Listener 4115: Invisible Ink II by Sabre

[midazolam]

Invisible Ink was back in 1995, before I started solving the listener, however I have solved a few of Sabre's puzzles, who often uses ciphers and this is no exception.

The grid filling started off well, but there needs to be a lot of cold solving before the decoding can continue. Often I thought "a word can't fit in there", but sure enough there was. 31 down is a tricky clue, one that I had to work backwards to get.

All in all, a nice challenge. Thanks Sabre

[dr b]

I'm not sure I completely understand the preamble - does it say that once you crack the cipher, you apply it to the 21 normal clues to get the 21 "invisible ink" clues? On the other hand how can you begin to crack the cipher until you have solved some of the invisible ink clues? I answered the normal clues easily enough, but it seems clear I do not fully understand what comes next. Time to put on the pondering cap.........

[cluelessJoe]

cJ

[Ruthrobin]

RR

[dr b]

Well, db, I suppose. Is it a game?

[contendo]

Dr B, I think they're writing in invisible ink. It seems until you've answered all the normal clues there's no hope of cracking the code. Some way to go yet.

[daagg]

I really enjoyed this, though like midazolam I thought I was stuck in a dead end on more than one occasion. This is clearly a puzzle designed for cluelessJoe. The rest of us have to use our magic markers to reveal the hidden clues.

[dr b]

Well, I figured out what needs to be done, but am distinctly uninterested in doing it. It's really just half a crossword puzzle this week. I suppose this is the way many feel about the numericals.

[cluelessJoe]

-of course daagg, it may just be heat sensitive invisible ink, so anyone who can't get magic markers to work on the missing clues might find the following helpful:

"The writing is rendered visible by heating the paper, either on a radiator, by ironing it, or by placing it in an oven. A 100-watt light bulb is less likely to damage the paper."

After a trudge across fields through the snow I have only just picked up my hardcopy of the Times so have not had the chance to try it yet. I'd be interested to hear if anyone gets it to work.

[aldanna]

The only way I can think of doing this is by lots of trial and error with Chambers Word Wizard, after solving the visible clues, of course (I have done most of them, not all). Doesn't seem too much fun. Perhaps a walk in the snow instead.

[StSylvia]

I've solved all the clues bar the last 2 downs. This gives me a very distinctive patterns for 5dn, for which there is only one answer, but taking that forward to 8dn gives me no options at all!

Grateful foe the chance to check I'm not going down a blind alley - maybe some kind soul could drop me a line at [email protected]

[daagg]

dr b, you shouldn't think of these as crossword puzzles. As I've said many times before: variety is the spice of listener life.

[AHearer]

Hmmm. Snow outside and cold solving inside -- it's all too much for me. I can only see one possibility for 5d, and then I can only see one possibility each for 4d and 8d, but then my theory breaks down when after appropriate encoding of 1d, 2d and 3d I can't make a word at 14a, so it's going onto the back burner for a while.

[silversolver]

Managed to get there in the end - some very obscure words, some of which required some trawling through the big red book as they didn't appear in WordWizard. 31d was the last to be solved for me too. An enjoyable and unusual puzzle with a superb construction - thanks, Sabre.

[Rogue-Elfe]

Gone wrong somewhere; will try again tomorrow on the bottom left corner, which is the only bit causing difficulty...i think. Watching Merlin final episode of season now. Got 31d, though. Happy about that. It's only 32 that's giving me grief; probably because I have the wrong letters to work with.

[StSylvia]

Thanks to those who helped - the problem was that 8dn isn't in my electronic copy of the big red book. 31dn was a real groaner!

[AndrewG-S]

Yes finally got there, sort of did and didn't enjoy this. Very obscure words and clever construction but at times a fairly tedious grind through possibilities. Nothing like sitting on the fence. PS: don't rely on word wizard for this one, dig out the BRB.

[serpentinew]

I agree with your sentiments Andrew - and I usually enjoy a bit of coding. Having said that in order for the solution to be unambiguous, I see why so many obscure words are required. A marvellous feat of construction, but not the most enjoyable solve - too much looking up for my liking. I'd be interested to see the original Invisible Ink, if only to see how the construction has changed with the advent of electronic aids.

[contendo]

To save me going any further down a blind alley, could 5dn be taken as a comment on the futility of how we're all spending our time?

[Ruthrobin]

Yes, Contendo - the rest of my comment is in invisible ink. RR