Listener Crossword 4104: Merchandise by Adam

[Zabadak]

I have a nice full grid, but not a clue what's going on. I don't want to know what the solution is, just that someone out there has seen a regular pattern (or whatever) that makes sense of the thing. Apologies if this thread has already started somewhere, but neither searching the site nor searching with google give any hits.

[dr b]

I'm right where you are but am heading out to dinner soon and will likely get back to this tomorrow.

I thought the jumbles were a nice break from extra/missing letters spelling out instructions or a quote.

[Ruthrobin]

I am in much the same position (having been out to dinner) - an almost full grid and not the slightest idea where the quotation is. I, too was surprised that someone out there was not announcing that this one was a cake-walk. Must sleep on it.

[Zabadak]

Cheers dr b, I'm glad it's not just me. It was indeed fun sorting out those jumbles, but right now I'm feeling "embedded in a regular way" is a wee bit sparse as an indication of where the quote is!

[daagg]

I do struggle with these wretched wordsearches! I'm glad everyone else is in the same boat.

[Zabadak]

Ruthrobin: I actually think this IS a cakewalk, relatively speaking, right up to the point where you're trying to second guess what "embedded in a regular way" means. So far I've tried every nth letter, diagonal zigzags, concentric squares and diamonds (there's a promising word in the middle, but it doesn't seem to go anywhere), crenellations (truly) and knight's moves. Can't get anything remotely consecutive.

[Ruthrobin]

Yes, indeed, Zabadak. I have to agree that the fill is a 'cake-walk' and (not giving anything away as I've found nothing) the endgame must include most of the grid because of the use of jumbles and the 'unlikely' nature of some of the down words - but clearly, a few of us are going to spend the weekend gazing at a full grid.

[Zabadak]

Eleven words is a lot to hide in this grid - which also happens to be 11 squares across. I've ended up playing Boggle - you can get loads of words that way. I think I'm going to leave it for a bit and see if the dark, subconscious side of my brain can extract anything.

[IntoTheBlue]

Morning everyone... exactly the same position here staring at a full grid trying out ever more fanciful attempts at word creation. Rest assured though it will be staring us all in the face!

IntoTheBlue

[pushmi-pullyu]

I've also got a full grid (though I'm not convinced that my answer to 37 ac can be right) and no idea where to go next.

[Zabadak]

Pushmi 37ac is in Chambers under the first word. Sadly (so far as I can tell) Chambers sheds no light on what to do next!

[pushmi-pullyu]

Thank you Zabadak, my answer was indeed wrong. Now to find the embedded code. Just as well I'm not going out tonight.

[cluelessJoe]

Aaagh - I'm even starting to think that it may be quicker to thumb through the whole of ODQ, identify every mention of a raw material, and see if that links to the accursed hyphenated merchandise. I do start to get frustrated when the unearthing of a denouement takes significantly longer than the original grid fill.

[AHearer]

Well, I'm glad it's not just me! Time to stop staring at the grid: maybe doing something undemanding like mowing the grass will open my mind to fresh inspiration.

[AndrewG-S]

Oh dear, I have had very little time to look at this so far and looks from the above to be tricky. I think I'll save it up for a long haul flight I have tomorrow night...

[Clamzy]

Well apart from AHearer and dr b there's been nothing from the hares this week and it's Saturday teatime already. It seems we snails have an even chance this time:-)

[bobbycollins]

Not a hope for this snail, Clamzy. I gave up staring moronically at completed grids ages ago. If any of my pals find the quotation can they please mail me to put me out of my misery?

[dr b]

Wow, no one has this yet! Or at least, no one is admitting to it. I have only been able to look at this (fruitlessly) for a bit today; 83 degrees and plenty of yard work to do. I was about to try crenellations but I see Z beat me to it.

[daagg]

I have no idea, but I thought I might point out that "merchandise" and "raw material" both have 11 letters. At least that might keep a few rabbits busy for a while :-)

[contendo]

Finally completed the grid and caught up with the rest of the gang, but I'd call it anything but a cakewalk. 7dn is a bit sneaky, not being in bold type in the BRB. Now for the difficult bit.

[JackDeCrow]

Strangely comforted to discover all this other grid-staring going on. Will be glad though when someone finally says, "Oh yes, I've found it"! Anyone else spent too much of the day with "Half a pound of tuppenny rice, half a pound of treacle" going around in their heads? (Clearly, if I had any suspicion remaining that it appears in the grid, I wouldn't mention it here!!)