Spectator 2000 Saturday February 5th 2011

[mintyman99]

http://www.spectator....6448/crossword-TG.pdf

[venator]

Give the AB Olympic solvers a few minutes for this one, please...

[kayakamina]

Thanks for the link mintyman.

This one could be fun!

[turast]

OMG! I usually say thank you Mintyman, but looking at this I'm not so sure. What Holmes would call a three pipe problem. I might even have to buy the actual magazine. Many happy hours solving to you all!

[slaney]

Thanks indeed mintyman as I get a 404 error on the Spectator SmartEdition site.

[cruciverbali]

Many thanks minty - definitely one for the A3 copy !

[roslyn251254]

Thank you MM for the link. Can anyone please explain (simply for me!) how to print this over 2 A4 pages?

[teacher1]

I'm with you there roslyn251254 ! lol

[Ironie]

http://kb2.adobe.com/...tml#main_Resize_pages

Does this help?

[barrybutler]

I'm making do with an A4 sideways job. A bit microscopic but quite readable (and fill-inable I hope!)

[zita-green]

Oh dear! I think I'll need more than three pipes for this.
Many thanks, Mintyman.

[slaney]

That's the disadvantage of not having the SmartEdition with the ability to print and enlarge easily.
Thanks Ironie, I'm sure it can be done that way, but I'm obviously not capable of following simple instructions, and eventually had to resort to Paint Shop to get a two-page printout.

[kayakamina]

A new personal 'worst' time for a Speccie of 8 1/2 hours!

For someone with poor eyesight and technical skills this was a nightmare.
I was reduced to cutting out each grid and stapling them on a large piece of paper
and finally combining them to overlap.

I wonder why I bothered.

[novalis]

Many thanks for the link. I think I need to go out to buy a magnifying sheet and a pipe!!!

One little query - I've managed to complete grid C with the exception of the second letter in 21 down for which there appears to be neither a clue nor a cross-reference. Am I being even more stupid than normal and missing the blindingly obvious?

[zita-green]

novalsi, 21d is referenced to 24d. A matter of subtraction.

[novalis]

Thanks for that Zita-Green. Proves I should never attempt the Speccie on a Thursday after what is always a very late night ( for me ) and an early start.

[zita-green]

Welcome, Novalis. Sorry about the typo. Finished C grid quickly enough. The rest is much tougher.

[roslyn251254]

Well done K - surely the fastest to finish! Luckily I now have an A3 size puzzle which saves on the eyesight! Just got Grid E to go now - saving it for tomorrow!

[Mysterons]

Thank goodness each mini-grid isn't the usual 14x14 - as it is this is 3x the size of the usual puzzle. Perhaps it's a shame that the central grid doesn't interlock with grid B, but it's nice to have the 'free starters' in the 4 overlapping corners.

[kayakamina]

Hi Ros

I wish I had known about your A3 size puzzle earlier as I'd have been onto you in a flash!

Regards K

[Helveticus]

Oof! An uphill struggle in many ways. In Grid B I have gaps at 10A, 13A, 24A, 6D & 19D and can make nothing of its instructions. In Grid D I have everything, but I don't understand the "its completion is to be highlighted" part of its instructions (nor can I find the name of the setter, though this is not essential; I'm guessing that it could be Lavatch, whose puzzles I usually find quite tough). Could any kind ABer give me a nudge?