Impossible? Try It

[hc4361]

This is supposed to be impossible for an 'ordinary' crossword to crack and could take an expert two years, it is claimed.

Give it a go!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5628921/Cryptic-crossword-hardest-fans-two-years-crack.html

[klazomaniac]

I emailed '[email protected]' from my Hotmail account.

Maybe because you have a non '.co.uk' address is why its being rejected ???

[JJ109]

Could be, I'll try it from my co.uk account then. Thanks

[JJ109]

Thanks Klaz - that submitted OK - now just have to see if I am ineligible or too late

[klazomaniac]

Good luck :-)

[klazomaniac]

Ps. If you're successful but they won't post out to Asia.
Could you not have it posted to a Friend or Family member in the UK who can forward it onto you. Postage shouldn't be that bad. Or maybe someone who will be visiting you from the UK.
I Have to fill my bag with Marmite and PG Tips every year for my mates out there. Wouldn't mind but I can't stand Marmite. So don't get the benefit of my haulage efforts.

[JJ109]

I've just had this reply from Mark
First time I have ever won anything also! Great man

Hi Julian
I quite understand the hurdles of today's technology, it's all rather new to me, too. So no, it would be no disqualification at all. Unfortunately, and this will probably be of no consolation, you're the eleventh person to send in the correct solution, so just missed out by one. But I feel I have to break the rules, given the effort you've had to make to get the solution in, and I'll send you a paperback copy instead. Also I love the idea of the book going to Thailand.

Hope that's OK, and hope you like it.
Thanks again

All the best
Marc

[klazomaniac]

Fantastic news :-)

And Very decent of Marc for seeing the issues you had.
You definitely deserve it with a time score of yours.
Chuffed for you :-)

[JJ109]

Thanks Klaz

[JJ109]

and thanks to you too hc4361 for the original question that enabled us to win the books

[Davemano]

Not quite finished yet, but it is Not Impossible.

[klazomaniac]

It's not his own words ('Impossible') but how different media have worded their spiel.

Here is the ITV's take with an extract from their reporter quoting Marcs own words.

'I’m not saying that this crossword cannot be completed, because of course it can.
But it is nevertheless fiendishly tough and significantly harder than anything I’ve ever compiled before'

http://www.itv.com/news/london/2018-04-18/can-you-crack-the-worlds-hardest-crossword/

And as you can see from the E-mail that I received, Marc was also not happy about the Title. But publicity and promotion of the book was paramount to the publisher.

In my opinion, The Crossword was a challenge. I've read on another forum that it's not that hard. But the poster is asking for answers which kind of defeats the object of what they are trying to say. If you attain 63 out of 64 of the answers, then the last answer could evade you for a long time (Hence the OTT time scale mentioned) But asking for help would mean that one has already failed that crossword. And also without submitting the finished grid, how would one know if they have the correct solution as the answers are not available as yet.
So I can see (a little) where these quotes may have arisen from.

Saying all that. Good luck with the remainder Davemano.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

[Davemano]

Thanks Klaz - point taken. I will finish it, but no rush. The only time I keep going to the end is Sundays.

[nescio]

Aarrgghh!
I have spent about two and a half hours to complete it, apart from 1D. I have spent a similar amount of time trying to make sense of that clue, but getting nowhere.
A lot of the clues were pretty straightforward and much easier than many found in "ordinary" cryptics.

[nescio]

Doh!
Cracked it!
I should have realised from some of the other clues what the definition part was.
The supposedly "worst" clue at 4D was pretty easy, once I had the check letter from 16A.

[klazomaniac]

Well done nescio :-)

I agree with 4D.
My Nemesis was 47D (I only knew an alternative spelling out of a possible 3 ) So that threw me big time.

[klazomaniac]

Also regarding 4D. We was forewarned about it.

'relies on uncommon usage of obscure word'

So that will have helped us a little as what to look for.

[JJ109]

....and my Nemesis was 54a as I had placed in the wrong last 4 letters from a partial parse and therefore couldn't get the rest, and therefore I also struggled with 43d

It just shows you that people think differently and what is hard for some is easy for others - not a single clue was impossible - but I agree asking for help on the odd clue here and there defeats the purpose of this crossword. Most of the clues were straight forward enough, but others depended on whether you were on the right wavelength or not.

[nescio]

klazomaniac,
the "uncommon usage of obscure word" depends on where you come from. I am familiar with the relevant meaning of the word, which I would hardly call obscure. I use the phrase frequently.