EV 933 Grackles by Oxymoron

[slaney]

I can't see a thread on this yet, and I know devadolly wiil be delighted at the appearance of her favourite setter!

For me it made a welcome and enjoyable distraction from gazing cross-eyed at the Listener grid, although it took too long to work out what was going on with the eighteen treated clues.

[devadolly]

Oh slaney, you have said it all, definately tears before bedtime! I have been brave and attempted it - probably manage 1/4 of the answers and have the alternatives to the theme but am now stumbling and blundering as the answer isn't "far more helpful" as Mr O promises. As to contributions to normally entered clues.......................deep depression, just like the weather.

[turnerjmw]

A typically precise effort from Oxymoron with masses of thematic material. After the Listener I thought we were in for a weekend of jumbles, but once I stumbled upon the alternative title it all slotted in much more easily than I thought. Great fun

[slaney]

That's what I thought about the alternative at first devadolly, but if you look at it carefully it is helpful in showing you how to treat the 18 clues.

[devadolly]

As in abbreviations slaney?

[teenieleek]

I am struggling with this, not helped by water coming through the kitchen ceiling - try getting a plumber on a Sunday! I got the alternative fairly quickly but don't know which answers I can safely put in the grid as I have no idea which are the eighteen or how the alternative helps. Brain must be waterlogged as well as the ceiling.

[kayakamina]

Hi slaney

I enjoyed this one by Oxymoron although it took a while for the penny to drop.

I wanted to congratulate you on your success with Mephisto - well done.

Regards K

[devadolly]

Slaney, Mephisto, respect!

[dr b]

A nice puzzle. Correctly interpreting the alternate title does indeed speed things along. Done in time for Sunday football!!

[teenieleek]

The penny has dropped - food and and a glass of wine seem to have helped.

[AndrewG-S]

Hello all from Vancouver, where the weather is far worse than Sussex. Have the grid about 3/4 complete, know at least a number of the entries to be treated as they conflict with the untreated words passing through some of the *s, have the alternative title but as yet no PDM for me...

[slaney]

Sorry for the delay devadolly - my life is measured out in airport runs at the moment - not abbreviations, more a way of giving some structure to the jumbles.

Thank you K, it was the first Mephisto I'd done for years, but as I had scanned a copy for an AB member, I thought I'd give it a go.

[x_word_fan]

I have adjusted 17 of the 18 answers and have a completely full grid - just can't find one more. Can anyone offer to compare notes please. [email protected]

Thanks

[x_word_fan]

It would help if I could count! I did have 18!

[AndrewG-S]

Thanks for the help xwordfan, a few typos in a number of key entries left me all at sea trying to find the thematic manipulation, all is now ship shape and completed

[DocHH]

Hello everyone,
Had phone call late last wednesday, which resulted in friends arriving on friday for a long weekend. Most enjoyable, but meant that although I spotted on sunday that the Setter was Devadolly's nemesis, I couldn't really get to tackle EV until today! Not exactly plain sailing, but worth a punt, especially if you are travelling line astern.

[AndrewG-S]

Doc HH

I have not tried the wine (but have used the supplier before and they have been reliable), but this does look like excellent value for a 2004, 90 parker rated wine (£5.41 a bottle).

http://www.wineandco....9-9275-uk-liv-uk.html

[DocHH]

That looks interesting AndrewG-S! Why would anyone buy just 6 bottles given the discount levels for 12 against 6! I'll have a hop around their site.

[novalis]

Am well behind with various crosswords ( EV and Speccy in particular ) thanks to the unusually high volume of appeals this year. Have the alternative and realise that DocHH's hints refer to that but am still at a loss as to how that leads to the adjustments to be made, Any pointer/hint would be most welcome.

[kayakamina]

Hi novalis

The first part of the alternative should be put at the alternative's second part in the 18 clues.
The 18 words entered in the grid are not real words.

Good luck K

[DocHH]

Hello Novalis,
Sorry to hear you have been inundated with appeals! For sure my posts have been, in drb's previous accusation, punned all the way, so I'll try and continue in the same mode! When shopping I hope you pREBAG your purchases before the checkout, but I wouldn't wish to BARGE in and upset your enjoyment of this EV!!
See you sunday! I hope you raise the odd glass or two on completion of marking, we are on our normal Tempranillo!
Devadolly has been conspicuous by her absence since deciding Slaney needed great respect for the Mephisto prize. Did she correctly place you geographically last week?