Listener Crossword 4036: Base Jog by Brimstone

[Speravi]

This week's offering is one of the quarterly numerical puzzles, Base Jog by Brimstone. Good luck!

[bonefixer]

Thanks for the hints. I'd spotted the relevant numbers in the grid after searching Wikipedia, but for some reason had a blind spot converting BASE and JOG. Got it now though.

[new2listener]

As my username suggests, I've only just discovered the listener crossword so tjhis is my first. Without telling me how to do no 4036, can someone give a hint on how to get started? I think i;ve got the theme and the event alluded to but I'd appreciate an assist. Thanks

[midazolam]

given that the clue letters and letters within the clues are the same when converted to numbers, first look at the grid and determine which numbers are both across and down and therefore which letters double up as well.

[cruciverbali]

.... then by examining the digit lengths of these 8 answers you can start to eliminate possibilities. U Down can be solved early on, and the values of Y and Z can also be established at an early stage.

[cluelessJoe]

Hmmm new2listener, one of the not-universally popular numerics is a bold place to start, though this one is kinder than most. I stumbled along at first, mainly through a refusal to use a calculator, but eventually succombed and it came together very easily in the end (despite a late trip when I could not read my own writing).
Midazolam & Cruciverbalist give you a good kick start - I started that way, and the first value which emerged was for M whose clue uses those 'common' numbers. It also follows that you can identify from the only-across and only-down letters a limited number of numeric options for each set, which again should help. Good luck.

Can I just add my congratulations to Brimstone for a puzzle which in retrospect is quite stunning. Realisation of the title's double significance just adds icing to a numeric treat full of real words and stuffed with some admirable thematic content. Bravo!

[catterick]

i found the numerical part of the puzzle relatively straightforward (contrary to first impressions), including the title (even done without calculator, as, like Cluelessjoe, i couldn't be bothered to go and get one!). the trickiest bit was the 18 letter substitution, not being an expert on the theme - thankyou to the internet for assistance here!

[catterick]

by the way - how come correspondence on Friday for this Saturday newspaper puzzle?

[perseverer]

Puzzle avaialable online to subscribers to times crossword club from 4pm on Fridays.

[Deviant]

Sometimes reading these threads make you feel so stupid. I thought this was one of the easier numeric Listeners - once I'd learnt to distinguish between the way I'd written letter O and number 0 and to add two numbers rather than multiply them - doh!

However, even after googling the theme - and it was far from obvious for me, I'm still struggling on the 18 characters. I can see two lots of 4 which must be included but cannot for the life of me see any more. Any gentle hints?

[turnerjmw]

Hi Deviant, if you have the correct two groups so far, then the other groups, in size and orientation, will show a similar symmetry.

[Deviant]

Thanks! I see it now - was thrown by the fact that every web site refers to one part of that in a different way (could I be any more cryptic?)

[turnerjmw]

That would have been my next hint . . . well done

[Cathyhuns]

I was abroad when this puzzle came out and the International Times didn't include it. Does anyone have a link or a copy I can access as it sounds like a really good puzzle.

[cruciverbali]

Send me an e-mail please Cathy to [email protected] and I shall send you a copy of this one.