ev 774

[Physicsgirl]

Just found last week's thread which I hadn't realised even existed! I hadn't checked for a while. I did continue with the grid and posted a question under "ground to a halt" but didn't get any response; however, managed to answer my own questions. Got as far as having 3 squares unfilled and then gave up. My answer at that point to 5d read

Z?X?QPLJ?G

and I didn't have a clue how to finish. Will re-read the previously undiscovered thread and see if I can do it.

Hope you're all well and enjoying the nice weather. Slow but steady progress with EV 775, will maybe ask for a hint if I get stuck.

[cruciverbali]

Try encoding the entire alphabet to give a message explaining how to fill your 3 unches.

C

[Physicsgirl]

Thanks, Cruciverbali. Will try looking tonight after I've done my A level marking. Have much less time now that term has started but hope to continue my own EV education if I can. Hope you are well, and thank you (and the others!) for all the help and encouragement over the summer.

P.S. I wonder where my punctuation sometimes disappears to in these posts?......

[Christiana]

Hello Physicsgirl. Didn't see the 'ground to a halt' but did post on your old thread saying I was starting a new one.
This week I got off to a good start but somewhat bogged down now. Have a lot of the answers but haven't completely worked out how to fit some of them in and don't know what the 'glimpse of mercury' is except that Mercury was a cipher machine and it looks like one of the unclued answers might be connected with this - maybe, maybe not.

[novalis]

Hi Physicsgirl!

Don't have "normal" marking as such to do as I'm happily retired but I'm still a G.C.S.E. examiner and it's the "appeals" season with this week and next usually the busiest from that point of view. My postman takes great delight in bringing me the scripts --- a separate envelope for each one!
This week's EV really isn't too bad, but I make it only 14 treated entries, not 15 as stated in the preamble. I've looked for a fifteenth but can't see it.
Best wishes.

[novalis]

Sorry -- just noticed Christiana's posting ( wasn't up when I submited previous one ). The words to be treated require the repositioning of a certain letter ( the same in each case ) to form a new word which is the answer to be entered.

[Physicsgirl]

so pleased to "see" you all again! Thought something had gone wrong last week when nobody was there. I, too, got off to a flying start this week but have had little/no time to carry on. Will do so this evening if I get half a chance! Novalis, have been signing appeals forms all week for students, you have my sympathy.
The Guardian (in comparison to EV) seems easier these days, so even if I don't finish every week, must be making progress somehere!
Really must do that marking
Bye, all

[Christiana]

Thanks Novalis. I had twisted one or two around but hadn't noticed it was the same letter.
May I join in the general comments on the dreaded 'marking'. I'm fortunate in that I don't have to do any now, but have been in both scenarios - marking 'A' level papers internally and, when I'd first retired, being a GCSE and SATS examiner in English.

[Christiana]

Have now started new thread in case you didn't want 'answers' rather than clues to 775 http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Quizzes-and-Puz zles/Question454430.html
I've nearly finished but confused by four of them - possibly have the answers but not certain.

[novalis]

Agree with you about tackling EV making other cryptics "easier". It encourages to think outside the box.

[Physicsgirl]

now have my unclued entries and the grid is looking healthy, understand what to do with remaining clues and just need to finish now! Don't want to look at the other thread but might try posting on it without reading other posts (if this makes sense!) as I really want to try it on my own.