Enigmatic Variations No. 752

[crofter]

Is there anyone else struggling with EV 752?

I've been able to get the last four grids out ~ but this one is like hitting a brick wall! I don't want to give up quite yet!

I have ten clues solved and sussed one of the themes!

[cruciverbali]

I've only just made a start on this one, but with just 3 answers some seem to have ST missing - is this any help ?

Cruciverbalist

[crofter]

I'm fairly certain that I have soutions of the across clues 1,31,35,37,39 and of the down clues 1,6,7,22,25,26,32 ~ but it's been hard going!

[Quizmonkey]

Cruciverbalist is right - and remember the mention of blank squares in the preamble...

[kettledrum]

33a change strong to string; anag ar(m) I tug

[novalis]

Just seen your posting! Blank squares to be highlighted form capital "S", smalll"t".The "S" starts at cell 17 and works back and forward like an s" 3 back, 1 down, 3 forward, 1 down and three back. "t" starts at cell before 18 and is 4 cells downwards with cell 20 and the second after cell 29.

ST is removed from front of 11a, 19a, 23a, 30a,35a, 36a, 9d and 27 d. 11, 35, 9 and 27 the st. is short for saint ( Elmo, Albans, Allen and Leger ).

ST is removed from end of 1a, 27a, 31a, 37a, 38a 2d, 8d and 10d. 1, 31, 38 and 6 are all London streets without st(reet). ( Oxford, Bond, Regent and Harley. )

Hope that helps. It took me forever ( and three glasses of red wine !!!! ) to finish.

Happy solving.

[cruciverbali]

And finally the corrected misprints spell out two STRAIGHTS (Menai and Gibralter) - I hope next week's is easier !!

Cruciverbalist

[novalis]

Agree with cruciverbalist about the difficulty. E,V, certainly seems to have been harder ( more challenging ) since the start of the year. That having been said, there's a definite pleasure in completing it after the ( masochistic ) pain of working through it. I didn't have any grey hairs until I started doing E.V's!!!!

[crofter]

Wow! Thanks for all that ~ and sorry that I did not get back to you sooner (I was on digging duty all day again).

Five weeks ago, I had never heard of EV ~ yet I had solved the last four grids and this one threw me completely.

I began thinking the theme was "POPES", then I thought it was "SINNERS AND SAINTS" . At that point, I had CAPO for 37across and was convinced it was linked to (AL) CAPONE (one of my sinners!). I am a wiser man now ~ thanks to all your generous help! I hope one day to repay the favours!

Excuse me now. I have a heavy date with a crossword grid, a pen and a bottle of red wine!