ev 955

[bellabee]

i really enjoyed this one. it displays great skill in setting i think. just a pity the 5x5 was given away when it would have been an interesting challenge to find it unaided. the anagram is really well conceived though.

[dr b]

Not too difficult, but fun. Agree that it was quite a feat to get all that info into the grid. Without the mention of a 5x5 area, it may have taken longer to find the "conclusion" than it did to fill the grid.

[bellabee]

yes, on balance the degree of difficulty [or ease] was maintained by revealing the 5x5.

[DocHH]

Hello Bellabee and dr b,
I agree the grid was easy to populate, but as a mere scientist I had never read the story, so started at a disadvantage. I had no idea of what the 9 asterisked lights were spelling! Without the mention of the 5x5, I think I'd still be staring at the grid!

[bellabee]

not a name you're likely to forget though DocHH.

[slaney]

I greatly enjoyed this one - I'm never sure if I'm a scientist masquerading as an arts person or vice versa.
My thoughts were the same - that it might have been a more interesting finish were the 5x5 area not mentioned in the preamble.

[AndrewG-S]

Yes, a very enjoyable puzzle, with a lot of hidden material about which I knew little.

[DocHH]

To be "X-E" bellabee, unless it can be derived from first principles, there is a good chance I will! However there is an equation that only needs two letters removing from the author, and one replaced with a symbol, that will remain with me for the rest of my life.
A lecturer also asked us, "what's a joule per second?" He was actually telling us a Watt is a joule per second! Now that could make an EV interesting theme!

[ringer]

Allo all
Must be a red letter day - I have actually had time to start - and finish an EV on the Sunday it has been published. Must admit I hadn't heard of this theme before and was struggling to complete the end game until I looked up the source. Hope you are all well.

[bellabee]

whereas i never forget a risque pun DocHH. so definitely arts first for me then - that said, quantum mechanics has been a long-time fascination and i really enjoyed that recent circular listener. [has that equation anything to do with potential difference?]

[bellabee]

and you too ringer.

[DocHH]

Certainly bellabee, the left-hand side of the equation is a full word! The result could be drugless anger!
Hello Ringer, nice to see us non-arts people completing this EV! Hope you are well too. I hope the system allows you to continue teaching maths/hard maths and even harder maths to the students who are willing to undertake hard, rather than soft subjects!

[ringer]

Yes - lots of takers for even more hard sums! Am still enjoying my teaching although my hours were cut this year (due mainly to fewer students in Years 7 and 8). Young daughter now studying Further Maths, much to my delight. I agree that the subject of week's EV did not readily spring to my mind - I'm decidedly lacking in the Arts. (Does that mean I am artless?)

[AndrewG-S]

I think the relevant question may be whether there are any artful people on this thread as I believe most if not all of us are artless.

[DocHH]

Serendipity springs to mind!

[kayakamina]

An enjoyable puzzle and having a classicist and a horticulturist in the household certainly helped.

As others have said it is a shame in a way that the 5 x5 was disclosed in the way it was.

Overall though well done Charybdis.

[novalis]

Hi everybody!

I'm trying to fit this in between various jobs ( repointing, new central heating system ) going on around me. Have mangaed to complete the grid, highlight X and identify the 5 x 5 blockbut I can't for the life of me work out how to draw the continuous line through the 25 cells., ,Any hints would be much appreciated.

[devadolly]

Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! All you mad scientists are enough to drive a simple wordsmith to drink - or should I say, even more drink!
What with one thing and another only had chance to open the EV last night, got on famously with the top half (not 1d or a unfortunately) but am not seeing either the 5x5 or the confusion despite having 7 of the 9 'sweetheart' letters, suppose they could be wrong but don't think so.......oh dear will have another plug at it tonight, but stop confusing me with Watts and Joules and other ethereal transports of energy that leave me cross-eyed, in total awe of abstract scientists and quite envious of those of you who can cope with algebraic formulae!

[dr b]

novalis, visualize water going down a drain after you've pulled the plug. Also be aware that the 'conclusion' may be in the author's native tongue.

[contendo]

Shame on all you Listener migrants who haven't read it. It's one of the major works of Western literature and entertaining to boot. Give it a go!

[dr b]

In the best of all possible worlds, everyone will have read the book.