't think you need to get caught up too much with the idea of symettry. If you can get a start in the grid, for example in the top right corner as suggested before, then what you have to bear in mind is that for each answer you put in, there will be another three, matching, a quarter turn round. If you can get the grid started, it really does fit together without too much difficulty.

I do agree about the cold solving, and I still think the sense of achievement you feel if you do get this grid complete, is rather spoiled by the tedium of fitting in the numbers.

[bobbycollins]

Thanks for the encouragement, perseverer. Very much appreciated.

[u10]

Can anyone help me with the answer to 22Ac? I have finished the grid and put in the numbers etc but I am not sure how the wordplay works for 22Ac. I think I have a (loose) two word definition for -S-OSE but I can't see how the rest of the clue gives this definition. What is the open country? Many thanks.

[perseverer]

British fascist leader (spelled incorrectly in this case) - German forest - unusual spelling of common word meaning open country

[u10]

Thanks perseverer (and Google). That's a tough one - I can see where the spelling mistake happened. I enjoyed this puzzle after the initial cold solving.

[Apache4D]

I too really enjoyed this one, and agree it was tough. Didn't start this till late Monday evening, as had a baklog of 2 or 3 EVs to complete........so didn't want to look at the thread until I was confident of my completion.

After solving about 12 clues, I confirmed my intial thoughts of grid structure and used the logical approach to build the grid.....however, kept coming unstuck and convinced myself I had made a stupid error............until "that" moment, when I too smiled and continued with renewed vigour.

Fairly straightforward from there, though I had the 8's squatting at a neighbours and facing the wrong direction, easily resolved though!

All in all an elegant little puzzle, with some clues that I do not think I would have got from cold-solving alone.

Just in time for this weeks.......phew!